Older travellers
Find useful information and advice to help you plan safe and healthy travel outside Canada.
On this page
- Planning your trip
- Health considerations
- Transportation
- Retiring abroad
- If you need help
- Returning to Canada
Planning your trip
As an older traveller, you could face certain barriers and risks when you travel outside Canada. Research and prepare for your trip to help your travels go smoothly.
Travel advice
Consult our travel advice and advisories for your destination for information on:
- risk level and local security conditions
- entry and exit requirements
- local laws and culture
- possible health hazards and health restrictions
- natural hazards and climate
- where to find help while you are travelling outside Canada
Register your trip
Sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad service so that the Government of Canada can contact and assist you in case of an emergency abroad. Through this service, the Government of Canada can also help your family or friends reach you in case of a personal emergency at home.
Passports
When planning travel outside of Canada, make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended return to Canada. This is a requirement of entry for many countries, and you should check your destination’s entry requirements to confirm.
If you need to renew your passport or apply for a new one, start the process well before your planned departure from Canada. Allow more time if you need a visa since you will need to obtain a passport first.
Learn more about applying for a Canadian passport.
Visas and other requirements
While you may not need a visa for all destinations when travelling with your Canadian passport, most countries require a visa for longer stays (usually more than 90 days).
To find out whether you need a visa:
- consult the Travel advice and advisories page for visa information specific to your destination
- contact the embassy or consulate of your destination country in Canada before leaving, as well as countries you are transiting through, to check the entry and exit requirements and other regulations
Ensure that you allow enough time to get the proper documentation.
Information about visas, biometrics and electronic travel authorizations.
List of foreign embassies and consulates accredited to Canada.
Travel insurance
Make sure you get travel insurance that includes health, life and disability coverage. This will help you avoid large expenses, such as the cost of hospitalization and medical treatment outside Canada.
Verify the terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and requirements of your insurance policy before you leave Canada and:
- be sure it covers pre-existing medical conditions and medical evacuation
- be aware that travel medical insurance typically does not cover ongoing treatments you may need for chronic conditions while travelling
- be aware that travel insurance companies may limit the coverage or significantly increase the premiums or deductibles for travellers over 65 while some insurers will not offer coverage for travellers over a certain age
- be sure that it covers repatriation and other costs in case of death, as the death of a loved one while they are abroad can worsen the grief of family and friends if they have to deal with foreign languages, laws and culture
Learn more about travel insurance.
More information about death abroad.
Accessibility and accommodations
If you have mobility issues, find out what accessibility and accommodations are available at your destination.
More information about travelling with disabilities.
Security
Find destination-specific information on safety and security.
If you are travelling with any electronic devices, read our advice on cybersecurity while travelling.
We often receive requests for consular assistance from Canadians who have been victims of a scam.
Find out more about protecting yourself from overseas fraud.
Health considerations
Preparing for travel
Visit a health care provider or a travel health clinic to discuss your travel plans, preferably 6 weeks before you leave. This will reduce your risk of illness or accidents while abroad.
Plan for your health before and during travel (Public Health Agency of Canada).
Older travellers may be at an increased risk of severe, complicated or fatal malaria. If you are travelling to areas where malaria is present, you should discuss your risk with a health care professional to determine if anti-malarial medication is required.
See the Malaria Threats Map (World Health Organization).
Older travellers may be at an increased risk of their cognitive health declining when they travel and are confronted with unknown situations. Travelling with a trusted companion is advised.
Get resources and travel tips for people living with dementia (video, Alzheimer Society of Canada).
You should establish or verify your personal or health directives, representation agreements, or delegations related to healthcare decisions in case you become incapacitated. Setting up a power of attorney may also be advisable. This would allow a trusted person to manage financial and property matters if you can no longer manage them.
Quebec residents: learn more about the protection mandate (mandate in case of incapacity, Quebec.ca).
Get country-specific information on health conditions and standards of medical care:
Check out our advice if you plan on travelling outside Canada to receive medical care.
Find out if your destination requires any vaccinations.
Get more information about travel-related diseases.
Don’t forget to pack a travel health kit.
Travelling with medication
In some countries, drugs that are legal and readily available in Canada may:
- be considered illegal
- require a prescription or may
- arouse suspicions among local officials and customs and immigration authorities
To avoid problems:
- contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada of the country you plan to visit, as well as any transit points, to make sure the medications or medical supplies you intend to bring are allowed into the country
- bring enough medication for your stay plus some extra to cover any unexpected delays to your return
- always keep your medication in the original container and carry a copy of your prescriptions
- pack your medication in your carry-on luggage
Learn more about travelling with medication.
Find out about travelling with a medical device.
See what you can bring on a plane.
List of foreign embassies and consulates accredited to Canada.
High altitude
Older travellers are generally at less risk of altitude illnesses than younger travellers. Being in good physical shape and ascending to high altitudes slowly can help your body adapt.
If you have heart or lung disease or diabetes, a health care professional may discuss other ways to help reduce the effects of altitude illnesses.
Learn more about altitude illnesses.
Extreme temperatures
Older travellers are at a higher risk of non-exercise-related heat stroke due to decreased sweat production and the use of certain medications.
Take steps to avoid this risk:
- be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat stroke (confusion, dizziness, headache, nausea)
- seek medical attention if you think you are developing heat stroke
- take some time to get used to the heat before engaging in any vigorous physical activity
- learn how to protect yourself from heat
Older travellers also have a decreased ability to tolerate cold temperatures.
Take steps to avoid this risk:
- be aware of the early signs and symptoms of hypothermia (shivering, feeling tired, confusion, slow and shallow breathing) and frostbite (numbness or tingling, stinging or pain, and pale or waxy skin)
- seek medical attention if you think you are developing hypothermia or frostbite
- learn how to protect yourself from the cold
Find global weather and climate information (World Meteorological Organization).
Transportation
Air travel
Do not hesitate to request mobility assistance from the airline or at the airport. This can reduce stress and the risks of injury in transit.
Air travel may cause blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). You may be at greater risk of developing blood clots if you have cancer or congestive heart failure or had recent surgery. Older travellers have a higher risk of developing DVT.
The risk of DVT can be reduced by:
- getting up and walking around occasionally
- exercising and stretching your legs while seated
- selecting an aisle seat when possible.
A health care professional may recommend additional ways to reduce your risk, such as wearing compression stockings and/or taking preventative medication.
Jet lag
Jet lag can be an unfortunate side effect of crossing multiple time zones. Symptoms include difficulty falling asleep at night, waking up earlier than usual and feeling unwell and tired. Older travellers may feel the effects of jet lag more than younger ones.
You can minimize the symptoms of jet lag by:
- getting more exposure to sunlight
- eating at your usual mealtime in the new time zone
- exercising
- drinking lots of water and staying well hydrated (it is important to limit or avoid alcohol and caffeine)
Driving
Even if you can drive safely in a familiar environment, it can be difficult to adapt to different driving conditions including:
- driving on the left side of the road
- unfamiliar routes and denser traffic
- poor road surfaces
- narrow and single lane roads
- operating an unfamiliar vehicle
- local driving habits
Consider safer transportation options other than driving.
Retiring abroad
If you are planning to move outside of Canada for your retirement, it is important to prepare carefully.
Learn more about retiring abroad.
Read general information about living abroad.
If you need help
If you become sick or injured while travelling outside Canada.
If you need assistance while you are outside Canada, contact the Canadian embassy, high commission, consulate or office in your host country or the Government of Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.
Other things you can do to stay safe:
- create and carry an emergency contact card with the coordinates of the nearest Government of Canada office in your host country, in case you have problems while abroad
- stay in touch with your family and friends in Canada to let them know how you are doing
- learn more about how the Government of Canada can help you if things go wrong while you are travelling outside Canada
Returning to Canada
Entry requirements can change suddenly. Even if you are a Canadian citizen, check the updated travel requirements before your departure to return to Canada.
Related links
- Canada Pension Plan (Service Canada)
- Old Age Security pension (Service Canada)
- Determining your residency status (Canada Revenue Agency)
- Mental health outside Canada
- Insect bite and pest prevention (Health Canada)
- People who are at risk of more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19 (Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Date modified: