Do Canada passport holders need a visa to visit AF?

Yes, a visa is required. Canadian ordinary passport holders must obtain an Afghan tourist visa in advance from the Embassy of Afghanistan in Ottawa or the Consulate General in Vancouver before travelling. There is no visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or reliable e-visa channel for Canadians. Note: the Government of Canada advises AVOID ALL TRAVEL to Afghanistan. A Canadian (CA) ordinary passport holder needs a visa to enter Afghanistan (AF) for tourism. The visa must be obtained in advance from an Afghan diplomatic mission in Canada (Embassy in Ottawa or Consulate General in Vancouver), as confirmed by the Government of Canada travel advisory and the missions' own visa guidelines. Standard issuance is a single-entry tourist visa permitting a stay of up to 30 days (one month), typically valid 90 days from the date of issue. Applications are made by post or in person and require an invitation/sponsor letter, confirmed flights and accommodation, travel insurance, proof of sufficient funds, two passport photos, and a passport valid at least 6 months beyond intended stay. Entry may be refused if the passport shows Israeli stamps (or Egyptian/Jordanian stamps from crossings bordering Israel). Critically, the Government of Canada advises AVOID ALL TRAVEL to Afghanistan due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, and arbitrary detention; Canada's embassy in Kabul is suspended, so consular assistance in-country is extremely limited. Sources conflict on whether an online e-visa is available; the conservative and authoritative route is the in-Canada consular application, so the verdict is visa-required.