The Government of Canada has introduced a new entry system for which travelers to Canada must obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) under the Canada Visa Waiver Program before boarding a restricted flight to Canada.
Effective March 15, 2016, travelers taking flights to Canada or transiting to Canada without a visa will be asked to carry an ETA during their travels. Those who have not applied for ETA may be denied boarding on the flight.
Application details
An eTA application can be done through the website. An ETA response will be sent via e-mail within minutes of the application being issued. For this reason, last-minute applications are also acceptable. However, it is advisable to apply when traveling is planned. Also, pay the application fee
Needs to be done using a credit card.
The validity of eTA is valid for five years or till the expiry date of the passport used for applying for eTA (eTA will no longer be valid if the passport expires earlier).
This rule does not apply to Canadian citizens, U.S. citizens, Canadian permanent residents, and Canadian visa holders. Permanent residents of the United States will need an eTA when flying to Canada.
For citizens who can transit to Canada without a visa, an eTA is not required for transit.
Travel to Canada with Canadian ETA
The ETA Travel Approval for Canada has been implemented to better screen travelers from visa-free countries. Instead of obtaining a Canadian visa through the embassy or consulate, eligible travelers can fill out the online form with their personal details and passport information.
Once approved, the Canada visa ETA waiver is valid for 5 consecutive years or until the passport expires. If the passport expires before the 5-year period expires, the traveler must obtain a new Canadian ETA with their new passport. When eTA is approved by the Canadian Immigration System, it is electronically attached to the applicant’s passport.
Canada allows some foreign nationals to enter the country without having to go through a lengthy process to apply for a Canadian visa. Instead, these foreign nationals can travel the country by applying for the Canada Electronic Travel Authorization or Canada ETA, which acts as a visa waiver and allows international travelers to arrive in the country with ease and convenience by a commercial or chartered flight. The Canada ETA serves the same purpose as the Canada Visa but is much faster and easier than the Visa which causes much more hassle than the Canada ETA whose application results are often given within minutes. Once your ETA is approved for Canada, it will be linked to your passport and will be valid for a maximum of five years from the date of issue or for a period less than five years before your passport expires. It can be used repeatedly to visit the country for short periods, lasting no more than six months, although the actual duration will depend on the purpose of your visit and will be determined by border officials and stamped on your passport.
But first you need to make sure that you meet all the requirements of the Canada eTA that qualify you for the Canadian eTA.
Eligibility Canada Visa ETA Requirements
Since Canada only allows certain foreign nationals to enter the country without a visa but in Canada eTA, you will be eligible for Canada eTA only if you are a citizen of Canada eligible country for eTA. To be eligible for Canada eTA you must:
Any citizen of this visa-free country
Passed by Andorra, Antigua, and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See (By Holy See), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (holder of national Israeli passport), Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania (biometric passport/e-passport issued by Lithuania), passport, e-passport, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland (holder of biometric passport/e-passport issued by Poland), Portugal, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Taiwan (holders of ordinary passports issued by the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to include their personal identification number).
British citizens or British foreign nationals. British territories include Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, or the Turks and the Caicos Islands.
- Holder of a British National (Foreign) Passport issued by the United Kingdom for persons born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong.
- Holder of a British subject passport issued by the British subject or the United Kingdom which gives the holder the right to remain in the United Kingdom.
- Holder of Special Administrative Region Passport issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.
- US citizen or legal permanent resident with a green card or any other proof of permanent residence.
- If your country is not on Canada’s visa-free list, you may be eligible for a Canadian visa instead.
