Traveling to Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Preparing for your Trip to Canada

If you are a foreign national who is about to come to Canada, you may be aware of the fact that you need to prepare some documents prior to your arrival. You may come up with the question “Do I need a visa? ” Well, this question can be answered depending on your country of origin. You will be subject to certain requirements before you are permitted to enter the country. In this article you will learn about information on the documents all travellers need to travel to Canada, to help you understand the things you will need to take care of, depending on your circumstance.

Comparing a Visitor’s Visa with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is a document which is electronically linked to your passport, stating that you are permitted to board a flight to Canada. At this point, you may be wondering about the difference between an eTA and a visitor’s visa. They are fairly similar. The only difference is that, an eTA is only needed from individuals coming from a visa-exempt country because they are travelling by plane. Also, the expiry periods are different. A visitor’s visa is only valid for approximately six months, whereas an eTA is valid for 5 years from the date of issue, or until your passport expires. With an eTA, you are permitted to exit and re-enter the country as many times as you would like, within the time your eTA is valid. Again, you can only stay for 6 months at a time.

Who Needs an eTA

Anyone who wishes to come to Canada by plane from a visa exempt country, in which citizens do not need a visitor’s visa to come to Canada, needs an electronic travel authorization. The process of applying for an eTA is much simpler than applying for a visitor’s visa. Therefore, you need to make sure you come from a visa-exempt country, and you do not spend extra time and money on the application of a visitor’s visa. If you come from one of the following countries, then that means you are from a visa-exempt country.

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Barbados

Belgium

British citizen

British National (Overseas)

British overseas citizen (re-admissible to the United Kingdom)

British overseas territory citizen with citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in one of the British overseas territories of: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Island, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands

British Subject with a right of abode in the United Kingdom

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Chile

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, must have a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR.

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Israel, must have a national Israeli passport

Italy

Japan

Republic of Korea

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Mexico

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Papua New Guinea

Poland

Portugal

Romania (electronic passport holders only)

Samoa

San Marino

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan, must have an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number

United Arab Emirates

United States, lawful permanent resident of

Vatican City State, must have a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican.

Citizens of the United States, not permanent residents, are the only group which is exempt from the eTA requirement when travelling to Canada.

Please note, if you are from a visa-exempt country and are entering Canada by land or sea, you do not need an eTA. You only need a valid travel document.

Being from a visa-exempt country does not guarantee you access into Canada. Canadian border service agents have complete authority to deny you entry into Canada for various reasons.

Applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization

Applying for an electronic travel authorization is not difficult. Generally, you can receive an approved eTA in your email just minutes after you apply for one. Also, the fee is only $7. Despite the fact that eTA applications are not complicated, it is still important to keep in mind that an immigration officer has the authorization to request more information from you. As a result, it is extremely crucial for you to fully understand your intentions while you are in Canada. it is also recommended that you apply for an eTA prior to booking your flight.

How to Extend My Stay in Canada With an eTA

Generally, travelers who enter Canada are permitted to stay for up to 6 months at a time, without needing to leave or apply for permission to stay longer. If you wish to stay for longer than 6 months, both visa-exempt and non-visa exempt travellers must apply for a temporary resident visa. You must submit an application to extend your stay before the 6 month period which you are permitted to stay in Canada is over. If you apply before your 6-month period ends, you are permitted to wait for a decision from the CIC. While the application is being processed, you are legally permitted to stay in Canada on implied status. You may continue to stay in Canada if you application is approved. On the other hand, you must leave the country immediately if your application is denied.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Electronic travel authorization application is not as difficult as you think. With proper guidance, you may travel to Canada with ease. Akrami & Associates work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients to obtain Electronic travel authorization to come to Canada. Please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at 416-477-2545 for more information, or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!