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Published on: October 21st, 2022
By: RCIC Maher Dery
Office for Visa Services
Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)
Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)
eTA Canada Visa (Canada Visa Online) is a required travel authorization for travellers visiting Canada for business, tourism or transit purposes. This online process for electronic Visas for Canada was implemented in 2015 by the Government of Canada, with the goal of enabling any future eligible travellers to apply for an eTA to Canada.
1. Complete eTA application
2. Receive eTA by email
3. Enter Canada
What is Canada eTA or Canada Visa Online?
As part of its joint agreement with the United States to better secure both the countries’ borders, from August 2015 onwards Canada started a Visa Waiver programme for certain Visa exempt countries whose citizens could travel to Canada by applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization Document instead, which is known as the eTA for Canada or Canada Visa Online.
The Canada Visa Online works as a Visa Waiver document for foreign nationals from certain eligible (Visa Exempt) countries who can travel to Canada without having to obtain a Visa from the Canadian Embassy or Consulate but instead visit the country on the eTA for Canada which can be applied for and obtained online.
The Canada eTA performs the same function as the Canada Visa but it is much more easily obtained and the process is faster too. Canada eTA is valid for business, tourist or transit purposes only.
The validity period of your eTA is different than the duration of your stay. While eTA is valid for 5 years, your duration cannot exceed 6 months. You may enter Canada at any time within the validity period.
It is a quick process which requires you filling a Canada Visa Application Form online, this can take as little as five (5) minutes to complete. Canada eTA is issued after the application form has been successfully completed and the fee paid by the applicant online.
What is a Canada Visa Application?
Canada Visa Application is an electronic online form as recommended by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), to be completed by those who intend to enter Canada for short trips.
This Canada Visa Application is a replacement for a paper-based process. Also, you can save a trip to Canadian Embassy, because the Canada Visa Online (eTA Canada) is issued by email against your passport details. Most applicants can complete the Canada Visa Application Online in under five minutes, and they are discouraged by the Canadian Government from visiting Canadian Embassy to apply paper-based process. You require an internet-connected browser, email address and Paypal or Credit/Debit card to pay the fees online.
Once, Canada Visa Application is filled out online on this website, it is vetted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to check for your identity. Most Canada Visa Applications are decided in under 24 hours and some could take up to 72 hours. The decision of Canada Visa Online is communicated to you by the email address provided.
Once the Canada Visa Online outcome is decided, you can keep the record of the email on your phone or print it out before visiting the Cruise Ship or Airport. You do not need any physical stamp on your passport because the airport immigration staff will check for your visa on the computer. You need to make sure the details filled in Canada Visa Application on this website must match exactly as far as your first name, surname, date of birth, passport number and passport issue and passport expiry date are concerned to avoid being rejected at the airport at the time of boarding flight.
Who can apply for Canada Visa Online (or Canada eTA)
Only citizens of the following countries are exempted from obtaining a Visa to travel to Canada and must apply instead for the eTA to Canada.
Citizens of Canada and the United States need only their Canadian or U.S. Passports to travel to Canada.
US lawful Permanent Residents, who are in possession of a U.S. Green Card also do not require Canada eTA. When you travel, make sure to bring
– a valid passport from your country of nationality
– proof of your status as a permanent resident of the U.S., such as a valid green card (officially known as a permanent resident card)
Only those visitors who are traveling to Canada by air through a commercial or chartered flight need to apply for the eTA to Canada.
Types of Canada eTA
The Canada eTA has 04 types, or in other words, you can apply for the Canada eTA when the purpose of your visit to the country is any one of the following:
- Transit or layover when you have to stop at a Canadian airport or city for a brief period of time till your next flight to your final destination.
- Tourism, sightseeing, visiting family or friends, coming to Canada on a school trip, or attending a short course of study that does not award any credits.
- For business purposes, including business meetings, business, professional, scientific, or educational conference or convention, or for the settling of the affairs of an estate.
- For planned medical treatment in a Canadian hospital.
Information required for Canada eTA
Canada eTA applicants will need to provide the following information at the time of filling out online Canada eTA Application Form:
- Personal information like name, place of birth, date of birth
- Passport number, date of issue, date of expiry
- Contact information such as address and email
- Job details
Before you apply for Canada eTA
Travelers who intend to apply online for Canada eTA must fulfil the following conditions:
A Valid passport for travel
The applicant’s passport must be valid for at least 03 months beyond the departure date, the date when you leave Canada.
There should also be a blank page on the passport so that the Customs Officer can stamp your passport.
Your eTA for Canada, if approved, will be linked to your valid Passport, so you are also required to have a valid Passport, which can be either an Ordinary Passport, or an Official, Diplomatic, or Service Passport, all issued by eligible countries.
A valid Email ID
The applicant will receive Canada eTA by email, therefore a valid Email ID is required to receive Canada eTA. The form can be completed by the visitors intending to arrive by clicking here eTA Canada Visa Application form.
Method of Payment
Since the eTA Canada Via application form is only available online, without a paper equivalent, a valid credit/debit card or PayPal account is required.
Applying for the Canada eTA
Eligible Foreign Nationals who wish to travel to Canada need to apply for the eTA for Canada online. The entire process is web-based, from application, payment, and submission to getting notified of the result of the application. The applicant will have to fill the Canada eTA application form with relevant details, including contact details, previous travel details, passport details, and other background information such as health and criminal record. All persons traveling to Canada, regardless of their age, will have to fill this form. Once filled, the applicant will have to make the eTA application payment using a credit or debit card and then submit the application. Most decisions are reached within 24 hours and the applicant is notified via email but some cases may take a few days or weeks to process. It’s best to apply for the eTA for Canada as soon as you have finalised your travel plans and no later than 72 hours before your scheduled entry into Canada . You will be notified of the final decision by email and in case your application is not approved you might try applying for the Canada Visa.
How long does Canada eTA application take to process
It is advisable to apply for Canada eTA at least 72 hours before you plan to enter the country.
Validity of the Canada eTA
The eTA for Canada is valid for a period of 5 years from the date of its issue or lesser if the Passport that it is electronically linked to expires before the 5 years. The eTA allows you to stay in Canada for the maximum of 6 months at a time but you can use it to visit the country repeatedly within the period of its validity. However, the actual duration you would be allowed to stay in for at a time would be decided by the border officials depending upon your purpose of visit and will be stamped on your Passport.
Entry into Canada
The eTA for Canada is required so that you can board a flight to Canada as without it you cannot get on any Canada bound flight. However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Canadian border officials can deny you entry at the airport even if you are an approved Canada eTA holder if at the time of entry:
- you do not have all your documents, such as your passport in order, which will be checked by the border officials
- if you pose any health or financial risk
- and if you have previous criminal/terrorist history or previous immigration issues
If you have arranged all the documents required for the Canada eTA and meet all eligibility conditions for the eTA for Canada, then you are ready to apply for Canada Visa Online whose application form is quite simple and straightforward. If you require any clarifications you should contact our helpdesk for support and guidance.
Documents that the Canada Visa Online applicant may be asked at the Canada border
Means of supporting themselves
The applicant may be asked to provide evidence that they can financially support and sustain themselves during their stay in Canada.
Onward/return flight ticket.
The applicant may be required to show that they intend to leave Canada after the purpose of trip for which Canada eTA was applied is over.
If the applicant does not have an onward ticket, they may provide the proof of funds and ability to buy a ticket in the future.
Benefits of Applying Online
JUST SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES OF APPLYING YOUR CANADA eTA ONLINE
| Services | Paper method | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 24 / 365 Online Application. | ||
| No time limit. | ||
| Application revision and correction by visa experts before submission. | ||
| Simplified application process. | ||
| Correction of missing or incorrect information. | ||
| Privacy protection and safe form. | ||
| Verification and validation of additional required information. | ||
| Support and Assistance 24/7 by E-mail. | ||
| Email Recovery of your eVisa in case of loss. |
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