Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

When travelling to Canada, you always need to carry proper travel documents and identification for yourself and any children travelling with you. Transport companies, such as airlines, will make sure you have proper, valid travel documents. If you do not have the proper documents, you may be delayed or unable to board the plane.

What is an eTA?

An eTA is a travel authorization document issued to citizens of visa-exempt countries by Canadian immigration officials for short-term visits up to six months. The document is linked electronically to the passports of the eTA holders.   

An eTA is valid for up to five years or till the validity of the passport, whichever comes first.   

If the passport validity expires within five years, the visitor needs to apply for a new eTa with the new passport number.

eTA Validity

Once approved, your eTA is valid for five years or until your passport expires - whichever comes first. You can come to Canada as many times as you wish as long as your eTA remains valid. On some cases, the approval process may take up to 72 hours. This is due to extended Immigration review. You will be notified visa email if your application is under review.

Who Requires an eTA to visit Canada?

Travelers from visa-exempt countries are required to have an eTA to enter the country through an airport.

They do not need to apply for the document if they plan to cross Canadian borders by car, bus, train or boat.

Select citizens from a few visa-needed countries can apply for an eTA instead of visitor visa to land in Canadian airports.

To enter the country through other modes of travel, they need a visitor visa. Examples of nations whose citizens can fly to Canada with an eTA are Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania.

Canada eTA for Tourism

All foreign nationals who wish to tour Canada, a country known for its geographical diversity, rich infrastructure and cosmopolitan and inclusive culture, can apply for a visitor visa. This will permit them to stay in Canada for a short term for up to six months.

Citizens of a few countries can visit the nation without a visitor visa. They can travel to the country with an eTA.

Canada eTA for Business

Travelers who are eligible for the eTA can go to Canada for business purposes. This can be business meetings, conferences or technical meetings. However, they cannot engage in any kind of paid activity.

Canada eTA for Transit

Passengers coming from visa-free countries can transit through Canadian airports with an eTA. However, this is allowed only if they stay in Canada less than 48 hours, if they will be connecting two international flights in Canadian airports or their flights stop for a brief period.

Travelers from non-visa-free countries have to apply for a transit visa.

Do I need a Visa?

Foreign nationals from about 148 countries will need a visa to enter Canada. They can apply for a visa at the Canadian consulate in their country for various purposes including education, travel, employment or even migration.  

Tourists and Short-Term Business travelers from certain nations that are planning on visiting Canada are not required to apply for a visa. Instead, they must apply for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). 

Some nations that are eligible for the ETA:

• Australia
• Colombia
• Mexico
• Japan
• Germany

Who does not Need an eTA?

Visitors from The United States do not need an ETA to enter Canada. All that will be needed is a valid passport.

At the moment, Canada is requiring all visitors to register their trip with the ArriveCan app. This program will quickly register all incoming visitors in Canada. It was created as a measure to counter COVID-19.

Travelers need to take prescribed doses of approved vaccines to be accepted as a fully vaccinated passenger. They are exempt from pre-tests to cross the borders through air, water or land.   

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children between 12-18 years are also not required to do the pre COVID test.   

Children who are under five years too need not be tested to be allowed in the country.

Applying for an eTA

Applying for eTA is an easy online process. The applicants should download the application form from the official website of the Canadian government.

They need to fill in the details. There may be a few questions and the applicants will also be asked to present their passports, a credit card and e-mail address. The process usually takes a few minutes to complete.

Be cautious while entering the passport number and typing in the e-mail address. Incorrect passport numbers can create problems and the applicants may be denied entry. In such cases, they will have to apply again.

If and when the eTA is approved, the approval mail will be sent to the applicant's e-mail address. The mail will have the eTA number with which they can check the status.

Do I Need Additional Documents Apart From the eTA?

Under some circumstances, travelers may be asked to provide additional documents.

If they are bringing a minor with them. Under Canadian law, a child, who is under 18 years old, is considered a minor.

The visitors coming with minors will be asked to provide an authorization letter from the parents or guardians of the child. In the case of adoption, proper documents need to be submitted to the immigration authorities at the port of entry.

If a foreigner is visiting on the invitation of a company, he/she needs to show the letter of invitation to the authorities at the immigration counter.

Can Travelers with Criminal Conviction enter Canada

Canadian Border Security Officers generally deny entry to travelers who are deemed inadmissible to Canada.

There are various reasons for travelers to become inadmissible. Some of the reasons are as follows:

1. Travelers who have committed or have been convicted of a crime in their home country.

2. Travelers who had been diagnosed with a communicable disease in the past.

3. Travelers who have given wrong data in the application form, violated immigration law or declared as a security threat.

What can be Done to Overcome Inadmissibility?

The border security officers can allow the visitor to enter Canada based on the nature of the crime or if he/she has been rehabilitated since then.

Foreign nationals with criminal inadmissibility can apply for a temporary resident permit for a single time entry. Though this approach is comparatively easy, they can enter the country with this permit only once. They cannot renew or extend their stay.

People with criminal inadmissibility can enter Canada through another program called Criminal Rehabilitation. Although it is a longer process, this helps the applicants start anew and clear their inadmissibility permanently.

There are Two Ways for Rehabilitation

Foreigners can apply for individual rehabilitation if the act that made them inadmissible was committed five years prior to the date of application or five years have passed since the end of their criminal sentence.

The applicants must demonstrate that they have been completely rehabilitated from the crime and are not prone to commit the offence in future.

Deemed rehabilitation is allowed for less serious offences and for crimes that were committed at least 10 years ago.

A legal opinion letter from the border security officials can help the applicants with the rehabilitation process or obtaining a TRP.

The applicant's lawyers must convince the officers that the offence was not serious in nature and was an isolated incident.