eTA- Electronic Travel Authorization

Citizens of certain countries are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). For these individuals, the government of Canada has introduced what is known as electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

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eTA

Before the eTA system was introduced, visa-exempt foreign nationals seeking entry to Canada were not systematically screened for admissibility until they arrived at a Canadian Port of Entry.

The new eTA system aims to provide stress-free travel for visa-exempt individuals by requiring them to complete an online form before departure.

Note: The eTA is now mandatory for most visitors from countries whose citizens do not require a TRV who are entering Canada by air.

Citizens of visa-exempt countries intending to travel to Canada by air are expected to have applied for an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before their departure to Canada. Exceptions to this include citizens of the United States, who do not require a TRV or an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), and Green Card holders in the United States, who need an eTA to come to Canada, regardless of their nationality.

The Canadian pre-approval system is only required for TRV-exempt individuals seeking to enter Canada by air to visit on a temporary basis. To read a comprehensive list of frequently asked eTA-related questions and answers, click here. 

Individuals requiring an eTA in order to visit Canada are asked to fill out some personal information and answer a few basic questions relating to criminality or medical issues.

To complete the online form, you need:

  • a valid passport from a visa-exempt country,
  • a credit card to pay the $7.00 CAD fee,
  • a valid email address, and
  • access to the internet and a few minutes of your time.

The eTA will be valid for a period of five years from the day on which it is issued to the applicant or until the earliest of the following days, if they occur before the end of that period:

  • the day on which the applicant’s passport or other travel document expires,
  • the day on which the electronic travel authorization is cancelled, or
  • the day on which a new electronic travel authorization is issued to the applicant.

The eTA includes the applicant’s name, date and place of birth, gender, address, nationality, and passport and/or travel document information. If the applicant is unable to make the application by means of the electronic system because of a physical or mental disability, it may be made by another means, including a paper application form.