Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization VISA 2023 (Application Process)
Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization VISA 2023 – An Electronic Travel Authorization is an entry permit that is required from citizens of those countries that are visa-exempt and who want to travel to Canada by air. An ETA is an electronic permit and is linked to a person’s passport.
ETAs for Canada are usually valid for up to five years or until your passport expires (whatever happens first). You can travel to Canada as many times as you want with a valid ETA and can stay there for six months at a time. You just 2need to show the passport that you used to apply for the ETA at the time of your arrival in Canada.
Do you Qualify for a Canadian ETA?
You can apply for a Canadian ETA if:
- You are a visa-exempt foreign national and want to travel to Canada by air. This means that you belong to a country whose citizens do not need a visa in order to enter Canada through a Canadian airport. The list of such countries is given below.
- You have had a valid Canadian Visitor Visa in the last 10 years and want to travel to or transit through Canada by air.
- You currently have a non-immigrant visa to the US.
- You hold a valid Bulgarian, Brazilian, or Romanian passport. Note that these countries are not visa-exempt countries and some citizens of these countries won’t be issued an ETA. All the ETA applications from these countries will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
It is important to understand that ETAs are only valid for air travel. If you are entering Canada by land or sea, you may either need a visitor visa or just a valid passport depending upon which country you are from. For instance, US citizens don’t need a visitor visa or an ETA for entering Canada. They just need to present a valid US passport at the time of their arrival in Canada while Pakistani citizens will need a visitor visa in order to enter Canada.
Application Fee of Canadian ETA: CAD$7
Once you complete the application form you need to pay the application fee of CAD $7 using a valid credit card.
Duration of Stay on Canadian ETA:
Once you arrive in Canada using your ETA, the border services officer will put a stamp on your passport specifying the date by which you need to leave Canada. You are usually allowed to stay in Canada for a period of up to six months if you have a valid ETA. If you wish to stay longer than that, you need to go back to your home country, reside there for some time and then come back to Canada. An ETA is usually valid for five years or until your passport expires so you do not need to apply for an ETA every time you enter Canada by air.
Countries Eligible for Canadian ETA | Visa-Exempt Countries:
Below is the list of countries whose travelers are eligible to apply for an ETA if they want to visit Canada by air.
- Chile
- Cyprus
- Finland
- Croatia
- Finland
- Australia
- Brunei Darussalam
- Czech Republic
- Bulgaria
- Barbados
- British Overseas Territories of: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium
- British citizen
- Greece
- Croatia
- France
- Chile
- Brunei Darussalam
- Czech Republic
- France
- Denmark
- Germany
- Estonia
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Andorra
- Taiwan
- Bahamas
- Vatican City
- Greece
- Austria
- Estonia
- Hong Kong
- United Arab Emirates
- Germany
Canadian ETA | Application Process 2023:
ETAs are usually approved within a few minutes of application. But in some cases, it can take longer and candidates may be asked to provide some other supporting documents. Therefore it is best to apply for an ETA at least a month before your expected travel date.
Keep your passport and credit card with you while applying. The application does not get saved automatically so you need to have all the information ready. The application process for a Canadian ETA is fairly simple. You just need to follow the following steps.
- Fill out the application form using the link here
- Answer all the questions being asked in the eligibility questionnaire
- Pay the application fee using your credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express) and take a printout of the receipt.
You will hear back from the ETA authorities within minutes if your ETA gets approved. Applicants who need to submit additional documents will get an email within 72 hours of applying. Provide an email address that you regularly use.
Documents Required for Canada ETA Application:
In most cases, you will just need your passport and a credit card for filling out the application form for Canadian ETA and to pay its fee. Applicants usually get their approval within a few minutes of applying. In some cases, applicants will be asked to submit other documents. In such cases, applicants will most likely hear from ETA authorities within 72 hours of applying.
Avoid Unnecessary Hassles:
Once, you receive your ETA approval, match the passport number mentioned in your approval email with the number given in your passport. If both don’t match, you will need to re-apply for the ETA.
Make sure that you are carrying the same passport at the airport that you used to apply for the ETA (for passengers holding dual nationality/passports). Your passport is linked to your ETA and the airport authorities will scan your passport to confirm that you have a valid ETA. You won’t be allowed to board your flight to Canada if you fail to present a valid ETA.
