The Honorable Sean Fraser, Canada's Minister of Immigration, announced on 6 June 2023 that 13 new countries have joined Canada's electronic travel authorization (eTA) programme. Passengers from these countries who have obtained a Canadian visa within the last ten years, or who have a valid US non-immigrant visa, will be able to apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air.
What is the purpose of the programme?
The announcement said visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of people to visit Canada for business or vacation for six months. In addition, more travel will help grow tourism, international trade, and the Canadian economy by protecting the safety of Canadians and strengthening relations between Canada and these countries.
Thousands of applicants will be relieved of Canada's visa burden, and this will enable the country to process visa applications more efficiently as a result of this decision. As a result, all visa applicants will benefit from this decision.
Which countries are included in Canada's electronic travel permit programme?
- Antigua ve Barbuda
- St Kitts ve Nevis
- St Lucia
- Arjantin
- Kosta Rika
- Fas
- Panama
- Filipinler
- St Vincent ve Grenadinler
- Seyşeller
- Tayland
- Trinidad ve Tobago
- Uruguay
What is eTA?
eTA is an electronic travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need to travel to or through Canada. Similar to the US's ESTA system, Canada's electronic travel authorization (eTA) programme is a very simple online application that visitors to Canada must complete at least three days before visiting the country.
I have a visa, do I still need to get one?
Citizens of these countries who have obtained a Canadian visa within the last 10 years or who hold a non-immigrant US visa will now only be able to enter Canada through the eTA system. Those travelling to Canada by car, bus, train, or boat (including cruise ship) or who are not eligible for an eTA will need a visitor visa.
When will my application be approved?
In most cases, approval is granted within a few minutes. However, this system is only open to certain nationalities and many nationalities will need to apply for a visitor visa. Therefore, the approval time will be extended and will require a months-long approval process.
How long is an electronic travel visa valid?
The electronic travel authorization will be valid for five years or until the passport holder's passport expires, whichever comes first.
I am a citizen of a country that does not have visa-free access to Canada's eTA programme and what should I do to visit without a visa?
If you are a citizen of a country such as Nigeria or India who wants to travel to Canada without a visa, you should apply for one of the Antigua, St. Lucia or St. Kitts Citizenship by Investment programmes. These programmes will not only give you visa-free access to more than 100 countries around the world, but also easy entry into Canada through the eTA system.
For advice on Antigua, St. Kitts or St. Lucia's Citizenship by Investment Programme, please contact our experts.
Antigua, St. Kitts veya St. Lucia’nın Yatırım Yoluyla Vatandaşlık Programı hakkında danışmanlık için lütfen uzmanlarımızla iletişime geçin.
