Thanks to its prosperity, beautiful natural landscapes and lively cities, Canada has become a popular destination among international travellers and students looking to study abroad. Read on to find out what you will need if you are planning to travel to Canada.
Do I need a visa for Canada?
British travellers normally don’t need a visa for short stays in Canada. Nonetheless, if you arrive in Canada by air, you need another travel authorisation, namely the eTA Canada. The eTA is not mandatory if you arrive in Canada by land or sea, but you will still have to meet the same requirements as those travelling with an eTA. If you’re travelling to Canada for a holiday, business trip, transfer or study trip, and you meet the requirements, then you may apply for an eTA Canada.
Benefits of the eTA
The eTA can be easily applied for online, while a visa application for Canada must be submitted via a Visa Application Centre (VAC). Moreover, an eTA application requires fewer data and documents than a visa application. Therefore, the eTA is cheaper and easier to apply for than a visa for Canada. If you apply for an eTA Canada via this website, it will be issued within 3 days.
Apply for the eTA Canada
When is the visa necessary?
Do you intend to work in Canada for a Canadian employer (or to start a business in Canada)? That requires a visa, a work permit or a residence permit. If you’re going to study in Canada for more than 6 months or take an education or course that lasts longer than 6 months in total, you will need a study permit. If you are granted a work permit or study permit, you will automatically be granted an eTA or visa, depending on which one you qualify for.
Transit or transfer in Canada
If you are visiting Canada to transfer to another flight or means of transport, you will still need an eTA. The only exception are travellers heading to America via Canada who do not leave their planes. For further information, read the page about transfers and transit in Canada.
What is an eTA?
The abbreviation eTA stands for electronic Travel Authorization. Holders of an eTA may visit Canada for various travel purposes without a visa. The eTA allows travellers to stay in Canada for up to 6 consecutive months.
eTA application
You can use the application form on this website to apply for an eTA easily and quickly. Fill it in carefully, as you will be responsible for the correctness of the data provided.
The average delivery time for an eTA is 3 days, or 45 minutes if it is requested with urgency. However, the delivery time cannot be guaranteed, for example, due to the occasional spot checks by the Canadian immigration service. Therefore, it is wise to apply for an eTA at least one month before your departure.
You may even apply for the eTA before booking your trip, since it is valid for 5 years after your application is approved. If you apply for the eTA through e-Visa.ie you will always receive an email and an SMS as soon as your application is approved. During the eTA’s validity period, you may visit Canada multiple times for up to 6 consecutive months every time.
Travel documents for Canada
Thus, numerous travellers may travel to Canada with a valid eTA and do not need a visa. To apply for an eTA, however, you need a passport which must be valid throughout your stay. You may not travel to Canada or apply for an eTA with an identity card.
Your eTA will be linked to your passport number when it is granted. Make sure you enter the correct passport number when filling in the application form, since the eTA won’t be valid if the information provided is erroneous.
If your passport expires during the 5-year validity of your eTA, the validity of your travel authorisation will also expire at the same time. In this case, for your next trip to Canada, you will need to apply for a new passport first and then for a new eTA.
Travel documents for minors
Travellers under 18 years of age need other documents in addition to an eTA and a valid passport. For further information, read the article on the documents minors need to visit Canada.
Travelling to Canada with children
People travelling to Canada with (their) children must bring additional documents. Moreover, keep in mind that all travellers, including children, must have their own eTA or visa and passport. Read more about that in the article on the additional documents needed in case of a trip to Canada with children.
Please note: this news article about the eTA for Canada is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the eTA for Canada.