Starting November 10th, 2016, foreign nationals who do not require a visa to visit Canada such as citizens of Germany, France, Belgium and other exempt visa countries, must obtain an electronic travel authorization (eTA) before travelling to Canada. The only exception is for American citizens (not including U.S. permanent residents). The eTA is valid for 5 years and costs 7 $CAN.
The government implemented this measure to safeguard the integrity and the security of the Canadian immigration system.
The US already has a similar system in place called the electronic system for travel authorization (ESTA) established in 2008.
With the eTA, Canada will be able to screen individuals before they board on plane to visit Canada in order to determine whether or not they pose an inadmissibility or security risk to Canada. The government will determine whether they have a criminal record or other serious issues on their file which shows a risk to Canada.
As explained by Mr. Les Linklater, a senior official with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, applicants are now required to make an online application for eTA before they board a plane to Canada. The Canadian system will then check the traveller information against applicable databases.
In most cases, the system will be able to issue an eTA within minutes. Other cases may require further examination: the applicant will be directed to the nearest Canadian office to have an interview or an examination with a Canadian visa officer overseas, and that officer will then determine whether the eTA should be issued or not. If a visa officer decides not to allow an eTA, the individual will not be authorized to travel to Canada or to board on plane.
If a person arrives to the airport without the eTA, the airline would not board the individual, but given internet connections at airports, the individual could apply at “last minute” and obtain it fairly quickly, if internet is available!
Mouna Haddad
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Bureauinternational.ca@gmail.com