Visa Canada ( eTA )
The Canadian eTA is an electronic travel authorization designed for travelers from eligible countries to enter Canada and thus visit the country for a certain period of time.
An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is a new entry requirement for foreign citizens who are exempt from having a visa, and who travel to Canada by air. The Canadian eTA Visa is electronically linked to your passport.
The travel authorization to Canada is valid for five years or until the expiration of the traveler’s passport, whichever comes first.
An eTA Canada Visa and a valid travel document (passport) will facilitate your entry to Canada. When you arrive at the border, an immigration services officer will ask for your passport or travel documents and ask you some questions. He will ultimately decide if the traveler can enter or not the country. Carrying a valid eTA doesn’t guarantee entrance to the country.
Citizens with a South African passport can process the Canadian eTA by completing an online form with their biographical data and passport details using our online service at http://etacanada.co.za
Who requires an eTA to Canada
Most travelers need a visa or an Electronic Authorization (eTA) to fly to or through a Canadian airport.
Right now, there are 4 different types of travelers:
1) Travelers who need an eTA.
- Visa-exempt foreign citizens need an eTA to fly to or through a Canadian airport. These travelers do not need an eTA if they arrive by car, bus, train or boat (including a cruise).
- Legal permanent residents of the United States need an eTA to fly to or through a Canadian airport. They must present a valid Green Card and a valid passport at the time of submission for entry procedures.
2) Travelers who may be eligible to request an eTA.
- Citizens of some countries that require a visa may be eligible to apply for an eTA, instead of a visa, to travel to Canada by air. However, these travelers need a visitor’s visa when they arrive by car, bus, train, or boat, including a cruise.
3) Travelers who cannot request an eTA and need to carry another identification.
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- Canadian citizens, including those with dual citizenship, need a valid Canadian passport. American-Canadians can travel with a valid US or Canadian passport.
- Canadian permanent residents need a valid permanent resident card or a permanent resident travel document.
- Important – former residents of Canada: The Permanent Resident (RP) statute does not expire. If you have ever lived in Canada many years ago, you may still have a Permanent Resident (RP)
status. More information to avoid travel delays.
- Visa required, including foreign passport holders and stateless persons.
4) Travelers who are exempt from the eTA requirement. For example:
- Citizens of the United States are exempt from the eTA requirement and must carry with them proper identification such as a valid United States passport.
So all travelers within the two first categories could need an eTA to be able to enter Canada.
How to get an eTA to Canada
The application for an eTA is a simple online procedure that requires only a few minutes. Most applicants get their approval for the eTA (via email) in minutes. However, some requests may take several days to process if you are asked to send supporting documents. It is best to obtain an eTA before booking your flight to Canada.
An eTA costs $ 7 CAD. You can only request and pay for one person at a time.
To complete the form, you will need your passport, credit or debit card, and an email address. You should also answer a few questions.
However there some tricky parts that might compromise the process and can ultimately avoid you from flying to Canada. That’s the main reason why we strongly encourage you to contact us via our website to ensure the process is done successfully while doing your eTA Canada application online.
What’s the validity of an ETA?
An eTA is a multi-purpose travel authorization. Instead of allowing you to enter the country only once, it allows you to visit Canada repeatedly. In this way, it works similar to a visa. However, a visa is valid for ten years, while an eTA is valid for five years. Although this seems like a major inconvenience, the good thing is that it is quite fast and easy to request an eTA, so requesting it once every five years is also not a complicated experience. You can your online application when your eTA is about to expire and you can contact us at http://etacanada.co.za and make the process even easier.
Although the eTA can be used multiple times, it is only valid while the passport is valid. If the passport of the eTA holder expires before the travel authorization, then a new eTA will have to be processed, after the passport has been renewed.
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How long can you stay in Canada?
As a general rule, visitors entering the country with an eTA authorization are allowed a maximum stay of six months. Upon arrival, the immigration services officer at the port of entry will determine exactly how long you can stay in Canada and will indicate in your passport the date on which you must leave the country. Remember to respect the departure date indicated in your passport.
If you wish to stay longer than the authorized stay (as long as your Canadian eTA Visa and your passport are in force), you must request an extension at least 30 days before the end of the date of authorized stay in Canada.
It’s important to note that you need a valid passport for the duration of your stay. Even though an eTA has a duration of 5 years, it’s also tied to the validity of your passports. Please consider this when planning your trip.
Another important thing that you should consider is that you must request your eTA before traveling. You can’t request it upon arrival. As a matter of fact, your passport will be scanned by the airline employee at the counter and if you don’t have a valid eTA you won’t be able to board the plane.
What are the benefits of using our online service?
No matter what country, these processes can get complicated if you don’t really know what you are doing. There is a special critical part, where most people can fail and you won’t find it until it is too late.
Therefore, having specialists working for you can give you peace of mind, knowing you are in the best hands possible and that the success of your requirement is guaranteed.
So go ahead, use our online service and get everything you need to have a hassle-free trip. Use our online service and relax while we do everything for you.