Canada – eTA Requirement Extended
The deadline for travelers of visa waived nationals flying to Canada requiring an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) has been extended to November 9th, 2016. As previously reported, the eTA program was expected to become mandatory March 15th, however, authorities extended the leniency period a second time to give travelers and airlines more time to prepare in order to avoid delays.
The eTA, which went live August 1, was implemented to screen travelers before they arrive to Canada. All eTA applications must be applied online before booking a flight to Canada, with a cost of CAN$7. The eTA is valid for 5 years or when the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
All visa waived nationals will require an eTA to enter Canada on November 10, 2016. A list of visa exempt nationalities can be found here. Dual citizens of Canada do not require an eTA, but rather a valid Canadian passport. Citizens of the U.S. are also exempt from requiring an eTA. However, U.S. permanent residents do require an eTA and must present their valid passport and green card when checking in for their flight to Canada.