CANADA – Visa Exempt Nationals Now Eligible for Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
As of August 1, 2015, visa-exempt nationals traveling to Canada by air became eligible to acquire Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTAs). Foreign nationals who seek to obtain an eTA, must complete an online application and pay a processing fee of $7 CAD. If the application is approved, the eTA will be valid for a period of five years or until the expiration date of the applicant’s passport (whichever period is shorter).
Beginning March 15, 2016, eTAs will become mandatory for all visa-exempt foreign nationals entering Canada by air. Travelers with a valid visa, Canadian Permanent Residents and U.S. citizens are exempt from the eTA requirement. CIC has provided a full list of countries and territories whose citizens will require an eTA upon traveling to Canada.