Now Canada offers visa-free travel to 13 countries. On June 6, 2023, Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced the addition of 13 new nations to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Now these nations also explore Canada’s beauty.
As a result, visitors from these countries who have held a Canadian visa in the last ten years or who currently hold a valid USA non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when flying to Canada.
List of 13 Countries Newly Added to the Eta program
The eTA program will be available to eligible tourists from the following countries beginning June 6, 2023:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Costa Rica
- Morocco
- Panama
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Seychelles
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
- Philippines
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
What Is An eTA?
An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is necessary for visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to Canada. An eTA is linked to a traveler’s passport electronically. It is valid for up to five years or until the expiration of the passport, whichever comes first. If you obtain a new passport, you must obtain a new eTA.
The Application Procedure for eTA
Applying for an eTA is a simple online process. You should apply for an eTA before booking your flight.
Prepare your passport, credit card, or debit card, and read the application help manual, which is available in a variety of languages.
- To apply, fill out the online form.
- After completing the form, pay $7 CAD for your eTA.
- You will receive an email on your eTA application.
Most applications are approved in minutes, however, some may take longer. Before your application can be granted, you may be required to provide more papers. If this happens to you, you will receive an email with instructions within 72 hours.
What Are The Benefits of Canada’s eTA?
According to the Canadian government, expanding visa-free air travel will make visiting the nation faster, easier, and more economical for thousands of visitors.
Canada’s visiting visa is ten times more expensive than the eTA, costing $100 CAD (€70). You must provide different documents, as well as your fingerprints and a photo, to the online application. Once your application has been approved, you must send your passport to obtain the visa. The entire process normally takes a few weeks.
In comparison, the eTA simply needs you to fill out a brief online application with your passport and payment information. This is then accepted through email within minutes.
