On August 1, 2015, the Government of Canada launched the Electronic Travel Authorization (“eTA”) program. The program is similar to the United States of America’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization. Implementation of the eTA program allows Canada to pre-screen eTA-required travellers to ensure that they are admissible to Canada.
Since March 15, 2016, most foreign nationals who are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (“TRV“) to enter Canada are required to obtain an eTA before they travel to Canada by air. A list of countries and territories whose citizens need an eTA to travel to Canada can be found here. It is not possible that residents of these countries can simply purchase tickets and board planes to travel to Canada. Rather, an individual will be unable to board a commercial airline to Canada unless the airline first confirms that the individual possesses an eTA through the Canada Border Services Agency’s Interactive Advance Passenger Information system.
Americans are exempted from the requirement to obtain an eTA.
Other exemptions include:
- The Queen and the British Royal family;
- Air crew members and air crew members transiting through Canada;
- Transit Without Visa: Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines;
- China Transit Program: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila and Taipei;
- Non-civilian members of visiting forces who are on official duty; and
- Temporary residents who re-enter Canada following a visit solely to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon.
The eTA is an online application on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC“) website. Applicants need to provide their passport details, personal details, contact information, and answer background questions regarding their health, criminal history, and travel history. IRCC typically automatically process most eTA applications within minutes.
When an eTA application cannot be automatically approved, it will be referred to a IRCC officer for a manual review. Officers can request additional documents, and, where required, further the application to a Canadian visa office abroad for further processing, including a possible interview.
The eTA is not a physical counterfoil, but rather an e-foil that is linked to a traveller’s passport.
The eTA will be valid for five years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever occurs sooner. The cost to apply is $7.00.
The process can be summarized in this internal IRCC chart below, obtained through an Access to Information request.
Cancelling Electronic Travel Authorizations
Regulation 12.07 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 provides that:
Cancellation
12.07 An officer may cancel an electronic travel authorization that was issued to a foreign national if the foreign national is inadmissible or becomes ineligible to hold such an authorization under section 12.06.
In Kiss v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2023 FC 1147, Justice Fothergill held that Canada Border Services Agency liaison officers have the power to cancel eTAs. However, someone visiting a successful refugee claimant was not a valid reason to do so.