For those of you who are travelling by air to Canada, there are big changes that go in effect today as Canada formally requires inbound passengers arriving by Air to have e eTA’s – Electronic Travel Authorization.
The system which has so far been optional is now mandatory as of today, 15th March 2016.
You can get one for CAD$7 at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp
This programme is similar to the USA’s ESTA to enter the country.
Who’s exempt from getting an eTA?
- US Citizens Entering by air, land or sea
- Citizens of various countries if you are entering by LAND or SEA. Entry by AIR requires an eTA.
So if you’re flying into Canada, you will probably require an eTA (even if you’re a US Permanent Resident).
You can find out if you need an eTA or a Visa for entering Canada by air by heading to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp
The good news is that eTA’s will be valid for five years or until a passport has expired (whichever comes first). And as stated, it’s CAD$7 for it.
eTA’s according to the site are processed normally in minutes, with some requiring up to 72 hours to process. Definitive times have yet to be posted.
For international travellers going to Canada – it’s another inconvenience to deal with when travelling and yet another fee to pay.
Be aware if your travel takes you to… or through Canada.
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sil says
do you pay if you are a Canadian flying from USA back to Canada?
weever says
Yes, you do
iv says
@sil
You do not pay if you are a Canadian citizen.. EVER.
The US government has forced Canada to take this measure due to what they see as a potential “terrorist threat” to America via entry thru Canada. All info collected is shared, screened and approved by the US government.
JJ says
I’m sure Canada wasn’t FORCED to do this. At least US/Canadian citizens are exempt.
bc traveler says
Just like the thieving $35 USD charged to foreign nationals entering the US
DavidB says
Considering those of us flying into the US (from Canada and other countries) must pay about U$40 in processing fees for customs, immigration and agricultural inspection EACH TRIP, C$7 (about US$5) for the lifetime of ones passport ‘s chump change. (Consider what it costs to get into/out of the UK, which can be over U$200 in premium cabins, or many other countries, hardly worthy of complaint.) And I would assume those regular cross border Americans who hold Nexus cards don’t pay the fee since since they should have a visa number already.
I would suggest that this initiative is more in response to the US government insisting on more information about who enters North America via Canada. Up until this, US citizens actually needed only a drivers license or similar government ID to get into Canada. It was the US that insisted you needed a passport to get back into the USA!
Robbo says
There we go, not even a few months in power and that Loony Leftie Government can’t help themselves…. spend, spend, spend ( always other peoples money you might note, never theirs….. ) tax, tax, tax.
This is what Left Wing radical governments do. What the hell were you thinking Canada when you elected a pretty boy. He’s nothing more than a pretty boy who needs a few more lessons like how to employ someone, like taking a risk with his own money instead of everyone else’s. Be responsible Trudeau for paying payroll tax for your business out of your own pocket mate.
You watch, from here there will be a raft of new taxes on business so Canadians can pay for the massive spending on things like the great climate change fraud. Collect money from hard-working Canadians and give it to the UN so they can dish it out to corrupt third world countries on the basis that the world is changing. Yeah! Hello! It changes but the stupid Canadians fell for it hook, line and sinker.
And now they are charging $7 for the privilege to come to a Left-Wing Socialist country. Ain’t gonna happen with this one cookie-boy. Canada and their lazy Lefties can bugger off as far as I am concerned.
Look at Australia, we did it in 2007 and we will pay for the Socialists spending for more than 50 years.
Look at Great Britain post Blair! He should be in jail.
And look what BO did in USA. What a disgrace. He took their country to a $19,000,000,000,000,000 debt in just 8 years. ( that’s $19 trillion dollars for the Canadians reading this ) Spend Spend Spend, Tax, Tax, Tax.
Canada, you have bestowed a debt on your children and your grand-children for many, many years. Shame on you. Take your lousy $7 and shove it