January 15, 2016
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is launching a new requirement for most international visitors to Canada who are travelling by air.
Starting in March 2016, these travelers will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before they are allowed to board an international flight departing for Canada. This authorization is required in addition to a passport. It is not required for road or sea travelers.
This new authorization is in-line with requirements in other international jurisdictions. The cost is $7 and the application can be completed on-line in minutes. CIC estimates as many as 96% of all applicants will receive their authorization within five minutes of completing the application.
This requirement is a significant change for some international visitors to Canada, and it’s important for visitors to know about it in advance of their trip. If you’re speaking with an international visitor planning a trip to Nova Scotia, please take time to make sure they are aware of this new requirement and know the steps to receive their authorization. Tourism Nova Scotia will also take steps to inform visitors of this change by sharing information on NovaScotia.com and via key partners.
CIC has produced a tool-kit with information on who will require an eTA, who won’t, and what the process is for getting one. Visit http://canada.ca/eta and http://www.cic.gc.ca/ftp/eta-ave-eng.asp for information.
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