VISIT CANADA ON A CANADA VISITOR VISA OR eTA

To visit Canada, you will need a visa in the category of TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) that allows you to live in Canada for up to 6 months. A Canada Visitor visa (also known as a Tourist visa) or eTA is a TRV.

The purpose of a Canada Visitor visa

The Canada Visitor visa is meant for you to arrive in Canada for purposes of tourism or visiting friends and relatives living in Canada. With this visa, you can travel throughout Canada as long as the visa is valid.

Visa features

• You can bring your family members and dependents along with you provided each of them follows the process of visa application, paying the required fees.
• You cannot study, work, take government benefits, or apply for healthcare holding the Canada Visitor visa.

Are you eligible?

• Your need for a Visitor visa depends on your nationality, as nations of some countries aren’t required to have the visa.
• Nationals who don’t need a Visitor visa can travel to Canada with an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization). If you are an Australian, you are one who just needs an eTA.

More about eTA

ETA is applicable to those who arrive in Canada by air. Travelers taking other modes of transport will need to contact the Canadian consulate and check if they can apply for an eTA or go for a regular Canada Visitor visa.

Canadian eTA – Requirements

• The applicant must have sufficient financial means to cover daily costs in Canada.
• In case you have plans to get medically treated in Canada, you must prove extra financial means to meet medical expenses.
• If you aren’t visiting Canada for medical treatment, you must prove that you have no medical issues that need to be considered. The Government of Canada won’t pay for the medical services tourists incur.
• You can’t study or work in Canada.
• You must have planned your return home before the expiry of the eTA.
• You can demonstrate that you have a clean criminal record.
• You must be older than 18 years of age to apply for an eTA. If you aren’t, a legal tutor or parent can apply on your behalf.
• You must possess a valid passport issued by your government.

The eTA is automatically attached to your passport. In case you have dependents coming with you, each of them will have to apply for an eTA. If your eTA application is approved, you only need to carry your passport while traveling to Canada.

Steps to apply for eTA

• Gather necessary documents/information before filing an application for eTA. These include:
  • Your valid passport
  • Your valid debit/credit card
  • Your email address
• Access the official website of the Canadian government to apply for the eTA. Use no other website to apply for eTA. Complete the application form by filling it fully.
• Double-check the information you gave before submitting the form, to avoid any trouble later.
• Make sure you paid the required fees (CAD 7) to avoid your application not getting processed.
• Once you have paid the fees, you will get an email to confirm that your application will get processed. In a matter of minutes, you will get approval or rejection for your application.