If you want to know what steps to take and if you need to go to an embassy for a Canadian tourist visa, discover our explanations and advice.
If you want to know what steps to take and if you need to go to an embassy for a Canadian tourist visa, discover our explanations and advice.
Are you planning to travel to Canada soon or to make a trip with a stopover in this country and to another destination? If so, you may want to know what administrative steps you need to take before your departure to obtain a tourist visa and whether it is necessary to go to the Canadian embassy to obtain it. In this article, we will explain how to obtain a tourist visa for Canada through the eTA electronic travel authorization which is done entirely online. As you will see, it will not be necessary to go to the Canadian embassy or consulate in your country of residence to take advantage of this and to have a legal authorization of stay equivalent to a tourist visa for that country.
To prepare for your trip to Canada in the best possible conditions, it is important to choose the right travel permit for your situation. This will avoid any inconvenience when you board your plane to Canada and may also save you precious time. Remember that the eTA is an electronic system of travel authorisation set up by the Canadian authorities in 2015 which is simpler, faster and cheaper than the traditional visa application in an embassy. Moreover, under certain conditions, this travel authorization is identical to the Visa. But in return and to benefit from it, you will have to meet certain conditions.
To find out if you can be exempted from a tourist visa for Canada by taking advantage of the eTA, check that you meet the following conditions:
Thus, if you meet all of the above conditions, you will not need to go to a Canadian embassy or consulate to apply for a visa and can take advantage of the eTA.
The eTA is not a visa but an electronic residence permit that allows travel to Canada without a visa. The aim of this system, which was introduced a few years ago, is to simplify the procedures for travellers from certain countries and to streamline checks and controls on flights arriving in Canada. For the traveller, the eTA is also a simple way to save time both during the application process and upon arrival in Canada.
If you do not meet the conditions listed above, then you will need to apply for a regular visa with or without going to an embassy or consulate. This will be the case if :
Thus, in these different situations, you will have to apply for a classic visa to be able to travel to Canada. This procedure can be done by going to a Canadian embassy or consulate near you but can also be done online depending on the type of visa you want.
As we have just seen, if you are not lucky enough to benefit from the eTA visa waiver programme for Canada, you will have to apply for a classic visa. Without an eTA, the choice of the type of visa to go to Canada is very important and the embassy proposes about ten different visas.
Each visa has its own specific conditions and requirements which you should be aware of before applying. We will not detail all of these visas here, but let us remember that visas for Canada can be divided into two main categories, namely the Temporary Resident Visa or TRV and the Permanent Resident Visa or PRV. If you want to go to Canada as a tourist, to study or for a professional activity, the temporary resident visa will be sufficient. But if you want to settle in the country for a longer period of time, you will need a permanent resident visa.
The application process for a regular visa to Canada can be done online or directly at the Canadian embassy in your country of residence. Once submitted, this application will be processed within several weeks or months. Only certain types of visas can be applied for online without having to go to an embassy or consulate:
For other types of visas, a written application must be made to the Canadian Embassy or the Canadian authorities.
For the visa application procedure, you will need a valid passport and the completed and signed visa application form. You may be asked to provide other documents or evidence such as proof of sufficient financial means, a medical examination, a certificate of good conduct or criminal record, health insurance, a language test or copies of your diplomas or certificates.
The procedure will also require certain information about you, your family and the reasons for your stay in Canada. You must of course answer these questions truthfully and honestly in order to avoid any refusal or delay in the processing of your application.
If you have the opportunity to benefit from the eTA Visa Waiver Program for Canada and avoid the long and tedious process of a traditional visa application, here is the procedure to follow:
Once your application has been validated and your fees paid, you will receive a response to your eTA application within a maximum of 72 hours. In reality, this timeframe is often much shorter and you are likely to receive a response within a few hours. The acceptance of your eTA is sent to you by email to the address mentioned in the form and you do not need to print any document. Your eTA will be automatically linked to your passport number and this passport will be the only document you will need to present when boarding or arriving in the country.
In addition to requiring only a few minutes, the eTA offers an undeniable advantage in terms of use. Indeed, once obtained, this residence permit will be valid for 5 years from the date of issue and can therefore be used for as many visits as you wish during this period, except in the event of a change or expiry of the passport used for this application.