What are the eTA conditions to go to Canada?

For many travelers, a visa application is no longer necessary to travel to Canada. All you have to do is obtain an eTA Electronic Travel Authorization via the Internet.

For a stay of less than 6 months in Canada : You can carry out the formalities for entering Canada directly via the Internet by clicking on the online form. It is not necessary to obtain an appointment at the Canadian embassy or consulate.

The eTA is much more convenient and quick to obtain, but you have to be one of the eligible people. We explain everything about the eTA conditions, to allow you to go to Canada with peace of mind.

eTA conditions for staying in Canada

You may have heard the term eTA authorization while researching. Note that the terms AVE and eTA refer to the same travel authorization. ETA being the English acronym for Electronic Travel Authorization.

An eTA Electronic Travel Authorization is only required if you are transiting or traveling through Canada by air. Unlike its American counterpart, ESTA, which is also necessary when arriving by sea.

Another AVE condition stipulates that your trip must be within the framework of a tourist stay or a business trip, lasting a maximum of 6 months.

Even if you are only transiting through Canada to your final destination, an eTA is mandatory .

You must be a national of a country that is a member of the visa waiver program set up by the Canadian government. This program is open to travelers of 58 nationalities.

An exception in the eTA conditions concerns French nationals residing in St Pierre et Miquelon. They do not need to apply if they are traveling from their island to Canada. They will nevertheless have to apply, like all French passport holders, if they are traveling by plane to Canada, from mainland France or the DOM-TOMs.

If you already have a visa issued by the Government of Canada, you do not need to apply for an eTA .

An eTA is not a work permit and does not give the right to work in Canada, to do an internship or to study there. If you wish to immigrate to Canada, you must contact the Canadian consulate to find out what steps to take.

The biometric passport: a requirement for the eTA

Another requirement for the eTA is to have a biometric or electronic passport.

Indeed, once approved, the authorization is linked to the applicant’s passport. It is therefore not a document that you have to carry with you. For the eTA to be linked, the traveler must have a passport that meets the necessary technological standards.

An eTA is valid for 5 years, but one of the requirements of the eTA is to be linked to a valid passport. This means that if your passport expires before this 5 year period, a new application will be necessary to obtain your new passport.

Note that an eTA is valid for several journeys . You can return several times during the validity period, if the purpose of your stay in Canada still meets the criteria set out above.

Have an email address and a credit card

To be able to apply for an eTA, you do not need to go to the Canadian Embassy closest to you. The only possibility is to apply online, via the government website or through the services of a private service provider, such as our partner.

You will have to fill out an online form concerning your personal information, as well as your state of health and your criminal history. All these questions are asked with the aim of better controlling entry into Canadian territory.

One of the eTA conditions to be able to finalize your request is to have a valid e-mail address, as well as a credit card to pay the costs of managing your file. The price of the eTA varies according to the method used.

As you can see, the eTA conditions are not the most restrictive, but you have to be careful when filling out the form and make sure you don’t make any mistakes.

It is also important to make a clear distinction between the eTA and the Working Holiday Program (PVT). The requirements of the eTA and the PVT Canada are two completely different things and do not address the same audience. Take care of your steps well in advance so as not to be caught off guard as the departure approaches.