Should I apply for a Canada visa or eTA?

Do you have to apply for a visa or an eTA Canada when you want to go to Canada? Opting for the right travel authorization is an important step in preparing for your trip to Canada, as it will determine whether you can enter Canadian territory or not.

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.

Between the valid passport to acquire, the travel insurance to order, accommodation and transport, there are a lot of administrative procedures to carry out before leaving. In this article, we will differentiate the conditions for obtaining a Canadian visa application and the Canada eTA in order to determine which document is the most appropriate for your stay.

eTA application or visa application?

Before applying for a Canada visa or eTA , it is best to find out about the subject.

Presentation of the eTA

The Canada eTA is an electronic travel authorization that can be obtained for eligible persons wishing to make a tourist, business stay (without remuneration) or a transit in Canada for a maximum period of six months. The Canada eTA is only required for air travel and has a maximum validity period of 5 years.

The Canada eTA is a document only available online. To make a request, you must complete the form either on the government website or through a private company that will do the administrative procedures for you, and will verify all the data entered in order to reduce the risk of your eTA request being refused. The eTA authorization is directly linked to your passport, that is to say that in the event of a new passport, you will have to make a new application for an eTA Canada.

Presentation of the Canada visa

For people who wish to study in Canada, work or do an internship, it will be necessary to apply for a Canadian visa. The visa application is made at the Canadian Embassy and depends on the nature of the stay:

• visitor visa (or tourist visa);
• student visa;
• working license ;
• temporary residence permit;
• working holiday permit or PVT

It is therefore possible to work in Canada or to study there thanks to a visa. However, these types of visas are not easy to obtain and their application must be well prepared (job offer of work in Canada, school registration and acceptance letter, etc.).

A visitor visa replaces the eTA for nationals of countries not entitled to the latter. but also for certain citizens wishing to travel by land or sea to Canada. Note that if you wish to travel to Canada by land, you do not need to apply for a visitor visa or apply for an eTA if you are a citizen of a European Union country.

There is also a permanent resident visa, but it is difficult to obtain, because the Canadian government filters and only accepts profiles that it deems interesting.

Paying for a Canada eTA or visa application

Applying for a Canada visa or eTA is not free. The price of an eTA Canada is fixed at 7$ CAN, a visa costs between 100 to 150 $ CAN.

You now have all the cards in hand to know if you should apply for a visa or an eTA Canada. So, do you think you need a Canadian visa or an eTA? Are you ready to visit the land of caribou?