Citizenship and Immigration Canada is expected to implement the
Electronic Travel Authorization ("eTA") Program in April
2015. Mirroring the Electronic System for Travel Authorization
("ESTA") already present in the US, the eTA program will
require Canadian-bound travelers from visa-exempt countries who are
flying into Canada to apply online for an eTA before they
enter.
Applications will be made online, will cost CAD $7 and will
require submission of basic bio-data information, a passport copy
and background information that would normally be collected by
officers at the airport. Most applications will be processed online
within minutes; however, non-routine cases will be deferred to an
office inside Canada for further processing before a decision is
made. Generally, eTAs will be issued for 5 years at a time (unless
an applicant's passport or travel document expires sooner or an
issue of inadmissibility arises).
