From 25 November 2016 to 1 December 2016 Mexican citizens can no longer apply for a Temporary Resident Visa. The only available option is to apply for eTA and travel to Canada or transit through Canada after 1 December 2016. Mexicans, however, who posses valid visas do not need an eTA.

For more information, please click here.

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• a valid Canadian passport;
• a Canadian temporary passport; or
• a Canadian emergency travel document.

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada warns air travellers that if they do not possess a valid travel document that proves their Canadian citizenship at check-in, they may not be able to board the flight. Exception is for American and American-Canadian citizens who do not need a Canadian passport, a Canadian visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to Canada if they are travelling with a valid US passport.

For more information on Permanent, or Temporary Migration, please click here and here.

(Sources)

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• Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, will need a valid Canadian passport to board their flight to Canada;
• Permanent residents of Canada will require a valid permanent residence card; and
• All visa-exempt travellers (except U.S. citizens) will need an eTA to board flights to Canada.

Canada introduced the eTA requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air in March 2016. The requirement was introduced under the Canada U.S. Beyond the Border Action Plan in order to develop a common approach to pre-screening air travelers entering to either country. A six-month leniency period was initially put in place, but has now been extended until November 9, 2016.

“In consultation with airline partners, we’re taking further steps to minimize any travel disruptions,”said John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “We are extending the leniency period and doing another major information blitz in Canada and abroad to encourage affected travellers, including dual Canadian citizens, to plan ahead and get the necessary travel documents before they book a flight to Canada.”

Canadian immigration confirms that close to 2 million eTAs have already been issued to date. eTAs cost $7 and are valid for five years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever comes first.

For more information on Temporary Migration to Canada, click here.

(Sources)

The post Canadian Immigration Further Extends Leniency Period for eTA Enforcement first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

For more information, please click here.

The leniency period for obtaining an eTA to come to Canada ends in two weeks. Starting September 30, 2016, all travellers coming to Canada from visa-exempt countries will need an eTA in order to board their flight, except for U.S. citizens and those with Canadian visas. This requirement does not apply to travellers entering Canada by land or sea.

The eTA is a new requirement for visa-exempt travellers. There are no age exemptions to the eTA requirement. It costs $7 to apply for an eTA online which may take anywhere from several minutes to days to process. Travellers receive a decision on their application by email from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In some cases, an in-person interview at a Canadian visa office may be required.

Once approved, the eTA is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever is the earliest. The purpose of the eTA is to allow the government to screen travellers coming to Canada to ensure that they are admissible to enter. Consequently, IRCC advises travellers to apply for an eTA before booking their flight to Canada.

For more information on Temporary Migration to Canada, click here.

(Sources)

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The eTA program is a key commitment of the Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan and mirrors the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program.  Starting March 15, 2016, certain visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada via air will require an eTAs.

Although U.S. citizens will continue to not require an eTA or a visa to travel to Canada, U.S. residents will.  A list of countries whose foreign nationals will require an eTA can be found here.

How it works:

The eTA applications are made online and cost $7 (Canadian).  Submission of basic information, such as passport and biographic information will be requested.  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, or until the expiry of your passport, whichever is sooner.  Shorter durations could also be granted in cases where there are inadmissibility issues such as criminality or fraud.

Once issued, the eTA will be an electronic document listing your name, date and place of birth, gender, address, nationality, and passport and/or travel document information. Although you will receive an email indicating the status of your eTA, the eTA itself will be electronically linked to your passport.

Given the eTA is an electronic document, there is currently no way for airlines to determine if someone possesses the required eTA before boarding their flight. This too will change when the Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) implements another new program – the Interactive Advance Passenger Information System (“IAPI”).  IAPI will allow passengers on international flights to Canada to be screened prior to boarding. This will allow the government to confirm with airlines whether travellers requiring an eTA are properly documented for travel to Canada and prevent travel for those who are not.

For foreign nationals who are approved work or study permits in Canada, starting August 1, 2015, will automatically be issued an eTA (if required) and will not need to submit a separate application or fee for this purpose.

For more information on inadmissibility, please click here and here.

The post New Month, New Rules: eTAs in Effect as of March 15! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Those who have been granted work or study permits on or prior to July 31st, 2015 are included as part of this new rule. The respective individuals will have to apply for an eTA if they are returning to Canada on or after March 15, 2016, via airplane. Those who have been issued a study or work permit on or after August 1, 2015, were automatically issued an eTA.

For more information, please contact us.

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