At a glance
Travelling to Canada? Don't forget to apply for your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in good time.
(Photo: Vancouver - Canada)
An Electronic Travel Authorization is mandatory for travel to Canada from 29 September 2016.
Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
To be able to travel to Canada, every traveller of Belgian nationality must have a passport. This passport must be valid until at least the day after the return date of the trip.
On top of the passport, from 29 September 2016, every traveller of Belgian nationality wishing to visit Canada (for a stay of up to 6 months) will also need to have applied for and obtained an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
This authorization must be requested separately for every traveller, including children or babies.
Once approved, the authorization remains valid for 5 years, provided that your passport is also valid for 5 years. If your passport expires before that time, you will need to submit a new Electronic Travel Authorization application based on the details of your new passport.
If you don't have this ETA, you will be refused boarding for the flight (and therefore entry into Canadian territory)!
How do you apply for an ETA?
Several websites offer to apply for the ETA on your behalf. These often charge a handling fee or a commission.
If you apply via the official website of the Canadian authorities, it will cost you 7 Canadian dollars per application and per person*. Payment must be made by credit card, and the applicant must have an email address.
Website: http://www.canada.ca/eta or http://www.cic.gc.ca/francais/visiter/ave.asp
When should you apply?
The application must be submitted at least 72 hours before departure.
The online application via the official Canadian government website only takes a few minutes, and most ETAs are approved within minutes of applying. However, we recommend not waiting until the very last moment and taking care of it several days before your departure. If your application isn't accepted, you will still have time to contact the Canadian consulate to sort out a visa application.
Travelling to the USA via Canada
If you're travelling to the USA via Canada, you will also need to apply for an ETA for Canada. For trips to the USA, an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application is also mandatory: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
For any other information, contact the Canadian consulate in Brussels: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/belgium-belgique/
Other useful link: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.diplomatie.be
Also read: Loss of an ID card or passport abroad
*: Figures in force at the time this article was published
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