Canada extends e-visa deadline

Starting November 10, dual citizen Canadians must produce Canada passport to enter country by air

Dubai: A September 30 deadline mandating that all dual-citizen Canadians must show a Canadian passport to enter Canada under tightened entry rules, has been extended until November 9.

Canadian citizens who do not produce a valid Canadian passport can expect delays when attempting to enter the country, advised Canadian government officials in a new advisory.

An estimated 40,000 Canadians live and work in the UAE, some of whom have a second passport from their mother countries and traditionally may have used other passports in the past to enter Canada.

The latest grace period is part of a new suite of travel rules that require all visa-exempt foreign nationals who fly through Canada to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (eTA).

The new eTAs were brought in, said the government in a statement, to “improve the safety of Canadians by helping to identify those who are inadmissible and prevent them from travelling to Canada”.

An eTA is emailed from the Canadian government to foreign nationals — excluding American citizens — who have paid a fee and completed and submitted an online eTA application ahead of travel. The eTA remains in good stead for five years and negates the need to obtain a paper visa.

On Wednesday, the Canadian government said it was extending the deadline to “give travellers and airlines more time to prepare for changes when flying to or transiting through Canada”.

“Starting November 10, 2016, Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, will need a valid Canadian passport to board their flight to Canada otherwise they will experience delays. All visa-exempt travellers (except US citizens) will need an eTA to board their flight,” the government said.

John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said that in “consultation with airline partners, we’re taking further steps to minimise any travel disruptions. 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.”

Speaking to Gulf News on Wednesday, Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Consul General of Canada to the UAE based at the Canadian Consulate Dubai and Northern Emirates, said that “applying for an eTA is a simple, inexpensive (C$7) online process that takes just minutes to complete. All travellers need are a passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the internet.

“Travellers can authorise a third party, such as a family member or friend, to apply for an eTA on their behalf. However, they should make sure to use only the official Government of Canada website, Canada.ca/eTA, to apply for their eTA. There are a number of sites that appear legitimate but are charging more than C$7 to submit travellers’ applications. These sites are not operating on behalf of the Government of Canada,” he advised.

 Quick facts

Close to two million eTAs have been issued since the application went live on August 1, 2015. The Canadian government website Canada.ca/eTA is the only valid site where travellers can apply for an eTA for a C$7 fee.

An eTA is valid for five years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever comes first. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, cannot apply for an eTA and will need a valid Canadian passport to board their flight, starting November 10, 2016. Travellers without a valid Canadian passport may experience delays.