Canada tightens visa requirements

THE Canadian government
will tighten its visa rules
from March 15, making
it compulsory for formerly
visa-exempt foreign nationals –
including US, UK and European
passport holders – to obtain
authorisation in advance
before entering the country.
Foreign nationals will have
to fill out an online Electronic
Travel Authorisation (eTA) and
pay a fee of CAN$7 (R77) per
application. After completing
the online form, permission
to travel to Canada will be
confirmed by email and will be
valid for five years.
South African travellers
already need a visa to enter
Canada and therefore, won’t
need to apply for an eTA, Remi
Lariviere, spokesperson for
the Canadian Department of
Home Affairs, told TNW.
Remi says Canada
committed to implementing the
eTA as part of the ‘Canada- US
Beyond the Border Action Plan’
in 2011. “eTA allows Canada
to screen visa-exempt foreign
nationals for admissibility
before they travel to Canada.
As a result, eTA allows Canada
to identify and prevent those
individuals who are known to
be inadmissible from travelling
to Canada. Travellers who
get an eTA have the benefit
of knowing that they have
been pre-screened to travel to
Canada, facilitating their entry
into the country.