The Government of Canada has announced the addition of Antigua & Barbuda among the visa eligible required countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program with the pre-condition if you have already held a Canada visa or already hold a US visa.

Electronic Travel Authorization

The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air. An eTA is electronically linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.  With a valid eTA, you can travel to Canada as often as you want for short stays (normally for up to six months at a time).

Conditions

According to guidelines issued by Government of  Canada, Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, may apply for ETA, instead of a visa, to travel to Canada by air, by meeting the three important  conditions below:

  1. Held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years or currently hold a valid United States nonimmigrant visa.
  2. Coming to Canada for a short visit, business or tourist activity (normally for stays of up to 6 months)
  3. Flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport using a valid passport from one of the eligible visa-required countries

The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs CAN$7 to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes. To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet. An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air.

A Canada visitor visa (temporary resident visa) is required to travel to Canada, if you do not meet the above conditions, and also for driving to Canada from the U.S. by car or arriving by bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship.

No eTA need if you hold Canada visa, permanent resident status or a canadian citizen.

When you fly to Canada, you must travel with the same passport you used to apply for an eTA. If you get a new passport after applying for an eTA, you must apply for a new eTA with your new passport.

Please contact us for more information.