Canada’s High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Arif Keshani, is encouraging nationals of this country to make use of electronic travel authorisation, which is easier, faster, and more affordable, to travel by air to Canada.
In June last year, Canada announced five Caribbean countries, including T&T, that are now eligible to access the electronic travel authorization (eTA).
Responding to questions from the Business Guardian on whether there has been an increase of nationals using this medium since it was implemented, High Commissioner Keshani said: “When we look at nationals from T&T, historical data shows that up to 40 per cent of former visa applicants are now able to apply for an eTA instead of a visa, making it quicker and easier to come to Canada.”
He said Canada is a destination of choice for Trinbagonians looking to visit, do business or reunite with family and friends.
Keshani said introducing visa-free air travel makes it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travellers to visit Canada for up to six months and it helps grow Canada’s economy by facilitating more travel, tourism and international business. It also strengthens relations between countries, he said.
The high commissioner highlighted that T&T is an important partner to Canada as this partnership is built on shared values, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, strong people-to-people connections, and significant economic ties.
Keshani noted that a significant dimension of the two countries’ bilateral relationship is the commercial connections: T&T is Canada’s largest merchandise trading partner in Caricom and approximately 98 per cent of all exports from this country to Canada enter tariff-free under the Caribbean-Canada Trade Agreement, also known as Caribcan.
“You don’t have to look far to see evidence of Canada’s commercial presence in Trinidad and Tobago as prominent Canadian companies are household names, spanning all sectors.
“As an example, in the financial sector, Canadian banks have been present here for over a century. In addition, Canadian companies like Touchstone, Methanex, and Nutrien are all world-class companies with a well-established presence in TT,” the High Commissioner outlined.
How it works
Asked how the electronic travel authorisation works for T&T nationals, Keshani said under the new rules potential travellers are eligible to use this portal, instead of applying for temporary resident visa.
“Nationals can apply for an eTA if they have held a Canadian temporary resident visa at any time in the last 10 years, or they hold a valid United States non-immigrant (visitor) visa on the day they apply.
“It should be remembered that if you are travelling to Canada by land or sea you will need to apply for a visa.
Also, it is important to note that the eTA is for visiting friends and family, or tourist purposes. If you are looking to work or study in Canada, you need to apply for a permit first, Keshani said.
He said the process is easy for travellers and it only takes a few minutes, in the majority of cases, to complete. The cost of the electronic travel authorisation C$7 ($37), compared to the C$100 ($529) for a visa application, and the $85 ($450) for biometrics.
Keshani in an interview with the Office of the Prime Minister last week identified that the application process is quite straightforward.
“Three things are required: your passport – make sure it hasn’t expired; your credit or debit card; and the number of your Canadian or U.S. visa that makes you eligible to apply for an eTA.”
Travellers may ask what is the difference between the current process and the old method of applying. The High Commissioner said the eTA is digital, so that means there isn’t a sticker that appears on one’s passport and many applications are approved automatically.
“The application requires a client’s basic information, like your passport number and your date of birth. On the contrary, when you apply for a visa, you must visit a Visa Application Centre to enroll your biometrics (fingerprint, photograph), and provide your passport for inspection by an officer. The eTA’s rapid online process is also faster – in some cases, it’s minutes compared to the visa process which can sometimes take 2 to 3 weeks,” Keshani detailed.
He said there are instances where additional information is required and the process can take longer in these cases.
Keshani urged travellers not to wait until the last minute to apply, as some applications may need more time to be processed.
“We strongly encourage visitors not to apply for the eTA at the airport before their flight. We encourage you to plan so your trip to Canada goes smoothly.”
A question that is frequently asked is how long will this visa be valid for? He said the eTA is valid for five years or until the applicant’s passport expires, and it allows multiple entries to Canada, so you can come and go on this same eTA, as long as it’s valid.
“We hope that the rapid, lower-cost eTA makes it faster, easier, and more affordable for citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to come to Canada to visit their friends and family, or tour some of our beautiful cities,” he said.
The Business Guardian spoke to two persons who used the service.
Patricia St. Louis from Couva, who holds a valid United States non-immigrant (visitor) visa, said she applied for the eTA online and it was a smooth process.
“I will be heading to Canada for my nephew’s wedding in March. This was a good move to include Caribbean countries,” St Louis said.
Mark Jacob from Arima also said the process was much easier and the fee of $7 CAD was a better fee than before.
Jacob said he would be heading to Canada for the Easter holidays with his wife.
Antigua and Barbuda is one of the other Caribbean countries that can travel on the (eTA) programme.
Following the announcement by the Canadian government last year the Antigua and Barbuda foreign minister, E Paul Chet Greene said the decision by Canada is one for which the government has been working “assiduously”, given the burden that had been placed by the requirement to travel to Barbados or Trinidad to secure a visa.
“We are very glad that our efforts have borne fruit and that this burden has been lifted for many hundreds of Antiguans and Barbudans,” the minister said.
St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have all been added to the list.