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Canadians traveling to Great Britain will now have to apply and pay for a travel permit — not a visa — before entering the country.
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which took effect Wednesday, is required for short-term visits of up to six months for all foreign travelers who do not need a visa to enter the country.
The ETA will be an emailed confirmation unlike a visa, which is usually stamped or stuck inside the passport.
An ETA costs approximately $18 and allows travelers to stay in the UK for a maximum of six months.
It can be obtained online and allows multiple visits within a two-year period.
“ETAs are digitally linked to a passenger’s passport and ensure stronger security checks are carried out before people travel to the UK, helping to prevent abuse of our immigration system,” the British government states on its website.
Pre-authorisation is “in line with the approach taken by many other countries to border security, including the US and Australia”, the UK says.
Canadian passport holders do not need a tourist visa for a stay of up to six months in the UK, but a business visa or work permit or student visa is required.
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Canadian UK Travel Advice states that Canadians will need to apply for an ETA before traveling to or passing through the UK
ETA applications open to visitors from dozens of countries, including Canada, in November 2024.
The program will further expand to more nationalities in March.
The application process takes about three days, but could take longer, the British government says.
The permit is valid for two years or until the person’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
The UK system is similar to the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), whose launch has been delayed.
When ETIAS is launched, Canadian passport holders and other visa-exempt nationals traveling to any of these 30 European countries within 90 days they will have to apply for a permit.
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