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FROM SEPTEMBER 30th, ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION IS MANDATORY FOR AIR TRAVELLERS TO CANADA

ZAGREB, September 7th – From September 30, 2016, all visa exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air, including Croatian citizens, will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) to fly to Canada. An eTA can be obtained online at Canada.ca/eTA. Travelers who do not have an eTA will not be able to board their flights.
“We strongly advise all travellers to apply for an eTA as soon as possible, even before booking a flight to Canada. In almost all cases, the eTA will be issued within minutes, but in some instances the process will take a longer time,” said Canadian Ambassador to Croatia, H.E. Daniel Maksymiuk. “Electronic registration is not a new concept. Other countries have already implemented similar programs, which improve travel security. The Canadian eTA requirement was introduced in August 2015, and will be fully enforced effective 30 September.”
Canadian citizens, including Croatian-Canadians, do not need an eTA. However, they must travel to Canada with a valid Canadian passport. Starting September 30, 2016, all Canadian citizens will need to show a valid Canadian passport at check-in to travel to Canada by air. “I want to make sure that all Canadians in Croatia are aware they will need to use their Canadian passport to travel home. The Embassy is ready to help with passport applications and renewals and other consular services,” added Ambassador Maksymiuk.
Applying for an eTA is a simple, online process that takes just minutes to complete. All that is needed to apply is a passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet. The eTA is electronically linked to the passport and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Exceptions to the eTA requirement include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid Canadian visa. Travellers do not need an eTA if entering Canada by land or sea. Permanent residents of Canada are also not eligible to apply for an eTA, and, as always, need to show their permanent resident card or a Permanent Resident Travel Document, in addition to their valid foreign passport when travelling to Canada.
The Government of Canada is aware that there are third-party sites offering services and charging a fee to clients to complete the eTA application. The Government of Canada website (Canada.ca/eTA) is the only official place to apply for an eTA, which costs $7 CAD.

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For more information:
Ida Mahečić Bajović, Political Relations and Public Affairs Officer
Embassy of Canada
e-mail: Ida.MahecicBajovic@international.gc.ca