As a U.S. Permanent Resident, you do not need a visitor visa to travel to Canada. However, due to a recent change in the Canadian Laws pertaining to entry requirements, you are expected to have an eTA if you plan to fly to or transit through Canada. The new requirements were introduced in March 2016 and are expected to be in force on September 29th 2016. These requirements will only be applicable to air travel. U.S. Citizens, travelers with a valid Canadian visa are excluded from the eTA requirement. Canadian Citizens, including dual Citizens and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA.
We advise our Permanent Resident Clients who meet the basic requirements to travel to Canada and expect to be travelling to or through Canada to sign up for the ETA program, as this will facilitate easier transit into Canada. You can apply for an eTA using any device with an Internet connection, including a mobile phone. Applying is a simple and inexpensive ($7 Canadian) online process. All you need is your passport, a credit card, Internet access and an email address. In most cases, an eTA is granted within minutes of applying.
While the eTA program is convenient and links with the NEXUS self-serve kiosks, they are passport specific. If you have been issued a new passport or have multiple passports you will need to ensure that the same passport is used for both programs.
Our firm remains available to assist you with any issues you may encounter with this process. You can find additional details about Harry Gee & Associates and our services at our website www.harrygee.com.