Here's How You Can Go to Canada Without a Canadian Visa
It's high time we plan for that trip to Montreal. Quebec wouldn't sound so bad either.
As a sign of stronger ties between Canada and the Philippines, the Canadian Embassy just announced that Filipinos can now enter the country by air without a visa. The only question is: how do you know you're eligible?
This means that instead of applying for a visa, eligible Philippine citizens only need an electronic travel authorization (eTA), which is a digital travel document required of visa-exempt travelers who travel to or through Canada by plane. This is a pre-screening prerequisite in most cases. It's a pretty standard, hassle-free procedure, really. It only needs the following:
- Valid passport
- Credit card
- Email address
- Access to the internet
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The Canadian Embassy in the Philippines says that, in order for Filipinos to get visa-free entry, they must have one of two things. Either they have held an existing Canadian visa over the past decade or have a valid United States non-immigrant visa. Once proven to be eligible, they can now plan for extended stays in Canada for up to six months, for both business and leisure.
Although the Embassy does note that this only applies to those traveling by air. If we travel by land or sea, we still, unfortunately, need to obtain a visitor's visa.
Travelers from 13 countries, including the Philippines, who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when traveling to Canada by air.
The Philippines is one of the 13 countries that had been allowed by Canada to do visa-free entries by air. The list is comprised of:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Costa Rica
- Morocco
- Panama
- Philippines
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Seychelles
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
For just CAN$7 (only around P293), we can go ahead and apply for an eTA. The Embassy even says that most applications should be automatically approved, just like that. It'll only take a few minutes, they say.
So yeah, just remember to bring your coats, friends. The Canadian cool is no joke.
For more information, visit the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines website here.
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