Now, some Filipinos may travel to Canada without having to apply for a visa, the governments of both countries announced recently.

The Philippines is among 13 countries that Canada has added to its Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) programme. This means, instead of applying for a visa, eligible Filipinos just have to pay a nominal amount and get the travel permit online to fly to the country.

Unlike usual visa applications that can weeks or even months, this travel authorisation can be obtained within minutes.

But how does this process work and who can apply for it? Here's a step-by-step guide to travelling to Canada under the eTA scheme.

Who are eligible?

  • Philippine passport holders who have held a Canadian visitor’s visa in the past 10 years
  • Philippine passport holders who have a valid United States non-immigrant visa

What are the requirements?

  • A valid passport
  • A valid email address
  • One of the following acceptable methods of payment to pay the non-refundable fee of $7 CAD (Dh20): Visa, Mastercard, American Express, a pre-paid Visa, Mastercard or American Express; Visa Debit, or Debit Mastercard; UnionPay; or JCB Card

How to apply?

Here are the steps to follow according to the Canadian government's official website:

  1. Get your passport, credit or debit card ready, and read the help document.
  2. Log into Canada.ca/etA
  3. Use the online form to apply. The form cannot be saved. So have your information ready.
  4. Pay $7 CAD for your eTA right after you complete the form.
  5. You'll get an email about your eTA application. Most applications are approved within minutes.
  6. You may need to submit documents before your application can be approved. If this happens to you, an e-mail will be sent with instructions within 72 hours.

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