Electronic travel authorization: the leniency period is extended

In our previous legal update Flying to Canada? Electronic Travel Authorization becomes mandatory on September 30, 2016, we alerted you to the new requirements that were to come into force when the leniency period expired on September 29, 2016. After that date, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was planning to enforce the requirement that visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or transiting through Canada obtain an electronic travel authorization (eTA).

However, on September 20, 2016, IRCC announced that it would extend the leniency period until November 9, 2016 to lessen the impact of the transition to this new requirement on travellers and air carriers.

Canadian citizens who have dual nationality

The extension of the leniency period will also allow Canadian citizens who are dual nationals to apply for a Canadian passport. Since Canadian citizens cannot apply for an eTA, dual nationals will have to present a valid Canadian passport before they can board an aircraft travelling to Canada, starting on November 10, 2016.