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All tourists to Canada need either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). 

All Temporary Resident Visa applicants are considered for 10 year multiple entry visas. Each stay can be upto 6 months.

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Electronic Travel Authorizations are valid for 5 years and allow multiple entries. Each stay can be upto 6 months.

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A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) are needed by foreign nationals that need to enter Canada. Your TRV or eTA is an entry document that must be carried with you when you travel to Canada. You need one if you are a foreign national and are entering Canada as a:

• Tourist Visitor/Business Visitor,

• Student,

• Worker, or

• Transit Passenger

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The TRV and eTA allow you to remain in Canada for a period of six months as a tourist or business visitor. Note that if you are coming to Canada to study or work, you also need a Study Permit or Work Permit in addition to the TRV/eTA.

While both the TRV and eTA are entry documents, there are some key differences. The main difference between the TRV and eTA is your country of passport. Depending on your country of citizenship you may need a visa or, you may be visa -exempt.

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Check the Government of Canada website to see if your country is visa-exempt or not.

 

If you require a visa, you must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). The TRV is a printed counterfoil in your passport.

 

If you are visa-exempt and are flying by air, you need approval to travel to Canada by obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). The eTA, as the name states, is electronic.

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Remember, the TRV or eTA are entry documents. All they allow you to do is enter. They do not allow you to work and they do not allow you to study for a program of more than six months.

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If you want to study for a period of six months or more, you must apply for a Study Permit. If you apply for a Study Permit from outside Canada, you will receive your TRV when you are approved for your Study Permit application. You do not have to submit separate applications.

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If you apply for a Study Permit/Work Permit extension from within Canada, you are not automatically considered for a TRV. Once you get your permit, you need to apply for your TRV as a separate application.

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eTA's are issued along with the Study Permit application - regardless of whether the application is made from inside Canada or outside Canada.

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If you have a valid Study/Work Permit but do not have a TRV or eTA, you will not be allowed to enter Canada. Study/Work Permits authorize you to stay in Canada but they do not authorize you to enter. Permits and visa are two separate documents with different purposes.