Traveling to Canada or the United States? Don’t forget ETA or ESTA!

Various arrangements must be made for travel to Canada or the United States. Check in time whether ETA Canada or ESTA USA is required.

What is ETA?

The acronym ETA stands for “Electronic Travel Authorization”. From March 15, 2016, there is one for Dutch and Belgians who want to go to Canada and do not have a visa to Canada eTA Canada Required. An ETA is required even if you only make the stop for relocation in Canada and do not leave the airport in Canada.

An ETA is easy to apply online. The EDA is electronically attached to the passport, so there is no need to print the ETA confirmation and take it with you. When verifying the passport, it is simultaneously checked whether the passenger has the correct ETA.

It usually does not take more than 72 hours to issue an ETA. Passengers who submit an emergency application for ETA will usually receive the ETA within minutes.

Is valid for ETA

ETA is valid for a maximum of five years from the date of issue by Canada. Unlimited trips to Canada may be made within this validity period. Validity is the previous expiration date, for example, if the passport attached to the ETA has already expired.

The fact that the ETA is valid for five years does not mean that travelers can stay in Canada for five years. The maximum stay is six months. Extensions may be requested for stays longer than six months, but these are not always granted. To be on the safe side, in these cases it is better to apply for a visa to Canada instead of eTA.

What is ESTA?

ESTA stands for “Electronic Travel Accreditation System”, which is an electronic travel accreditation scheme for Canada similar to other governments such as eTA ESTA was created after the September 11, 2001 attacks to expel unwanted passengers from the country. Passengers without a valid ESTA will not be able to board their flight to the United States.

It Apply for ESTA Faster, cheaper and easier than applying for a US visa. No need to go to the consulate or embassy here. ESTA is usually issued within an hour after completing the online application form. The traveler will be notified by email and SMS – similar to the ETA for Canada – without the need to print or bring anything.

Is valid for ESTA

ESTA USA is valid for two years unless the passport attached to ESTA expires earlier. If the passport is no longer valid, ESTA will lose its validity. Within 2 years of validity, you may travel to the United States several times. Each stay lasts a maximum of 90 days. So ESTA can also be used for a second or third trip. Travel details entered in the application form need not be changed for later trips. If all passport information is still up to date and the ESTA is still valid, it can be used for other trips.

If the passport details are not entered correctly in the application form, ESTA USA is invalid. Even if an ESTA application is approved, it does not mean that the ESTA is valid. If there is an error in the passport details (for example, passport number, name, date of birth, place of birth, date of issue or expiration date) the ESTA cannot be attached to the passport and it is the ESTA issued by the airline that does not recognize it. In this case a flight to the United States cannot be verified and the new ESTA must be used with the correct information.