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The Filipino Canadian Newspaper of choice in Alberta and Saskatchewan
MAR. 16 - APRIL 15, 2016 VOLUME 6 ISSUE 11
M
Norben Sayon
P18
TD Canada Trust
EDITOR IN-CHIEF
Some travellers and diplomats are breathing a sigh of relief after the Canadian government announced a six-month grace period on a new mandatory security screen.
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Canadian Government ‘delay’ eTa mandatory use Cheryl Posadas-Guinsatao
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The Electronic Travel Authorization, an online form to be filled out by visa-free travellers, was supposed to be a requirement before boarding a plane to Canada starting March 15. Travellers have been free to use it voluntarily since August 2015. But as the deadline loomed, travel and
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tourism groups urged the government to hit the brakes until the busy summer travel season ended. They were concerned the new rules hadn’t been communicated well enough to prospective visitors and some might be stuck at the airport without clearance to fly. Foreign diplomats also expressed concern. After several recent talks with travel industry representatives, the immigration department last March 11 changed its tune in an effort to lessen disruption. Its website was edited to say “Visa-exempt foreign nationals are expected to have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through Canada, starting March 15, 2016,” but that “from March 15, 2016 until fall 2016, travellers who do not have an eTA can board their flight, as long as they have appropriate travel documents, such as a valid passport. During this time, border services officers can let travellers arriving without an eTA into the coun-
try, as long as they meet the other requirements to enter Canada.”The leniency period is set to run until Sept. 29, said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Faith St-John. At the initial proposal, beginning March 15, most travelers, even from some visa-exempt countries, flying into or transiting through Canada will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (“eTA”) prior to boarding a flight to Canada. Travelers of all ages will require an eTA when they fly into Canada, including young children. But the Tourism reps are concerned it will cause confusion once mandatory use kicks in. The government appears to be going ahead with plans to require many visa-exempt travellers to use an online security screen starting March 15, despite fears that passengers will be left confused at airports. That’s why representatives of five travel and tourism industry groups sent a letter to the government in December 2015 recommending that it delay man-
datory use of the system until this September, when the busy summer travel season is over. The government has been trying to get the word out about the March 15, 2016 change to travellers through Twitter, Facebook and Canadian missions abroad, including messages this week. There’s information about it in 12 languages on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. But the system, more than three years in the making, is already causing headaches for some prospective travellers. Some Canadian dual citizens who don’t have a valid Canadian passport are unhappy they’re being asked to get one to avoid being barred from boarding a flight to Canada. The new system, called the Electronic Travel Authorization and stylized as eTA, is meant to be a quick online security screen for airline passengers who don’t need a visa to come to Canada. They pay $7 and fill out some biographical information from their passport online, which continued on page 4
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