Citizens of Portugal traveling to Canda for up to 180 days do not need a visa to enter the country, but they are required to obtain travel authorization in advance.
This process has been incredibly simple since 2016 when the Canadian government introduced the CANADA VISA FOR PORTUGUESE CITIZENS, a multiple electronic visa waiver that allows Portuguese citizens multiple entries of a stay of 6 months with each entry during its validity.
The eTA Canada for Portuguese citizens was introduced in order to streamline the process of obtaining a visa waiver for Canada from Portugal and can be applied for from the comfort of the traveler’s own home.
DO PORTUGUESE CITIZENS NEED A VISA FOR CANADA?
Travelers from Portugal to Canada who do not intend to stay for more than 6 consecutive months do not need to apply for a visitor visa for Canada from an embassy or consulate.
However, they are required to obtain approved travel authorization in advance of their visit. This process has been greatly simplified with the introduction of the online eTA for Canada.
An eTA electronic visa waiver for Canada from Portugal is valid for a period of 5 years, or until the date of expiry of the traveler’s passport. It allows for multiple entries into Canada via one of the country’s airports during this period, but does not allow for travel into the country via a land or sea border.
However, the longest that a Portuguese citizen may stay in the country is 180 days with each entry. For longer stays, travelers will need to apply for a different visa type for Canada.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ETA CANADA VISA FROM PORTUGAL
The ETA application for Portuguese citizens is a simple process, and involves completing an online Canadian ETA application form.
It is first necessary to meet the Canadian ETA Requirements for Portuguese Citizens, which involve:
- A biometric Portuguese passport, valid for at least 6 months from the proposed date of arrival in Canada.
- An application form which is completed online, and which includes personal details such as the traveler’s full name and date of birth, as well as your CANADA VISA FOR DUTCH CITIZENS number, date of issue, and date of expiry.
- Online payment via credit or debit card is required before the travel authorization approval process can begin.
- An email address is required to finalize the application and to receive communication about the eTA’s approval.
The online application form will take about 30 minutes to complete and will require such details as your name, address, and contact details, your date of birth, passport number, date of issue, and date of expiry, as well as details about the intended purpose of your travel from Portugal.
Once the online application form has been submitted, debit or credit card payment is required before the application will be accepted for processing.
A confirmation email will be sent to the address provided upon approval of your visa. Approval may take less than one hour or up to a maximum of 72 hours in some cases.
Nevertheless, citizens of Portugal who need an emergency eTA to travel to Canada within 24 hours are advised to consider selecting the new option for eTA rush processing. By selecting ‘Urgent Guaranteed Processing in less than 1 hour’ when paying the fee for the eTA the applicant is able to guarantee they will receive a response about the eTA status in less than 60 minutes.
The Canadian ETA will be linked to the traveler’s Portuguese passport and will be read by electronic immigration machines at the border upon arrival.
As this is a paperless document, no paper visa will be supplied. The Canada ETA visa waiver will be linked to your Portuguese passport, and will be read by the electronic immigration machines at the border upon your arrival.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE APPLYING FOR A CANADIAN ETA VISA FROM PORTUGAL
The following requirements should be noted before applying:
- This is a paperless visa, linked to each traveler’s passport, and therefore only biometric Portuguese passports are eligible for the ETA visa. Your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of intended arrival in Canada.
- The ETA is intended for travel by air only, and is therefore valid only for entry at the border of one of Canada’s international airports. Travel via one of the country’s many seaports or land borders with the USA will not be possible.
- The intended travel purpose to Canada from Portugal must be tourism, business, medical, or transit. The ETA is not valid for other purposes such as study (it is possible to do small courses with your eTA), work, or retirement
- Only Portuguese travelers aged 18 and over may apply. Parents of children under the age of 18 may apply on their behalf.
Canada is a diverse and fascinating country to visit, whether for business or pleasure. Thankfully, the ETA Canada visa from Portugal allows for ease of entry into the country for up to 5 years, provided such entry is via one of Canada’s many international airports.
