Canada is pleased to announce the addition of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Citizens from St. Vincent and the Grenadines who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA, instead of a visa, when travelling to Canada by air.
Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier and more affordable for thousands of known travellers from St. Vincent and the Grenadines to visit Canada for up to six (6) months for either business or leisure. It will also help facilitate more travel, tourism and international business between our countries, and help strengthen people-to-people and cultural ties.
This decision complements our existing mobility measures for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, like the Student Direct Stream, which offers expedited study permit processing to those who are applying to study in Canada. Individuals who already have a valid visa can continue to use it to travel to Canada. Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa. Travellers can visit Canada.ca/etA to find out if they are eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.
Quotes:
“This exciting development means that more individuals from St. Vincent and the Grenadines can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements. This expansion not only enhances convenience for travellers; it will also increase travel, tourism and economic benefits, as well as strengthen our bond with St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Quick facts:
The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need to travel to or transit through Canada by air.
The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs CAN$7 to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes.
To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet.
Over the last 10 years, Canada issued 7,327 temporary resident visas to citizens from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These individuals, along with current US non-immigrant visa holders, may now be eligible for visa-free travel.
