Things to note when applying for eTA – Misrepresentation

* This article was published in the June 2022 issue of CBM Press.



eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is a Canadian electronic travel permit that has been in effect since 2016. Korean nationals entering Canada by air must have an eTA. However, Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and land travelers are not eligible. If a student visa or work visa was approved before entering Canada, an eTA was issued together, so no additional application is required.

An eTA is usually approved within minutes of applying online, but additional information and documentation may be requested within 72 hours if additional review is required. Separate screening is for cases where there is a history of visa refusal or deportation, or long-term stay in Canada is suspected, and it may take several weeks or more to receive the final eTA screening result, so it is necessary to apply in advance of the scheduled travel schedule.

The eTA is valid for 5 years after approval, and if your passport changes because it is linked to your passport information, you must apply for a new one. When applying for an extension of a student visa or work visa within Canada, the eTA is also extended. However, in the case of a visitor visa extension application, the eTA is not automatically extended, so you must carefully check the validity period and apply separately if necessary.

Another thing to note is that even if an eTA is approved, entry into Canada is not unconditionally guaranteed. It is the immigration officer at the Canadian airport who finally approves the visitor's entry into Canada, so there may be situations in which entry is denied due to unexpected reasons.

Misrepresentation when applying for an eTA

As the eTA application process is simple and approved relatively quickly, many people who enter Korea for simple tourism or with their families do not properly recognize the importance of entering information when applying for an eTA. All information entered when applying for an eTA is stored in the IRCC Canada Immigration Service system, and if there is a visa refusal, entry refusal, or criminal record, it must be filled out accurately. You must answer all questions as ‘factually’, and in particular, you must fill in all details such as visas from Canada/other countries, reasons for refusal to enter the country, and criminal matters.

As an eTA is an official document submitted to the IRCC Canadian Immigration Office, you should apply with the same caution as other student visas, work visas, and permanent residency. This means that you should be aware of the seriousness of submitting false information when applying for an eTA on the same basis as the problems that will arise when you apply for other visas or permanent residency if you provide false information or omit information.

At the final stage of the eTA application, the applicant will sign an electronic declaration. This electronic signature is a signature indicating that you agree with the understanding that any misrepresentation is a crime under Article 127 of the IRPA, and may result in future inadmissibility to Canada or deportation from Canada. In particular, if you have a permanent residency plan in the future, you should keep in mind that false information written when you first enter Canada can become a problem and lead to rejection in the final review for permanent residency.