How do an eTA and an e-visa differ from one another?
Electronic Visa (e-Visa) and Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) are commonly used phrases in an international journey. Here, we are going to comprehend its differences & similarities.
What is an e-Visa?
A legitimate digital travel permission document authorized by immigration officials is known as an electronic visa, or e-Visa. International travelers can apply online for this e-Visa. Additionally, The authorized e-Visa will also be forwarded to your email address. Since all processes are online, the applicant does not need to visit any embassies or consulate to obtain an e-Visa.
What is an eTA?
Electronic Travel Authorization or eTA is a travel requirement for those visa-exempt nationals to travel abroad. This is electronically linked to the applicant’s passport. That can be used to travel abroad for various purposes like tourism, business, and transit.
Characteristics of both eTA & e-Visa
Let’s go through the characteristics of both eTA & e-Visa-
| Characteristics | eTA | e-Visa |
| Purpose | Issued for short-term visits to visa-exempted countries | An electronic visa which allows people to travel abroad for different purposes. |
| Eligibility | Citizens of visa exempted countries | Citizens of e-Visa eligible countries. (citizens of countries which need a visa to enter another country) |
| Validity | Valid within the passport expires. | Varies based on the type of e-Visa |
| Application Process | Completely online and need basic details like personal & passport. | Completely online and need personal & passport details, photo, finance proof, itinerary, etc. |
| Approval Time | processed within minutes or a few days
|
processed within a few hours or days |
| Cost | Less than e-Visa processing | Less than ordinary visa processing. |
Comparison between eTA & e-Visa
| Differences | eTA | e-Visa |
| Eligibility | Citizens of visa exempted countries | Citizens of e-Visa eligible countries. (citizens of countries which need a visa to enter another country) |
| Application | Simple and need no documents or minimal documents | Simple but has multiple steps like uploading documents etc. |
| Purpose | For short-term visits and exclusively for visa-exempted country travelers | Short-term visits and for non- visa exempted country travelers |
Therefore, Both are easy to obtain and all you have to do is to apply online. Both have simple & transparent application processes. Also, it is important to ensure you are giving proper information and uploading authentic documents during the application process.
Respect the guidelines and have a stress-free journey.