ETIAS France visa for Canadian citizens
The Canada will be one of the countries whose citizens must present an approved ETIAS visa before entering France. It will be possible to apply for and obtain the ETIAS permit online, by filling out the ETIAS application form online and receiving your visa via e-mail when the application is approved. This ETIAS visa will allow Canadian citizens to enter France for tourism, transit, work, or for medical reasons, as long as the duration of the trip is under 90 days, and the visa will be valid for multiple entries made by air, sea, or land. In addition, minors and people over 70 years of age will be able to apply for this visa free of charge.
What is ETIAS France visa for Canadian citizens
ETIAS visa will come into force in November 2023, as part of a program of the European Commission aimed at strengthening European borders and keeping a digital track on all people entering the territories of the European Schengen Area. After some terrorist attacks that affected some European countries, this program was already approved in 2016.
How does ETIAS France work for Canadians
From 2023 Canadian citizens must be in possession of an ETIAS visa before embarking on a trip to France. If the trip has a duration longer than 90 days or has other reasons than those required for the ETIAS permit, they will require a full visitor Schengen permit at the embassy or consulate of France, respecting requirements and timing for the permit they are applying for. Once issued, the ETIAS visa has a duration of 3 years, and will allow to travel multiple times in France and other Schengen Area countries, as long as each visit has a duration of less than 90 days. In order to get your approved ETIAS permit in time for your trip, it is recommended to apply for the permit at least 4 days before the departure. If ETIAS is denied, you can still apply for a Schengen permit at the embassy or consulate of France or present an appeal to the country that denied ETIAS.
ETIAS destinations for Canadian citizens
From 2023 ETIAS visa will come into force for Canadian citizens to travel to the following countries:
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
At the time being, Canadian citizens are not required to obtain an ETIAS visa to travel to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania, since these countries are not Schengen Area members yet. However, these countries may enter the Schengen Area in the future, so please keep updated with the permit requirements.
ETIAS requirements for Canadians and how to apply
To apply for ETIAS visa, you will need to be a Canadian citizen and hold a valid electronic passport issued by the Canada of America. If you are not entitled to an Canadian passport, you will have to apply for a full visitor Schengen permit.
The ETIAS permit application can be completed online, entering all the necessary information by following the required steps, and making sure all the data is entered correctly. Once the application form is completed, you will also have to pay a fee of 7 euros, applicable to all citizens between 18 and 70 years old, using a credit or debit card.
Generally, most ETIAS are issued within few minutes, or at most in a few hours, and you will receive the approved visa via e-mail as a PDF file. Moreover, you will not need to print the visa, because your data will already be linked with the European Schengen authorities’ databases, and it will be linked to the passport data provided during the application. Anyway, to avoid delays, it is recommended to apply for the ETIAS permit at least 4 days in advance, to make sure that the visa is approved and to have the time to provide any additional documents should they be required. In the instance where an ETIAS is denied, you can apply for a full visitor Schengen visa at the embassy or consulate of France. To avoid mistakes that could result in delays in the permit approval, it is highly recommended to read and check carefully all the ETIAS visa requirements.
How much does ETIAS cost for Canadians
The ETIAS visa application for Canadian citizens has a cost of 7 euros for all citizens between 18 and 70 years of age, which has to be paid after completing the application form using a credit or debit card. Canadian citizens under 18 and over 70 years of age can apply for ETIAS visa free of charge.