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AC: Feds need to do more to warn travellers about Electronic Travel Authority (eTA)

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Old Dec 29, 2016, 9:27 am
  #136  
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Originally Posted by Fizzer

We noticed when we last renewed that the new UK expiry date was 10 years from the original expiry of the passport, whereas the Canadian expiry date was from the date of issue, making it , in reality, only a 4 1/2 year passport ( or 9 1/2 now).

On one occasion I entered the UK on my UK passport because the lines were shorter but presented my Canadian passport on departure. There was a minor hiccough as they had no record of my entry in the computer, which has made me nervous of doing so again. I'm not sure what the procedure would be in future if we ever chose to travel on the UK passport, as it seems that we are ineligible for an ETA and that the alternative documentation takes a while to acquire.
Interesting about UK keeping original expiry date - this is progressive as reflects a decision to renew early outside of the control of the traveler.

As for using different passports, I do this all the time leaving EU/UK with my EU/Italian passport - although at Exit controls, I use my EU passport, but present my Cdn passport at check-in and at the Boarding Gate for passport verification. Never had any problems, and in/through EU + dozen times/yr.

Same on outbound, use Cdn passport leaving Canada, and EU/Italian on arrival. This however must really mess up the API transmission as the EU destination is expecting me on my Cdn passport, but I only present my EU/Italian passport to the officer or the Automated Border Kiosk- but again, NOT a problem so far

Maybe cross fingers that somebody is NOT monitoring our posts
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 9:47 am
  #137  
 
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Originally Posted by Fizzer
On one occasion I entered the UK on my UK passport because the lines were shorter but presented my Canadian passport on departure. There was a minor hiccough as they had no record of my entry in the computer, which has made me nervous of doing so again. I'm not sure what the procedure would be in future if we ever chose to travel on the UK passport, as it seems that we are ineligible for an ETA and that the alternative documentation takes a while to acquire.
Just remember this: always enter and leave a country with the same passport. So in your situation above, you should've presented your UK passport to the passport control officer on departure. Since you were traveling to Canada, the airline staff (check-in and gate agents) would need to see your Canadian passport.

Originally Posted by skybluesea
As for using different passports, I do this all the time leaving EU/UK with my EU/Italian passport - although at Exit controls, I use my EU passport, but present my Cdn passport at check-in and at the Boarding Gate for passport verification. Never had any problems, and in/through EU + dozen times/yr.

Same on outbound, use Cdn passport leaving Canada, and EU/Italian on arrival.
+1 This is precisely what I and many others on FT have described in the past ^
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 10:05 am
  #138  
 
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Originally Posted by eigenvector
+1

Like 99% of people on the planet, I have only one citizenship. So, like most Canadians, I can barely even leave Canada without first acquiring a Canadian passport. I have zero sympathy for people who wish to exercise the considerable and enviable rights & privileges of Canadian citizenship but balk at the trivial inconvenience of obtaining (and of course, paying) for a Canadian passport to prove they are entitled to their rights. The laminated piece of paper referred as a "citizenship card" is not accepted as ID by airlines and should not be as it is trivial to forge.

No special tax is being extracted from dual/multiple citizens. They must have a Canadian passport just like any single-citizenship Canadian who wishes to travel abroad.

+1

hear hear. I totally support the countries that ban dual citizenships. pick one. (understanding that there are some countries where you cannot relinquish citizenship). this should not be an issue for any Canadian citizen.

The right of citizens to return to Canada can have reasonable limits placed on it, just like any other right we have in Canada. Coughing up $160 for a 10-year passport is not unreasonable and does not represent being deprived of your rights.

Dual/multiple citizens asking to be exempted from passport requirements are in effect asking that, for their convenience, Canada allow anyone who claims to be a citizen despite possessing no secure documentation to that effect, to embark on international flights to this country with no further screening at the point of embarkation. Well, I for one am not willing to bear the cost of that so you can save $16/year.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 10:20 am
  #139  
 
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Originally Posted by karachi
hear hear. I totally support the countries that ban dual citizenships. pick one. (understanding that there are some countries where you cannot relinquish citizenship). this should not be an issue for any Canadian citizen.
Huh?

I'm Canadian-born, so I naturally have Canadian citizenship. I also have citizenship from an EU country by jus sanguinis. Considering you understand that there are some countries where you cannot relinquish citizenship and considering the meaning of jus sanguinis, how can you not see that this is indeed an issue for certain Canadian citizens?
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 10:45 am
  #140  
 
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Originally Posted by skybluesea
Interesting about UK keeping original expiry date - this is progressive as reflects a decision to renew early outside of the control of the traveler.

As for using different passports, I do this all the time leaving EU/UK with my EU/Italian passport - although at Exit controls, I use my EU passport, but present my Cdn passport at check-in and at the Boarding Gate for passport verification. Never had any problems, and in/through EU + dozen times/yr.

Same on outbound, use Cdn passport leaving Canada, and EU/Italian on arrival. This however must really mess up the API transmission as the EU destination is expecting me on my Cdn passport, but I only present my EU/Italian passport to the officer or the Automated Border Kiosk- but again, NOT a problem so far

Maybe cross fingers that somebody is NOT monitoring our posts
I didn't think Canada (or the UK/US come to that) had outbound passport checks... Once I've shown my passport at check-in, I don't normally need it again until boarding if going somewhere other than the US. The boarding pass gets me through security.

In fact, most interestingly I don't even need my passport once I get on the plane to return to Canada, the PR card suffices at immigration regardless of if I use a kiosk or a manned gate.

Given I have and will likely still have close relatives in the UK for the rest of my life I would not want to ever give up my UK citizenship and passport in case I have to return for an extended period of time. I have no issue with paying for two passports when the time comes, $160/Ł110 is NOT a lot of money for 10 years, if you can afford a TATL flight (even in Tango) it's really just a drop.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 10:48 am
  #141  
 
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Originally Posted by ffsim
Just remember this: always enter and leave a country with the same passport. So in your situation above, you should've presented your UK passport to the passport control officer on departure. Since you were traveling to Canada, the airline staff (check-in and gate agents) would need to see your Canadian passport.



+1 This is precisely what I and many others on FT have described in the past ^
That is helpful information, although TBH I typically just travel on my Canadian Passport now. The only reason we pay for and keep the UK one is some form of nostalgic sentimentality and a probably irrational fear my wife has that one day she'll perhaps want to return to the UK live but won't be able to. Her situation is a bit more complicated because she was born overseas while her father was serving in the RAF. While she has a UK birth certificate her country of birth is not the UK on passports/ official documentation. She has a fear that with the UK changing citizenship classes ( as it has in the past) she might somehow lose her right of residency.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 11:16 am
  #142  
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Originally Posted by jc94
I didn't think Canada (or the UK/US come to that) had outbound passport checks... Once I've shown my passport at check-in, I don't normally need it again until boarding if going somewhere other than the US.
You have been fortunate NOT to experience such document checks, as many FT will attest, growing presence of CBSA on outbound boarding bridges for passport control purposes, NOT just inbound from some high risk origins.

And shortly after the 7/7 tragedy on London Transport, U.K. Border Services were set-up directly behind outbound pre-board screening in Terminal 3 doing passport control - some might still recall the half-booths installed in the narrow channel before the Duty Free shop - this caused back-ups into security - although fortunately the Fast Track lane is at the far end with a separate door to the Duty Free area, and an officer was also stationed there, and was pretty quick about checking passports.

As well, U.K. Border Services are set-up in St. Pancras for outbound passport control on Eurostar, and then few meters later, the French Border Police do entry controls - did this at end of November, so still there.

and for BREXIT, well, the EU has a direct frontier on the U.K. not separated by the Channel - and of course this is on the Emerald Isle. Most interesting to see how this will play out, as introducing controls between the Republic and Northern Ireland here could create a nasty backlash - one hopes not...

and back to Canada, the Customs legislation does NOT distinguish between arrivals and departures - all persons seeking entry/exit are subject to Customs Act, and other bits of related regulations.

So next time you are interrogated departing Canada, and bristle at why CBSA dare engage with you as a law-biding citizen, well, stop whining and read up on the Customs Act to see what CBSA can actually do - all blessed of course by our lovely Parliament, supported by umpteen international treaties.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 3:21 pm
  #143  
 
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some great posts in this thread, thank you for the discussion.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 3:37 pm
  #144  
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Originally Posted by quantumofforce
some great posts in this thread, thank you for the discussion.
Absolutely ^^^
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 4:17 pm
  #145  
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Originally Posted by eigenvector
+1

Like 99% of people on the planet, I have only one citizenship. So, like most Canadians, I can barely even leave Canada without first acquiring a Canadian passport. I have zero sympathy for people who wish to exercise the considerable and enviable rights & privileges of Canadian citizenship but balk at the trivial inconvenience of obtaining (and of course, paying) for a Canadian passport to prove they are entitled to their rights. The laminated piece of paper referred as a "citizenship card" is not accepted as ID by airlines and should not be as it is trivial to forge.

No special tax is being extracted from dual/multiple citizens. They must have a Canadian passport just like any single-citizenship Canadian who wishes to travel abroad.

The right of citizens to return to Canada can have reasonable limits placed on it, just like any other right we have in Canada. Coughing up $160 for a 10-year passport is not unreasonable and does not represent being deprived of your rights.

Dual/multiple citizens asking to be exempted from passport requirements are in effect asking that, for their convenience, Canada allow anyone who claims to be a citizen despite possessing no secure documentation to that effect, to embark on international flights to this country with no further screening at the point of embarkation. Well, I for one am not willing to bear the cost of that so you can save $16/year.
The Canadian citizenship card should then be able to be verified easily by airlines-think of the equivalent of ienquiry to verify Singapore immigration status.
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 4:31 pm
  #146  
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Originally Posted by keitherson
It's a security as well as a citizenship issue. Since America seems to have no problems with their ETA program for 10+ years, and have virtually identical requirements for entry, I don't see why Canadians should be complaining. Get a passport.
US passport renewed in the USA and overseas is the same price-$110.
Canadian passport renewed overseas is $100 more expensive than done in Canada. (and a bit more as they are likely to use a ripoff rate to convert into local currency.)
That's the big difference.
(admittedly, I do travel regularly to Canada and another country that won't let me enter without a visa on my non Canadian passport, so this is not a big deal for me in the time being.)
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Old Dec 29, 2016, 5:00 pm
  #147  
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How does cost of renewing US / Canada passport relate to the Thread subject of ETA?

The ETA is just another interim measure, which governments have failed to clearly lay out, in the evolution of E-documents related to identity.

If gov'ts could agree on a secure, biometric token to be shared amongst states, possibly in some form of BlockChain as identified by SITA, major IT provider to aviation industry, then much of the paper and E-docs as we know now engage with would disappear.

https://www.sita.aero/air-transport-...the-blockchain

from my perspective, we will be better off by having a secure end-to-end identity marker that cannot be manipulated (or at least much harder to manipulate) then the ancient systems we use now.

Soon will be the day when an airline ticket purchase will be subject to BlockChain (or comprable) identity validation, that will then be verified by biometric controls during various journey steps.

As Jim Cherry, soon to retire Montreal Airport CEO points out (PM and I can send link to video), we are NOT far from the day of walk-through terminal where first airline person we meet will be when boarding the aircraft.

Such trial programs are already underway in various places, including walk-through immigration systems that use high-speed digital cameras linked to supercomputers that can do one-to-many biometric recognition search by the time traveler walks from aircraft to Immigration Hall.

While gov'ts need NOT explain all this in detail, the general public, NOT just the traveling public needs to understand why such changes are being made, justifying both the expense and benefits, while creating confidence that these NEW approaches are materially more effective than past manual methods...and of course work must be done with labour to have new roles established within this framework...although some border control / security officers will simply not make the transition...which demands hiring new thinkers immediately so they gain experience before experience goes out the door.

If all this comes to pass, and I believe sooner than later we will see states advancing such concepts, then the frustration of getting the right docs will disapppear -why, because travelers will simply NOT be able to purchase a ticket in the first place without proving their ability to cross borders when the time comes.

This is good for airlines, airports, security agencies, and most important the general public as it will make it much harder for miscreants to apply their nasty trade elsewhere.
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Old Jan 3, 2017, 6:37 am
  #148  
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...tion-1.3916927

A Nova Scotia man says a lack of information about a new security document required to travel to Canada has ruined his family's Christmas.

Mark Ashworth of Ellershouse, N.S., knew nothing about the need for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) when he booked a trip to Canada for his father, who lives in England, so the 69-year-old never made it to Halifax.
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Old Jan 3, 2017, 7:44 am
  #149  
 
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Old Jan 3, 2017, 8:25 am
  #150  
 
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Originally Posted by tcook052
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...tion-1.3916927

A Nova Scotia man says a lack of information about a new security document required to travel to Canada has ruined his family's Christmas.

Mark Ashworth of Ellershouse, N.S., knew nothing about the need for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) when he booked a trip to Canada for his father, who lives in England, so the 69-year-old never made it to Halifax.
I had an allied issue recently. I had booked my 86yo mother in law to stay with us for Xmas from the UK, and I applied for an ETA on her behalf, using her passport and other details that she had given me to do so. The ETA was approved within minutes.

However, at check in at LHR there was a probelm. I don't know precisely what happened, but she said that the ETA was not there, and a check in agent away to an office for 10 minutes before returning and processing her with no further problem. Shortly after I received a confirmation that her ETA "remains approved. You remain authorized to travel to Canada by air." through the email address that I had used to apply for her ETA several months earlier. If she hadn't been in J then I can imagine the gate agent would not have been available to sort out whatever the problem was.

Has anyone else applied for an ETA on behalf of another traveller and either had problems or not?
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