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Do I need an eTa?

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
Hello!

I am a French Citizen but I am a Permanent Resident in London. I am applying for a study permit to Canada. Do I need to apply for an eTA before flying to Canada?

Also. Which Family form do I need if I am applying in person at the Canada High Commission in London? Is it the IMM 5645 or 5707? My wife and son will join me as visitors. Thanks!
 

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,187
2,420
As a French passport holder you would be visa exempt for entry to Canada but would need an ETA to board a plane. An ETA should be issued at the same time as your study permit.

Do not think you can apply for anything in person at the High Commision in London but the question really is whether your family members are also French Passport holders so visa exempt, needing only an ETA for each passport. Apply at the official site only

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

The document checklist for French nationals applying for a study permit seems to imply imm5707

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp?countrySelect=FR#applications

If the PDF will not open follow instructions here

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=660&top=18
 
Last edited:

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
As a French passport holder you would be visa exempt for entry to Canada but would need an ETA to board a plane. An ETA should be issued at the same time as your study permit.

Do not think you can apply for anything in person at the High Commision in London but the question really is whether your family members are also French Passport holders so visa exempt, needing only an ETA for each passport. Apply at the official site only

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

The document checklist for French nationals applying for a study permit seems to imply imm5707

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp?countrySelect=FR#applications

If the PDF will not open follow instructions here

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=660&top=18

Thanks!

My wife is an Algerian citizen and my son, a French Citizen. Does that change anything? Can I only apply at the High Commission? They are joining me as Visitors.
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
As a French passport holder you would be visa exempt for entry to Canada but would need an ETA to board a plane. An ETA should be issued at the same time as your study permit.

Do not think you can apply for anything in person at the High Commision in London but the question really is whether your family members are also French Passport holders so visa exempt, needing only an ETA for each passport. Apply at the official site only

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

The document checklist for French nationals applying for a study permit seems to imply imm5707

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp?countrySelect=FR#applications

If the PDF will not open follow instructions here

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=660&top=18

Also! I forgot to ask. How much money will I need for my first year to satisfy an officer I can support my family?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,552
How old is your son? If your wife thinks she may want to work she should be applying for a SOWP. No matter what she needs to apply for a TRV. You should submit these applications with your study permit application if you don't intend to study if they are not accepted. If you submit them separately it could take much longer. In general applications do take a bit longer when submitting study permit and SOWP. Hard to say how much more they want to see but I would imagine 15-20K more a year for a wife and child. If you are 51 there will be serious concern that you are not a genuine student and are trying to immigrate. It would need to make sense financially for you to take 2 years off as well as make sense base on your past job and education.
 

vensak

VIP Member
Jul 14, 2016
3,868
1,017
124
Category........
Visa Office......
Vienna
NOC Code......
1225
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Just to clarify.
Even if you are from visa exempt country, that only counts if you want to go to Canada as a visitor within the allowed amount (3months or 6 months depending what you are allowed).
However if you intend to study, you will need student visa and after you get them you will not need ETA anymore (as you will use those student visa to board the plane).
As for your family, if they are from visa free country they can ask for ETA - if they just want to stay there as visitors. otherwise they will need appropriate visa. If your son is 18 years or older and he wants to study in Canada, he will need study visa permit as well.
If your wife wants to work in Canada, she will need SOWP visa. Be also aware, that there is a good chance for it to be rejected and prepare for that scenario accordingly.

Currently the only way how you can get to the embassy in person is either:
1. If they ask you for an interview (which is rather rare)
2. If you are Canadian citizen asking for an urgent passport renewal.
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
How old is your son? If your wife thinks she may want to work she should be applying for a SOWP. No matter what she needs to apply for a TRV. You should submit these applications with your study permit application if you don't intend to study if they are not accepted. If you submit them separately it could take much longer. In general applications do take a bit longer when submitting study permit and SOWP. Hard to say how much more they want to see but I would imagine 15-20K more a year for a wife and child. If you are 51 there will be serious concern that you are not a genuine student and are trying to immigrate. It would need to make sense financially for you to take 2 years off as well as make sense base on your past job and education.

My son is 10 years old.

So my wife and son need to apply for a TRV before coming to Canada? Also, let's say after she is in Canada she decided to want to work (not sure if that will happen). What type of work permit can she get from being inside Canada as a visitor without an offer of employment?
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
Just to clarify.
Even if you are from visa exempt country, that only counts if you want to go to Canada as a visitor within the allowed amount (3months or 6 months depending what you are allowed).
However if you intend to study, you will need student visa and after you get them you will not need ETA anymore (as you will use those student visa to board the plane).
As for your family, if they are from visa free country they can ask for ETA - if they just want to stay there as visitors. otherwise they will need appropriate visa. If your son is 18 years or older and he wants to study in Canada, he will need study visa permit as well.
If your wife wants to work in Canada, she will need SOWP visa. Be also aware, that there is a good chance for it to be rejected and prepare for that scenario accordingly.

Currently the only way how you can get to the embassy in person is either:
1. If they ask you for an interview (which is rather rare)
2. If you are Canadian citizen asking for an urgent passport renewal.
Thank you.

What do you mean the only way I can get to the embassy in person? You mean the High Commision Canada in London I have to be asked to submit my application?
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
Also. Which Family Information form do I have to submit? Is it the IMM5707 or IMM5645? I can't tell what the difference is. I believe someone said the 5707. I don't know what the difference is between the 2.
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
Just to clarify.
Even if you are from visa exempt country, that only counts if you want to go to Canada as a visitor within the allowed amount (3months or 6 months depending what you are allowed).
However if you intend to study, you will need student visa and after you get them you will not need ETA anymore (as you will use those student visa to board the plane).
As for your family, if they are from visa free country they can ask for ETA - if they just want to stay there as visitors. otherwise they will need appropriate visa. If your son is 18 years or older and he wants to study in Canada, he will need study visa permit as well.
If your wife wants to work in Canada, she will need SOWP visa. Be also aware, that there is a good chance for it to be rejected and prepare for that scenario accordingly.

Currently the only way how you can get to the embassy in person is either:
1. If they ask you for an interview (which is rather rare)
2. If you are Canadian citizen asking for an urgent passport renewal.

If I have a representative to submit the application for me, who is a Canadian Citizen and licensed, would that be ok? Can they send my application to the CHC in London for me?
 

Jack1967

Newbie
Dec 2, 2018
9
0
As a French passport holder you would be visa exempt for entry to Canada but would need an ETA to board a plane. An ETA should be issued at the same time as your study permit.

Do not think you can apply for anything in person at the High Commision in London but the question really is whether your family members are also French Passport holders so visa exempt, needing only an ETA for each passport. Apply at the official site only

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

The document checklist for French nationals applying for a study permit seems to imply imm5707

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp?countrySelect=FR#applications

If the PDF will not open follow instructions here

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=660&top=18
My wife is an Algerian Citizen and a Permanent Resident in London. My son is a French Citizen and a Permanent Resident in London. Does that mean my wife needs to apply for an eTA and a TRV before travel and my son just needs to apply for an eTA?
 

vensak

VIP Member
Jul 14, 2016
3,868
1,017
124
Category........
Visa Office......
Vienna
NOC Code......
1225
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
If I have a representative to submit the application for me, who is a Canadian Citizen and licensed, would that be ok? Can they send my application to the CHC in London for me?
Regardless if you are sending your application directly of if you have used a representative, it still has to be sent according to the requirements described. And yes he can send your application as long as you have authorised him to do so.
Be also aware that that will not free you from responsibility for that application (for its completeness and accuracy).
 

vensak

VIP Member
Jul 14, 2016
3,868
1,017
124
Category........
Visa Office......
Vienna
NOC Code......
1225
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Thank you.

What do you mean the only way I can get to the embassy in person? You mean the High Commision Canada in London I have to be asked to submit my application?
It means that you cannot walk in and submit your application. You have to use either online application or send it via post according to the requirements.