Malaysians Can Now Travel Visa-Free To Canada? It Depends On Whether You “Qualify”
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If you came across news claiming Canada has dropped visa requirements for Malaysians and got excited, calm down: most Malaysians still need a visa to enter the Land of the Maple Leaf
One widely shared report from CIC News, which describes itself as the world's largest Canadian immigration news website, claimed — rather misleadingly — that "Canada to drop visa requirement for citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia", stating that "qualifying citizens" of both countries would be eligible for "visa-free travel to Canada".
Image via CIC News
However, that's not what Canada actually announced yesterday, 25 May.Lena Metlege Diab, Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that eligible citizens from Indonesia and Malaysia can now apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) instead of a full visitor visa when flying to Canada.An eTA is an online travel pass that costs just CAD7 (RM20) and is typically approved within minutes. It's linked electronically to your passport and is valid for up to five years.That sounds like great news. And for some Malaysians, it genuinely is. But the key word in the announcement is eligible.
Image via Andrej Ivanov/AFP
Who actually qualifies
To apply for an eTA instead of a full visa, you need to meet one of the following conditions at the time of application:
You held a Canadian temporary resident visa (TRV) at any point in the last 10 years, or
You currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa
If you don't meet either condition, nothing has changed for you.Canada's immigration authority, IRCC, describes this group as "known travellers", meaning people who have already been vetted by Canadian or US immigration services.The eTA is essentially a fast-track for people who have already cleared a major immigration screening before.
What if you don't have either of those?
You still need a standard Canadian Visitor Visa, the same as beforeThat means:
An online application through the IRCC portal
A fee of CAD100 (RM288), plus an CAD85 (RM245) biometrics fee
An in-person appointment at the VFS Global centre in Kuala Lumpur to submit your fingerprints and photo
A processing wait of several weeks. IRCC recommends applying at least eight weeks before your travel date
No shortcuts. No changes.
Image via Andrej Ivanov/AFP
One more thing worth noting
Even Malaysians who do qualify for the eTA still need a full visitor visa if they're entering Canada by land or sea, driving across from the US, or arriving on a cruise ship, for example. The eTA only applies to air travel.If you do qualify for the eTA, you can apply directly on the official IRCC website.If you need the full visitor visa, start your application well in advance, and book your VFS Global biometrics appointment early, as slots fill up.
