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The Canadian government is seriously concerned about certain fraudulent websites that lure travelers into paying huge amounts as fees for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). ETA is a mandatory online registration for many foreign nationals applying for a Canadian visa.

ETA is required for US permanent residents, travelers from most of Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, some Asian and South American countries who want to board a flight into Canada. US citizens, Canadian citizens and those who hold a valid visa for Canada are exempt.

The service which actually costs $7 is being inflated up to 85 Euro ($121)  in some cases, reveals the National Post in a report released last year. Nancy Chan, spokesperson for the IRCC (Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada) said, “IRCC is very concerned about travelers getting caught unaware. Not only may they be paying unnecessary fees, but they are also providing personal information to these companies.”

Typical Scams

The ETA is not a visa, it’s only an authorization that allows the person to board the flight to Canada. At the entry port in Canada, people may be deemed admissible or inadmissible.

Many travelers are not aware of this. They assume that once they have the ETA, they are free to travel into Canada. This is one aspect of the scam.

Fake websites look very much like official Canadian government sites. They protect themselves by adding detailed disclaimers in their Terms & Conditions page. However, this is something that few people bother to read in detail. The site may state in fine print that it is not a government website.

The site may have links to the official website but the ETA is given only by the government of Canada and there are advisories put out by other countries, from time to time, to provide warnings.

Some websites make applicants believe that they are applying for an ETA online, and get people to disclose their credit card information and other personal details which can be used for fraudulent purposes, identity theft etc.

Since many of these fake websites are not ostensibly doing anything outright illegal, it’s difficult for the Canadian immigration department to pursue a legal action, unless the site actually states that it is associated with the government of Canada. Lindsay Wemp, spokesperson for the department opines, “Many of these websites clearly indicate that they are not associated with the Government of Canada.” They only indicate that they are offering “ETA services.” As such, it’s difficult to fault them legally. Hence, much depends on the individual applicant and how much care they exercise.

Prevention Is Better 

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-start.asp is the only CIC website where it is possible to apply for an ETA online.

The immigration department has put out warnings on social media, and also posted a video that gives information and a warning to applicants to avoid getting scammed.

The department is aware of certain websites charging fees to facilitate the ETA process, but they also have a disclaimer in fine print saying they’re not affiliated to the government.

An experienced canadian immigration lawyer can assist you with the process of getting a valid ETA and avoid being ripped off by scamsters.

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