News report | | 18/10/2023 | ±3 minutes reading time

Are you under 18 and want to visit Canada? Than you will need a visa or eTA Canada, depending (among other things) on our travel purpose. Read this article to find out what additional documents you might need and what travel authorisation you should apply for.

Travel documents for underaged travellers

Even if you are underaged, you will need a valid passport and a valid visa or eTA to travel to Canada. If you meet the eTA requirements, it is advisable to apply for this travel authorisation. In fact, the eTA Canada is cheaper and easier to apply for than a visa. This travel authorisation allows you to visit Canada for a vacation, tour or study trip.

The eTA is generally granted within 3 days, or 45 minutes if requested with urgency. The eTA is valid for 5 years and allows you to travel to Canada multiple times during this period. Each stay may last up to 6 months. If you apply for an eTA via e-Visa.co.uk, you can make use of the online form in English. Your application will be manually checked for frequently made errors. This will reduce the chance of your applications being rejected due to incorrect data.
eTA Canada application

Travelling to Canada to study or for an internship

Are you travelling to Canada to study? If your stay does not exceed 6 consecutive months, the eTA should be sufficient. If you intend to stay longer than 6 months in total, the eTA will not be sufficient and you will need a study permit. If your study permit application is approved, you automatically receive an eTA (if you meet the requirements) or a visa (if you don't meet the eTA requirements). The advantage of a study permit is that you can work on and off your campus during your studies. You may not work in Canada with an eTA.

Are you travelling to Canada for an internship? Then the eTA won't be sufficient, and you will need a work permit. In this case too, you will receive an eTA or visa when your work permit is granted. For further information, read the article about internships in Canada and the necessary work permit.

Additional documents if you are travelling alone

You always need a valid passport and a valid eTA or visa to travel to Canada. The passport must stay valid throughout your stay in Canada. If you are underaged, you also need a copy of your birth certificate and a letter of consent from your parents (or legal guardians). The letter must be signed by your parents (or guardians) and they must explicitly allow you to travel and stay in Canada on your own. The letter:

  • must be written in English or French;
  • must be signed by both your parents or guardians;
  • must include the address and the telephone number(s) of your parent(s) or guardian(s);
  • must include the name, address and telephone number of the adult supervising you in Canada.

If you travel to Canada at the request of someone, like a friend or family member, you might also be asked for an invitation letter in addition to an eTA or visa and the above documents. If you intend to study or do an internship in Canada, you culd be asked for an admission letter from your educational institution or an internship agreement from the internship company.

If you are traveling with an adult(s) as a minor

If you are traveling to Canada with your parents, foster parents or other adults as a minor, additional documents may be required to check at the airport. Read more about this in the news article about the documents to travel to Canada as an adult with children.

e-Visa.co.uk is a commercial and professional visa agency, and supports travellers in obtaining, among others, the eTA Canada. e-Visa.co.uk is an official partner of the International Air Transport Association, IATA, with membership number 57231226, acts as an intermediary, is no law firm, nor does it employ lawyers, does not provide legal advice, and is in no way part of any government. You can also apply for a eTA directly with the immigration service (7 CAD per eTA, via onlineservices-servicesenligne.cic.gc.ca). However, not with our level of support. If you submit your application via e-Visa.co.uk, our support centre is available to you 24/7. We also check your application before submitting it to the immigration authorities on your behalf. If we suspect any errors or omissions while doing so, we will personally contact you to ensure that your application can still be processed quickly and correctly. To use our services, you pay us 7 CAD in consular fees, which we pay to the immigration service on your behalf, as well as £26.05 in service fees as compensation for our services, including VAT. Our services have saved many travellers from major problems during their trip. Should an application be rejected despite our support and verification, we will refund the full purchase price (unless an application for a previous Canada eTA was rejected for the same traveller). Read more about our services here.