Canadian Visa, Passport & Money Advice

There’s a lot to think about when planning your Canadian Adventure, and it’s important to take care of the essentials with regards to applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before your travel and ensuring your passport is valid.

Visa & Passports

British passport holders are required to complete an ‘Electronic Travel Authorization’ (eTA), which allows travel to Canada for up to 6 months. The process is very simple, is done online by following the link above, and is usually approved within minutes, with a small fee of $7 CAD per person. We recommend that you arrange this at least 4 weeks before your departure, as if you fail to have a valid eTA you may be refused entry into the country and face the possibility of a fine.

You should also ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return date. It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of your passport details with a friend or member of your family back home, just in case the unfortunate happens and you do mislay them.

Local Currency

The National Canadian currency is the Canadian Dollar, abbreviated to $ or CAD, with £1 exchanging for approximately $1.75. Did you know, that one dollar is often nicknamed a ‘loonie’?!

Credit and Debit Cards

You can find ATMS in most reasonably sized towns to withdraw money, with most shops and restaurants also accepting card payments.

Tips and Haggling

Tips aren’t included in the cost of your trip, and as with the rest of North America, a tip of 10-15% is commonly expected on top of your bill. You can expect food and drink costs to be very similar to the UK.