DebConf17/Visa

In order to enter Canada, you may need one of the following documents:

• A visa
• An Electronic Travel Authorization

Find out if you need an eTA or a visitor visa

You can also look at the two following lists:

• Countries and territories whose citizens need a visa to travel to Canada
• Countries and territories whose citizens need an eTA to travel to Canada

U.S. citizens (except lawful permanent residents, if travelling by air), Canadian citizens (including those with a dual citizenship), and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA. Those with a valid visa do not need to apply for another one.

Detailed list of eTA exemptions

Application

Electronic Travel Authorization

Applying for an eTA takes only a few minutes. Please make sure that you have a valid passport and credit card.

Confirm your eligibility and apply for an eTA

Visitor Visa

You can apply for a visitor visa online or on paper. Please follow all the steps indicated on the website.

If you need help, you can contact your nearest visa application centre and visa@debconf.org.

Ideally, please apply for a visa approximately 12 weeks in advance to ensure you receive it in time.

You can check application processing times and application status online, as they tend to vary from region to region.

Note that your visa application's chance of success could be helped by providing documentation such as:

• Travel bookings, return flight
• Itinerary of visit
• Confirmation of registration to DebConf
• Evidence showing that you can support yourself financially while in Canada
• Evidence of current employment or enrollment in education in your home country

Unfortunately, the only way to open the visa form provided by the Canadian government is to use Adobe Reader. Unfortunately, it is a proprietary tool that no longer works on Linux. You can either use an old version, Wine, MacOS, Windows or Android to fill out the form.

Letter of invitation

In some cases, you may need a letter of invitation or be asked for one to simplify your application process.

If that's the case, please e-mail visa@debconf.org, with the following:

• Complete name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Passport number
• Your place of stay (on-site accommodation, hotel...)
• If you received a bursary, specify which one it is (food & accom., travel, or both)

Note that a letter of invitation does not guarantee you a visa.