Little issue with eTA for Canada
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
PE
Hi everyone,

I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist! But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point. I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing! In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing! I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me! If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
hi, Probably the fact that you were a permanent resident is why the Canadian authorities are asking for "additional" documents (just a guess since I don’t work in the field!). The letter you received should specify which documents they need (and the documents to submit before the deadline via your IRCC account). I can’t really help you more, but just in case, here’s the link to the site explaining it all: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/submit-documents.html Looks like the videos give all the details!! If you still need help, there’s a link to a form on the page (under "if you have a technical problem"). Were your wife and kids also permanent residents? If so, my theory "doesn’t hold water"!
PE Petitange Regular ·
Thanks for your reply, Lescaribous—I’ll check out the links. My wife was actually with me during our "permanent residency," along with my daughter (she was 2 and a half at the time). As for him, my son was conceived in Quebec but was born 2 months after we returned to France. He missed out on Canadian citizenship by just a bit...
PE Petitange Regular ·
Hi,

I did everything requested on the link... I have an account and still need to provide this "letter of explanations" before January 25th. It just says "required" with no explanation about what I should put in it. I don’t mind explaining why I’m coming to Quebec, but I don’t really see the point... I also thought my name might not be unfamiliar to them, but it’s been almost 17 years since I moved back to France, and we’ve visited often since without any issues. I’d rather not tell them I was a permanent resident—if they ask for a number or something, I’d have no idea what to give them... Since I left the territory for more than 6 months, I thought permanent residency was automatically revoked.
ST Stratele52 Globetrotter ·
The authorities are asking you for an explanation letter (about your trip?). Period! What are you supposed to explain? No specific questions to answer?

Is that what you understand?

In my opinion, if the authorities knew you’ve made several trips to Canada, it could only help you. They’d have proof that you return home and don’t cause any problems during your stay. But they probably already know (or maybe not!)

Or is it like a pat-down—just a more thorough random check, and a few words from you will reassure them... idiots!

Good luck!
JF Jfalaise84 Veteran ·
Hi,

I did everything requested on the link... I have an account and still have to provide this "letter of explanations" before January 25th. It just says "required" with no explanation about what I should put in it. I don’t mind explaining what I’m going to do in Quebec, but I don’t really see the point... I also thought my name wouldn’t be unknown to them, but it’s been almost 17 years since I returned to France, and we’ve come back often since then without any issues. I don’t really want to tell them I was a permanent resident—if they ask for a number or something, I won’t be able to provide it... Since I left the territory for more than 6 months, I thought permanent residency was automatically canceled.

Hey,

In fact, you’re no longer a permanent resident if you were one, according to Canada’s immigration law.

For the letter, you need to type up a letter in Word format explaining everything, like: "I was a permanent resident from to , then I chose to leave Canada to return to France, and I traveled back to Canada as a tourist during ." You upload everything to your IRCC profile, and that should be enough.

As for whether they’ll approve it or not, no one can tell you for sure.
JF Jfalaise84 Veteran ·
The authorities are asking you for a letter of explanation (about your trip?). Period! What do you explain? No specific questions to answer?

Is that what you understand?

In my opinion, if the authorities knew you’ve made several trips to Canada, it could only help you. They’d have proof that you return home and don’t cause any problems during your stay. But they probably already know that (or not!)

Or is it like a pat-down—just a more thorough random check, and a few words from you will reassure them... idiots!

Good luck!

It’s not nice to call our friendly civil servants idiots😛
ST Stratele52 Globetrotter ·
It’s not nice to call our nice civil servants idiots😛

Far be it from me to generalize, but this one is. 😏
PE Petitange Regular ·
Thanks for the replies.

I do know I’m no longer a permanent resident—I’m really sorry about that, but we had to return to France after a year. Let’s just say it was for family reasons... I was well integrated, always worked, and never had any issues. But hey, that’s how it goes. It took me a while to come to terms with being back in France, but since then, I’ve done quite a few things, including that cross-Canada run, which helped me close the chapter. I still enjoy visiting my friends in Quebec, but I don’t feel any nostalgia anymore.

I’m not sure if it’s worth mentioning—I’m worried it might require extra steps. I think a list of all our trips to Canada should be enough. I’m not coming in secretly; I’m just here to see friends and family. My life is in France now, and if I ever want to move back to Canada, I’ll go through the necessary steps again.

What I find frustrating about this situation is that there’s no explanation for what to include in the letter. I’ve searched, dug, and scoured the government’s FAQs, and I found absolutely nothing! It’s a bit tough to leave people in the dark when it would be so simple to list a few things to include to help. Especially since my whole family was approved in minutes...

Anyway, I’ll try calling the Canadian embassy today and write a letter tonight (with the time difference, it’ll reach Canada early afternoon). I’ll come back to this thread later to share any tips that might help others.

Thanks.
JF Jfalaise84 Veteran ·
It’s a shame, but that’s bureaucracy for you...

Good luck with your application!
PE Petitange Regular ·
That’s too bad, but that’s bureaucracy for you...

Good luck with your paperwork!

I think bureaucracy knows no borders, lucky us.

I got an email from the Canadian embassy in Paris asking for a photocopy of my passport before they can respond! ??? Since I’m a good, rule-following citizen, I’ll send it tomorrow.

I also wrote a cover letter explaining our trip—who we’re visiting, where we’ll be staying, and our flight numbers for both outbound and return (so they’re sure we’re coming back home!). All of that sent through the IRCC account they asked me to create. It’s still quite a hassle just to spend 2 weeks in Quebec...

To be continued...
PE Petitange Regular ·
😕😕😕😕😕

Hello, You applied for a visa/permit with our service. During processing, we noticed that you were a permanent resident. To continue reviewing your file, you must complete ONE of the 2 forms below, depending on your situation.

Well, that’s where it was stuck. Got this message from the Canadian embassy this morning.

Just need to fill out yet another form. What I don’t get is why my wife and daughter, who were with me at the time, didn’t have this issue. I’d better find those papers I stashed away 17 years ago...

To be continued... 🙁
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
hi, My first guess was right after all! If your wife and daughter also had permanent resident status during the same period, maybe you had to deal with the authorities during that time (unlike the other two family members). I’d definitely consider that as a possibility...
PE Petitange Regular ·
Hey, My first guess was right after all!! If your wife and daughter also had permanent resident status during the same period, maybe you had to deal with the authorities during that time (unlike the other two family members). I’d say that’s a solid guess...

Hey,

You were spot on! As for the rest, I’m not sure—I sent the scanned documents to Canadian immigration this morning and will mail the rest tomorrow. I never had any issues with the authorities during my year in Quebec, not even a small fine. Nor did we have any problems on any of our trips. Up until now, I’d flown under the radar, which I think will work in my favor when my eTA application is reviewed again (once my renunciation of permanent resident status is accepted).

I can only advise anyone who wants to vacation in Canada and has ever had permanent resident status—even a long time ago—to renounce it, just to avoid a little stress like I’m going through. I always wait until the last minute for paperwork. Thankfully, this time I started more than a month and a half early!!!

Can’t wait for the eTA to be abolished! 😎
PE Petitange Regular ·
Wow, I'm stunned!

I submitted my renunciation of permanent resident status this morning on the Canadian government website. I also let the Canadian embassy in Paris know, and they advised me to email them everything back so it’d go faster—which I did before heading back to work. I get home and see that at 3:20 PM, I had an email saying my eTA is already valid!!!

When we first moved to Quebec, I already thought the process was way simpler than in France, but this? Seriously, it’s lightning fast.

Okay, I’ll still double-check everything when I’m more relaxed, just in case... 🙂
ST Stratele52 Globetrotter ·
Well done, one big worry out of the way!🙂

French bureaucracy is well known for its slowness. You’ve gotta have *some* flaw in this beautiful country of yours
PE Petitange Regular ·
Yes, what a relief! After checking on the Canada Immigration website, everything seems to be in order. I’ll make a photocopy just in case someone at the airport feels like being overzealous.

France is indeed a beautiful country too, but we’re not without our flaws 😇.
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
Hi, All's well that ends well!! I'm surprised you had to write a renunciation letter since, given you were a permanent resident in 2000-2001, you normally would’ve lost your permanent residency. (Unless you came back to "set foot on Canadian soil" within the right timeframe—less than 6 months apart if I remember correctly to keep permanent residency!) As for the "bureaucracy," I’m sure you’d already noticed the difference between Canada and France!
PE Petitange Regular ·
Hi,

For me too, it was clear that my permanent residency was effectively lost. By returning to Canada regularly, I hadn’t bothered to check whether I could work there again or not, even though I think my SIN would have probably still worked. Oh well, I rebuilt my life in France after that rich experience in Quebec—I don’t regret a thing.

The introduction of the eTA meant I got flagged when I applied since permanent residents don’t need one. The system must’ve glitched! 🤪 Now things are back to square one.

It’s true that Canadian bureaucracy is almost pleasant compared to France’s, which is a total nightmare. A little anecdote: When we settled in Quebec, we went through immigration services with our little girl at Montreal Airport (Mirabel at the time). We were well received, and everything was sorted in less than an hour. Later, we went to register with the relevant services for our child. We were in and out in 20 minutes!!!!! Everything was recorded even though we were missing a document. The woman trusted us and asked us to bring the missing paper later. She still validated our file. Not sure that kind of thing would happen in France, where you’re always missing form X2213GH47, page so-and-so with box such-and-such. And good luck getting another appointment quickly. To the point that when you spend less than 30 minutes in a government office, you wonder if there’s a hidden camera.

Anyway, when it comes to bureaucracy, France could learn a lot from Canada.
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
hi, The story doesn’t say why YOUR permanent residency would have "flagged" while your wife’s and daughter’s didn’t! Maybe you’ve got a "blacklisted" namesake 🤪 True, France could learn a thing or two from Quebec when it comes to bureaucracy, but the reverse is also true in other areas (I won’t start a debate—this isn’t the place or the time!)

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