Transit Without Visa Program —
How to develop a business case

September 2009

Table of Contents

• Business Case Background
• Business Case Format
• Where to Send a Completed Business Case

Business Case Background

To participate in the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program, all airport authorities and air carriers are required to submit an individual or joint business case in writing to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that:

• Outlines the scope of the request (i.e., proposed movement, air carriers, Canadian airport, etc.); and,
• Demonstrates how the applicants meet/will meet the mandatory TWOV program eligibility criteria.

Failure to include any of these elements in the business case will result in a delay in the assessment process.

If the business case is approved, applicants will be required to sign a TWOV program memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CIC and the CBSA in order to ensure their eligibility.

Business Case Format

It is recommended that applicants follow the format outlined below when developing their business case:

Stakeholder Profile:

Applicants should provide a brief corporate profile of their organization that includes the following information:

For Airport Authorities:

• Official name of the airport;
• General size/capacity of the airport, including number of domestic, transborder and international terminals;
• Number of daily transborder and international flights arriving and departing from the airport;
• Contact information of individual(s) responsible for the TWOV business case.

For Air Carriers:

• Official name of the air carrier;
• Nationality of the air carrier, including location of head office;
• Any past or existing agreements with the Government of Canada related to air travel and transport of foreign nationals through Canadian air space or territory (e.g. FAOC from Transport Canada, Memorandum of Understanding with the CBSA as per Section 280 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations);
• Current/proposed markets being or to be served (including fifth freedom flights if applicable); and,
• Contact information of individual(s) responsible for the TWOV business case.

Scope of the Request

Applicants should clearly outline the market they plan to serve through the TWOV program by identifying:

• All countries/foreign nationals being proposed for inclusion in the TWOV program;
• The Canadian international airport that will receive TWOV passengers;
• All last-embarkation points for TWOV flights before travelling to Canada;
• All expected daily, weekly, or monthly scheduled TWOV flights; and
• A list of the air carrier's code share partners, if applicable.

Applicants must also indicate if proposed TWOV flights will include Fifth Freedom Flights.

In addition, applicants should demonstrate how they meet/will meet the eligibility criteria.

TWOV Program Management

Applicants should also provide a summary of their plan for administering and managing the TWOV program, such as outlining planned measures to ensure that TWOV passengers do not arrive in Canada improperly documented (or leave the sterile transit lounge) once in Canada.

Where to Send a Completed Business Case

Completed business cases should be submitted to the following addresses:

Canada Border Services Agency
Director
Traveller Border Programs Division
Border Programs
Canada Border Services Agency
Sir Richard Scott Building
191 Laurier Ave. West, 15th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L8

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Director
Identity, Document and Visa Policy Division
Admissibility Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Jean Edmonds Tower North
300 Slater Street, 8th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1