Canada eTA
Everything you need to apply for your Canada eTA: the requirements, the documents, and the steps from start to approval.
Official Canada government portalOverview
The eTA, or electronic travel authorisation, is Canada's online entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals who arrive by air. It is not a visa: it is a screening that links to your passport before you fly and lets the airline board you and a border officer consider your admission. An approved eTA is valid for up to five years, or until your passport expires if that comes first, and allows multiple trips in that period.
Each visit is normally up to six months, set by the border services officer when you land. Travellers from the many visa-exempt countries, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia and Japan, need an eTA to fly to Canada, as do lawful permanent residents of the United States. US citizens are exempt and travel on their passport alone.
An eTA does not authorise paid work, a study programme longer than six months, or settling in Canada, which need the corresponding permit. It links to the passport you apply with, so you must travel on that same document, and it is the airline's first check before you board. If you arrive by land or sea, or already hold a valid Canadian visa, the eTA does not apply to that trip.
Your Canada eTA is prepared in your own language and every answer is checked against the current rules before it is sent to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Requirements in detail
A Canada eTA asks for less than a full visa, but every detail must match your passport exactly. You need a valid passport from a visa-exempt country, the same document you will travel on; the eTA attaches to it electronically, which is why there is no photograph to upload, unlike a visa. Have the passport number, the issue and expiry dates and the country of issue in front of you as you fill in the form.
You also confirm basic details such as your date of birth, nationality and a contact address, and answer a short set of questions about your background and any previous immigration or admissibility issues; these are the answers that matter most, so give them carefully and honestly. A valid email address is where the decision is delivered, and a payment card covers one all-inclusive price that includes the government fee charged by IRCC and our service for reviewing and submitting your application; the government portion is itemised on your receipt. Before you confirm, read your name and passport number back against the passport itself.
A single mistyped character is the most common avoidable error, and a mismatch between your eTA and your passport can hold you up at the airport, because the airline checks one against the other when you board.
What you'll need
Have these ready before you begin your application. Requirements can vary by nationality and trip purpose.
- Passport from an eTA-eligible country
- Email address for eTA delivery
- Travel dates and Canadian address
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
How to apply
Three steps from start to approval.
Complete the form
Answer the official questions online. Your draft is saved for 30 days, so you can finish once your documents are to hand.
Pay securely
You see the one all-inclusive price before you pay. We check your application for completeness before it reaches the government portal.
Receive by email
Your approved travel authorisation arrives by email. Bring it, or a copy, together with the passport you applied with when you travel.
On arrival
Your approved eTA is held electronically against your passport, so there is nothing to print before you fly; the airline checks your authorisation automatically when you board. Even so, it is worth saving the approval email or your application number in case you want to confirm the status. The eTA applies to arrival by air, so travel on the exact passport you applied with, the document the eTA is linked to.
The eTA lets you board and request entry; a border services officer at the Canadian airport makes the final decision on admission and how long you may stay, and may ask about your trip, so have your return or onward ticket and where you will stay ready to show.
Government processing time
What the issuing authority typically takes once the application is submitted.
Government processing: Canada IRCC decides most eTAs within minutes, and in 1 to 72 hours when an application is sent to manual review. VisitPass review: Standard 1 to 3 business days; Rush 1 business day; Super Rush less than 6 hours. The application is checked for completeness, submitted to the authority, and the confirmation issued with a tracking code.
When to apply: it is best to apply once your trip is booked, because the airline checks your authorisation at the boarding gate and the requirement is tied to the flight you take into Canada. Applying early also leaves room for the few cases that go to longer review.
At a glance
- Validity
- 5 years
- Maximum stay
- 6 months per entry
- Entry type
- Multiple
Who can apply
Required for citizens of visa-exempt countries entering Canada by air, except US citizens who are exempt. Valid for five years from approval or until passport expiry, with multiple entries up to six months each.
Canada help desk
Have questions about your eTA? Email the Canada desk and we reply within 24 hours.
canada@visitpass-online.com