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.
The application form is available in your own language, and each answer is validated against the current eTA rules as you complete it. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada decides.
Requirements in detail
A Canada eTA asks for less than a full visa, but gather these before you begin so every detail matches your passport. You need a valid passport from an eTA-eligible country, the same document you will travel on, and you should have its number and its issue and expiry dates in front of you, because the eTA is linked to that passport electronically rather than stamped in it; this is also why there is no photograph to upload, unlike a visa. Confirm basic details such as your date of birth, nationality and a contact address, have your home address and employment details ready, and answer the short set of background and admissibility questions carefully and honestly, since these are the answers that matter most.
A working email address receives the decision, and a payment card covers the single all-inclusive price, with the government fee charged by IRCC itemised on your receipt. Every traveller, including each child, needs their own eTA, so prepare one set of details for each person.
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
- Home address, employment details and background answers
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
How to apply
Applying for a Canada eTA is done entirely online. First, confirm you need one: it is required for visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to Canada, including most EU, UK, Australian and Japanese citizens, while US citizens are exempt, and each traveller needs their own. Second, have your passport, your home address and your employment details ready.
Third, complete the form, checking the spelling of your name and every digit of your passport number against the passport itself, and answer the eligibility questions honestly. Fourth, review the single all-inclusive price and pay; the application is checked for completeness before it reaches Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Finally, the approved eTA arrives by email and is linked to your passport electronically, so there is nothing to print, though many travellers keep a copy; the airline checks it against your passport when you board.
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 under 24h; Priority under 6h; Urgent under 30 min. 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.
Is this the official application?
VisitPass is an independent travel-document service, not a government website and not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Your application is submitted to the official Canada eTA system, the government fee is paid in full to the issuing authority and itemised on your receipt; the service fee covers preparing the application, reviewing it for completeness before submission, and email support. You can always apply directly on the government portal yourself; many travellers choose a guided form to complete it in their own language and have it checked before it is sent.
The decision rests solely with the Canadian government.
Canada help desk
Have questions about your eTA? Email the Canada desk and we reply within 24 hours.
canada@visitpass-online.comVisitPass is an independent visa-application service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government. Government fees go directly to the issuing authority and are listed separately in your receipt.