Canada eTA: Eligibility, Application, Fees and Travel Rules
An electronic travel authorization, or eTA, is a travel requirement for eligible travellers, not a Canadian tourist visa or a stay extension. This guide explains eligibility, air-travel rules, application preparation, fees, passport matching and what approval does not authorize.
1. What Is a Canada eTA?
An eTA is an electronic travel authorization linked to the passport used in the application. It is relevant to eligible travel to Canada by air, including transit through a Canadian airport. There is no visa sticker to collect as part of an ordinary eTA approval.
Start by distinguishing travel authorization from admission and immigration status. Approval can allow you to travel under the applicable rules; the border examination and your authorized stay remain separate questions.
For a visa-required tourist who does not qualify for an exemption or conditional eTA route, use the visitor visa guide. To request more time after admission to Canada, see Visitor Record.
2. Who Needs an eTA?
Citizens of eTA-required, visa-exempt countries generally need an eTA for air travel. Most do not need one for land or sea arrival, although direct sea travel from Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon, excluding cruise ships, has a specific eTA rule.
Some visa-required nationalities have a conditional air-travel route. Other visa-required travellers ordinarily need a TRV. Use IRCC's entry-document checker for your actual nationality, document and itinerary.
Do not choose an application based only on where you live. Residence in a visa-exempt country does not automatically make another country's passport visa-exempt. Check each traveller individually, including children.
3. The Conditional Route for Some Visa-Required Countries
The selected-nationality route requires an eligible passport, a temporary visit and air travel or air transit, plus either a Canadian visitor visa held in the previous 10 years or a U.S. non-immigrant visa valid when applying. The U.S. visa need not remain valid on the travel date.
Examples on the current list include Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia. The latter two joined on May 26, 2026. Check the full official list, not a shortened example list, before applying.
This is not a general exemption for everyone holding a U.S. visa. An Iranian passport alone is not on the selected-country list. A traveller with another qualifying nationality or a separate exemption must assess that actual situation.
For this conditional group, arrival by car, bus, train or boat ordinarily requires a visitor visa. Review any narrow direct-return exception separately rather than assuming air eligibility covers a cruise or land trip.
4. Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents and U.S. Travellers
Canadian citizens cannot use an eTA instead of Canadian travel-document requirements. Dual citizens generally need a Canadian passport for air travel; American-Canadians may use a valid Canadian or U.S. passport.
Canadian permanent residents do not use an eTA: check PR card or permanent resident travel document requirements for commercial travel. An expired PR card does not itself end PR status.
U.S. citizens are eTA-exempt. U.S. lawful permanent residents are also exempt and must carry the required passport or equivalent travel document and valid proof of U.S. permanent residence.
Resolve uncertain citizenship or PR status before selecting a tourist application. An eTA is not a workaround for an unresolved Canadian status issue.
5. eTA, TRV and Visitor Record Compared
| Document | Main question it addresses | Not a substitute for |
|---|---|---|
| eTA | Can an eligible traveller fly to or transit through Canada? | A stay extension or work authorization |
| Visitor visa / TRV | Does a visa-required traveller have the required visa? | An unrestricted right to enter or live in Canada |
| Visitor record | What visitor stay is authorized in Canada? | An entry visa or eTA |
If you already have a valid Canadian visitor visa, do not assume you must also buy an eTA. Follow the official rules for the document you hold and the trip you plan.
Keep a separate checklist for travel documents and authorized stay dates. A document useful for one purpose may not answer the other question.
6. How to Apply for an eTA
Use the official Government of Canada application page. Have your passport, email and accepted payment method ready. The form cannot be saved, so gather the information before starting. The application form is in English and French, with multilingual help available.
- Confirm eligibility for the itinerary.
- Read the official application help.
- Enter passport and personal information carefully.
- Answer the background questions truthfully.
- Pay the fee and retain the confirmation.
- Monitor email and follow any instructions.
As practical preparation, compare numbers against the passport itself, not a booking profile or old scan. If helping a relative, check the applicable consent and representation questions rather than assuming your own answers apply to them.
7. eTA Fee and Processing Time
The government eTA fee is CAD 7, checked October 12, 2026. IRCC identifies the application fee as non-refundable. An intermediary's service charge is not the government fee.
Most applicants receive a response quickly, but some applications need several days or further documents. IRCC says an email explaining next steps should arrive within 72 hours when further processing is needed. That is not a promise of approval within 72 hours.
Apply before committing to travel and allow for unexpected follow-up. Do not rely on completing the process at an airport. Payment or a pending-application confirmation is not an approval.
8. Validity, New Passports and Renewal
An eTA may be valid for up to five years or until the linked passport expires, whichever comes first. A new passport requires a new eTA; the authorization does not move automatically to the replacement passport.
Repeated travel during validity does not create a five-year stay. Each admission has its own authorized period. An eTA also does not itself authorize work or study; check the relevant permit or exemption rules.
For practical planning, compare the passport you intend to carry with the application and approval. Check validity before each trip rather than assuming an old approval email proves current status.
9. Passport Errors, Missing Emails and Pending Requests
Check the passport number in the approval email. If it is wrong, IRCC instructs you to apply again with the correct number. A printed approval cannot repair a link to the wrong passport.
Check spam folders and retain the eTA number for status enquiries. Follow instructions for any additional evidence, and update contact information through the official process if needed.
Do not respond to an unfamiliar payment request merely because it uses an official-looking logo. Navigate back to the government site and verify the message. A promise of guaranteed approval should not replace checking the actual decision.
10. Boarding and Arrival
Travel with the passport linked to the approved eTA. The airline verifies the authorization electronically; IRCC does not require a special printed eTA document for boarding.
Border admission is not guaranteed. Be ready to explain the visit and follow the stay period set on entry. Carry relevant invitation or minor-travel records where applicable.
As a preparation suggestion, keep accommodation and contact details available and make sure your explanation agrees with your real plans. If you later need more time, assess a visitor record application rather than treating a fresh eTA as a stay extension.
11. Refusal or Inadmissibility Concerns
Read any decision or request carefully before repeating an application. A factual mistake, missing response and substantive immigration concern are different problems. Keep the complete submission and correspondence.
Do not conceal a prior decision or assume that switching to a TRV avoids the underlying issue. Obtain case-specific advice for criminal, immigration-history or other inadmissibility concerns.
The Federal Court guide explains review as distinct from a new application. Do not transplant a TRV refusal checklist or officer-note expectation to every eTA decision.
12. Frequently Asked Questions
Is an eTA a tourist visa?
No. It is an electronic authorization for eligible travel, not a visa sticker.
Can an Iranian passport holder get an eTA because they have a U.S. visa?
A U.S. visa alone is insufficient. Check nationality eligibility and any separate exemption.
Does my child use my eTA?
Check the child's own travel-document requirements; a parent's approval does not cover another passport.
Can I extend my visit by renewing my eTA?
No. Travel authorization and an in-Canada extension are separate.
What happens if I replace my passport?
Check the new passport's entry requirements and obtain a new eTA if required.
Does approval authorize a Canadian job?
No. Assess work authorization separately.
Official sources checked October 12, 2026. Confirm current eligibility, fees, document instructions and any individual conditions before applying or travelling. This article provides general information, not personalized legal advice.
Check the official IRCC eTA guidance