Canada eTA: Requirements, Validity, and Entry Rules

The Canada eTA — short for Electronic Travel Authorization — is a mandatory online entry permission for citizens of visa-exempt countries flying into or transiting through a Canadian airport. It costs $7 CAD, most approvals come through by email within minutes, and it stays valid for up to five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.¹ The authorization is linked electronically to your passport, so there is nothing to print. An approved eTA lets you board the plane; a border services officer decides whether you actually get in when you land.

Who Needs a Canada eTA

If you hold a passport from a visa-exempt country and you are flying to Canada, you need one. That covers visits, short business trips, and even transiting through a Canadian airport to somewhere else.² Dozens of countries qualify, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, France, Germany, South Korea, and most of the European Union. A few are on the list only if the traveler meets extra conditions, so check the official Government of Canada entry requirements page for your specific passport.³

The requirement applies only to air travel. Arriving by car, bus, train, or cruise ship? You don’t need an eTA, though you do still need a valid passport.²

Who Does Not Need One

A few groups are exempt, and applying when you don’t need to just wastes $7 CAD.

U.S. citizens are exempt no matter how they travel to Canada. A valid U.S. passport is enough.²
U.S. permanent residents (green card holders) do not need an eTA for any method of travel. Carry both a valid passport from your country of nationality and a valid green card or equivalent proof of status.⁴
Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, cannot get an eTA. They need a valid Canadian passport to fly to Canada. Dual U.S.-Canadian citizens may fly with either passport, but traveling with both simplifies the border.⁵
Anyone who already holds a valid Canadian temporary resident visa does not need an eTA.²

What You Need to Apply

The application is short and entirely online. Have three things ready: a valid passport from a visa-exempt country, an email address you actually check, and a credit or debit card for the $7 CAD non-refundable fee.⁶

The form asks for your full legal name, date of birth, gender, employment details, and passport information exactly as they appear on your travel document. There are background questions about travel history and health as well. Canada does not publish a minimum passport validity rule for visitors, but the eTA cannot outlast the passport it’s tied to, so a passport that expires in a few months gives you a short-lived authorization.

Apply only through the official Government of Canada website. Third-party sites often charge inflated fees for the same form. The official portal charges exactly $7 CAD.⁶

How Long Approval Takes

You pay the $7 CAD fee and submit. An acknowledgment email confirms the application is in the system, and most approvals come through within minutes.⁷ Some applications get flagged for extra review, which can add several days and may include a request for supporting documents. Don’t book a non-refundable flight before you have the approval in hand, especially if you have any criminal history or prior immigration issues.

If You Make a Mistake

You cannot edit an application after submitting it. A wrong passport number, misspelled name, or bad email address means starting over and paying the $7 CAD fee again.⁸ Proofread your passport number against the physical document before you click submit.

If You Are Refused

A refused eTA has no standard appeal. Your only formal option is judicial review through the Federal Court of Canada, filed through a lawyer.⁹ In practice, most refusals come down to criminal inadmissibility or incomplete information. A Canadian immigration lawyer can tell you whether judicial review is worth pursuing, or whether it makes more sense to fix the underlying issue — for example, by obtaining criminal rehabilitation — and reapply.

How Long Your eTA Lasts

An approved eTA is valid for up to five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.¹ Because it’s tied to the passport electronically, renewing your passport means applying for a new eTA, even if the old one still had years left. The authorization is multi-entry, so you can visit Canada as many times as you want while both documents remain valid.

An eTA also becomes invalid if your immigration status changes in a way that makes you ineligible, such as being issued a removal order or becoming inadmissible on other grounds after approval.¹⁰

How Long You Can Stay Per Visit

Most visitors get up to six months per entry. The border services officer sets the exact length when you arrive. If no departure date is stamped in your passport, you can stay six months from the day you entered, or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier.¹¹

Extending Your Stay

To stay longer, apply online for a visitor record before your authorized stay expires. The government fee is $100 CAD per person.¹² Apply well before your status runs out. If your authorized departure date passes without an extension, you’re out of status and could have trouble leaving and re-entering. The application goes through the same IRCC online account used for other immigration filings.¹³

An Approved eTA Is Not the Same as Entry

This part surprises people. An approved eTA lets you board the flight. When you land, a border services officer reviews your passport, asks questions, and decides whether to admit you. You need to satisfy the officer that you’ll leave when your authorized stay ends, that you can support yourself financially, and that you’re not inadmissible on criminal or medical grounds.¹ A return ticket, hotel bookings, and proof of funds help, even though none are formally required for the eTA itself.

Criminal and Medical Inadmissibility

Admissibility screening starts at the eTA stage. A criminal record or certain health conditions can lead to a refusal before you ever get to the airport.¹⁴

The most common trip-up for U.S. and other travelers is a DUI conviction. Canada treats driving under the influence as a serious offense, and a single conviction can make you inadmissible. Other triggering offenses include theft, assault, drug possession or trafficking, manslaughter, and dangerous driving.¹⁵

If you have a record, apply for criminal rehabilitation and get confirmation before applying for the eTA. Applying for the eTA first almost always produces a refusal based on records the government can already see. Rehabilitation applications can take over a year, so this is not a week-before-the-trip project.¹⁵

Medical inadmissibility covers conditions that endanger public health or safety, or that would place excessive demand on Canadian health or social services. Some applicants are exempt from the excessive demand provision; the public health and safety grounds apply broadly.¹⁴

Traveling With Children

Every traveler needs their own eTA, including infants. You cannot add a child to a parent’s application. Submit a separate application for each child, select the option that you’re applying on behalf of a minor, enter the child’s passport details in the traveler fields, and use your email address in the contact section so you get the approval.¹⁶

A separate note if a child under 19 is traveling without both parents: Canada strongly recommends carrying a consent letter signed by every parent not on the trip. It’s not legally required, but a border officer who asks for one and doesn’t get it can delay or deny entry.¹⁷

1
Government of Canada. Find Out About Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
2
Justice Laws Website. Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations – Section 7.1
3
Government of Canada. What You Need to Enter Canada
4
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of the U.S. (Green Card Holder). Do I Need an eTA?
5
Government of Canada. Dual Canadian Citizens Need a Valid Canadian Passport
6
Government of Canada. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): How to Apply
7
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): About the Process
8
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. What Happens If I Made a Mistake on My eTA Application?
9
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. My Application for an eTA Was Refused. Is There a Way I Can Appeal?
10
Justice Laws Website. Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations – Section 12.06
11
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. How Long Can I Stay in Canada as a Visitor?
12
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Application Fees: Fee List
13
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Visitor Record: How to Apply
14
Government of Canada. Reasons You May Be Inadmissible to Canada
15
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Overcome Criminal Convictions
16
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Can I Apply for an eTA for My Child?
17
Government of Canada. Recommended Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad