How to Apply for the Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

To apply for a Canada eTA, go to canada.ca, open the Electronic Travel Authorization application, enter your passport and personal details, and pay the $7 CAD fee with a credit or debit card. Most approvals arrive by email within minutes. There is no paper document — the authorization links electronically to your passport, so nothing needs to be printed or carried.¹

First, Confirm You Actually Need One

The eTA is for visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport, including short layovers. It does not apply if you arrive by car, bus, train, or boat.¹

Two groups often assume they need one and don’t:

U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are exempt. Do not apply. Bring your valid passport from your country of nationality along with your valid green card; both are checked at the gate.²

Canadian citizens with a second nationality cannot use an eTA to fly to Canada. You must travel on a valid Canadian passport, or, if you are also a U.S. citizen, on a valid U.S. passport. Carrying both passports is recommended.³

U.S. citizens are also exempt. If you’re unsure about your own country, the entry-requirements tool on canada.ca tells you whether you need a visa, an eTA, or neither.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

Pull these together before you open the form:

Your valid passport from a visa-exempt country. It must stay valid for the length of your planned stay.
An email address you can access. Every message about your application, including the final decision, goes there.
A payment card for the $7 CAD fee. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, prepaid versions of those cards, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard, UnionPay, and JCB are all accepted.⁴

You will also be asked for your employer, job title, the year you started, and your home address, plus questions about past immigration encounters, health, and criminal history. Keep your passport open in front of you. The single most consequential mistake applicants make is mistyping the passport number, and that error can keep you off your flight.

Filling Out the Form

Applications are only accepted on the Government of Canada’s website. Go to the eTA page at canada.ca and select “Apply for an eTA.” The form is offered in English and French, with PDF help guides in nearly 20 other languages that walk through each field.⁵

The form opens by asking whether you’re applying for yourself or someone else. Applying for yourself takes you straight into passport details: number, country of issue, issue date, and expiry date. Because the eTA is bound to this passport number, verify every digit against the passport itself.

Personal details come next. Enter your full legal name exactly as printed on your passport, along with your date of birth, gender, and marital status. The form then asks for your occupation, employer, and the year you started that job. This information helps assess your ties to your home country and the purpose of your visit.

You’ll then enter your residential address, phone number, and email, followed by questions about travel history and past encounters with immigration authorities in any country. There are also questions about your health and criminal record. Answer honestly. False information can result in a refusal and inadmissibility findings that follow you on future applications. Finally, select your country of citizenship from the drop-down, which triggers the correct form version for your nationality.⁴

Paying the Fee

After you review your answers, a secure payment screen collects the $7 CAD fee. It’s non-refundable whether or not you’re approved.⁴ Stay on the page until you see a confirmation message. Closing the browser too early can produce a failed submission or a duplicate charge. The transaction receipt confirms only that payment went through; it is not your eTA.

Watch out for lookalike websites. Several third-party services charge much more than $7 to submit the same government form, and the Government of Canada does not refund extra fees charged by them.⁶ The only official application is on canada.ca.

Applying for Someone Else

Every traveler needs their own eTA, including infants. There is no family application; you submit a separate form and pay a separate $7 for each person.⁷

For a Child Under 18

Answer “yes” to both “Are you applying on behalf of someone?” and “Are you applying on behalf of a minor child?” A parent/guardian screen appears first for your details, then you enter the child’s passport and personal information. Either your email or the child’s can be used for contact. In the consent section, type the child’s name in the signature field, not yours.

For an Adult Friend or Relative

Answer “yes” to “Are you applying on behalf of someone?” and complete the form with their information. Use their email in the contact section so IRCC updates reach them directly, and put their name in the signature field at the end.⁸

After You Submit

Most applicants receive an approval email within minutes. When an application needs a closer look, a response usually comes within 72 hours.⁹ If IRCC needs more information or documents, you’ll receive an email with instructions.¹⁰

You can check progress at any time with the eTA status-check tool on the IRCC website, using the application number from your confirmation email.¹¹

If You Made a Mistake

You cannot edit a submitted eTA. A wrong passport number, misspelled name, or bad email address means starting over with a new application and paying the $7 again.¹² A passport-number typo is the one that stops you at the gate, since the eTA is tied to that exact number. Compare what you typed against the passport page before submitting.p>

How Long Approval Lasts

An approved eTA is valid for five years, or until the passport it’s linked to expires, whichever comes first.¹ You don’t reapply for each trip during that window. If you renew or replace your passport before the five years are up, the eTA expires with the old passport, and you’ll need to submit a new application linked to the new passport number.¹³

What the eTA Does Not Do

An approved eTA gets you on the plane. It does not guarantee entry. When you land, a Canada Border Services Agency officer reviews your documents and decides whether you meet the requirements to enter, and you’ll need to satisfy the officer that your visit matches the purpose you described and that you’ll leave when your authorized stay ends.¹⁴ A return ticket, proof of funds, a hotel booking, or an invitation letter isn’t required by the eTA form, but having any of them accessible at the border helps things move quickly.

1
Government of Canada. Find Out About Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
2
Government of Canada. What You Need to Enter Canada
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Government of Canada. Dual Canadian Citizens Need a Valid Canadian Passport
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Government of Canada. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): How to Apply
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Get Help With an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. I Have Been Charged More Than CAN$7 for My eTA on Another Website
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Can I Apply for an eTA for My Child?
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Can I Help a Friend or Family Member Apply for an eTA?
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Government of Canada. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): After You Apply
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. What Do I Do if My Application for an eTA Is Not Approved Right Away?
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Is There a Way for Clients to Confirm the Status of Their eTA?
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. What Happens if I Made a Mistake on My eTA Application?
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Do I Have to Apply for an eTA Each Time I Travel to Canada
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Government of Canada. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): Who Can Apply