# What Is the Canada eTA? Everything You Need to Know

> Canada's eTA explained: who needs it to fly, the CA$7 fee, 5-year validity, land-border and transit rules, and the mistakes that force a re-application.

Canonical: https://chartavisa.com/guides/what-is-canada-eta
Last updated: 2026-07-28

## What is the Canada eTA?

The Canada eTA — short for Electronic Travel Authorization — is the Government of Canada's online entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals who **fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport**. It is **not a visa**. Think of it as a digital pre-screening: you submit your passport details and a few background questions online, Canadian authorities run security checks before you ever board, and the approval is stored electronically against your passport number. There is no sticker, no stamp and nothing to print — when you check in for your flight, the airline scans your passport and sees the authorisation automatically.

Canada introduced the eTA in 2016, and it now sits alongside similar systems used by other major destinations — the US ESTA, the UK ETA and, eventually, Europe's ETIAS. If you are weighing up several trips, our [guide to which travel authorisation you need](https://chartavisa.com/guides/which-travel-authorization) compares all of them in one place.

## Who needs a Canada eTA?

### Visa-exempt travellers arriving by air

You need an eTA if you hold a passport from one of Canada's roughly fifty visa-exempt countries — including the UK, the EU member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Chile and Israel — and you are **arriving by air**. That covers tourism, short business trips, visiting family and airport transit alike. The requirement attaches to the *mode of travel*, not the purpose of the trip.

### US citizens and US green-card holders

These two groups cause the most confusion, so it is worth being precise:

- **US citizens are exempt entirely.** They never need an eTA — or a visitor visa — for Canada. A valid US passport is enough, whether they arrive by air, land or sea.
- **US lawful permanent residents (green-card holders) no longer need an eTA either.** Since 26 April 2022, Canada instead requires them to carry a valid passport from their country of nationality *plus* a valid green card (or equivalent proof of US status) for all methods of travel — regardless of nationality, and with no eTA or visa on top. Plenty of older articles still claim green-card holders must apply for an eTA; that rule was scrapped in 2022, and Canada's official guidance is explicit about it.

### Who cannot use one

Canadian citizens — including dual citizens, who must fly on their Canadian passport — and Canadian permanent residents are not eligible for an eTA and do not need one. And if your nationality is not on the visa-exempt list at all, the eTA is simply not available to you: you need a visitor visa instead (more on that below).

## Cost, validity and how long you can stay

- **Government fee: CA$7** — by far the cheapest of the major travel authorisations (for comparison, the US ESTA is $40 and the UK ETA £20).
- **Validity: five years, or until your passport expires** — whichever comes first. Because the eTA dies with the passport, renewing your passport means applying for a new eTA, even if the old one had years left. Check your document early against our [passport requirements guide](https://chartavisa.com/guides/passport-requirements-2026).
- **Multiple entries.** One approved eTA covers unlimited trips to Canada for as long as it remains valid.
- **Stays of up to six months per visit** are typical. The border officer decides the actual permitted length when you land and can grant less (or occasionally more), so treat six months as the usual ceiling rather than an entitlement.

## How the application works

The whole process is online and most people finish it in ten to fifteen minutes:

1. Enter your passport details exactly as printed, plus contact information and travel plans.
2. Answer short background questions on health, criminal history and immigration history.
3. Pay the CA$7 government fee and submit.

Most applications are approved **within minutes**. A minority are flagged for manual review, which can take several days — and Canada may email you asking for supporting documents. That is why the official advice is to get your eTA *before* you book flights: approval usually arrives fast, but you should never assume it will. Once approved, the authorisation is linked electronically to the passport you applied with; carry that same passport when you travel.

## No eTA needed at land and sea borders

This surprises many travellers: the eTA is an **air-travel requirement only**. Visa-exempt visitors arriving by car, bus, train, boat or cruise ship do not need one — a valid passport (and, for green-card holders, proof of US status) is what counts at the land border or the cruise terminal. So a British tourist driving from Seattle to Vancouver needs no eTA, while the same tourist flying into Vancouver does. If there is any chance you will fly into Canada — including a one-way flight home from a cruise — get the eTA.

## Transit counts too

Changing planes at a Canadian airport on the way somewhere else? If you are from a visa-exempt country, you still need an eTA, even if you never clear Canadian border control and your layover is only an hour. Airlines check for it at your departure airport and will deny boarding without it. Transiting Canada by land or sea, by contrast, follows the border rules above — no eTA required.

## Who needs a visitor visa instead

The eTA exists only for visa-exempt nationalities. If your passport is not on Canada's list — which includes India, China, Nigeria, the Philippines and most countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America — you need a **Temporary Resident Visa** (visitor visa) instead: a longer application with biometrics, supporting documents and higher fees. Not sure which side of the line your passport falls on? Our free [visa checker](https://chartavisa.com/tools/visa-checker) gives you the answer in seconds, and the [visa requirements hub](https://chartavisa.com/visa) covers every nationality and destination we support.

## Common mistakes to avoid

- **A wrong passport number cannot be corrected.** The eTA is bound to the exact number you type. Mistype one character and the approval attaches to a passport that does not exist — check-in systems will not find it, and the only fix is a brand-new application. Double-check the number against the photo page before submitting.
- **Applying with one passport and travelling on another.** Dual nationals must fly on the passport the eTA is linked to.
- **Leaving it until the airport.** Minutes-fast approval is common, not guaranteed. Apply as soon as your trip is likely.
- **Forgetting the passport link on renewal.** New passport, new eTA — every time.

## Approval is not a guarantee of entry

An approved eTA lets you *board a flight* to Canada; it does not oblige Canada to admit you. The final decision always rests with the Canada Border Services Agency officer at the airport, who can question you about your plans, funds and ties home. This is true of every travel authorisation — ESTA and the UK ETA work the same way. Travel with sensible evidence of your trip (onward ticket, accommodation) and answer questions plainly.

## Check your whole trip in one go

If Canada is one stop of several, remember each destination has its own system. Run your itinerary through the [visa checker](https://chartavisa.com/tools/visa-checker), or read our [plain-language comparison of every major travel authorisation](https://chartavisa.com/guides/which-travel-authorization) to see exactly what your passport needs before you fly.

## FAQ

**Is the Canada eTA a visa?**

No. It is an online travel authorisation linked electronically to your passport, required for visa-exempt travellers flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport. Nationalities that are not visa-exempt need a visitor visa instead.

**How much does the Canada eTA cost?**

The official government fee is CA$7 — the cheapest of the major travel authorisations.

**How long is the Canada eTA valid?**

Five years, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first. It allows unlimited entries, with stays typically up to six months per visit. A new passport always means a new eTA.

**Do US citizens or green-card holders need a Canada eTA?**

No to both. US citizens are exempt entirely. Since 26 April 2022, US lawful permanent residents also no longer need an eTA — they carry a valid passport from their country of nationality plus a valid green card for all methods of travel.

**Do I need an eTA if I enter Canada by car or cruise ship?**

No. The eTA applies to air travel only. Visa-exempt travellers arriving by car, bus, train, boat or cruise ship just need a valid passport — but if any leg of the trip involves flying into or transiting through a Canadian airport, you need the eTA.

**Does an approved eTA guarantee entry into Canada?**

No. It authorises you to board a flight to Canada; the final admission decision is made by a border services officer on arrival, who can ask about your plans, funds and ties home.

## Sources

- [Government of Canada — Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html)
- [Government of Canada — eTA facts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html)
- [Government of Canada — eTA eligibility (who can apply)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/eligibility.html)
- [IRCC Help Centre — US green-card holders and the eTA](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1053&top=23)