Canada eTA
Electronic Travel Authorization to Travel to Canada
What is the Canada ETA?
The Canada eTA is an official electronic travel authorisation that allows travellers of eligible countries to visit Canada for short-term stays.
The Canada Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an electronic visa waiver. It allows the holder to enter the country without needing a visa.
You can get your eTA for Canada online. The process is quick and easy, taking just a few minutes to register your details.
The Canadian eTA was launched on August 2015 and it is a mandatory entry requirement to travel to Canada by air.
Canada eTA: key details
With a Canada eTA, you can enjoy visa-free visits to the Great White North for the following reasons:
- Holidays and tourism
- Business trips
- Transit through Canada to another destination
The terms of the eTA are as follows:
- Valid for 5 years
- Allows multiple trips
- Maximum stays: 6 months at a time
The eTA is needed when travelling to Canada by air only; there are different entry requirements when arriving in the country by land or sea.
Who needs the ETA for Canada?
Citizens of around 50 countries can complete an online application form to obtain their eTA to travel to Canada by air.
Nationals of these countries and territories can easily and quickly get their official Canadian eTA online.
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- South Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City
If you hold a passport issued by any of these countries, you are exempt from applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) at a consulate or embassy. Instead, you need to obtain the eTA online before travelling to Canada.
All other travellers must get a Canada travel visa through a Canadian diplomatic mission (Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate).
Learn more about how to meet the Canadian eTA requirements.
Priority processing for the Canada eTA
The standard processing time for an eTA is within 2 days. However, you can now get an Urgent Canada eTA in as little as 1 hour though our new priority processing system.
This is ideal for travellers who forgot to register for the eTA in advance or were unaware of Canada’s travel rule, and need to apply from the airport.
If you are booking a trip to Canada at very short notice, this option will allow you to get your eTA within an hour without any need for stress.
Why do I need the eTA for Canada?
The eTA travel authorization for Canada is designed to make travelling to Canada simple and convenient, while improving security.
Instead of going through the hassle of getting a visa for Canada through an embassy or consulate, eligible travellers can complete the online form and authorize their trip rapidly.
The eTA was implemented to better screen air passengers from visa exempt countries.
This helps Canadian border authorities to counter security risks, making it safer than ever to fly to Canada.
Travel to Canada with the Canadian eTA
Once approved, the eTA visa waiver for Canada is valid for a period of 5 consecutive years or until the registered passport expires. If your passport expires before the 5-year period comes to an end, you’ll need to get a new Canadian eTA with your new passport.
The eTA for Canada must be valid upon the time of arrival in Canada.
The Canadian visa waiver is linked to the electronic passport used in the application. It is read by the machines that scan your passport at the airport.
How many times can you enter Canada on an eTA?
During the 5-year period, you can use your eTA to travel to Canada on multiple occasions, as it is a multiple-entry electronic visa waiver.
ETA holders should always respect the stay granted by the immigration department upon entering the country. The maximum stay that can be granted to an eTA holder is 6 months.
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