If you want to apply for an eTA Canada, you need to meet all the requirements you will find listed on this page. The eTA allows you to travel to Canada for a holiday, a business trip, to follow a short course or for a stopover to another country. Your passport must also meet a series of requirements, and you must not pose a risk to Canada's national security.

Apply for the eTA Canada
If you meet all the requirements on this page, you can apply for an eTA right away. Besides the requirements listed on this page, you should also bear in mind the validity period of the eTA and the maximum period of stay of six months.
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The purpose of your trip to Canada

The eTA allows you to travel to Canada with various travel purposes:

• You are visiting Canada as a tourist, you are going on holiday or you want to visit friends or family
• You are going on a business trip: a business meeting, a trade show or a conference
• You will be following a study program lasting up to six months
• You are travelling to Canada for a transfer

Do you intend to work in Canada?

You can use an eTA in many cases. It is therefore not always necessary to apply for a special work visa. An eTA allows you to fly to Canada for a business trip and visit business partners, potential customers or suppliers. With the eTA you may also take part in trade fairs, conferences or other business events. You may have to take additional requirements into account if you are going to carry out a specific profession or perform physical work.
More about working in Canada

Do you intend to study in Canada?

In this case, you might only need an eTA. The eTA allows you to follow a study program for a maximum of six months. Only if you want to study longer than six months and/or work in addition to your studies you will need to apply for a study permit. A study permit entitles you to complete an entire degree program in Canada. The study permit is usually valid for the whole duration of the program, plus 90 days after its completion.
More about studying in Canada

The maple leaf - the national symbol of Canada

Your passport and nationality

Once approved, the eTA is automatically linked to the passport used to complete the application form. You must carry this same passport with you during your trip, and it must be valid throughout your whole stay in Canada. If this is not the case, you will need to apply for a new passport and then submit a new eTA application with it.

Nationalities eligible for an eTA

In most cases, it is mandatory to have an either an eTA or a visa to be able to travel to Canada. This usually depends on the traveller's nationality. Some nationalities are exempt from the visa requirement, which makes them eligible for an eTA. This is the case for British travellers, as well as European Union travelers and nationals of Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and some other countries. This list shows which nationalities can apply for an eTA.

Ever lived in Canada?

People who once lived in Canada could still officially be citizens or residents of Canada. In such a case, they are not eligible to apply for an eTA. However, they can use these alternatives. A good advice to avoid unpleasant situations is to check well in advance of departure if you are still registered as a citizen or resident of Canada.

You must not pose a security risk

Canada's immigration authorities introduced the eTA to block unwanted travelers. These are travelers who could pose a risk to the country's security, public health, or law enforcement. A detailed description of unwanted travelers characteristics can be found in sections 33-43 of the Immigration & Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Here are the main eTA Canada requirements related to security:

• You do not place an above-average burden on Canada's public safety and health services
• You do not have active tuberculosis or untreated syphilis, and you have not been in close contact with someone who does
• You do not have a psychiatric condition involving psychosis
• You have never broken any Canadian or foreign visa laws
• You do not have a criminal record, you are not being prosecuted for a crime, and you have never been convicted of a crime such as reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, theft, assault, identity fraud, drug trafficking or illegal possession of drugs or other narcotics.
• You are not associated with activities such as espionage, terrorism, coup d'état, war crimes, human rights abuses, human trafficking, money laundering or participation in a group in which these activities take place or took place
• You and all of your family members meet the above conditions

What if I don't meet any of the eTA Canada requirements?

If you do not meet the eTA requirements, you still may be able to apply for a visa. Applying for a visa for Canada is a lot more expensive, complicated and time-consuming than applying for an eTA. Read more about the Canada visa application process.

Border checks on arrival in Canada

Upon arrival in Canada, some travelers are randomly selected for a spot check. A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will check that they meet all the eTA requirements. It is important, thus, that you can provide evidence of the following :

• You intend to leave Canada again within six months
• You do not intend to violate any immigration or visa-related law
• You have sufficient financial resources to pay for your stay and return trip

Invitation letter

If you traveling to Canada to meet with a business partner or potential associate, you are required to produce an invitation letter from that business partner, besides a written confirmation from your employer. This way you can easily prove that your travel purpose meets the eTA requirements. Ask your business partner if they can be reached by phone when you arrive in Canada. In case of a spot check, the Canadian immigration authorities will be able to verify that everything is correct.