Electronic travel authorization

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is required for most visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or transiting through Canada by air.

About an eTA

As per subsection 11(1.01) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and subsection 7.1(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), all visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or transiting through Canada by air must apply for an eTA through the electronic system before entering Canada.

This requirement does not apply to foreign nationals travelling to or transiting through Canada by land, sea or rail.

An eTA is valid for 5 years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever occurs sooner (section R12.05).

An eTA can be cancelled by a designated officer. Once cancelled, an eTA is no longer valid (section R12.06).

Who needs an eTA

An eTA is required for all visa-exempt foreign nationals, except United States (U.S.) citizens and certain other small groups.

Section R190 describes individuals who are exempt from the requirement to obtain a temporary resident visa. These individuals therefore require an eTA.

As of April 26, 2022, lawful permanent residents of the U.S. do not need an eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. In all methods of travel, they must present their passport and proof of their valid lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. (such as a valid green card or a valid I-551 [ADIT] stamp in their passport).

Countries whose nationals require an eTA

Andorra
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
British overseas territories whose citizens derive their citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in that territory:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Island
- Saint Helena
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Chile
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany (Federal Republic of)
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea (Republic of)
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Portugal
Romania (electronic passport holders only)
Samoa
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom (including British overseas citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom)

Documents of individuals who require an eTA

Foreign nationals who hold any of the following documents also require an eTA:

A passport or travel document issued by the Holy See
A national Israeli passport
A passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
A passport issued by the United Kingdom to a British national (overseas), such as a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong
A passport issued by the United Kingdom to a British subject that contains the observation that the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom
An ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number of the individual

eTA expansion eligibility

Subsections R7.01(1) and (2) expand the eligibility criteria of the eTA requirement to allow certain foreign nationals who meet specific conditions to apply for an eTA.

These foreign nationals may apply for an eTA only if they are travelling to Canada by air and if, at the time of application, either of the following applies:

they have held a Canadian temporary resident visa (TRV) in the past 10 years
they hold a valid U.S. nonimmigrant visa (NIV)

If such an individual does not meet the eligibility requirements listed above, they are not eligible to apply for an eTA. They must then be in possession of a valid TRV to travel to or transit through Canada.

Note: If a foreign national holding an eTA on the basis of eTA expansion eligibility is travelling to or transiting through Canada by a means other than air, they must have a valid TRV.

Who does not need an eTA

Subsections R7.1(2) and (3) describe individuals who are exempt from the eTA requirement.

They include the following:

individuals who hold a valid Canadian TRV or temporary resident permit (TRP)
Her Majesty in Right of Canada and any member of the (British) Royal Family
a national of the United States or a person who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence
foreign nationals who hold a passport that contains a diplomatic acceptance, a consular acceptance or an official acceptance issued by the Chief of Protocol for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on behalf of the Government of Canada and who are properly accredited diplomats, consular officers, representatives or officials of a country other than Canada, of the United Nations or any of its agencies or of any international organization of which Canada is a member
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada in either of the following cases:
- as a member of a means of transportation that may be used for transportation by air or to become a member of such a crew
- to transit through Canada after working, or to work, as a member of a means of transportation that may be used for transportation by air, if they possess a ticket for departure from Canada within 24 hours after their arrival in Canada
citizens of France who are residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon who seek to enter Canada directly from St. Pierre and Miquelon
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to transit through Canada as a passenger on a flight stopping in Canada for the sole purpose of refuelling, in the following cases:
- where they are in possession of documents required to enter the U.S. and their flight is bound for that country
- where they were lawfully admitted to the U.S. and their flight originated in that country
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to transit through Canada as passengers on a flight that, owing to an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances, makes an unscheduled stop in Canada
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to transit through Canada as passengers on a flight, as long as the following applies:
- they are transported by a commercial transporter and there is a memorandum of understanding referred to in subsection R190(4) in effect between the Minister and the commercial transporter concerning the transit of passengers through Canada without a Canadian visa
- they hold a passport or travel document that was issued by the country of which they are a citizen or national, and that country is listed in the memorandum of understanding
- they are in possession of any visa required to enter the country of destination
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to carry out official duties as members of the armed forces of a country that is a designated state for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act, unless they have been designated under that Act as civilian components of those armed forces
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to re-enter Canada following a visit solely to the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon, as long as the following applies:
- they held a study permit or a work permit that was issued before they left Canada on such a visit or were authorized to enter and remain in Canada as temporary residents
- they return to Canada by the end of the period initially authorized for their stay or any extension to it
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to conduct inspections of the flight operation procedures or cabin safety of a commercial air carrier operating international flights, if they are a civil aviation inspector of a national aeronautical authority and possess valid documentation to that effect
foreign nationals seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to participate as accredited representatives or as advisers to an aviation accident or incident investigation conducted under the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act, if they possess valid documentation to that effect

How eTA applications are assessed

Most eTA applications are processed automatically in the Global Case Management System (GCMS).

For more information

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Date modified:: 2023-07-25

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