Visa
An electronic authorisation does not replace every entry document
Canada's electronic travel authorisation is a boarding requirement for eligible travellers, not a universal alternative to a visitor visa. This current explainer addresses the documents needed before a flight, rather than announcing a new October scheme. IRCC's Who can apply guidance distinguishes nationality, immigration status and mode of travel. Most visa-exempt foreign nationals need an eTA when flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport. Their requirements can differ when arriving by land or sea.
Canadian citizens, including most dual citizens, should travel by air with a valid Canadian passport; American-Canadian citizens have a stated exception allowing a valid US passport. Canadian permanent residents need a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document rather than an eTA. US citizens and lawful US permanent residents are exempt from the eTA requirement but still need the appropriate identification and status documents. Readers should establish which category applies before paying for an application.
The conditional route is limited to listed visa-required countries
IRCC's separate page for citizens of selected visa-required countries explains three cumulative requirements. Applicants must have held a Canadian visitor visa within the past ten years or currently hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa, intend a temporary stay and fly to or transit through Canada using a passport from a listed country. An old Canadian visa alone does not make every nationality eligible. The official list includes Indonesia and Malaysia, whose conditional access was added on 26 May 2026.
The US visa must be valid when the eTA application is made, although IRCC says it need not remain valid on the travel date. These selected-country arrangements apply to air travel. Such travellers still require a visitor visa when arriving by car, bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship. Someone who already has a valid Canadian visa can continue using it until expiry instead of applying for both documents. Use the selected-country resource to verify the complete combination of conditions.
Prepare the passport, email address and official application fee
The official How to apply page lists a CAD 7 non-refundable application fee and requires a passport, a valid email address and an accepted payment method. The online form cannot be saved, so the identifying information should be ready before starting. The form is in English and French, with explanatory help available in other languages. A translation of the guidance is not a separate application channel or an assurance that a commercial intermediary is necessary.
Use the linked government application service to enter the details and pay after completing the form. IRCC recommends applying before booking travel. Although many decisions arrive quickly, the official process allows requests for additional documents and does not promise approval in time for a particular flight. The practical sequence is to establish eligibility, submit accurate passport information, monitor the supplied email account and respond to any official request rather than repeatedly treating a pending application as a confirmed permission.
Check the approval against the actual travel passport
IRCC's After you apply guidance says to compare the passport number in the approval email with the passport itself. If the number is wrong, the traveller must apply again with the correct details; a mismatch can prevent travel. The approval includes an eTA number that should be retained for future status enquiries. Applicants should also check their junk-mail folder and update IRCC if their contact email changes after submission.
An eTA is linked electronically to the passport used in the application. A replacement passport therefore requires a new eTA rather than carrying an approval for the old document. The About the process page describes validity of up to five years or until passport expiry, whichever comes first. Illustratively, an eTA approved for a passport that expires earlier does not keep its full potential five-year life after that expiry. The airline checks the travel passport, so the relevant question is which passport will actually be presented.
Workers and students must check both permission and re-entry documents
IRCC's country entry-requirements resource makes clear that a work permit or study permit is not a visa. Existing permit holders planning to leave and return must carry their valid permit, passport and valid visa or eTA where required. First-time permit applicants may instead need the approval letter of introduction alongside the travel documents. The document set depends on whether the person is arriving to activate permission or returning with an existing permit.
An eTA does not itself authorise employment or study, and an approved travel document does not guarantee admission. A border officer makes the entry decision and can request further evidence. Before departure, use the entry-requirements page for the worker or student checklist, the approval guidance for passport accuracy and the eligibility resources for exemptions. This separates three questions that can otherwise be confused: permission to board, permission to enter and permission to carry out the planned activity in Canada.
