Canada eTA Price 2026: CAD 7 Real Cost, Approval Times & Mistakes to Avoid

The Real Cost of a Canada eTA: CAD 7 — Not a Dollar More

Let's settle this once and for all: the official Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) fee is CAD 7, paid online at the Government of Canada's official portal (canada.ca/eTA). There is no premium tier, no expedited processing fee, and no agency surcharge that makes your application any faster. If a website asks for USD 50, USD 79, or EUR 89 for an 'eTA package', you are paying a third party for something you can do yourself in about 10 minutes.

The fee covers the application itself. It is non-refundable — even if your application is refused — and it is charged per person, including children and infants. The eTA is valid for up to 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and allows multiple entries for short stays (typically up to 6 months per visit).

Official Fees vs. Third-Party Markups

Why do third-party sites exist at all? Because they bank on confusion. Many travelers don't know that 'eTA', 'AVE', and 'electronic visa' are the same thing, and scammers position themselves as 'government partners' or 'immigration agencies'. They charge anywhere from CAD 39 to CAD 200 for filling in the same form, and some never even submit anything. Official rule of thumb: if the price isn't CAD 7 and the URL doesn't end in .gc.ca or canada.ca, it isn't the government.

• Official fee: CAD 7, payable by credit or debit card
• Official site: canada.ca/eTA (or the IRCC portal — both end in .gc.ca)
• Red flags: 'express processing', 'guaranteed approval', urgent fees, phone support lines with upsells

How Long Does eTA Approval Take?

The official estimate is 'within minutes' for most applicants, and in practice the approval email often arrives before you close the browser tab. However, a minority of applications are flagged for extra review — and that can take several days, occasionally up to 72 hours or more. If you're asked for additional documents or an interview, follow the instructions in the email; there is nothing an agent can do to speed this up.

Practical advice: apply at least one week before departure. Airlines are required to verify your eTA at check-in, and without an approved eTA you will be denied boarding — the airport is the wrong place to discover your application is still pending.

5 Mistakes That Get Applications Delayed or Refused

• Passport mismatch: the eTA is linked to the exact passport number used in the application. Renew your passport, and you need a new eTA.
• Typo in the passport number or name: transposing digits or swapping surname/given name is the single most common cause of delay.
• Unanswered security questions: criminal history, refused visas, or past deportations must be declared truthfully — hiding them leads to refusal.
• Applying from a fake website: you pay USD 100+ and either get nothing or a document that isn't valid.
• Last-minute application: while most approvals are instant, you have no guarantee — don't gamble with a flight.

How to Check Your eTA Status

No email yet? Use the official eTA Check Status tool on the Government of Canada site with your application number (the number in IRCC emails starts with V; an approved reference starts with J + 9 digits) and the passport details you applied with. Still nothing after 72 hours? Contact IRCC through their web form — select 'Electronic Travel Authorization' → 'Case specific enquiries'. And remember: the only number that matters is CAD 7.