You’re at your desk, refreshing your inbox for the third time this morning. The eTA application went in two days ago and there is nothing there, not even a rejection. Before you start assuming the worst, here’s the direct answer: most eTAs arrive within minutes, but some applications legitimately take several days to process, and that delay has a short list of specific causes. A long wait does not automatically mean a problem; it means your application landed in a queue that requires a closer look.
If you have dual citizenship and are unsure which passport to use, the guide on applying for a Canada eTA with dual citizenship is worth reading before you submit. Once you have your passport, a credit or debit card, and an email address ready, you can start your eTA application at any point.
If you’re past the 72-hour mark without any email at all, that’s when it’s worth taking action, but there are a few things to check before you contact anyone.
Common Reasons for eTA Application Delays
The delay almost always traces back to one of four causes. Understanding which one applies to you tells you what to do next.
1. Your application needs supporting documents. Some applications trigger a request for additional documentation. When that happens, IRCC sends you an email within 72 hours of your submission outlining exactly what’s needed and what your next steps are. Until you respond to that email with the requested documents, processing cannot continue.
2. A background or admissibility check is taking longer. Canada screens eTA applicants against security, criminal, medical, and financial inadmissibility criteria. If your profile requires a more thorough review — because of a prior immigration history, a criminal record, or any of the other inadmissibility factors — the system flags the application for manual assessment. That takes longer than an automated approval, sometimes several days.
3. The eTA system itself is experiencing delays or downtime. The eTA system can experience processing delays at certain times, and it can also go offline temporarily for maintenance or unexpected issues. Neither of these is within your control, and IRCC works to resolve them. If there’s a system-wide slowdown, your application is simply queued and will move forward once normal processing resumes.
4. Your email never arrived — or landed in spam. This one catches people off guard. Automated emails from IRCC are filtered by some spam systems. Before concluding there’s a delay, check your junk mail folder using the exact email address you entered on the application form. A surprising number of “missing” eTA emails are sitting there.
Here’s a quick reference for how these scenarios compare:
| Delay Scenario | Likely Impact on Processing | What You Should Do |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting documents requested | Several additional days after you submit documents | Watch for the IRCC email; respond promptly with what’s asked |
| Background / admissibility review | Several days; no fixed upper limit | Wait; do not reapply — your application is active |
| System delay or outage | Variable; can extend processing time | Wait for the system to recover; check periodically |
| Email filtered as spam | Apparent delay only, decision may already be made | Check junk mail immediately; update your email address if it has changed |
| Inadmissibility concern identified | Potentially longer; may result in refusal | Wait for IRCC contact; consider what the concern might be |
| Special temporary measures (e.g., health-related) | Application processed but not finalized during the measure period | Watch for IRCC notification email; no applicant action required |
A note on special temporary measures. Occasionally, Canada implements temporary health or safety-related measures that affect specific applicants. Under such measures, IRCC continues processing applications from affected individuals but will not finalize them until the measure ends. Affected applicants are notified by email. If this applies to you, the suspension lifts automatically when the measure period closes: you don’t need to reapply.
Understanding Your Application Status and Next Steps
Checking your status is the first practical move once you’re past the 72-hour window. You can check the status of your eTA application online — have your application number, unique client identifier (UCI), date of birth, and place of birth ready if you’re registering for the status tracker for the first time. Status updates will only appear after you’ve received an acknowledgement of receipt from IRCC, so if you haven’t seen that yet, the tracker may not show anything useful.
What the status screen tells you is limited but important: it confirms whether your application is still in process, whether a decision has been made, or whether something has been requested from you. It won’t give you a reason for the delay — that comes by email.
For a fuller walkthrough of how to read what you find there, the guide on checking your Canada eTA application status covers the tracker in detail.
One thing worth knowing: processing times are estimates, not guarantees. An application that goes past the normal window isn’t necessarily in trouble — it’s just taking longer than average.
When to Contact IRCC About Your Delayed eTA
The honest answer here is that contacting IRCC earlier than necessary doesn’t speed anything up. Client Support Centre agents don’t have access to more information about your application than what the online status tool already shows. That said, there are specific circumstances where reaching out is the right move.
Use the IRCC web form if:
- Your application is clearly past the normal processing period and the status tracker shows no update
- You’ve been asked to submit supporting documents and you want to confirm receipt
- You need to report a technical problem with your application
- Your email address has changed since you applied — this must be updated using the web form
If you call IRCC, have your unique client identifier and application number ready before you dial. Without those, the agent can’t locate your file.
What you should not do is submit a second application while the first is still pending. Your original application remains active, and a duplicate creates confusion without speeding anything up.
Preventing Future Delays: Tips for eTA Applicants
Most delays are avoidable. The ones that aren’t — system outages, background checks — can’t be prevented, but they can be absorbed without panic if you’ve applied early enough.
Apply well before your travel date. The system normally processes applications in minutes, but some take several days. If you’re cutting it close and a delay occurs, you may not be able to obtain an eTA in time. Last-minute reapplications are not guaranteed to come through before your flight.
Enter your passport number exactly as it appears in your passport. This is the single most common data error. An incorrect passport number can prevent you from travelling to Canada entirely, and correcting it means starting a new application — which takes time you may not have.
Use an email address you check regularly and that won’t filter IRCC messages. A missed email asking for documents can stall your application indefinitely. Check your junk folder immediately after applying and again at the 24-hour mark.
Don’t renew your passport right before a trip. Your eTA is electronically linked to the passport used during the application. If you get a new passport, you need a new eTA. Applying for both at the same time is fine; applying for a new eTA against a passport that isn’t in your hands yet is a sequencing problem.
FAQ
Can I travel to Canada while my eTA application is still pending? No. You need a valid, approved eTA before you can board a flight to Canada. Airline staff scan your passport at check-in to confirm the eTA is in place; without it, you won’t be allowed to board. Don’t book a flight assuming the eTA will arrive in time: apply first, then book once you have the approval.
What if I need to update information on my delayed eTA application? You can use the IRCC web form to submit updates or additional documents. If your email address has changed since you applied, that specifically must be updated online so you don’t miss any communications about your application.
Will a previous visa refusal affect my eTA processing time? It can. Prior immigration history (including refusals) is one of the factors that can trigger a more thorough admissibility review, which takes longer than an automated approval. This doesn’t mean your eTA will be refused, but it does mean the system is less likely to clear you in minutes.
Is there an expedited processing option for eTA applications? The system processes applications as quickly as it can, and most come through in minutes. For applications that require additional review, the timeline depends on the nature of the review. This is the strongest reason to apply as early as possible before your trip.
Common Mistakes That Extend Delays
Reapplying because you assume the first application failed. A pending application is still active. Submitting again doesn’t cancel the first one — it creates two open applications, which can complicate things further.
Not responding to the 72-hour email. If IRCC requests supporting documents and you miss that email (or it’s in spam), your application sits waiting. The delay grows until you act.
Checking junk mail only once. The IRCC email may arrive hours or even a day after you first looked. Check again before assuming nothing has been sent.
Entering a wrong or transposed passport number. This doesn’t just cause a delay — it can block you from boarding your flight entirely. If you catch the error after approval, you must apply again with the correct number. Depending on timing, a last-minute reapplication may not clear before your departure.
Assuming a delay means a refusal. It doesn’t. A delay means your application is still in process. A refusal comes with its own notification. If you receive a refusal, the guide on what happens after a Canada eTA refusal explains your options clearly.
The short version: a delay past 72 hours usually means your application is in a manual review queue, waiting on documents, or caught in a system slowdown. None of those situations require panic, but all of them require time. Check your spam folder first, then apply early enough that a few extra days doesn’t become a crisis. If you want a quick way to check your eTA status and confirm your application is still active, do that before reaching out to anyone.
Keeping Your eTA Valid After Approval
Once your eTA is approved, keep in mind that it is electronically linked to the passport you used to apply. If you renew your passport before your trip, you will need a new eTA. The approval email will include your eTA number: check that the passport number in that email exactly matches the number in your physical passport. If it doesn’t match, you must submit a new eTA application with the correct passport number before you travel. For more detail on what happens when a new passport is issued after approval, see the guide on what to do if your eTA was approved but you got a new passport.