The short answer: applying twice is rarely a problem, but it usually costs you a second fee. What matters is the approved eTA whose approval email shows the exact number of the passport you will fly with, so find each application number and check which one was approved. If you still need to apply, or want help sorting out the right application, you can apply for a Canada eTA through a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada.
Applying on canada.ca costs only the government fee. Applying for each family member separately is normal, because the form takes one traveller at a time, so three applications for a family of three are not duplicates.
What each result in the status tool means is worth a read first. This article covers the narrower case of two applications for one person.
How do you know how many applications you actually sent?
The “Transaction Approved” screen with an Order ID only confirms that a payment went through. The decision arrives later by email.
Each application that is submitted gets its own application number in an email from IRCC, so the real count is the number of those emails. Search every inbox you might have used, spam folders included, and note the application number in each message. If one of the numbers is lost, when an application can’t be found by its number explains what to try next.
Keep the payment receipt as well. It cannot be printed later, and no copy is sent afterwards.
Which eTA counts if you have two?
Your eTA is linked to the passport you used to apply, and the airline scans that passport at check-in. So the order of the applications matters less than the passport. You only need one approved eTA linked to the passport you’ll travel with.
To confirm, open the approval email and check that the passport number in it matches your passport exactly. Then look up each application in the status tool, which asks for the application number plus details from the passport, such as its number, issuing country and dates. The table shows the usual cases.
| What happened | What you probably have | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Paid twice on the same screen, or clicked twice | One or two applications for the same passport | Find the emails and check the status of each. If at least one is approved with the right passport number, you are done |
| Reapplied because no email came | Two applications | Check spam first. If there is still no email with an application number after 72 hours, use the web form instead of sending a third application |
| Reapplied to fix a mistake | One application with an error, one with correct data | Travel on the one where every detail is right and do not rely on the first |
| Applied through a service and on canada.ca too | Two applications, one of them through a service | Check both by their application numbers |
| Got a new passport after the first eTA | Not a duplicate | A new passport needs a new eTA |
If both are approved and carry your correct passport number, you need to do nothing more. If only one shows the right number, rely on that one.
Paid twice by accident: what probably happened?
The payment screen signs you out after 20 minutes. After you pay, the application is submitted automatically, even when your session has ended. A common route to a double payment: the page drops out, the traveller assumes nothing was sent, and starts again.
So before you reapply after a glitch, check your email and the status tool first. If your card is the problem rather than the session, what to do when the card payment fails covers that separately.
Can you get the second fee back?
The government fee for an eTA is non-refundable. IRCC states in its Help Centre that it does not offer refunds for eTA applications even when someone paid too much. A second application therefore means a second fee you should not expect back.
The government does not return a private service’s own charge either, so questions about that go to the service. For one example, see how a private service handles a double payment on its side.
Should you withdraw the extra application?
You can ask to withdraw an application through a web form. IRCC asks for the application number, your name, and your date and country of birth. The fee is not returned. Most applications are approved within minutes, so an approval can arrive before your request is processed, and then you keep the approved eTA. Details: IRCC’s answer on withdrawing an application.
If both applications are correct, withdrawing one gains you nothing in practice, because the money is gone either way. A withdrawal makes more sense when the extra application contains a mistake and has not been decided yet.
Reapplied because the email didn’t come?
Most decisions arrive within minutes and some take several days. If yours needs more time, you should receive an email with next steps within 72 hours of applying. Look in the spam folder before anything else.
If 72 hours pass and you still have no email with an application number, the answer is not another application. Use the IRCC web form, choose Electronic Travel Authorization and then Case Specific Enquiries. A reply can take several days, and another application in the meantime only adds fees.
Applied again to fix a mistake?
IRCC’s answer for a wrong email address or passport number is to apply again with the correct information. The first application is then simply the wrong one.
The passport number deserves the most care. If it does not match your passport, you might be refused boarding, and a last-minute eTA is not always possible. Check the number in the approval email against your passport. To follow the result, you can check the status of your eTA with your passport details and the application number or UCI.
Applied through a service and on canada.ca too?
A legitimate service also submits through the government website, so treat both as real until you have checked. You can check each of them in the status tool with its own application number.
If nothing appears for a number after 72 hours, write through the IRCC enquiry form rather than applying a third time.
What do you answer on the second form?
The form asks whether you have ever applied for or obtained a visa, an eTA or a permit. If you applied for an eTA before, that question covers it, and you answer it truthfully. The form has no separate field for duplicates.
The short version
- Count the application numbers in your emails, including spam.
- The approved eTA with your correct passport number is the one that counts.
- The second fee is not returned, because eTA applications are not refunded.
- Withdrawing the extra application is optional and may be pointless if both are correct.
- No email within 72 hours means the web form, not a new application.
- A new application to correct a mistake is right, and a new passport needs a new eTA.
FAQ
Can I apply for Canada eTA twice? Yes, the form does not stop you, but each application is paid for and the fee is not returned. You only need one approved eTA linked to the passport you’ll travel with.
How can I check if I already have an eTA for Canada? Use the status tool and enter your application number plus the passport number, the issuing country and the passport’s dates. The application number is in the email IRCC sent after you applied, so search your spam folder too.
How do I get a copy of my Canadian eTA? There is nothing to print, because the eTA is linked to your passport electronically and the airline scans the passport. The approval email carries your eTA number.
How long does an IRCC refund take? For an eTA the question does not come up, since eTA applications are not refunded. First check whether both were genuine applications.
Can I withdraw my eTA application? Yes, through an IRCC web form with the application number, your name, and your date and country of birth. The fee is not returned, and an approval can still arrive before the withdrawal is processed.