The short answer: the Canada eTA fee is 7 CAD, and the Government of Canada accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, prepaid versions of those three, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB. The fee is non-refundable, and it is charged when you press “Transmit and pay”. If a card is declined, the usual causes are a bank block on an online purchase in a foreign currency, a wrong billing detail, or a card type that is not on the list.
Payment is the last step of the application, so a failed payment feels worse than it is. Nothing is lost if the form is still open. If you are still deciding whether you need an eTA, read eTA or visitor visa: how to decide. If you have already paid and are waiting for a decision, how to check the status of an eTA application is the page you want.
Which cards does the eTA form accept?
The Government of Canada lists the acceptable methods of payment for the 7 CAD fee:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- A prepaid Visa, Mastercard or American Express
- Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard
- UnionPay
- JCB
The payment screen is titled “Summary of fees”, and all fees are listed in Canadian dollars. The line item is “Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)”, quantity 1, price 7.00 CAD. Your bank converts the amount to your own currency, so the charge on your statement depends on your bank’s rate and any foreign transaction fee that it applies. This is a bank charge, not a government one.
Anything that is not on this list is not an accepted method of payment. A prepaid card is on the list only if it is a prepaid Visa, Mastercard or American Express.
What does the 7 CAD cover?
The fee covers one eTA application for one person. It is charged once, when you submit. It does not buy a faster decision, a guarantee of approval or permission to enter Canada, and it is not refunded if the application is refused or you change your travel plans. If you apply for a family of three, you pay three fees, because you can only apply and pay for one person at a time.
How does the 20-minute session work?
The payment screen says that if you take longer than 20 minutes you will be signed out of your account, and that after you pay, your application is automatically submitted even if you have been signed out. The form cannot be saved. You have limited time, though you can extend your session if you need a few more minutes: when the “Session timeout warning” box appears, click “Continue session”.
Two practical lessons follow. First, have the card in your hand before you start, not after you have filled in twenty fields. Second, if a warning appears, act on it straight away rather than waiting to see what happens.
Why might a card be declined?
The government form does not explain the reason for a decline, and neither does this page pretend to know your bank’s rules. These are general reasons why any online card payment fails, not eTA rules:
- The bank blocks the payment. Some banks block online payments to foreign merchants or in a foreign currency by default. Approve the payment in your banking app or call the bank.
- A card with a spending limit or no online payment enabled. Debit cards, virtual cards and prepaid cards often need online use to be switched on.
- Wrong details. A mistyped card number, expiry date or security code. Check them against the card.
- Not enough available balance, in the currency of the card or in the currency that your bank converts to.
- A card type that is not on the list, such as a local store card or a card scheme other than the ones above.
A declined card at this step is not a refusal of your eTA. The application has not been paid, so it has not been submitted.
What should you do if the payment fails?
Try in this order:
- Read the message on the screen and check the card number, expiry date and security code.
- Check your banking app for a blocked or pending transaction, and approve it if there is one.
- Try another card from the accepted list. A different type, such as a credit card instead of a debit card, often works.
- Do not press the button repeatedly. Multiple attempts can produce several pending holds on your card. Wait for the result of each attempt.
- Check your statement or app before you try again. If a payment went through but you did not see the confirmation, you might pay twice.
If the form has timed out, start again. Nothing was saved, so you need to re-enter the answers. How to handle an application that cannot be retrieved covers the case where you paid but cannot find the application.
How do you know the payment worked?
After a successful payment the screen shows “Transaction Approved” with an order ID, your payment amount and a masked card number. Two points are easy to misread. This screen confirms the payment only, and it is not the approval of your eTA. The decision arrives separately, by email. Second, print or save this confirmation immediately: the Government of Canada warns that you will not be able to print your receipt later or receive a copy of it.
What if you were charged twice?
The government fee is non-refundable. Before you worry, check your card statement: a pending authorisation that later drops off is not a charge. If the statement shows two completed charges for one traveller, the Government of Canada help centre is the place to ask what can be done, and it is worth keeping both receipts.
Can someone else pay for your eTA?
The official pages list only the accepted card types and say nothing about who must own the card. If a relative pays, the receipt shows their card, so agree beforehand who keeps it. The person named on the application is still the person whose passport is linked to the eTA.
Do you have to use a private service to pay?
No. You can pay the 7 CAD directly on the Government of Canada form. Some travellers prefer to use a private service for help in their own language or for a second look at the entries. get-eta.com is a paid private service, clearly separate from the Government of Canada, where you can start your eTA application. In that case, you pay 7 CAD plus the service’s own fee, and IRCC makes the decision either way.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Canada eTA cost? 7 CAD per traveller, paid once, non-refundable.
Can I pay with PayPal or a bank transfer? No. The accepted methods are the card types listed above.
Is the fee refunded if my eTA is refused? No. The fee is non-refundable, whatever the outcome.
What happens if the session times out after I press pay? The government screen says that after you pay, your application is automatically submitted even if you have been signed out.
Can I save the form and pay later? No. The information cannot be saved, so complete the form and pay in one session.
The short version
- The fee is 7 CAD per person and is not refunded.
- Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, their prepaid versions, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB.
- You have about 20 minutes; extend the session when the warning appears.
- If a card is declined, check the bank, then try another accepted card.
- “Transaction Approved” confirms the payment, not the eTA; the decision comes by email.
- Print or save the receipt right away.
For the live rules, see the Government of Canada page on how to apply for an eTA.