Guides

The standard picture of an eTA is an email arriving within minutes of hitting submit. That picture is accurate often enough that when something different happens, it catches people off guard. A medical exam request is one of those moments: your application has paused, something specific is being assessed, and the path forward is less obvious than filling out a form. If you have already submitted your application and want to track progress, see how to check your eTA application status while you work through the steps below. The good news is that the process is structured and well-defined. Once you know the sequence, there is nothing mysterious about it. ...

You have a confirmation number sitting in your inbox, you’ve typed it into the retrieval tool, and the system is telling you it can’t find anything. That confirmation number is real: the application exists. The problem is almost always a mismatch between what you submitted and what you’re entering now, or a timing issue that resolves on its own. Either way, there is a clear sequence for working through it. ...

You’re at the application form, passport open on the desk, and the field staring back at you says “email address.” You don’t have one — or you have one somewhere but can’t remember the password, or you’ve always used your daughter’s. The question is simple: can you get a Canada eTA without an email address of your own? No. An email address is a mandatory requirement to apply for an eTA. There is no paper alternative, no phone option, no workaround inside the form itself. Every communication about your application — including the approval notice and your eTA number — arrives by email. If you don’t have an address to enter, you need to get one before you can start your eTA application. The good news is that getting an email address takes about ten minutes, and borrowing a trusted person’s address is a legitimate option if you understand what that involves. ...

You’re standing in the security queue, boarding pass in hand, watching the bins move along the belt. You’ve got your approved eTA, but you’re not sure exactly what’s about to happen or whether your eTA is going to come up again here. Here’s the short answer: it won’t. Your eTA was checked by the airline when you boarded your flight to Canada — that’s done. Airport security screening in Canada is run by a separate authority entirely, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), and their job is to screen you and your bags for safety, not to verify your travel authorization. What follows is a stage-by-stage account of what actually happens. ...

You hit submit, closed the tab, and then opened your passport to double-check — and the number doesn’t match what you typed. Or you’re rereading your confirmation email and your date of birth is wrong by a digit. That moment of recognition is unpleasant, but the situation is not necessarily a crisis. Whether you can fix the error depends on two things: what kind of error it is, and whether your application has already been approved. Some mistakes can be addressed by contacting IRCC while the application is still in progress. Others — particularly anything involving your passport number — mean you’ll need to submit a new application entirely. The fastest thing you can do right now is check your eTA application status so you know exactly what stage you’re at before deciding anything else. ...

You’re standing at the primary inspection counter at Toronto Pearson, passport in hand, eTA approved weeks ago. The officer looks up and asks where you’re staying, how long you plan to be in Canada, and what you do for work back home. You weren’t expecting this. You thought the eTA had already cleared you. An approved eTA does not guarantee entry into Canada. It’s a pre-screening tool, not a boarding pass for the country. Every traveller — regardless of eTA status — must satisfy a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the point of arrival before being admitted. That single fact is what most people misunderstand, and it shapes everything about how you should prepare. ...

You’re partway through the eTA form when you notice the passport number you typed doesn’t match what’s printed in your passport. Or you’ve spelled your name differently than it appears on your travel document. The fix right now is simple: correct it before you submit. Once you’ve paid and the application is processed, the eTA is electronically linked to whatever passport number you entered — right or wrong — and an incorrect one may prevent you from boarding your flight to Canada entirely. ...

Your eTA approval email has arrived, your plans have since fallen apart, and now you’re staring at that confirmation wondering if you need to do something about it. You don’t. There is no requirement to notify Canadian authorities, cancel the eTA, or take any action at all when you decide not to use an approved eTA. It simply sits there, attached to your passport, valid and unused — and that is completely fine. ...

You got your eTA approved, filed the email away, and now you’re booking a trip two years later. The eTA is still good — it’s valid for five years, right? Maybe. Or maybe your passport expires before then, and your eTA already stopped being valid months ago without you realising it. Your Canada eTA is valid for up to five years, but only if your passport lasts that long. The rule is: whichever comes first — five years from approval, or your passport’s expiration date — that’s when your eTA ends. The five-year maximum is a ceiling, not a guarantee. When you need to submit a new eTA application, the process is quick and most approvals arrive within minutes. ...

The seatbelt sign clicks off, the plane taxis to the gate, and everyone around you starts reaching for overhead bins. You have an approved eTA, your passport is in your bag, and you’re wondering exactly what the next hour looks like. Here’s the direct answer: your eTA got you on the plane, but entry into Canada is decided by a border services officer when you arrive. The eTA is a pre-screening tool, not a permission slip. That said, if your documents are in order and you’re straightforward with the officer, the process at a major Canadian airport typically moves quickly. ...