Practical guides for your trip to Canada

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. ...

You might think an approved eTA stays with you when you get a new passport. It doesn’t. The eTA is tied to your old passport number, and that link breaks the moment you get a new document. So no — you cannot use your existing eTA with a new passport. The airline will scan your new passport at check-in, find no valid eTA attached to it, and you won’t board. The fix is a new eTA application using your new passport number, and the sooner you do it, the less stress you carry into departure day. If you also hold a second nationality, see the guidance on applying for a Canada eTA with dual citizenship before you start. ...

You’re standing at the baggage carousel, watching other passengers stride past with their bags, and you’re wondering whether you’re about to be pulled aside and questioned for an hour. That moment of doubt is almost universal for first-time visitors. Here’s what actually happens: for the vast majority of eTA holders, clearing Canadian border services is a short, structured process — scan your passport, answer a few questions, collect your bag, and you’re out. The steps below walk you through exactly what to expect, in the order it happens. ...

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. ...

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. ...

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. ...

A refusal splits into two categories — one you can fix in hours, one you often can’t fix before your trip. Your first job is to know which one you’re in. The email you received doesn’t always spell out the reason in plain language. That’s frustrating, but the distinction that matters isn’t the wording of the refusal — it’s whether the problem is a data error on your application or a finding that you’re inadmissible to Canada. Those two situations call for completely different responses, and treating an inadmissibility refusal like a data error (just reapplying) will almost certainly fail. ...

In a Nutshell An eTA is tied to air travel only. If your plans involve driving across the border or arriving by ferry, your approved eTA has no role at the crossing — what matters is your proof of identity and citizenship. The document requirements differ by entry mode, and knowing which applies to you before you travel is the difference between a straightforward crossing and a real problem at the booth. If you’re still sorting out your air travel plans, an eTA application is the right starting point for that route. ...