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New Passport? Why You Need a New Canada eTA
How the eTA–passport link works
The eTA is not a document you carry — it is a record in a database, keyed to your passport number. At check-in, the airline scans your passport and the system looks up an eTA matching that exact number. Your old eTA is keyed to your old passport number; scan the new passport and the system finds nothing. There is no transfer procedure, no update form — the only fix is a new eTA application with the new passport.
Every situation that requires a new eTA
- You renewed your passport (new number, even with the same name).
- Your passport was lost, stolen or damaged and replaced — and note: if you reported it lost and later found it, the report may still block it.
- You received a second nationality's passport and want to travel on it — the eTA only works with the passport you applied with.
- Your details changed and you were issued a corrected passport (name change after marriage, for example).
- Your eTA simply reached the end of its five-year validity.
The rule of thumb: if the passport number the airline will scan differs from the number on your eTA approval email, you need a new eTA.
"But my eTA said valid until 2029!"
The five-year validity is a maximum: the eTA is valid for five years or until the linked passport expires — whichever comes first. Renewing your passport early does not extend the eTA; it kills it. The unused years are not refunded or transferred. The good news is symmetrical: the new application takes minutes for most travellers, and the fresh eTA gets a full five years against your new passport's validity.
How to check before you fly
Take your approval email (or run the online eTA status check) and compare the passport number on the eTA against the passport you will actually travel with, character by character. Do this the day you book, not the day you fly. Families: check every traveller separately — children's passports are renewed more often (shorter validity), so a child's eTA is the one most likely to have silently died.
Reapplying with your new passport
- Have the new passport in front of you and enter its number and dates exactly as printed.
- Complete the application as normal — your previous eTA history does not complicate anything; this is a routine event.
- Most approvals arrive within minutes by email; allow 72 hours in case of manual review.
- Keep the new approval email and discard the old one to avoid confusion at check-in.
What happens if you only notice at the airport
The airline cannot board you without a valid eTA linked to the passport you present — this is checked electronically and there is no override. Your only option is applying on the spot from your phone and hoping for an instant approval before check-in closes. It works for some travellers; it is a terrible plan. One habit prevents all of it: every time you receive a new passport, apply for a new eTA the same week if Canada is anywhere in your plans.
Canada eTA and New Passports — Frequently Asked Questions
No. The eTA is electronically linked to the passport number you applied with, and there is no transfer or update procedure. A new passport always requires a completely new eTA application.
Yes. eTA validity is five years or until the linked passport expires, whichever comes first — and a renewed passport ends it immediately, regardless of the printed validity. The remaining years are not transferable.
The application is identical to a first-time one, and most are approved within minutes by email. Apply as soon as you receive the new passport rather than before a flight, in case your application is routed to a manual review that takes up to 72 hours or more.
The exact passport whose details you entered in the application. You must fly to Canada using that passport; presenting your other nationality’s passport at check-in will show no eTA. If you prefer travelling on the other passport, apply for a new eTA with it (if that nationality is eTA-eligible).
Risky — a lost or stolen report may still be active against the document, which can block boarding and can also cause an eTA refusal. Resolve the report with your passport authority, or travel on a replacement passport with a fresh eTA.
Yes — the same rule applies at every age, and it bites families most because child passports have shorter validity and are renewed more often. After every child passport renewal, apply for the child’s new eTA straight away.
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