How Long Does the Canada eTA Take? Real Processing Times

For the large majority of travellers, the Canada eTA is approved within minutes of submitting the online form. The authorisation is electronic, linked to your passport, and confirmed by email. For a minority of applications, an automated check flags something that needs a human look: those go to manual review, and IRCC sends an email within 72 hours explaining the next steps. If supporting documents are requested, the total wait depends on how fast you provide them and can take several days to several weeks.

• Instant approval (most applicants): the automated checks pass, and the approval email arrives within minutes.
• Manual review: something needs verification — expect an email within 72 hours telling you whether documents are required. No action helps except responding quickly and accurately when contacted.
• Refusal: rare at this stage, but possible if checks reveal an inadmissibility issue or the details cannot be verified. See our guide on what to do if your eTA is denied.

• A "yes" answer to any background question — prior criminal conviction, previous visa refusal, immigration breach, or certain medical conditions.
• Details that cannot be verified automatically — an unusual passport, a recently issued document, or data that does not match records.
• A passport reported lost or stolen at some point.
• Previous problems with Canada — an overstay, a removal, a refused entry.
• Random or security-driven additional screening.

Note what is not on the list: applying at night, on a weekend, or close to your travel date does not by itself slow processing — the automated system runs continuously.

If your application is not approved within minutes, do not panic and do not reapply. IRCC commits to emailing you within 72 hours of submission. That email says one of two things: your application needs more time (nothing required from you yet), or you must submit specific documents through the link provided. From the moment documents are requested, the timeline is largely in your hands — respond the same day if you can. After you submit them, a decision typically follows within days, though complex cases take longer.

Apply the moment you book your trip. There is no downside: the eTA is valid for five years (or until your passport expires), so applying early never wastes validity. As a minimum safety margin, apply at least 72 hours before departure so a manual review has time to resolve. Booking non-refundable flights before your eTA is approved is a risk you do not need to take.

1. Search your inbox and spam folder for emails from IRCC — the most common reason travellers think nothing is happening is a missed email.
2. Check your application status online with your application number and passport details.
3. If documents were requested, upload exactly what was asked, promptly.
4. Do not submit a second application — duplicates do not speed anything up and can add confusion.
5. If your travel date is at risk, consider whether your itinerary can shift, and remember that land and sea entries do not require an eTA.

The wait, however long, only happens once per passport. An approved eTA is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and covers unlimited entries for stays of up to six months each. Renew your passport, though, and you will need a fresh eTA — the authorisation is tied to the document, not to you.