After you have paid the application fee, you will typically receive an email that confirms your application has been received from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within a couple of minutes. In the majority of instances, applicants will also receive an email which confirms that their application for a Canadian eTA has been approved shortly after submitting the application form.
What if I don’t receive a response within a few hours or days of submitting an eTA application?
Some applications may, however, take several days to be processed. If this applies to you, you will normally receive the confirmation of receipt email within a few minutes, followed by a second email that explains what you should do next.
If you get an email confirmation, you will be able to use the eTA Check Status Tool to track how your application is progressing. To use this tool you must supply the following:
- eTA Application Number – This starts with a “V”, followed by a series of digits. You will find this number it at the top of the confirmation email.
- Passport Information – details about the passport you used when you applied for your eTA.
If your application is approved, you will receive an approval email with your approved eTA number. This number starts with the letter “J” followed by a series of digits.
At this stage it is very important to double-check that the passport number mentioned in the eTA approval email exactly matches the number that appears in your passport. If it is not the same, your only option is to submit a new application with the correct passport number. Your eTA will be invalid if the passport information you entered on the application do not match the details in your passport.
What other reasons could cause a delay of receiving a decision?
Providing incorrect or inaccurate information will likely delay the processing of your eTA. If you feel you’ve made a mistake on your application, you can either reapply or appeal the decision if it is denied. Reapplying is often a quicker response especially if your mistake was typographical in nature.
How can I check the status of my eTA application?
Applicants that are awaiting a decision on their eTA can check the status at any time by visiting the eTA status page. The status displayed provides the most up-to-date information regarding application processing.
Can I travel to Canada while awaiting a decision on my eTA?
No, you will not be allowed to board a plane to Canada while you are awaiting a decision on your eTA. You must obtain an approved eTA prior to being allowed to board. Thus, eTA applicants with pending or denied applications will not be allowed to travel to Canada.
Conclusion
A majority of eTA applicants receive a decision within a few minutes of submitting their form. However, it is common for processing delays to occur for reasons related to the application, such as providing incorrect information. Thus, applicants are advised to check over the answers on their forms to minimize the chances of making mistakes.