The time required to obtain the Canada eTA

For several years, citizens of certain countries have benefited from a visa exemption allowing them to travel to Canada much more easily. The visa waiver does not exempt travelers from obtaining an electronic travel authorization.

For a stay of less than 6 months in Canada : You can carry out the formalities for entering Canada directly via the Internet by clicking on the online form. It is not necessary to obtain an appointment at the Canadian embassy or consulate. This travel authorization is called AVE (French Electronic Travel Authorization), also known as eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization in English) which are the official languages of Canada.

How long does it take to obtain the Travel Authorization and how long before the stay in Canada should it be requested? How long is it valid? So many questions that we answer below.

The principles of eTA

The eTA allows nationals of certain countries to discover Canada without applying for a Canadian visa. Not having to go to the Canadian embassy to apply for a visa is a huge time saver, not to mention a big money saver. The Canadian government has implemented a travel authorization, similar to the ESTA established by the United States, for the most popular temporary stays and requiring only a quick identity check: transits in a Canadian airport, tourist stays and business trips (without on-site payment).

To be authorized to travel to Canada with an eTA, the traveler must meet certain admissibility conditions . As mentioned previously, the first criterion imposed is membership in the visa waiver program. The nature of the trip to Canada must also be recognized (stopover, tourism and business). The stay in question must also not exceed 6 months and be carried out by air. It goes without saying that the trip cannot take place without a valid passport issued by one of the signatory countries. The Government of Canada does not require citizens of French nationality to have a biometric passport, the electronic passport is accepted. Advice to travelers: it is preferable that the passport has a period of validity greater than 6 months.

How long does it take to obtain the Canada eTA?

If you qualify, you must complete the eTA using your personal information. Once your file has been sent to the Canadian authorities, you won’t have to wait long. In general, an answer is given to you by e-mail in just a few minutes. A few days may sometimes be necessary if the Canadian immigration service requires more information from you.

Be sure to provide a valid e-mail address as this is how your eTA status will be communicated to you.

When to request an eTA for fast turnaround time?

Even if filling out the form and the time required to obtain the eTA Canada remain very fast, to answer the question “when to apply for an eTA?” it is strongly advised to proceed with the order of the authorization as soon as you plan to spend holidays in Canada. Thus, in case of error, it will give you time to bounce back.

Depending on the reason for refusal, you can either try your luck again (entry error) or apply for a visa to the consular services of the Canadian Embassy (non-admissibility). The time required then varies greatly, as the Canadian visa application is much longer than the online application for an eTA.

Do not try to obtain the eTA on site, whether at the French or Canadian airport. This authorization must be obtained before boarding international flights.

Note that the eTA request can be made from the official Canadian government website or via a specialized intermediary, such as our partner. The advantage of a private platform lies in the assistance that is offered to you to carry out this process. The time frame for receiving the eTA remains the same from site to site. Similarly, group requests, that is to say for all family members at once for example, are not possible at the time. Each eTA application must be made individually.

How long is the eTA valid for?

This electronic document has a validity period of five years , which allows you to make many nice trips to Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec, etc. the choice is yours. You will be able to travel through the different provinces and carry out a multitude of activities offered by this country while respecting the time allowed by the eTA Canada.

Please note that your eTA authorization is linked to your passport. This means that if your identity document expires or if your passport is lost, the eTA loses its validity. You will need to apply for a new eTA to visit Canada, giving you a new five-year grace period. Similarly, the validity of the French passport, on the other, determines the period of validity of the eTA: if the passport used for the application expires in less than 5 years, the expiration date of the eTA copies the date of passport expiration.

How long can we leave with the eTA?

If you have received your eTA authorization, know that you can claim a stay of 6 months on Canadian soil. Throughout the period of validity of the eTA document, you are entitled to leave for Canada several times while respecting a maximum period of 6 months for each trip.

However, do not tempt fate and do not exceed the deadline granted by eTA Canada, this could get you into trouble. The same goes for the nature of the trip to Canada: the eTA does not allow you to study at a Canadian university, do an internship, or work in Canada. Expatriating and immigrating to Canada are of course not possible either. For these travel reasons, you must apply for a tourist visa, work permit, PVT (Working Holiday Permit), permanent residence. We invite you to visit the government website for more information on this subject and to find out the list of necessary documents.

Last precision, the eTA is not the only travel document to present. Canada Immigration officers, when passing through customs, will ask to see your passport, an exit ticket in the form of a return ticket or a ticket to the final destination. Other documents may be required depending on the situation, especially when traveling with minor children. You will note that the immigration officer will not ask you for the eTA, as it is electronically linked to your passport number.