Step 1: Work out whether you need an eTA or a Visitor Visa
The most important first step in a Canadian application is not filling in the form — it is choosing the right travel document. An eTA and a Visitor Visa are not applied for together; which document you need depends on your nationality, your passport and how you travel. Ordinary short-stay travellers using a Korean passport who arrive in or transit through Canada by air should check the eTA category first.
If you are still not sure which document applies to you, start with the difference between a Canadian visa and an eTA to identify your document type.
Step 2: Prepare your details and documents
Prepare your basic details — the name in English as shown in your passport, date of birth, sex, nationality, passport number, and issue and expiry dates — so that they match the passport biodata page exactly.
Questions about previous visa refusals and about criminal or immigration history must be answered truthfully. Incorrect information, or leaving out a material fact, can lead to delays or to a decision against you.
What you need for an eTA
- A valid passport eligible for an eTA
- A working email address
- A means of paying online
- The personal details and travel history needed to answer the application questions
- Access to your email so you can check the message that arrives right after you apply
What you need for a Visitor Visa
- A digital copy of a valid passport or travel document
- Material that supports the purpose of your visit
- Financial evidence showing you can cover the cost of your stay
- Material that explains your ties to your home country — employment, business, family, assets — and your plans to return
- Where required, a letter of invitation, biometrics, a medical examination or further documents
Step 3: Submit the application
An eTA is applied for online. Depending on the applicant, a Visitor Visa may involve additional steps such as giving biometrics.
Step 4: Further requests and biometrics
Most eTA applications are processed quickly, but some require additional documents, and the Government of Canada will contact you by email if that is the case.
Processing times for a Visitor Visa depend on how complete the application is and on whether biometrics, further documents, an interview, a medical examination or a police certificate are needed. If biometrics are required for your Visitor Visa application, you must first receive the official instruction letter and then give your biometrics at a designated collection point.
Step 5: After approval — check your passport and status
An approved eTA is linked electronically to the passport used in the application. That means that if your passport number changes, you may not be able to keep using your existing eTA.
If your online Visitor Visa application is approved, you may receive instructions from IRCC about submitting your passport, so follow them exactly. You can check the progress of your application at Check a Canadian visa or eTA.
A checklist to cut down on application errors
- Check the spelling and spacing of the name in English in your passport
- Avoid mistyping characters in the passport number, such as the digit 0 and the letter O
- Check the passport expiry date and issue date
- Review your answers at the end to make sure none of them contradict each other
- Do not guess at an answer to a question you do not understand
- After applying, check your email including the spam folder
If you have already received a refusal notice, or a data-entry error has caused a problem, see dealing with a visa or eTA refusal.
How the online application works
| Step | Screen and function |
|---|---|
| ① Eligibility branch | A quick check of nationality, passport, means of entry and purpose |
| ② Enter your details | Passport details, contact details, application questions |
| ③ Review | Summary of your entries and confirmation by you |
| ④ Payment | Completed on the payment screen |
| ⑤ After submission | Guidance on submission, further requests and status checks |
FAQ
How long does an eTA application take?
The Government of Canada advises that most eTA applications are approved within minutes. Even so, some cases require additional documents, so processing time cannot be guaranteed.
How many days does a Visitor Visa take?
Processing times vary with the country you apply from, how complete your application is, and any additional steps required. Rather than expecting a fixed approval time, it is more accurate to allow for processing times that can vary.
Do I need a flight ticket to apply for an eTA?
The essentials for the government application are a valid passport, an email address and a means of payment. Before you actually travel, check again that the passport details on your flight booking match the passport linked to your eTA.
I entered my passport number incorrectly. What should I do?
Because an eTA is linked to one specific passport, an error in the passport details can cause problems at boarding. Check the current status of your application or approval; you may need to apply again with the correct passport details.
Related pages
- The difference between a Canadian visa and an eTA — work out which document you need
- Check a Canadian visa or eTA — check the progress of your application
- Dealing with a visa or eTA refusal — resolving refusals and errors
- Contact us — inquiries
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