British passport holders flying to Canada for tourism, business meetings, or transit require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). The official fee is CAD $7 (approximately £4 at typical exchange rates) and the application is made directly at canada.ca/eTA, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) portal. Validity is up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner. Each visit permits a stay of up to six months at the discretion of border officers. This guide explains the application process, what disqualifies an applicant, the difference between an eTA and a Canadian visa, and how to recognise the substantial number of lookalike scam sites operating around the official URL. It does not provide regulated immigration advice.
TL;DR - The 60-Second Answer
- UK passport holders flying to Canada require an eTA, applied at canada.ca/eTA.- Official cost: CAD $7 (about £4 at current exchange rates), paid directly to IRCC.
- Validity: 5 years or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner.
- Each visit permits up to 6 months in Canada at the discretion of border officers.
- Processing: usually instant; a minority of applications require additional documents and can take days.
- The ONLY official channel is canada.ca/eTA; lookalike sites charge £30 to £50 over the CAD $7 government fee.
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Sourced from GOV.UK
The Canada eTA basics for UK travellers
The Electronic Travel Authorization is the standard pre-arrival authorisation for visa-exempt visitors flying to Canada. The UK is among the countries on Canada's visa-exempt list, which means British citizens do not need a Canadian visitor visa for short stays but do need an approved eTA before boarding a flight to Canada. The eTA is electronic, linked to the passport at application, and verified by the airline before boarding.
The eTA applies to air arrivals only. UK travellers entering Canada by land from the United States or by sea on a cruise ship do not need an eTA, although they do need a valid passport and may be required to demonstrate the purpose of visit at the border. The eTA is therefore most relevant for direct flights from the UK to Canada and connecting flights through other countries that arrive at Canadian airports.
What the eTA permits and excludes
The eTA permits short visits for tourism, business meetings, conferences, family visits, and transit. Each visit is at the discretion of Canadian Border Services Agency officers, who decide on arrival how long the traveller can stay; the typical maximum is six months. The eTA does not permit paid work in Canada, formal study at a Canadian institution leading to a credential, or any form of long-term residence. Travellers entering for any of these purposes need a separate work permit, study permit, or visa class.
How to apply for the Canada eTA
The official application portal is canada.ca/eTA, operated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada within the Canadian federal government. The application takes around 10 to 15 minutes for a first-time user and is conducted entirely online. Required materials are the passport biographical page details, the applicant's home address, email address, employment status, and a credit or debit card for the CAD $7 payment. The form also includes questions on prior criminal convictions, immigration history, and health conditions of public health significance.
After submission, the eTA approval typically arrives within minutes of payment. A minority of applications enter a status where IRCC requests additional documents (such as a police certificate or medical examination) before approving. These cases can take several days to several weeks to resolve and may ultimately require the traveller to apply for a visitor visa instead.
The eTA is linked to the passport
The eTA is electronically linked to the passport used at the time of application. When the passport is renewed, a new eTA must be obtained against the new passport number even if the old eTA has time remaining. The IRCC system does not transfer eTAs between passports. This catches out travellers who renew passports mid-trip planning, particularly those approaching the standard 12-month renewal advance window.
Recognising the lookalike scam site problem
Canada eTA is one of the worst-affected areas in the global market for fraudulent and lookalike visa application sites. Search engine results for "Canada eTA from UK" routinely show paid advertising from sites using domain names like "canada-eta-online.com" or "canadian-electronic-travel-authorization.net". These sites mimic the IRCC branding, charge £30 to £50 for the CAD $7 government application, and in some cases do not even lodge the application after taking payment.
The official URL is canada.ca/eTA. Any URL not ending in .canada.ca should be treated as a third-party operator at best and a scam at worst. The official portal redirects from the marketing URL to ircc.canada.ca for the actual application. There is no other channel, no premium tier, and no faster route. The simplest safeguard is to type canada.ca/eTA directly into the browser address bar rather than clicking on search results.
Cost: CAD $7 official versus markup sites
The official Canada eTA fee is CAD $7, paid at the time of application on the canada.ca/eTA portal. This converts to approximately £4 at typical exchange rates and is among the cheapest travel authorisations of any major destination. There is no separate processing fee and no premium expedited tier. Every eTA is the same standard authorisation at the same fee.
Third-party sites and lookalike domains typically charge £30 to £50 for what is effectively the same CAD $7 application. The third-party site lodges the application through the same channel and retains the difference, sometimes adding a token "service" such as PDF formatting that the official portal already provides. For UK travellers, the Canada eTA is among the clearest examples in the visa services market of pure markup with no genuine value-add.
Processing time and refusal reasons
Most Canada eTA applications return an approval within minutes of submission. The IRCC system runs automated checks against immigration and security databases; routine UK passport holders with no concerning history are typically approved on the spot. A minority of applications enter a longer review status, particularly where the applicant has previously been refused entry to Canada, has a criminal record, has a prior Canadian visa refusal, or has visited certain regions.
Where additional documents are requested, the most common items are a police certificate from countries the applicant has lived in, a medical examination if certain health declarations are made, or a more detailed explanation of the travel purpose. Failing to provide requested documents within the IRCC deadline leads to the application being closed without approval, in which case a fresh application or a visitor visa is needed.
What disqualifies you from eTA approval
Certain factors lead to eTA refusal or to IRCC requiring a visitor visa application instead. These include past criminal convictions (depending on the nature and recency), prior deportations from Canada, prior overstays in Canada, certain serious medical conditions, and a history of immigration violations in any country. Where IRCC determines that eTA is not appropriate, the applicant is directed to apply for a temporary resident visa (TRV), which involves a more substantial application, biometrics, and a CAD $100 fee.
Work permits, study permits, and the eTA's limits
The eTA covers short visits only. UK travellers planning to work in Canada need a work permit issued under one of several streams including the International Mobility Program, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and the Working Holiday route for those aged 18 to 35. The Working Holiday under the International Experience Canada (IEC) programme grants UK citizens up to 24 months of open work permit in Canada, with applications running through annual quota rounds.
Study at a Canadian institution requires a study permit, applied for separately from the eTA. The study permit application requires a designated learning institution acceptance letter, proof of financial support, and biometrics. Long-term residence routes (Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, family sponsorship) handle permanent residence applications and have their own document and timeline requirements substantially beyond the eTA scope.
Editorial Disclaimer
Content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute regulated immigration, legal or financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) and does not provide regulated immigration advice. Rules, fees and processing times change without notice. Verify current information directly with GOV.UK, HM Passport Office, or an OISC-registered adviser before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do British passport holders need a visa for Canada?
British passport holders do not need a Canadian visitor visa for short stays but do need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before flying to Canada. The eTA costs CAD $7 (approximately £4), is applied at canada.ca/eTA, and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner. Each visit permits a stay of up to six months at the discretion of border officers. UK travellers entering Canada by land or sea do not need an eTA.
How long does the Canada eTA take to process?
Most Canada eTA applications are approved within minutes of submission on the canada.ca/eTA portal. A minority of applications enter a longer review status where IRCC requests additional documents such as a police certificate or medical examination, which can take several days to several weeks to resolve. For trips with non-changeable flights, applying at least 72 hours before travel provides a safe buffer; for first-time applicants or those with complex histories, applying two weeks ahead is more sensible.
How long is a Canada eTA valid?
An approved Canada eTA is valid for five years from the date of approval, or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner. The eTA is electronically linked to the specific passport used at application; when the passport is renewed, a new eTA must be obtained against the new passport number. The IRCC system does not transfer eTAs between passports. Each visit during the validity period permits up to six months in Canada at the discretion of border officers.
How much does a Canada eTA cost from the UK?
The official Canada eTA fee is CAD $7, paid directly to IRCC at canada.ca/eTA. This converts to approximately £4 at typical exchange rates and is among the cheapest travel authorisations of any major destination. There is no separate processing fee charged by the Canadian government and no premium expedited tier. Third-party sites charging £30 to £50 are adding markup over the same CAD $7 government application; some are simple expediters and others are scam sites that do not lodge the application.
How do you avoid fake Canada eTA sites?
The official Canada eTA portal is canada.ca/eTA. Any URL not ending in .canada.ca should be treated as a third-party operator or scam site. Search engine results for "Canada eTA" routinely display paid advertising from lookalike domains mimicking IRCC branding. The simplest safeguard is to type canada.ca/eTA directly into the browser address bar rather than clicking on search results. The Canadian government does not authorise any third-party agent to charge an additional fee for the eTA.
Can a UK citizen work in Canada on an eTA?
No. The Canada eTA does not permit paid work in Canada. UK citizens planning to work in Canada need a work permit issued under one of several streams. The International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday programme grants UK citizens aged 18 to 35 up to 24 months of open work permit, with applications running through annual quota rounds. Other streams cover skilled workers, intra-company transfers, and specific occupations. Study at a Canadian institution requires a separate study permit.
How we verified this
eTA fees, validity, application procedures, and refusal grounds were verified against the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada portal at canada.ca/eTA, the Canada High Commission in London, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for Canada, all checked in May 2026. The eTA versus visitor visa (TRV) distinction and Working Holiday route via the International Experience Canada programme were cross-referenced with IRCC operational manuals. Where guidance differs between sources, canada.ca is treated as authoritative for fees and procedures and the FCDO is treated as authoritative for British traveller advice.
Primary Sources
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Electronic Travel Authorization
- UK Foreign Travel Advice for Canada - entry requirements for British nationals
- High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom - consular services and visa categories
- IRCC - International Experience Canada Working Holiday programme
- UK Foreign Travel Advice for Canada - overview and safety information
