Canada eTA for UK citizens: who needs one, fee and how to apply

Yes, if you fly. A British citizen does not need a visa for a short visit to Canada, but you must hold an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before you board a flight there. It costs CAN$7 (about £4), it is applied for online in one sitting, and most applications are approved within minutes. An approved eTA lasts five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

This guide is for travellers leaving the UK on a British passport. It covers who needs the eTA and who does not, the fee, how long the authorisation lasts, the application steps, and how to avoid the paid look-alike websites. It does not sell an eTA and files nothing for you: the Canadian government sets the rules and decides each application.

The rule follows how you arrive, not how long you stay. IRCC, the Canadian immigration department, says that visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada need an eTA and a valid passport to board. GOV.UK puts it the same way: most people need a visa or an eTA, not both, and a British citizen on a short visit does not need the visa.

• Flying in. Every British passport holder on a flight to Canada needs the eTA.
• Changing planes. GOV.UK says that if you are travelling through Canada by air you must have an eTA or a transit visa.
• Dual citizens. IRCC says a dual Canadian citizen must travel with a valid Canadian passport. A British passport alone will not do.
• Arriving by land or sea. In most cases an eTA is not needed for car, bus, train or boat arrivals, cruise ships included, but you still need a valid passport and acceptable ID.

An eTA is permission to board, not a promise of entry. IRCC states that it does not guarantee entry, and a border services officer makes the final decision when you arrive.

The government fee is CAN$7 (about £4), non-refundable, paid at the end of the online form. IRCC says that is all it costs. Because the fee is set in Canadian dollars, the pound figure moves a little with the exchange rate.

If a site asks you for more than CAN$7, you are not on the government page. Private services that add their own charge on top of the government fee exist, and GOV.UK warns about them.

An approved eTA is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, according to IRCC help centre guidance (modified 28 September 2026). In that time you can come to Canada as many times as you wish.

The authorisation is therefore tied to your passport. Check the expiry date of the passport you will apply with before you pay: if it runs out in 18 months, so does the eTA.

The length of each visit is a separate matter. GOV.UK says British visitors do not need a visa for short visits, normally up to 6 months, and the border officer decides how long you may stay on arrival. IRCC does not give a maximum stay on the eTA pages we read, so check your entry stamp or the officer's instruction rather than assuming the full six months.

You apply on the Government of Canada website. The form cannot be saved, so have your passport, card and email address ready before you start.

1. Open the official page. Go to the IRCC eTA application page and start a new application.
2. Enter your passport details exactly as printed. Use the passport you will travel on, and check every character before you move on.
3. Answer the eligibility questions. The form must be completed in one session.
4. Pay CAN$7 (about £4) by card. Payment comes straight after the form.
5. Wait for the email. IRCC emails the result, usually within minutes.

Most applications are approved within minutes, according to the IRCC apply page. If IRCC needs documents from you, it sends an email with instructions within 72 hours of your application.

That second case is why we suggest applying as soon as you book rather than at the airport. The eTA is needed to board your flight, so an application still pending on the day you fly is a risk.

GOV.UK warns that some unofficial websites charge for submitting visa applications and are not associated with the Canadian government. The same applies to eTAs. The safe test is the address: the official application sits on the canada.ca domain, and the fee is CAN$7.

• A fee above CAN$7. Anything extra is the website's own service charge, not the government's.
• An address that is not canada.ca. Reach the form through a link from IRCC or GOV.UK, not from an advert.
• A paid rush option. IRCC says most applications are approved within minutes, so a paid fast track is hard to justify.

The border officer may still ask for the usual proof of your trip. GOV.UK notes that you may be asked for a return or onward ticket and proof of funds, even if you are staying with family or friends.

• Passport validity. GOV.UK says your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.
• Return or onward ticket. Keep the booking handy on your phone or on paper.
• Children with one parent. GOV.UK advises a letter of consent from the non-travelling parents or guardians when a child travels alone or with one parent.
• Coming home. Dual nationals returning to the UK must carry a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement.

Planning other trips? Our entry requirements hub for British passport holders lists the rules destination by destination. New Zealand runs a similar online permission, covered in our NZeTA guide for British passport holders, and for a destination with no paperwork at all see Turkey and the British passport.

We checked the rules on 30 October 2026 against the IRCC eTA pages and the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Canada. The IRCC eligibility page was last modified on 6 August 2026 and the apply page on 28 August 2026. GOV.UK shows no update date on its entry requirements page. Fees and rules change, so confirm the amount on the government form before you pay.

The rule to remember fits in one line: fly to Canada on a British passport and you need an eTA first, it costs CAN$7 (about £4), and it lasts until your passport expires or five years, whichever comes first.

• Do I need an eTA to fly to Canada with a British passport?

  Yes. Visa-exempt travellers need an eTA and a valid passport to board a flight to Canada. You do not need a visa for a short visit.

• How much is the Canada eTA in pounds?

  The fee is CAN$7, which is about £4 at the European Central Bank rate of 29 October 2026. It is non-refundable and paid by card at the end of the online form.

• How long is a Canada eTA valid?

  Five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can enter Canada as many times as you wish while it is valid.

• Is a Canada eTA the same as a visa?

  No. A British citizen does not need a visa for a short visit to Canada, but an eTA is required before boarding a flight there. It is a permission linked to your passport, valid for up to five years.

• How long does the eTA take to be approved?

  Most applications are approved within minutes. If IRCC needs documents, it emails instructions within 72 hours, so apply well before you fly.

• Do I need an eTA if I am only changing planes in Canada?

  Yes, if you travel through Canada by air. GOV.UK says you must have an eTA or a transit visa.

• Do I need an eTA to arrive by car, train or ferry?

  In most cases no. IRCC says that eTA-required travellers arriving by land or sea do not need one, though you still need a valid passport and ID.

• How long can I stay in Canada on a British passport?

  GOV.UK says British visitors do not need a visa for short visits, normally up to 6 months. The border officer decides how long you may stay when you arrive.

• Does the eTA guarantee that I will be let in?

  No. IRCC says an eTA does not guarantee entry, and a border services officer makes the final decision.

• Can I apply for the eTA on a site other than the government one?

  You can, but you should not. GOV.UK warns that unofficial websites charge for applications and are not associated with the Canadian government. Use the official IRCC page and pay only CAN$7.

• I am a dual British and Canadian citizen. Do I need an eTA?

  No, but you must travel to Canada with a valid Canadian passport, according to IRCC. Carry your British passport as well for the return to the UK.

• Can I save the eTA form and finish later?

  No. IRCC says the form cannot be saved and must be completed in one session, so have your passport, card and email address ready.