How do I know if my eTA is approved?

Decoding Your Canadian eTA: How to Know if You’re Approved

Applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to visit Canada can feel like a waiting game. After submitting your application, the crucial question becomes: how do I know if my eTA is approved? The process is straightforward, but some misconceptions exist, so let’s clarify.

Forget checking websites for status updates or constantly refreshing your application portal. The only definitive confirmation you’ll receive is through a direct email from the Canadian government. This email will explicitly state that your eTA has been approved and grant you permission to travel to Canada by air. There are no other official confirmation methods. Any other sources claiming to verify your eTA status should be treated with extreme caution.

What the Email Will Tell You:

The email will contain crucial information, confirming:

• Your eTA approval: A clear statement indicating that your application has been successful.
• Your eTA number: This unique identifier links your authorization to your passport. Keep this number safe!
• Your passport information: The email will verify that the passport details you provided during the application process match the records held by the Canadian government.

Crucially, your eTA is permanently linked to your passport. This means as long as that passport remains valid, you don’t need to reapply for a new eTA for future trips to Canada (providing you meet all other entry requirements). However, if your passport expires or is replaced, you will need to apply for a new eTA using your updated passport information.

What to Do If You Haven’t Received an Email:

If several days have passed since you submitted your application and you haven’t received an email confirmation, check your spam or junk folder. Sometimes, these emails can be mistakenly filtered.

If it’s still not there, you can revisit the official Canadian government website where you submitted your application. While it won’t give you a definitive “approved” status like the email, it might offer information on the current status of your application, or provide contact details if you need to follow up. However, remember that the email is the only official confirmation.

In short: Don’t rely on unofficial sources or guesswork. The only reliable confirmation of your eTA approval is the official email from the Canadian government. Once you receive that email, you can rest assured that your air travel to Canada is authorized.