Canada eTA Refused or Stuck in 2026: Document Requests, Criminal Records, Name Errors and What to Do

Canada eTA Refused or Delayed - 2026 Quick Answer

As of November 2026, a Canada eTA costs CAD 7 on the official Government of Canada website, paid by card and non-refundable. Most applicants get approval from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within minutes.

• Pending: IRCC says not to travel until a decision is made.
• Refused: you cannot board, and IRCC advises reapplying only after the reason is addressed.
• Wrong data: an eTA cannot be edited, so the fix is a new application.
• Criminal record or DUI: rehabilitation or a temporary resident permit may be needed.
• Transit: a Canadian layover still needs an eTA or a visa, with narrow exceptions.

An eTA is linked to your passport, valid up to 5 years or until the passport expires, and does not guarantee entry, since the border officer decides at arrival.

This guide covers visa-exempt passports (UK, EU, Australia and others) and the 15 expanded eTA countries, such as Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Brazil. India is not listed, so Indian passport holders usually need a visitor visa.

How Long an eTA Usually Takes and When It Is Stuck

IRCC's stated processing time is usually minutes, but up to several days when supporting documents are requested. If the eTA is not approved in minutes, IRCC emails the next steps within 72 hours of applying.

• Junk mail: IRCC emails approvals, requests for information and denials, and warns that spam filters may block them.
• Check Status tool: it needs the application number starting with V, at the top of the IRCC email, plus your passport details.
• No confirmation email after 72 hours: IRCC directs applicants to its web form, and answers can take several days.

IRCC publishes no fixed wait beyond "several days" and suggests rescheduling the flight if needed. A last-minute eTA may not be possible, so we recommend applying early.

Requests for More Documents - Police Certificates and Medicals

The IRCC email may ask for more information or documents, or for an interview at the nearest Canadian visa office. To see what is needed, applicants typically register for a GCKey, create an IRCC account and link the eTA application to it. Documents are not sent by email.

• The letter in the account lists the documents and the due date. IRCC publishes no standard number of days, and missing that date could lead to a refusal.
• Extensions for delays from police or doctors go through the IRCC secure account, upload problems through a web form, both before the deadline passes.
• Documents need to be in English or French, or come with a certified translation.

UK police certificates and "No Live Trace"

For UK citizens, IRCC points to the ACRO Criminal Records Office, whose certificates show whether a person has a UK criminal record. A "No Live Trace" result means IRCC expects more detail on the stepped-down record, if available. We could not confirm ACRO's current processing time or fee, so we recommend checking both and ordering early.

One UK traveller, according to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, sent an ACRO certificate and later saw "Refused" in the status checker with no refusal letter. Officially, IRCC emails denials, so junk mail and the IRCC account come first, then the web form.

Medical exams

A medical request on an eTA is uncommon for short visits. IRCC's general visitor guidance, not eTA-specific, says stays up to 6 months usually need no exam outside certain public-health jobs. If one is requested, follow the instructions in the IRCC account.

Criminal Records, DUI and Past Overstays

Any crime, minor or serious, including theft, assault or DUI, can make a person criminally inadmissible to Canada. Going by IRCC's 2022 help guide (the live form may differ slightly), the eTA asks about past visa refusals, denied entry, orders to leave, and any arrest, charge or conviction anywhere. False or withheld answers can bring five years of inadmissibility for misrepresentation.

DUI and the 18 December 2018 cut-off

Since 18 December 2018, impaired driving prosecuted by indictment carries up to 10 years, the "serious criminality" threshold in section 36 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). IRCC says such a conviction, including for cannabis, may mean inadmissibility for serious criminality wherever it happened.

• For these offences, deemed rehabilitation does not apply.
• Individual rehabilitation opens five years after the sentence ends, including probation, and after the offence.
• Fees as of November 2026: CAD 1,231.00 for serious criminality, CAD 246.25 for criminality.
• eTA travellers send the rehabilitation application by mail or courier to their regional visa office before the eTA, since an eTA filed first may be refused. Processing can take over a year.
• A DUI before 18 December 2018 is judged by the penalties then in force and may count as ordinary criminality (unless the prison sentence in Canada exceeded 6 months), with deemed rehabilitation possible after 10 years.

Before five years: temporary resident permit

A temporary resident permit (TRP) is issued at an officer's discretion when a compelling reason outweighs health or safety risks to Canadian society. eTA-country citizens outside Canada request TRP instructions through the IRCC web form. As of November 2026 the fee is CAD 246.25 per person, not refunded if refused. A TRP is not guaranteed, and even a valid one does not stop border officers refusing entry.

IRCC still advises inadmissible travellers to apply for the eTA and explain, since a TRP may be considered after a denial.

Past overstays

IRCC lists overstaying as an example of not meeting IRPA requirements, one situation a TRP can cover. Since 2025, an eTA holder also becomes ineligible if an officer has reasonable grounds to believe they will not leave on time. We found no rule on how long an overstay must last to matter, so any overstay can count against you.

A former working holiday participant, according to applicant reports on Reddit in November 2026, re-entered on an eTA several times after a roughly 30-hour overstay. That is one account, not a rule.

Name, Passport Number and Other Data Errors

An eTA cannot be edited. If an application has a mistake, such as a wrong email address or passport number, IRCC's answer is to apply again. A wrong passport number may stop you from boarding.

• Approval email: the passport number in it has to match the passport exactly, or a new application is needed.
• Names: IRCC's 2022 help guide asks for all names as they appear in the passport, with the order checked against the machine-readable zone.
• One person per application, so a family of four files four applications at CAD 7 each.
• New passport, new eTA. A lost, stolen or destroyed passport cancels the linked eTA automatically.

We found no IRCC guidance on a wrong name on an approved eTA, so nobody can promise how airlines treat it, and the general rule is a new application.

One family, according to applicant reports on Reddit in November 2026, got a nephew's eTA for a Toronto layover approved under his mother's name, then missed a document deadline on the corrected application and was refused.

Refused eTA - Reapplying or Applying for a Visitor Visa

A refused eTA means no boarding and no refund. IRCC encourages reapplying only after the reason is addressed, for example through rehabilitation, a TRP request or the missing documents.

Appeal, records and past refusals

There is no administrative appeal. A lawyer can seek judicial review at the Federal Court of Canada, with the Court's leave, within 60 days for decisions made outside Canada.

A past refusal of entry or of a travel document does not automatically mean an eTA refusal, since each case is assessed individually.

Visitor visa: only for expanded eTA countries

The visitor-visa option fits only citizens of the 15 expanded eTA countries and, since May 2026, Indonesia and Malaysia: those meeting all eTA conditions can pick either.

For UK, EU, Australian and other visa-exempt passports, IRCC does not describe that switch. Depending on the reason, their paths are reapplying, a TRP request via the IRCC web form, or rehabilitation.

Where Visarun fits

Visarun is a visa agency, not the issuing authority. We help prepare and check documents before you reapply, such as document lists, translations and explanation letters, without legal representation and without acting before IRCC under section 91 of IRPA. Decisions belong to IRCC and border officers, so there are no guarantees.

Duplicate Applications and Lookalike Sites

We found no IRCC rule on holding two eTAs at once. What IRCC does say:

• An application can be withdrawn only through the IRCC web form, with no refund. An eTA approved before the withdrawal is processed stays valid.
• An officer may cancel an eTA for inadmissibility, ineligibility or an administrative error. IRCC notifies by email, and a cancelled eTA blocks boarding.

A traveller who held two eTAs by mistake, according to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, got a cancellation email for one about a year later.

Third-party websites

The Government of Canada website is the official place to apply, even for authorized third parties. Sites charging more than CAD 7 do not act for the government, which does not refund their extra fees. Check Status confirms whether you are authorized to travel, and with no eTA and no application, IRCC advises applicants outside Canada to contact local police.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 31 January 2025: officers gained explicit case-by-case authority to cancel eTAs and visitor visas, for example over false information, a criminal history or doubts that a person will leave on time.
• 26 March 2026: Bill C-12 became law. In the public interest, IRCC may cancel, suspend or change large groups of documents, including eTAs, with Governor in Council approval.
• 26 May 2026: citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia meeting certain requirements may apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa for air travel.
• 27 May to 27 November 2026: Ebola measures suspended eTAs of people who listed the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan or Uganda as last country of residence. As of November 2026 they end on 27 November unless extended, with automatic reactivation.
• Expanded eTA list (IRCC, 30 October 2026): 15 countries, not India, for flyers with a Canadian visitor visa from the past 10 years or a valid US nonimmigrant visa.

Fees and rules are as of November 2026, and we recommend checking IRCC's pages before applying.

FAQ

How much does a Canada eTA cost?

CAD 7 as of November 2026, on the official Government of Canada website only. It is non-refundable and covers one person.

My eTA has been pending for over 72 hours. What now?

Start with junk mail and the Check Status tool. With no confirmation email after 72 hours, IRCC points applicants to its web form.

Can I fly to Canada while my eTA is pending?

No. IRCC says not to travel until a decision is made.

Can I appeal a refused eTA or get the fee back?

There is no administrative appeal and no refund. A lawyer can seek judicial review at the Federal Court, within 60 days for decisions made outside Canada.

I entered the wrong passport number. Can I fix it?

No. The fix is a new application, since a wrong number may stop you from boarding.

Can I get an eTA with a DUI?

A DUI can make you inadmissible. One from 18 December 2018 onward may count as serious criminality, with rehabilitation five years after the sentence ends, filed before the eTA.

Can a UK citizen switch to a visitor visa after a refusal?

IRCC describes that option only for eTA-eligible visa-required countries. UK paths are reapplying, a TRP request or rehabilitation, depending on the reason.

Can Visarun guarantee approval?

No. Decisions belong to IRCC and border officers. Visarun helps prepare and check documents, without legal representation.