How to apply for emergency eTA to Canada?
Need to travel to Canada quickly? An urgent eTA application, also known as an emergency or last-minute application, allows you to obtain authorization within a few minutes to a few hours.
Priority procedure to receive your eTA within minutes or hours, depending on your application.
Step-by-step support to avoid mistakes and maximise your chances of fast approval.
The eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is required for most visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada. In urgent situations — such as a medical emergency, unexpected family event or last-minute business trip — you may need to get your Canada eTA fast. This guide explains how to apply for an urgent or emergency eTA Canada, how to make a last-minute application using a Canada eTA fast track service, and the processing times you can expect to ensure you travel without delays.
Applying for an urgent eTA Canada: at a glance
- Online procedure: Urgent eTA applications can be made online on the Canadian government website or on a private provider's website.
- Required documents: You will need a valid passport and a payment card.
- Cost: On the official website, the eTA costs CAD 7, with no additional fee for urgent processing. Private service providers may charge additional fees for express service.
- Processing time: Most applications are approved within a few minutes, but some may take several hours or days if additional checks are required.
✅ Yes. In urgent cases — medical emergencies, family matters or time-sensitive work travel — you can obtain a Canada eTA through priority processing.
On the official Canadian government website, most eTA applications are approved within minutes, but this is not guaranteed. If a manual review is required, approval can take several hours or even a few days.
Some private service providers offer express services to help complete your application accurately and reduce the risk of delays. These paid services do not replace the final decision made by the Canadian authorities.
In case of an urgent situation, last-minute departure, or emergency eTA Canada request, you can apply directly on the official Canadian government website. In most cases, authorization is issued within a few minutes, but there is no guaranteed processing time.
It is also possible to go through a private service provider. These platforms offer express assistance:
⚠️ Private services are subject to a fee and do not replace validation by the Canadian authorities, but they can help optimise the speed and compliance of your application.
1️⃣ 📝 Fill out the online form
Go to the ‘urgent application’ section of the service provider's website. Enter your information accurately and read it carefully to avoid any errors.
2️⃣ 📎 Attach the required documents
Depending on the situation, proof of urgency may be required (medical, family, professional, etc.). Download clear copies that meet the requirements.
3️⃣ 💳 Make a secure payment
Express or last-minute services often involve additional fees. Follow the payment instructions to confirm your application.
4️⃣ 📩 Track your application
After submission, you will receive a tracking number. You can check the progress online and contact the service provider's support team if necessary.
Under the standard procedure, most Canada eTA applications are approved within minutes. However, processing is not guaranteed to be instant. Some applications require additional verification, which can extend the Canada eTA processing time to 24–72 hours, or even several days in exceptional cases.
With an urgent, express or last-minute application via a private service provider — sometimes referred to as a Canada eTA fast track or emergency eTA Canada service — your request is processed as a priority. In the fastest cases, approval can be granted within 10–20 minutes, with most urgent applications processed in 2–6 hours. Actual times depend on the accuracy of your information, the completeness of your documents, and the overall volume of applications being reviewed.
💡 Tip: To maximise your chances of obtaining the eTA quickly, make sure that all the information on your application is correct and that your passport is valid for the entire duration of your stay.
Before applying for an urgent eTA Canada, it is useful to compare the two options:
Standard procedure
Expedited/express/last-minute procedure
💡 In summary: Choose the standard procedure if you have at least a few days to spare. Choose the expedited procedure if your departure is imminent and you want to maximise your chances of receiving the eTA on time.
Receiving your Canada eTA urgently is usually quick, but sometimes an application remains ‘pending’ as the departure date approaches. This may be due to a manual check, a high volume of applications or an error in the form. Here's how to respond to maximise your chances of travelling on time.
🔍 Check the status of your application immediately
Log in to the official Canada eTA website or the service provider platform you used. Have your reference number and passport ready to access the information.
⏱ Check the updated processing times
On the Canadian government website, standard processing times vary from a few minutes to 72 hours. Urgent procedures via a service provider aim for processing within a few minutes to a few hours, but nothing is guaranteed. If your flight is imminent (less than 12 hours), report it via the official contact form or the service provider's support team.
✏️ Check your information and documents
A simple error (misspelled name, incorrect passport number, wrong date of birth) can block automatic processing.
📞 Contact your airline
Explain that your eTA is pending and provide your booking reference number. Some airlines may allow a free delay or flight change if you can prove that the application is pending.
🏛 Contact the Canadian authorities
As a last resort, contact the Canadian embassy or consulate in your country. They cannot approve an eTA on your behalf, but they can sometimes report your situation to the relevant department, especially if it is related to a medical or humanitarian emergency.
💡 Last-minute tip: Even though the eTA is often issued quickly, always plan to apply for it as soon as your trip is planned. This avoids the pressure of urgency, even if you opt for an express procedure.
Knowing when to apply for a Canada eTA is essential for peace of mind when travelling. The eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is required for most visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada. It allows Canadian authorities to verify in advance that the traveller is eligible.
The safest rule is to submit your eTA application as soon as you know your travel dates or, at the latest, as soon as you book your flight. In most cases, the eTA is issued within a few minutes after submission. However, this fast processing time is not guaranteed: a manual review may be required, which can extend the processing time to 24, 48 or 72 hours, or even several days in rare cases.
By applying for your eTA early, you avoid any pressure related to unforeseen circumstances:
There is no official processing time imposed by the Canadian government, but it is advisable to allow several days in advance. This way, even if your application is subject to further checks, you will have a safety margin.
In practice:
Some situations require a quick departure, such as a medical emergency, work obligation or unexpected family event. In these cases, you can use an express or last-minute procedure through a private service provider.
These services offer:
With this type of service, the eTA can be obtained in 10 to 20 minutes in the fastest cases, or in 2 to 6 hours on average. However, no method guarantees immediate issuance, as the final decision always rests with the Canadian authorities.
Waiting until the day before or the day of your flight to submit your application presents a real risk:
💡 Tip: even if you opt for an urgent or last-minute Canada eTA procedure, try to allow at least a few hours before your flight. This will give you more leeway in case of checks or technical problems.
In summary, the best answer to when to apply for a Canada eTA is: as soon as possible. Planning ahead will save you stress, additional costs and the risk of your departure being compromised. If your trip cannot be planned far in advance, consider using an emergency eTA Canada or Canada eTA fast track service to maximise your chances of getting approved in time.
Find out if your question has been answered in the list below
The majority of eTA applications are approved within minutes when all the information is correct and no manual review is required. However, it is important to note that some applications may be held for additional review. In this case, processing may take 24 to 72 hours, or even longer during busy periods or if additional documents are requested.
Yes, it is possible to obtain a Canada eTA even on the day of departure, but this is a risky option. An express procedure through a service provider can reduce the processing time to a few hours, but if a manual review is triggered, your trip could be compromised. It is always best to plan ahead, even if you opt for urgent processing.
An eTA is valid for 5 years from the date of issue or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. This means that by obtaining it well in advance, you can travel to Canada multiple times without reapplying, as long as your passport remains valid.
Several factors can extend the processing time: