What are the questions on the Canada eTA application form?

Updated: Dec 09, 2023 | Tags: Canada Entry Requirements, Canada eTA Application Form, Canada eTA Questions

A Canada eTA is a fast and easy online alternative to a visa for nationals of visa-exempt countries who plan to travel to Canada for business or tourism purposes. Although the process is much shorter and simpler than a traditional visa, the Canadian eTA application form does have several sections, and it is important that each is answered correctly and completely. Since you must complete the online form in a single sitting, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the application questions before you begin. This article will cover each eTA question and tell you what you need to know in order to answer it properly. As you read this, you may find it helpful to gather the information or documents you need to complete the form. Once you’re ready, you should be able to complete your Canadian eTA application with ease.

What are the questions on the Canada eTA application form?

Prerequisite information

Are you applying on behalf of someone?

This question is straightforward. Are you filling out the form for yourself, or for someone else? Note that if you are filling out eTA applications for your entire family, you must do one at a time. There are no family versions available.

If you select “yes,” you will have to fill out Parent/Guardian or respective details. This section asks the following questions:

I am… This dropdown menu will allow you to select your relationship to the applicant.

Are you being paid to represent an applicant? Select “yes” or “no.”

• Surname. Write your last name here.
• Given name. Write your first name here.
• Name of organization. If you applying on behalf of someone else and you are part of an organization, write the name of the organization here.
• Mailing address
• Telephone number
• Fax number
• Email address

Once you fill out this section, you must electronically “sign” a representative’s declaration stating that the eTA application form is filled out correctly to the best of your knowledge, and that you are the person appointed to fill out this application of behalf of someone else. Check both boxes before you move on.

Applicant information

In this section, you will provide information on the applicant's travel document.

What travel document do you plan to use to travel to Canada?

Click on the dropdown menu to select the type of travel document you will use to visit Canada. There are nine options. If you’re not sure which type you have, double-check before you continue to fill out your application.

Select the code that matches the one on your passport

Select your passport country from the dropdown menu. Once you choose, the next message will appear.

Which county issued your passport?

You can find the correct three-letter code on the information page of your passport.

What is the nationality noted on this passport?

Select your nationality from the dropdown menu. If you are a national of Israel or Taiwan, you will need to answer some additional questions. Israeli nationals will need to answer the following questions:

• Select the country code that matches the one on your passport
• For this trip, will you use a national passport?

Taiwanese nationals will need to answer the following questions:

• For this trip, will you use a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that includes your personal identification number?
• Taiwan personal identification number

Once you select your nationality, you must provide your passport number.

Are you a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. with a valid Green Card?

Use the dropdown menu to answer “yes” or “no.” If you select “no,” then you are not eligible for an eTA. Note that this question is only for citizens of countries that are not visa-exempt. If your country is visa-exempt, you will not have to answer this question and you will be eligible to apply for an eTA.

If you select “yes,” the following question will appear:

Green Card Number

If you selected “yes,” type your Green Card number here. You must also enter the expiration date of your card.

Nationality

If you’re not sure, you can find this on the information page of your passport.

Personal Details

In this next section, you will provide more information regarding the passport details of the applicant.

You must enter all the necessary information from the passport. You can find this information on the picture page of the passport. If it is not there, answer to the best of your ability:

• Surname - Type your last name exactly as it appears on your passport.
• First (Given) name - Type your first and middle name exactly as it appears on your passport.
• Date of birth - Enter your birthday.
• Country of birth - Enter your country of birth as it appears on your passport.
• Additional Citizenships - If you have more than one citizenship, you will need to list these individually in this section.
• City of birth - Enter your city of birth.
• Gender - Select from the dropdown menu. The options are "Male", "Female", "Uknown" or "Other". The selected option should best reflect the gender shown on your passport.
• Marital status - You will be asked this question if you are over the age of 18. There are seven options on this dropdown menu. Select the one that fits your situation.
• Have you previously applied to enter or remain in Canada? Select YES if, in the past, you submitted an application to come to Canada, such as a study permit, work permit or visitor visa. - If yes, you will need to provide the "Unique client identifier (UCI) / Previous Canadian visa or permit number". If you have visited Canada before, you should have this number. If you have worked in Canada before but did not receive a number, enter your work, study, or visitor permit number.
• Passport number - This is at the top of the picture page.
• Date issue of passport - Make sure you type this correctly.
• Date expiry of passport - Enter the expiration date of your passport. While you’re at it, make sure your passport does not expire soon. If it does, you may need to get a new passport before you can apply for a Canadian eTA.

Employment information

Some of the questions in this section use a dropdown menu. Canadian immigration partially determines you eligibility to enter Canada based on your financial situation, so this section is important. These questions are asked if the applicant is over the age of 18.

• Occupation - Select your occupation from the dropdown menu.
• Job title - Enter your job description here.
• Name of company/ employer/ school
• Country - Enter the country of your workplace.
• City - Enter the city of your workplace.
• Since what year - Write the year when you began your current occupation.

Contact information

Make sure this information is valid. You must have an email address that works in order for your application to be processed.

• Preferred language - Select either English or French from the dropdown menu.
• Email address - Make sure your type this correctly. You must receive your eTA authorization email from Canadian immigration before you can enter Canada.
• Residential address - Enter your home address here. You cannot use a post office box.

Travel information

You don’t have to have your travel plans in place in order to finish this section. However, if you do have plane tickets, be sure to have the information handy.

• Do you know when you will travel to Canada? - Select “yes” or “no” from the dropdown menu. If you answer “yes,” you can answer the following questions:
• When do you plan to travel to Canada? - Select the date you plan to arrive in Canada.
• Time your flight to Canada will depart? - Select the time that your flight to Canada takes off, if you have your plane tickets already.

Background questions

Similar to the marital status and employment information section, these questions are asked to applicants over the age of 18. If you must answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you should provide as much information as possible. This will speed up your application and clear up any potential misunderstandings when processing your Canada eTA application.

• Have you ever been refused a visa or permit, denied entry to, or ordered to leave Canada or any other country/territory? - If you select “yes,” you list each instance along with the country and the date of the event.
• Have you ever committed, been arrested for, been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country/territory? - If you select “yes,” you must list each offense, as well as the date, location, and your sentence.
• In the past two years, were you diagnosed with tuberculosis or have you been in close contact with a person with tuberculosis? - If yes, you will need to answer the following questions regarding potential tuberculosis exposure:
• Is your contact a result of being a healthcare worker? Select “yes” or “no” from the dropdown menu.
• Have you ever been diagnosed with tuberculosis? Select “yes” or “no” from the dropdown menu.
• Do you have a serious medical condition for which you are receiving regular treatment? This question has a dropdown menu. Check to see if you have any conditions listed on the menu: untreated syphilis, untreated drug/alcohol addiction, or untreated mental health issue with psychosis. You must select any that you have.

More information on each of the Canada eTA background questions can be found here.

Additional details pertinent to your application

This blank field is optional, but you should take advantage of it. If you had to answer “yes” to any of the preceding questions, this is a good place to offer an explanation. If you have a reason that you urgently need to travel to Canada, you can explain here.

Consent and declaration

Finally, read the consent form, check the box, electronically sign it. Then, click “proceed to payment” and use an accepted method to pay the processing fee. In most cases, you should receive your results in your email inbox within a few minutes. Any time after submitting the application, you can check your eTA application status.

Conclusion

If you have multiple applications to submit, remember to try and complete them all in one session so you don't forget to apply for eTA for anyone in your travel party. If your submitted application details do not trigger manual processing or any security flags, then you should hopefully have your eTA applications approved within a few minutes and be able to enter Canada without any issues.