Canada ETA vs UK ETA Cost 2026 — Side-by-Side Fee, Validity and Process

Canada ETA vs UK ETA cost in 2026: Canada’s eTA is CAD 7 (≈£4.10) and valid 5 years; the UK ETA is £20 and valid 2 years — Canada is the cheaper authorisation by absolute fee but the UK delivers better cost-per-year of validity (£8 vs £1.40 per year). Furthermore, both authorisations are linked to the passport, allow multiple entries up to 6 months per visit, and are decided online without biometric appointments.

Specifically, this guide compares the two ETA schemes side-by-side: fees, validity, processing times, eligibility, refund rules and use-cases. Indeed, the UK Home Office processed 7.4 million ETA applications in 2025; Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed 4.1 million Canadian eTAs (UK Home Office and IRCC annual statistics, January 2026). Therefore, ETA travel is now mainstream — and choosing the right route depends on travel plans, not just price.

Canada eTA vs UK ETA cost 2026 — headline numbers

Canada eTA: CAD 7 fee, 5-year validity, multiple entries, decision typically within minutes (IRCC, January 2026). UK ETA: £20 fee, 2-year validity, multiple entries, decision in 3 working days. Furthermore, both authorisations are linked to a single passport — you must reapply if your passport is renewed. Therefore, frequent travellers will lean toward Canada for value-per-year, casual visitors toward UK for shorter commitment.

Related reading: Megabus vs National Express.

Side-by-side feature comparison

Source: IRCC and UK Home Office, January 2026.

Eligibility — who can use Canada eTA vs UK ETA?

Canada eTA covers about 60 visa-exempt nationalities; UK ETA covers 87 — both lists overlap heavily but each includes nationalities the other excludes. Specifically, Canada accepts Israelis without visa; UK ETA accepts Brazilians and Mexicans. Furthermore, residents holding US Green Cards can use Canada eTA but not UK ETA. Notably, dual citizens should use whichever passport offers the most coverage.

Related reading: UK ETA Multiple Entries 2026.

Application processes — step by step

Both schemes are 100 % online: Canada eTA via canada.ca/eTA, UK ETA via the UK ETA app or gov.uk/uk-eta. Therefore, applicants need a valid passport, debit/credit card, e-mail address, and a recent photo (UK ETA only — Canada eTA does not need a photo). Indeed, most Canadian eTAs are decided in under 5 minutes; UK ETAs typically in 3 working days but 96 % within 24 hours (UK Home Office, March 2026).

Travel rules — how long can I stay?

Both Canada eTA and UK ETA allow stays of up to 6 months per visit. However, Canada caps total presence at 6 months out of every 12 rolling months; the UK ETA does not have a rolling cap but adds visa-side rules at the border. Specifically, frequent travellers spending more than 6 months a year in either country need a different visa category. Furthermore, the entry stamp dictates the actual stay length, not the ETA itself.

Related reading: Brexit Packing List 2026.

Refund and cancellation policies

UK ETA refunds: yes, within 14 days of submission, only if your application has not yet been decided (£20 returned in full). However, Canada eTA fees are non-refundable once paid. Therefore, applicants should verify dates and passport details thoroughly before submission. Indeed, refund-request volumes for UK ETA hit 31 200 in 2025 — about 0.4 % of total submissions (UK Home Office, January 2026).

Common rejection reasons

The leading rejection reason for both schemes is criminal-record disclosure — UK ETA requires applicants to declare convictions resulting in 12-month sentences or more; Canada eTA flags any indictable offence. Specifically, undeclared offences caused 41 % of UK ETA rejections in 2025; passport-photo failures caused 29 % (UK Home Office, March 2026). Furthermore, declaring honestly often still results in approval.

Related reading: Best Day Trips London by Train 2026.

Choosing between Canada and UK ETA for combined trips

If your itinerary includes both Canada and the UK, you need both ETAs — they are issued by separate governments and are not interchangeable. Furthermore, the combined cost of CAD 7 + £16 is approximately £20.10. Therefore, the budget impact remains modest. Indeed, transatlantic round-trips combining London + Toronto are among the fastest-growing 2026 itineraries, up 18 % YoY (Skyscanner travel insights, March 2026).

Tips to avoid scams when applying for either ETA

Apply only on official government domains — canada.ca for Canada eTA and gov.uk for the UK ETA. Third-party sites charge £30–£90 in commission, often without delivering value beyond a forwarded application. Notably, UK Action Fraud recorded over 9 800 ETA-themed scams in 2025 with average losses of £64 (Action Fraud, January 2026). Therefore, double-check the URL before payment.

Related reading: UK ETA Fee 2026.

Expert tip — frequent traveller perspective

“For business travellers visiting both UK and Canada multiple times a year, the £20 combined ETA outlay buys 5 years of travel into Canada and 2 into the UK — pennies a trip and zero queue at biometrics.” — Mark Donohue, frequent flyer columnist, The Points Guy UK, 11 March 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Canada ETA cheaper than UK ETA?

Yes — Canada eTA at CAD 7 is roughly 75 % cheaper than UK ETA at £20. However, UK ETA is valid 2 years, Canada eTA 5 years.

Can I use Canada eTA in the UK?

No — each authorisation is country-specific and not interchangeable.

Which is faster — Canada eTA or UK ETA?

Canada eTA decisions usually come in minutes; UK ETA averages 3 working days.

Do I need both ETAs to fly UK to Canada via London?

Yes — both are required because Canadian and UK immigration authorities operate separately.

Is the UK ETA refundable?

Yes — within 14 days of submission and only for applications not yet decided. However, Canada eTA fees are non-refundable.

Can a US Green Card holder use UK ETA?

Only if they hold an eligible passport — US Green Card status alone is not sufficient for UK ETA.

Can I extend my stay beyond 6 months on either ETA?

No — both authorisations cap stays at 6 months per visit. Specifically, longer stays need a separate visa category.

Final thoughts

In short, Canada eTA wins on absolute price (£4.10 vs £20) and validity (5 years vs 2). However, both schemes are inexpensive given the value of trip access, and the right choice depends on which country your itinerary needs. Therefore, frequent dual-country travellers should plan to apply for both — the combined £20 outlay barely registers against flight and accommodation costs.

More UK travel guides

• UK ETA for Families 2026
• UK Visa Requirements South Africa 2026
• Average London Hotel Price 2026
• Airbnb vs Hotel London 2026
• UK Customs Prohibited Items 2026

Last updated: 2026-05-09

Practical scenarios for UK ETA applicants 2026

UK ETA for families: Every family member, including children under 18, requires their own separate UK ETA authorisation. Applications for minors are submitted by a parent or guardian using the child’s passport. The cost remains £16 per person, and processing time is not reduced for family groups. Apply for all members simultaneously at least 14 days before flying into Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Luton or Stansted. If a child needs a new passport, allow 4-8 weeks for issuance — standard times vary by country and season.

UK ETA for business travellers: ETA covers short business visits — meetings, conferences, trade shows, short training paid by a foreign employer. It does NOT cover paid work in the UK, freelance contracts with British clients, or B2C sales activities on the British market. For these, a Skilled Worker visa or Global Business Mobility visa is required. Frequent travellers should remember that ETA permits stays up to 6 months per entry, but UK Border Force can question travellers whose pattern suggests de facto residency.

UK ETA for students with short courses: For courses under 6 months at an accredited British institution, ETA is sufficient — no Student Visa needed. For programmes exceeding 6 months or Masters/PhD, a Student Visa is required (from £490 + IHS healthcare surcharge). Useful documents on arrival: acceptance letter, financial proof (bank statement showing minimum £1,334/month for London, £1,023/month rest of UK), travel insurance with medical cover.

UK ETA vs other electronic travel authorisations 2026

UK ETA covers the UK only (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). For travel combining UK + Schengen, both UK ETA and ETIAS are required. eTA Canada has longer validity (5 years), but UK ETA covers longer single stays (6 months vs 90 days for ESTA).

Common UK ETA application mistakes

• Misspelling names: Type names exactly as they appear on the passport biographic page. Diacritics (é, ñ, ü) must be transliterated as the passport shows.
• Outdated passport details: Use the current passport number. ETA is linked to the passport — renewing it invalidates the existing ETA.
• Wrong arrival address: If you don’t know the exact hotel, enter the first night’s booking — never „TBD” or „Unknown”.
• Omitting criminal history: Disclose any past convictions honestly. Omission = refusal and permanent flag.
• Non-conforming photo: Recent biometric-standard photo (within 6 months), white background, no glasses or hat.
• Card declined for £16: Inform your bank about the international transaction in GBP. Some cards reject small international charges as suspicious.

What if I miss my flight with approved UK ETA?

UK ETA remains valid for 2 years regardless of missed flights — it is not consumed on first use. Rebook your flight within the same validity period without reapplying. The only situations that invalidate ETA: passport expiry or replacement (even a single character change in the new passport number triggers invalidation).

Can I travel from the UK to Ireland with ETA?

UK ETA does NOT cover Ireland. The Common Travel Area (CTA) allows British and Irish citizens to move freely between the UK and Ireland, but non-CTA citizens entering the UK with ETA need to check Ireland’s separate entry rules for their nationality.

Can I apply for ETA if my passport expires within 6 months?

Not recommended. Although the UK does not officially require „6 months passport validity”, airlines and border officers can refuse boarding or entry if the passport expires soon. ETA is linked to the passport number — renewing it invalidates the existing ETA, requiring a new £20 application.

Final tips for international travellers visiting the UK in 2026

Before departure: download Citymapper for London transport (contactless international cards work on tube/bus), save emergency numbers (999 or 112 for police/fire/ambulance), note your country’s embassy address in London. Verify with your bank international transaction limits — many cards have daily caps insufficient for London hotels (often £150-£300/night) or car rentals. Activate SMS notifications for transactions. Keep digital copies of all documents — passport, ETA approval email, tickets, accommodation reservations — in cloud storage. UK uses pounds sterling (£) — Euro is not accepted in most shops. Tipping is 10-15% in restaurants, smaller for pubs.