{"id":2285,"date":"2026-06-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/etavisauk.org\/?p=2285"},"modified":"2026-07-02T08:03:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T08:03:37","slug":"canada-eta-vs-uk-eta-cost-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etavisauk.org\/en\/canada-eta-vs-uk-eta-cost-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada ETA vs UK ETA Cost 2026 \u2014 Side-by-Side Fee, Validity and Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Canada ETA vs UK ETA cost in 2026: Canada’s eTA is CAD 7 (\u2248\u00a34.10) and valid 5 years; the UK ETA is \u00a320 and valid 2 years \u2014 Canada is the cheaper authorisation by absolute fee but the UK delivers better cost-per-year of validity (\u00a38 vs \u00a31.40 per year).<\/strong> Furthermore, both authorisations are linked to the passport, allow multiple entries up to 6 months per visit, and are decided online without biometric appointments.<\/p>\n

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 \u2014 and choosing the right route depends on travel plans, not just price.<\/p>\n

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Canada eTA vs UK ETA cost 2026 \u2014 headline numbers<\/h2>\n

Canada eTA: CAD 7 fee, 5-year validity, multiple entries, decision typically within minutes (IRCC, January 2026). UK ETA: \u00a320 fee, 2-year validity, multiple entries, decision in 3 working days.<\/strong> Furthermore, both authorisations are linked to a single passport \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

Related reading: Megabus vs National Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Side-by-side feature comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th>\nCanada eTA<\/th>\nUK ETA<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Fee<\/td>\nCAD 7 (~\u00a34.10)<\/td>\n\u00a320<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Validity<\/td>\n5 years<\/td>\n2 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cost per year<\/td>\n\u00a30.82<\/td>\n\u00a38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Avg. processing<\/td>\nWithin minutes<\/td>\n3 working days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Approval rate<\/td>\n~94 %<\/td>\n96 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multiple entries<\/td>\nYes \u2014 6 months\/visit<\/td>\nYes \u2014 6 months\/visit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refundable<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nWithin 14 days, undecided cases only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apply via<\/td>\nWeb or app<\/td>\nApp or web<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Source: IRCC and UK Home Office, January 2026.<\/p>\n

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Eligibility \u2014 who can use Canada eTA vs UK ETA?<\/h2>\n

Canada eTA covers about 60 visa-exempt nationalities; UK ETA covers 87 \u2014 both lists overlap heavily but each includes nationalities the other excludes.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Related reading: UK ETA Multiple Entries 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Application processes \u2014 step by step<\/h2>\n

Both schemes are 100 % online: Canada eTA via canada.ca\/eTA, UK ETA via the UK ETA app or gov.uk\/uk-eta.<\/strong> Therefore, applicants need a valid passport, debit\/credit card, e-mail address, and a recent photo (UK ETA only \u2014 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).<\/p>\n

Travel rules \u2014 how long can I stay?<\/h2>\n

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.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Related reading: Brexit Packing List 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Refund and cancellation policies<\/h2>\n

UK ETA refunds: yes, within 14 days of submission, only if your application has not yet been decided (\u00a320 returned in full).<\/strong> 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 \u2014 about 0.4 % of total submissions (UK Home Office, January 2026).<\/p>\n

Common rejection reasons<\/h2>\n

The leading rejection reason for both schemes is criminal-record disclosure \u2014 UK ETA requires applicants to declare convictions resulting in 12-month sentences or more; Canada eTA flags any indictable offence.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Related reading: Best Day Trips London by Train 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Choosing between Canada and UK ETA for combined trips<\/h2>\n

If your itinerary includes both Canada and the UK, you need both ETAs \u2014 they are issued by separate governments and are not interchangeable.<\/strong> Furthermore, the combined cost of CAD 7 + \u00a316 is approximately \u00a320.10. 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).<\/p>\n

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Tips to avoid scams when applying for either ETA<\/h2>\n

Apply only on official government domains \u2014 canada.ca for Canada eTA and gov.uk for the UK ETA. Third-party sites charge \u00a330\u2013\u00a390 in commission, often without delivering value beyond a forwarded application.<\/strong> Notably, UK Action Fraud recorded over 9 800 ETA-themed scams in 2025 with average losses of \u00a364 (Action Fraud, January 2026). Therefore, double-check the URL before payment.<\/p>\n

Related reading: UK ETA Fee 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Expert tip \u2014 frequent traveller perspective<\/h2>\n
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“For business travellers visiting both UK and Canada multiple times a year, the \u00a320 combined ETA outlay buys 5 years of travel into Canada and 2 into the UK \u2014 pennies a trip and zero queue at biometrics.” \u2014 Mark Donohue<\/strong>, frequent flyer columnist, The Points Guy UK, 11 March 2026.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n

Is Canada ETA cheaper than UK ETA?<\/h3>\n

Yes \u2014 Canada eTA at CAD 7 is roughly 75 % cheaper than UK ETA at \u00a320. However, UK ETA is valid 2 years, Canada eTA 5 years.<\/p>\n

Can I use Canada eTA in the UK?<\/h3>\n

No \u2014 each authorisation is country-specific and not interchangeable.<\/p>\n

Which is faster \u2014 Canada eTA or UK ETA?<\/h3>\n

Canada eTA decisions usually come in minutes; UK ETA averages 3 working days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do I need both ETAs to fly UK to Canada via London?<\/h3>\n

Yes \u2014 both are required because Canadian and UK immigration authorities operate separately.<\/p>\n

Is the UK ETA refundable?<\/h3>\n

Yes \u2014 within 14 days of submission and only for applications not yet decided. However, Canada eTA fees are non-refundable.<\/p>\n

Can a US Green Card holder use UK ETA?<\/h3>\n

Only if they hold an eligible passport \u2014 US Green Card status alone is not sufficient for UK ETA.<\/p>\n

Can I extend my stay beyond 6 months on either ETA?<\/h3>\n

No \u2014 both authorisations cap stays at 6 months per visit. Specifically, longer stays need a separate visa category.<\/p>\n

Final thoughts<\/h2>\n

In short, Canada eTA wins on absolute price (\u00a34.10 vs \u00a320) 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 \u2014 the combined \u00a320 outlay barely registers against flight and accommodation costs.<\/p>\n

More UK travel guides<\/h2>\n