A refused eTA feels like a door slamming. In practice it is almost always one of five situations — and each has a clear next step. Here is how we sort them out at GetETA.

First: which kind of refusal is it?

Read the refusal email. The wording tells you which path to take:

  • “You are not eligible for an eTA” — something in your answers (criminal record, immigration history, health) rules out the simplified eTA route. You will most likely need a visitor visa instead.
  • “The information does not match our records” — a mismatch with an earlier application or passport. Usually fixable.
  • “You do not need an eTA” — you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or your country needs a visa rather than an eTA. Living in Canada and not sure of your status? Check this before anything else.

The five real reasons — and what to do for each

1. You answered “yes” to a background question

A past conviction, a previous refusal or removal from any country, a serious medical condition. A “yes” does not refuse you automatically, but someone has to review it, and they may decide the eTA is not the right document for you.

What to do: apply for a visitor visa. It takes longer and needs documents, but it is the route built for your situation. A second eTA with the same answers gets the same answer.

2. You were refused a visa or entry before and did not say so

Past refusals are on file. Leaving one out counts as a false declaration, which is far more serious than the original refusal.

What to do: apply again — eTA or visa, depending on the rest of your situation — and declare it. Always.

3. Your passport or personal data has a mistake

One wrong digit in the passport number, first and last name swapped, a birth date that does not match the passport. This is the most common problem we fix, and the most avoidable.

What to do: submit a new application with the correct data, checking every field against the passport photo page — not from memory. Our guide: how to fix a mistake on your eTA.

4. Your passport is not eTA-eligible

Citizens of some countries need a visitor visa, full stop. Others can use an eTA only if they held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or currently hold a US visa. If that condition is not met, the eTA is refused.

What to do: apply for a visitor visa. Not sure which group you are in? See eTA, visa, or nothing — a 2-minute check.

5. You applied with the wrong passport

An old passport, a second citizenship’s passport you will not fly on, an emergency passport, a refugee travel document. The eTA is tied to one specific passport.

What to do: apply again with the passport you will actually carry at the airport. If you renewed recently, read why an eTA does not transfer to a new passport.

Not sure which one is yours?

Run our eTA status check. We look at what the system shows for your passport and tell you which of the five cases applies and what to do. If you applied through GetETA, we already have your file — just message us.

Travelling with others and only one of you was refused?

Everyone else’s eTA is fine — approvals are individual. Do not cancel the trip yet. Sort out the refused person using the five cases above; most data problems are fixed with a new application the same day. Full checklist: tickets first or eTA first — and what if one of the family is refused.

What a refusal does not mean

  • It is not a ban. You can apply again — for an eTA if it was a data problem, for a visa if it was eligibility.
  • It does not stop you entering by land or sea from the US, where no eTA is needed.
  • It does not automatically affect other countries. But if another country’s form asks whether Canada ever refused you, answer honestly.

Avoiding it next time

Almost every refusal we see comes down to two things: data that does not match the passport, or a background answer that should have sent the person to a visa instead of an eTA. A careful review before submission catches both — which is exactly why we ask the awkward questions before anyone else does.

Official information: after you apply for an eTA