How to minimize errors on a Canada eTA application

Published on: Jan 13, 2020 | Tags: Error on Canada eTA, Canada eTA Application Form

Introduction

Filing out an eTA application online can be tedious. However, applicants should strive to be meticulous when completing the form and submit their applications at least several days or weeks before their departure to Canada. An error on an eTA application may result in a refusal as well as result in additional inconveniences if the traveller is unable to identify the cause of the issue and have it corrected.

What are the types of form errors?

There are two types of form errors. Ones that will require resubmission of an eTA application and others which will not require resubmission of an application. Those that do not require resubmission can be edited, however an applicant will need to contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to update the application.

What errors will not require resubmission of an eTA application?

Errors on the following fields can be corrected. In most cases, these errors are not critical to obtaining approval on your eTA application. Applicants can send a webform to IRCC to correct any of these errors, however, this is usually not required unless an applicant is prompted to do so through a GCKey request.

• Incorrect email address – Although not critical to obtaining eTA approval, having the right email address associated with your application is important as you will receive application updates to this address. Furthermore, another reason why to have an accurate email address linked to your application is that if IRCC sends a GCKey request then you will need to comply with the request if you wish your eTA application to be processed and not denied or cancelled.
• Incorrect address information - IRCC will not send any post to your contact address. This information is required to process your application. However, a small error on your address details is not critical as IRCC can determine the address of applicants if most of the address information is correct. If you have falsified the contact address or other information, then there is a potential for IRCC to deny your eTA application if it is manually reviewed.
• Incorrect travel information such as arrival or departure dates – Entering incorrect arrival or departure dates is a common error which will not result in an application being denied. This question is used by IRCC as part of statistical analysis for arrivals and departures into Canada via the eTA program. If you made a mistake about your arrival or departure times or your flight dates and times have changed, you will not most like
• Incorrect employment information – A mistake on the employer section of the form can be corrected, however any mistakes are not likely to affect the decision of an eTA application. However, if an applicant is found to have misled IRCC by providing false employment information then this could potentially result in a denial if the application is manually reviewed by IRCC.

What errors cannot be corrected and require resubmission?

The following errors cannot be corrected. Applicants who have made the following mistakes on their eTA application will need to submit a new application, which will overwrite their previous submission.

Incorrect passport information

Passport number, country of citizenship, date of birth, gender, first name, and last name are all important passport identifiers used by IRCC to determine the eligibility eTA and link an eTA application to a traveller. Thus, any mistake to these fields will result in an invalid eTA, if one was approved. Otherwise, if an application discovers an error with any of the aforementioned fields before they receive a decision from IRCC, they can submit a new application with the correct information.

Incorrect background information

Incorrectly answering any of the four background questions will require an applicant to resubmit a new application. If IRCC suspects an incorrect or misleading answer on the background questions they may deny the application or send the applicant a GCKey request to provide more information on their responses.

Can I check my Canada eTA information after submission?

When in doubt, you can check the status of your eTA using your passport number, passport insurance and expiry dates as well as the country of citizenship. If there is no status associated to your passport details, or the details on your eTA application are incorrect, you must submit a new application form.

Conclusion

Applicants should be mindful of the types of errors on a Canada eTA application as well as their severity and likelihood to impact IRCC’s decision if uncorrected. Canada eTA applicants should aim to submit their applications several days or weeks before their departure to Canada to allow for time to either update incorrect form fields or submit a new application with the corrected information.