Canada eTA Application Stuck in Review? Here’s the Real Solution (2026)

The message never changes no matter how many times you refresh it. “A review of your file is underway.” No timeline, no explanation, just the same line staring back at you while your flight gets closer and your patience gets thinner.

Being stuck in review is one of the more stressful parts of the Canada eTA process, mainly because there’s so little visibility into what’s actually happening behind the scenes. This breaks down what “under review” really means, how long is genuinely too long, and what actually helps versus what just wastes your time.

What “Under Review” Actually Means

Most Canada eTA applications clear an automated check within minutes. When yours doesn’t, it gets pulled into a manual queue for a human reviewer to look at instead. That’s all “under review” means at its core, your file wasn’t cleared instantly, so someone needs to look at it properly. It isn’t a rejection, and it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. It simply means the system couldn’t confirm everything automatically and passed it along.

A Realistic Timeline: How Long Is Too Long?

Under 72 hours. Completely normal. IRCC’s own guidance points to this window for most applications that don’t clear instantly, and an email update should follow within that time telling you what’s next.

A few days to two weeks. Still fairly common, particularly if additional information or documents were requested and are being assessed. This stretch tests patience more than anything else.

Several weeks to a few months. Less common, but it does happen, especially in cases involving a requested police certificate, a prior immigration issue, or a background check that takes time to complete on the applicant’s end as much as the government’s. Real applicants have reported waits stretching this long when documents like an ACRO police certificate were part of the request.

If you’re sitting well past the 72 hour mark with no update at all, it’s reasonable to start looking into your options, covered further down.

Why Some Applications Get Stuck Longer Than Others

A handful of situations account for most of the longer waits:

• A mismatch somewhere in the application, such as an address, name spelling, or passport detail that doesn’t line up cleanly with existing records
• A previous immigration issue, refusal, or entry denial anywhere, even one that feels unrelated or long past
• A criminal record, including relatively minor offences by UK standards, which can trigger a request for a police certificate that then needs time to obtain
• High application volumes during peak travel periods, which can slow down manual review purely due to backlog
• A slow or incomplete response to a document request, since the review effectively pauses until IRCC receives what they asked for

What Not to Do While You Wait

A few instincts feel productive but usually backfire:

• Don’t submit a second application hoping it’ll process faster. This tends to create confusion across multiple files linked to the same passport and can slow things down further rather than speeding anything up.
• Don’t pay a third party that promises to “expedite” a government decision. No legitimate service can speed up an IRCC review, and sites offering guaranteed urgent processing are, at best, overselling what they can do, and at worst, scams targeting anxious travellers.
• Don’t book non-refundable flights or accommodation while your eTA is still pending. It’s tempting once a trip feels close, but an unapproved eTA means you genuinely cannot board your flight, regardless of how much you’ve already spent.
• Don’t ignore an email requesting documents. The clock effectively stops until you respond, so delays on your end become delays on the final outcome too.

What You Can Actually Do

1. Check the official status tool periodically, using your application number and passport details, rather than relying only on email.
2. Check your spam and junk folders regularly. Automated IRCC emails are filtered out more often than people expect.
3. Respond quickly and completely if documents are requested. Gather everything asked for in one go rather than sending pieces separately, which can slow down reassessment.
4. Submit a single case-specific enquiry through the official web form if it’s been well beyond 72 hours with no update. Include your travel date clearly, since that context can matter, though it’s not a guarantee of faster processing.
5. Keep track of one reference number and stick with it. Switching between multiple applications or numbers makes it harder for anyone, including you, to track what’s actually happening.

If Your Flight Is Coming Up Fast

If your travel date is close and your eTA still hasn’t come through, it’s worth being realistic rather than hopeful. There’s no official channel to rush a decision, and embassies, airlines, and call centres genuinely can’t expedite an IRCC review on your behalf. Contacting your airline directly about rebooking options, or checking whether travel insurance covers a delay caused by a pending government application, is a more productive use of time than repeatedly refreshing a status page. Travelling without an approved eTA isn’t an option, since you won’t be allowed to board.

A Word of Caution on “Guaranteed Fast eTA” Sites

Desperation makes people search for shortcuts, and a number of websites are happy to promise urgent or guaranteed processing for a fee. None of them have any actual ability to influence how quickly IRCC reviews a file, since that decision sits entirely with the Canadian government. At best, these services are charging extra for nothing you couldn’t do yourself through the official channels. At worst, they’re collecting personal and passport information under false pretences. If a site guarantees a faster government decision, that’s a reason to be cautious, not reassured.

Straight Answers to a Few Worries

Does sending multiple enquiries speed up my review? Not really. One clear, complete enquiry is more useful than several repeated ones, which can actually add confusion to your file.

Can I call someone to get a faster answer? Phone lines can confirm general information, but no one on the other end has the ability to push your specific file through review faster.

Will applying again while I’m waiting help? It’s more likely to complicate things, since it creates a second file tied to the same passport rather than resolving the first one.

Does a long review always end in refusal? No. Plenty of applications that sit in review for weeks are eventually approved. A longer wait means closer scrutiny, not a predetermined outcome.

Want to Avoid Getting Stuck in the First Place?

Most extended reviews trace back to something small in the original application, a mismatched detail, an incomplete answer, or missing context that could have been caught before submission. At EasyCanadaETA.com, our team reviews every application carefully before it goes in, precisely to catch the kind of errors that push a file into manual review, and we stay available to support you if your application does need a closer look. If you’re applying for the first time or trying again after a slow experience elsewhere, start your Canada eTA application with us and give it the best possible chance of moving quickly.