ESTA vs Canada eTA vs NZeTA vs K-ETA vs Australia ETA (2026)

All five work the same way: you fill in a short form or use an app, pay a small fee and get an answer by email. The differences are in price, how long the permission lasts, and how long each visit can be. The fees below are the official government fees, read on official pages on 1 November 2026.

If a site charges you USD 80 or more for any of these, you are not on the government site. Close it and type the official address yourself.

ESTA is for citizens of the Visa Waiver Program countries, such as most of the EU, the UK, Japan and Australia, who fly or sail to the US for tourism or business. You need an electronic passport with a chip. If ESTA is refused, only a small processing fee is kept and you must apply for a B1/B2 visa at an embassy.

The fee rose from USD 21 to USD 40 on 30 September 2025 under a new US law, and US embassy pages show USD 40.27 from 1 January 2026. The law allows yearly increases for inflation, so check the price on the official site on the day you apply.

Canada's eTA is the cheapest of the five at CAD 7 and lasts the longest: up to 5 years, or until your passport expires. Most people get an answer by email within minutes. If you are asked for documents, it can take several days.

The eTA is for air travel. Visa exempt travellers who arrive by car, bus, train or boat do not need one. Canada also lets citizens of some visa required countries use an eTA instead of a visa when they fly, if they meet extra conditions; canada.ca lists those countries. Everyone else needs a visitor visa.

The NZeTA costs from NZD 17 in the app, which is cheaper than the online form. Most travellers also pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy at the same time, so the total is much higher than the NZeTA fee alone. The app shows the exact total before you pay.

It is valid for 2 years and lets you stay up to 3 months each visit, or 6 months for UK citizens, with a limit of 6 months in any 12. Transit passengers need one too, even if they never leave Auckland airport. Allow 72 hours for a decision.

K-ETA is for nationalities that can enter Korea without a visa. It costs KRW 10,000 and is generally answered within 72 hours. With a K-ETA you also skip the arrival card.

Korea has paused the K-ETA for 22 countries and regions, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and much of the EU, until 31 December 2026. Travellers from those countries fill in the free e Arrival Card instead, or can still apply for a K-ETA if they want to. No decision on 2027 had been published when we checked, so look at the K-ETA portal before a trip next year.

Australia's ETA can only be applied for in the official Australian ETA app. You scan your passport chip with the phone, take a photo, answer questions and pay an AUD 20 service fee. Each person needs their own application, including children.

It allows multiple visits for 12 months, up to 3 months each, for tourism or business visits. Work is not allowed. Australia advises applying at least 4 weeks before travel. Many European passports use the eVisitor (subclass 651) instead of the ETA, so check which one fits your passport on the Home Affairs site.

• Azerbaijani citizens need a visa for the US (interview at the US Embassy in Baku), Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. See where Azerbaijanis can travel and our post on the US visa from Baku.
• Pakistani and Indian citizens apply for visitor visas for all five countries. See travel from Pakistan and travel from India.
• Russian citizens need a visa for the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and should check the K-ETA portal for Korea. See travel from Russia.
• Turkish citizens need a visa for the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and should check the K-ETA portal for Korea. See travel from Türkiye.