Visitor Visa
Canada Visitors Visa
A visitor visa (also called a temporary resident visa) or TRV is an official document that the immigration Officer will stick in your passport. Which shows that you meet the requirements needed to enter or travel to Canada. Unless you are from a visa-exempt country, you will need a visitor visa to enter Canada whether you are coming as a student, temporary worker, or simply to visit.
There are two types of Canadian visitor visas:
1. single entry visas
2. multiple entry visas.
A single entry visa allows foreign nationals to enter Canada for one-time only.
A multiple entry visa allows holders to enter and leave Canada as often as they want as long as the visa is valid.
How to Apply?
- Applicants who need a visitor visa to enter Canada can apply online, with a paper application, or in person at a Visa Application Center (VAC).
- If you are travelling as a family, each family member, including dependent children, must complete their own application. However, you may submit all of the applications together.
- Applicants may be required to include biometric information in their application, depending on their country of citizenship.
- If biometrics are required, the applicant will need to provide their fingerprints and photograph at a biometric collection service point. Biometrics can be collected after submitting the visitor visa application when you are prompted to do so, or at the same time as submission if submitting in person at a Visa Application Center (VAC).
Extending a Visitor Visa
Visitor visas, whether single entry or multiple entry, allow foreign nationals to legally live in Canada for up to six months at a time. At the end of this period, your legal status will expire and you must leave Canada. Foreign nationals who would like to extend their stay beyond six months must apply to do so while their temporary resident status is still valid. You should apply for an extension at least 30 days before your status will expire.
The processing time
The processing time for a Canada tourist visa is 15 days, if your documentation is done properly. A business visa takes 1 to 6 weeks of processing time. A temporary resident visa application takes 16-20 days to be processed.
The documents required for Canada tourist visa are:
- A valid passport with an expiry date exceeding 6 months
- Documents to prove your ties to your nation country
- 2 recent passport size photographs with a white background having no borders
- The photograph must not be more than 90 days old
- A sworn affidavit or an invitation letter from your relatives, if you plan to live with them
- Medical clearance certificate
- Photocopy of your return ticket and/or travel itinerary
- Any additional documents required by the local visa office
- Bank statements to prove you have enough funds to live in Canada for a while.
Eligibility requirements for a Canada Visit Visa
The visa requirements for Canada tourist visa are:
A valid passport
Proof of good health
No criminal history or immigration-related convictions
Proof that you intend on returning to your home country (stating you have ties such as a job, home, financial assets or family)
Proof of funds to sustain you during your stay
Intended duration of your stay and temporary residence
Cost to apply
It costs 100$CAD to apply for a visitor visa and the biometrics fee is 85$CAD.
To extend your stay as a visitor, you need to pay a fee of 100$CAD per person. To restore your status as a visitor, you need to pay a visa fee of 200$CAD.