Canada Visitor Visa

Tourist in Canada

What is a Canada Visitor Visa?

A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), also referred to as a visitor visa or Canada Tourist visa, is an official document issued by a Canadian visa office that is placed in your passport to show that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident (either as a visitor, a student, or a worker).

The Canada Tourist Visa allows you to go to a Canadian port of entry and ask for permission to enter the country. The Border Immigration Officers are the designated authority to grant or deny your entry based on your documents and situation (Sometimes it's case to case basis).

If you have been issued a Visitor visa to Canada and the immigration officer find that you do not have any criminal intentions, you will be allowed to pass the port of entry and begin your vacation or family visit in Canada.

Do I Need to Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa?

Most travelers will need a Visitor visa which grants them entry to Canada, although there are nationals of countries which will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or they are completely exempted (Nationals of visa exempted countries) and can enter freely with their passports or similar travel document without needing a visa.

What are the Canada Tourist Visa Eligibility Criteria?

To be eligible for a Canada Tourist Visa, the applicant must fulfill some criteria. These requirements determine whether someone is allowed to apply for the visa and hold it.

If you cannot prove that you are eligible for the Canada Visitor visa, then they will reject you based on the fact that you are inadmissible in Canada. If you are proven to be inadmissible, then your only way of getting into the country is to get a Temporary Resident Permit.

How to Apply for the Canadian Visitor Visa?

To start the application for the Canada Visitor Visa, there are several forms and steps that you as the applicant must go through. The steps for applying for a Canada visitor visa are explained below:

1. Check your eligibility for the Canada visitor visa.
2. If you are eligible, Collect the required documents for a Canada tourist visa.
3. Submit the Canada Tourist Visa Application form (Online submission is recommended because of relatively faster processing)
4. Submit bio-metric (fingerprint) by visiting VFS center.
5. Check the status of your application on CIC portal.After getting approved 
6. Send your passport for stamping.

Documents required for Canada Visitor Visa

Personal information

1. Copy of passport first, last and any page with visa or stamps 
2. Digital photo with dimension 35mm x 45mm (strict dimension otherwise visa might be rejected) 
3. Travel health insurance (you can buy from you home country or Canada) 

Proof of regular income and finance  

Job Letter (if employed) 

Business registration certificate (if self-employed)

Income tax returns (ITR) of job or business  

Bank Statement showing at least 8 - 10 lakhs ($16000 - $20000) 

Agriculture Income Certificate (if agriculturist) 

Pension income documents (if retired) 

Pay slips (3-4 pay slips) 

Proof of home country (country of current residency) ties

Job leave approval letter/No Objection Certificate 

Residence proof (Home registration document or Rent agreement)

Marriage certificate (if married)  

J-Forms and Jamabandi(for India) (if agriculture) 

CA property evaluation (Gold jewellery, any other type of immovable assets, etc) 

Lease Deed Agreement (if any land on lease)

Affidavit of Support from father (if property and bank account is on father's name) 

College/School enrollment letter (if you are student) 

Any transcripts from passed semesters/years (if just passed from college/school) 

College/School leave approval letter 

Last 10 years travel history documents (if traveled before) 

Pro Tip: If you are going to apply for first time and you don't have any travel history then either make travel history by visiting any European country (if possible Germany) or apply for some international conference related to your profession. Chances of getting visa are more than 98% (As per our personal experience with existing clients) 

All the documents which are in language other than English must be translated to English or French.

What is the Canada Visitor Visa fees?

The application fee per person for a Canada Visitor Visa is CAD$100. If you also have to submit the bio-metrics or you submitted 10 years ago, that will cost you an additional CAD$85. So total cost of applying a Canada visitor visa is CAD$185.

In addition to this, you will also have to pay for the passport processing which will cost around CAD$45.

Canada Visitor Visa Processing time

The Canada visitor visa processing time ranges from 10 to 45 days. However, it varies according to the country from where you are applying. You can check it on CIC official website. 

How long is the Canada Tourist Visa valid?

The Canadian Consulate decides for how long to give you the Canadian Tourist Visa on the basis of your application. There are cases when they only give the visa for that time duration that you want to visit Canada, and then there are also cases when they give you the visa until your passport expires. This all depends on whether they believe you will return to your home country or not.

Despite how long your Canada Tourist Visa is valid, you are not allowed to stay there for more than 6 months at a time. So, after 6 months you must return to your home country, stay for some time and then you can return to Canada again for 6 months.

What Am I Allowed to do With a Canada Visitor Visa?

With the Canadian visitor visa, you are allowed to travel around Canada for less than 6 months as long as you are in good financial standing. You are not allowed to get Canadian documents or stay in the country permanently. You are also not allowed to work or study, and you will not be allowed to file for medical care, social welfare or other governmental benefits.

Am I allowed to bring my dependents to Canada with a Tourist Visa?

Your dependents, such as your spouse and minor children can come to Canada with you with a Tourist Visa. However, they must have their own application, and everyone should have to pay separate visa fees. You must submit the applications together at the Visa Application Center or online so that you are processed as a family.

Canada Visitor Visa Extension

If you want to stay longer than 6 months in Canada with a tourist visa, you will need a visitor visa extension. This extension is called a Visitor Record.

You have to apply for a visa extension for Canada (visitor record) at least 30 days before your tourist visa expires.

What is a Visitor Record?

Visitor record is different that tourist visa, the visitor record is not attached to your passport. It is an independent official document which the IRCC gives you when they approve your application for visa extension.

The visitor record includes the date by which you have to leave Canada.

It is important to remember that a visitor record is only available while you are inside Canada.You are not allowed to re-enter Canada on the basis of visitor record in case you want to leave Canada and re-enter.

If your visitor visa is about to expire, and you want to leave and re-enter Canada, you have to apply for a new Visitor visa.

You can also use a visitor record if you want to change your status from a:

• Visitor visa to study permit
• Visitor record work permit