Visit Visa - Visiting Canada

You need either a temporary resident visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.

Electronic Travel Authorization

An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air. An eTA is electronically linked your passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new eTA.

With a valid eTA, you can travel to Canada as often as you want for short stays (normally for up to six months at a time).

temporary resident visa

A temporary resident visa (TRV)will let you enter Canada either as a visitor or for business reasons. A TRV is an official counterfoil document issued by a visa office that is placed in a person’s passport to show that they have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident.

If you need a temporary visa, you must make an application to a Canadian visa office before you travel to Canada. Your applications will need to meet the below conditions

• have a valid travel document, such as a passport.

• be in good health. A medical examination may be requested.

• satisfy an immigration officer that you have ties to your country of origin, such as a job, home and family, which will compel you to return.

• satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.

• have sufficient funds for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives.

• you may also need a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

• Proof to show the officer that you will be staying in Canada temporarily.

If your application is approved, the visa office will provide you with either a multiple entry or single entry visa.  You can then use this visa to travel and enter Canada.

Different Types Of Temporary Resident Visas

Single Entry Visa - Lets you enter Canada only once.

Multiple Entry Visa – You can enter and leave Canada any number of times as long as your visa is valid.

Transit Visa – If you need to make a stop-over in Canada while you are travelling to another country and is valid for 48 hours.

How much money can I bring with me?

Click here for the latest information on how much cash you can bring with you.

Business Visa

If you’re a business visitor, you need either a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to come to Canada. You may also need to provide your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) if applying for a visitor visa.

Types of activities you may conduct as a business visitor include:

• buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business or government

• taking orders for goods or services

• going to meetings, conferences, conventions or trade fairs

• giving after-sales service (managing, not doing hands-on labour)

• being trained by a Canadian parent company that you work for outside Canada

• training employees of a Canadian branch of a foreign company

• being trained by a Canadian company that has sold you equipment or services

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement, a U.S. or Mexican national may also take part in other activities, such as research, marketing and general services. For more information, see the Global Affairs Canada website.

Super visa

The Super Visa enables parents and grandparents to come to Canada and live for a longer periond of time and do not have to renew their legal status frequently.

Eligibility criteria and documentary requirements

• proof of their relationship to the child or grandchild (who must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident), such as

  • a copy of the child’s or grandchild’s birth certificate

  • a copy of the child’s or grandchild’s baptismal certificate

  • another official document naming the applicant as the parent or grandparent

• proof of an immigration medical examination and of being admissible on health grounds

• satisfactory evidence of private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company valid for a minimum period of 1 year from the date of entry that (all must apply)

  • covers the applicant for health care, hospitalization and repatriation

  • provides a minimum of $100,000 coverage

  • is valid for each entry to Canada and available for review by the examining officer upon request

• a letter of invitation written and signed by the host child or grandchild promising financial support for the entire duration the applicant intends to stay in Canada

• evidence of the child’s or grandchild’s means of providing financial support through meeting the low income cut-off (LICO) minimum (a co-signer may be added to meet the LICO minimum) in the form of 1 of the following documents:

  • the most recent copy of the notice of assessment (if the child or grandchild does not have a paper copy of their notice of assessment on file, they can view and print their tax returns as well as other personal tax information using the Canada Revenue Agency My Account online service by visiting www.cra.gc.ca/myaccount to register or log in)

  • the most recent copy of the child’s or grandchild’s T4 or T1

  • an original letter from the child’s or grandchild’s employer stating their

    • job title

    • job description

    • salary

• the child’s or grandchild’s employment insurance pay stubs, including

  • a letter from an accountant confirming the child’s or grandchild’s annual income, if they are self-employed

  • proof of other sources of income (pension statement, investments, etc.)

Letter of Invitation

When you apply for a visitor visa, the visa officer may ask you to provide a letter of invitation from someone in Canada.

A letter of invitation does not guarantee that you will be issued with a visa. Visa officers assess you to decide whether you meet the terms of Canada's immigration law.

Information for the person writing the letter of invitation

Writing a letter of invitation does not mean you are legally responsible for the visitor once he or she gets to Canada.

Send your letter (notarized, if the visa office asks for that) to the person you are inviting to Canada. The person must then send this letter to the Canadian embassy or consulate outside of Canada when he or she applies for a temporary resident visa.

You must include this information about the person you are inviting

• complete name,

• date of birth,

• address and telephone number,

• your relationship to the person,

• the purpose of the trip,

• how long the person plans to stay in Canada,

• where the person will stay, and how he or she will pay for things, and

• when the person plans to leave Canada.

You must include this information about yourself

• complete name,

• date of birth,

• address and telephone number in Canada,

• job title,

• whether you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident,

• a photocopy of a document proving your status in Canada, such as

  • a Canadian birth certificate, if you were born in Canada,

  • a Canadian citizenship card, if you are a naturalized citizen, or

  • a copy of your PR card or your IMM 1000 proof of landing, if you are a permanent resident,

• details of your family, such as names and dates of birth of your spouse and dependants (this is mandatory for the parent and grandparent super visa), and

• the total number of people living in your household, including people you sponsored whose sponsorship is still in effect (this is mandatory for the parent and grandparent super visa).

For the parent and grandparent super visa only, you must also provide

• a written and signed promise of your financial support for your parents or grandparents for their entire stay in Canada, and

• proof that your income meets or is above the low-income cut-off (LICO) for the total number of people, including the visiting parents or grandparents.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visit Visas

Do I need a visa to visit Canada?

Most people need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport.

What you need depends on:

• the type of travel document you will travel with

• the country that issued your travel document

• your nationality

• how you will travel to Canada

What is the difference between a single and a multiple entry visa?

A single entry visa allows entry to Canada for one-time only and a multiple entry visa allows entry many times. A multiple entry visa allow people to leave and return to Canada during the validity of the visas.

Can I extend my visitor status?

If you want to extend your stay in Canada, you should apply at least 30 days before your status expires.

If your visitor visa expired and you need to leave and return to Canada, you need to apply for a new visitor visa.

How long can I stay in Canada as a visitor?

Most people can stay for up to six months in Canada.

If you want to stay longer than your authorized stay, you should apply for an extension at least 30 days before the authorized end of your stay.

How long does it take to process a Visit Visa?

Processing times for a visitor visa depend on where you are making the application from. It normally can take between 2 days to 4 weeks to process a visit visa.

Who Does not need a Temporary Resident Visa

Many foreign nationals are exempt from obtaining the Temporary Resident Visa:

• British citizens, and citizens of British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their citizenship should be derived from either birth, descent, registration or naturalization in the above places

• Persons with a valid Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of Hong Kong

• Citizens of specific countries

• Persons holding the permanent residence for the United States

• Persons with travel documents and passports issued by the Holy See.

Do I needs A Medical Examination

A medical examination is required for people of certain countries who lived there within one year of arriving in Canada and are visiting Canada for more than six months.

HOW WE CAN HELP

• We have the knowledge and expertise of submitting a thorough and compete application.

• You can be rest assured that we will process your application with utmost care and attention.

• Make sure that your application is complete and correct before submission and meets IRCC requirements.

• Your file is prepared and presented professionally.