Visitor Visa
Canada welcomes over 35 million visitors each year. All visitors to Canada require either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an electronic Travel Authorization to enter. This includes international students, tourists, and temporary foreign workers. This also applies to individuals who have status in Canada (such as under study visa) who have left the country and wish to return – even if their status is still valid.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, US Citizens are exempt from this requirement.
There are some basic requirements you must fulfill in order to obtain a visitor visa. These include:
- Have a valid travel document
- Being in good health
- Have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
- Be able to demonstrate ties to your home country (such as a job, family, or home)
- Having sufficient funds for the length of your stay
Depending on your profile, you may also require a number of different documents, such as a medical examination and/or a letter of invitation from a Canadian resident.
TRVs are valid for six months, while eTAs are valid for 5 years, or until your passport expires (whichever comes first). You may also apply to extend your visitor visa by applying for a visitor record. A visitor record is a document that allows you to extend your status as a visitor in Canada and includes a new date upon which you must leave Canada by. However, you must apply for a visitor record prior to the expiry of your current visitor visa.
And eTA is required only for citizens of visa-exempt countries, which are all listed here. Residents of non-visa exempt countries are required to obtain a TRV. It’s important to keep in mind that the Government of Canada prioritizes applications from individuals who are eligible to travel at the time that they submit their application.
Processing times for these applications can vary significantly, but you can obtain an estimate from the Government of Canada here. Some cases are more complex than others and need more time or information to process, especially if anything changes during your application, such as medical status, new dependents, or a marriage.
If you’re looking for more information on coming to Canada, you can schedule a professional consultation with one of our licensed consultants here. They’ll be able to provide you with all of the information you need to get your application started.