Visitor Visa
Temporary Residents
Popular visitor visas and how to maintain the legal status
For grandparents, parents of Canadian or Permanent Resident who can provide financial supports
Length of stay
Validity
Passport
Relatives in Canada
Medical insurance
Intention of leaving Canada
Medical requirements
Family members requirements
Admissibility requirements
A tourist wants to visit and temporarily stay in Canada for less than 6 months
Length of stay
Validity
Passport
Financial requirements
Intention of leaving Canada
Medical requirements
Family members requirements
Admissibility requirements
Citizens of visa-exempt countries who transit or travel to Canada by air
Length of stay
Validity
Passport
The inadmissible person who is denied entry but can justify their current circumstances
Length of stay and validity
Inadmissible grounds
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee the issuance of a visa Unless authorized, a visitor visa does not authorize the holder to study or work in Canada
Process timeline of visitor visa application and how to maintain the legal status while traveling and residing in Canada
Application submission
Submit the application online on IRCC system, or on paper to the closest visa application center in the home country.
Medical examination
Receive a request from IRCC for a medical examination with panel physicians to provide proof of the health conditions.
Biometrics collection
Receive a request from IRCC for biometrics collection at visa application centers to verify identity and admissibility.
Decision
Application approved, the passport is required from IRCC to have a counterfoil visa attached to it and ready to come to Canada.
Entry into Canada
Have a short discussion at the port of entry with CBSA to verify the primary purpose for travel and receive a stamp of authorized stay.
Extend the stay
Visa holders must leave Canada or extend their stay before or on the authorized stay to maintain their legal status.
Applicants must renew their study permit by the expiry date to maintain their legal status in Canada.
Temporary Permit holders who stay longer than their authorized stay may be deported, refused entry or visa in the next application.
Crucial elements affect the decision
Common advantages for tourists traveling to Canada
Expedited process
Have the next visa applicant processed faster under the CAN+ program
Exploratory Visit
Eligible and/or earn additional points for business immigration programs.
Application inside Canada
Ability to submit or extend some immigration applications inside Canada if eligible
Extension the stay
Ability to extend your stay after the authorized period if meet the financial requirement and have complied with all entry conditions
Short-term education
Ability to enroll in distance learning or short-term courses of less than 6 months without a study permit
Important requirements the applicant should note
- A visa is required for entry into Canada. Unless specified otherwise, the visa holder can reside anywhere in Canada for up to 6 months for each entry. At the end of the authorized stay, the applicant must apply for an extension of their stay to maintain the legal status or leave Canada.
- A visa is not a permit for work or study. Unless exempt from the requirements, all applicants must apply for a permit and get approval before they can start working or studying in Canada.
Immigration Ineligibility
- Change the initial purpose of entry
- Have committed a crime, depends on the seriousness of the conviction
- Have been, are or will be engaging in organized crime
- Have been, are or will be engaging in any activities or organizations that are against Canada, contrary to Canada’s interests or endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada
- Have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
- Unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
- Have an immigration application refused for misrepresentation in the past 5 years
- Have been deported for failing to comply with any immigration act or regulation
Basic requirements
- Have a valid passport of at least 6 months
- Have enough money to cover all reasonable expenses during the stay in Canada and to return to home country
Ties to home country
Have strong ties to return to home country for reasons related to:
- Job or study
- Financial assets
- Family
Super Visa – Super Visa is an alternative to the Family sponsorship that allows children and grandchildren in Canada to bring their relatives to Canada, provide them with financial support and allow them to stay up to 5 years for each entry, with validity up to 10 years
Immigration Ineligibility
- Change the initial purpose of entry
- Have committed a crime, depends on the seriousness of the conviction
- Have been, are or will be engaging in organized crime
- Have been, are or will be engaging in any activities or organizations that are against Canada, contrary to Canada’s interests or endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada
- Have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
- Unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
- Have an immigration application refused for misrepresentation in the past 5 years
- Have been deported for failing to comply with any immigration act or regulation
Basic requirements
- Have a valid passport of at least 6 months
- Have a medical insurance for at least 1 year from the date of entry with emergency coverage of at least $100,000 from a Canadian insurer
Ties to home country
Have strong ties to return to home country for reasons related to:
- Job or study
- Financial assets
- Family
Letter of support
- A letter to invite parent(s) or grandparent(s) to visit relatives in Canada by child or grandchild who is Canadian or Permanent Resident
- Promise to provide financial support based on annual income and family size
| Size of Family Unit | Minimum necessary income |
|---|---|
| 1 person (the sponsor) | $29,380 |
| 2 persons | $36,576 |
| 3 persons | $44,966 |
| 4 persons | $54,594 |
| 5 persons | $61,920 |
| 6 persons | $69,834 |
| 7 persons | $77,750 |
| More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add | $7,916 |
- Electronic Travel Authorization is available for citizens of visa-exempt countries
- You only need an eTA to transit or travel to Canada by air
Immigration Ineligibility
- Change the initial purpose of entry
- Have committed a crime, depends on the seriousness of the conviction
- Have been, are or will be engaging in organized crime
- Have been, are or will be engaging in any activities or organizations that are against Canada, contrary to Canada’s interests or endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada
- Have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
- Unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
- Have an immigration application refused for misrepresentation in the past 5 years
- Have been deported for failing to comply with any immigration act or regulation
Basic requirements
- Have a valid passport of at least 6 months
- Have enough money to cover all reasonable expenses during the stay in Canada and to return to home country
Ties to home country
Have strong ties to return to home country for reasons related to:
- Job or study
- Financial assets
- Family
Visa-exempt countries
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- British citizen
- British National (Overseas)
- British overseas citizen (re-admissible to the United Kingdom)
- British overseas territory citizen with citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in one of the British overseas territories of:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Island
- Saint Helena
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- British Subject with a right of abode in the United Kingdom
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonian
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, must have a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR.
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel, must have a national Israeli passport
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania (electronic passport holders only)
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan, must have an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City State, must have a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican.
Eligible Countries
Effective May 1, 2017
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) is a document issued to a person who is inadmissible to Canada but can justify their circumstances based on the nature or seriousness of the inadmissibility to enter Canada
- If eligible for eTA and have eTA application refused, the applicant may apply for TRP.
- If from a visa-required country, the applicant must provide supporting documents to justify their current circumstances and the need for entry in the application. Validity and length of stay expire on the same date based on the primary purpose and only allow single entry Applicant may be required to attend an interview with a visa officer.
Inadmissible grounds
- Misrepresentation: directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts that cause or may cause administrative errors of the government
- Have failed to comply with any immigration act or regulation
- Have a family member who is inadmissible to Canada
- Financial ground: unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
- Medical ground: have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
- Have committed a crime, including impaired driving
- Membership in criminal organizations for activities such as human trafficking or money laundering
- National security reasons: espionage, subversion of government, violence or terrorism, or membership of related organizations
- Violations of human rights or international law such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, or being a prescribed senior official of a government that engages or has engaged in these activities
Basic requirements
- Have a valid passport of at least 6 months
- Have enough money to cover all reasonable expenses during the stay in Canada and to return to home country
Ties to home country
Have strong ties to return to home country for reasons related to:
- Job or study
- Financial assets
- Family
