Visitor Visa

Get a Visitor Visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Find out if you need a visa to visit Canada?

A Visitor Visa or Temporary Resident Visa, allows people to travel and enter Canada to stay for a short period of time, usually 6 months or less. Find out if you need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to visit or transit through Canada.

If you are traveling to or through Canada, it is strongly recommended that you confirm the entry requirements. It might be the case that your visa application is being processed, or that your application for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) has been received and you need to perform a few tasks before proceeding. Find out what you need to do next as we guide you through preparing for a trip to Canada.

Apply for a visitor visa

What a visitor visa is, eligibility and how to apply.

The list of Documents required for a visitor visa depends on your personal profile. Some of the general documents required are as follow:

  • Have a valid travel document/passport.
  • Have no criminal record.
  • Have sufficient funds for their proposed stay.
  • Satisfy an immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their visit.
  • Have a letter of invitation from sponsor, friends or relatives in Canada, if applicable.
  • Provide the travel itinerary and to and from air tickets.
  • Be in good health.

Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

What an eTA is, eligibility and how to apply online.

Some of the general documents required are as follow:

  • Have a valid travel document/passport.
  • Have no criminal record.
  • Have sufficient funds for their proposed stay.
  • Satisfy an immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their visit.
  • Have a letter of invitation from sponsor, friends or relatives in Canada, if applicable.
  • Provide the travel itinerary and to and from air tickets.
  • Be in good health.

Visit your children or grandchildren

Eligibility and how to apply for a visa that lets you stay with family in Canada for up to 2 years at a time.

Requirements:

  • Be a parent or a grandparent of a permanent resident of Canada or a Canadian national.
  • Be invited by your child or grandchild, stating that they would provide financial support when you visit them. Proof of funds which needs to be submitted by them which would be required are:
    • Notice of Assessment or T4/T1 for the latest tax year.
    • Employment Insurance docs.
    • Employment letter which has the DOH and salary mentioned.
    • Payslip.
    • Bank Statements.
  • Provide the information of the child or grandchild’s family, as in several members.
  • Provide a copy of their citizenship or a document proving their permanent residency.
  • Provide medical insurance from a Canadian company that is valid for a year from the arrival date. Along with a coverage of $100,000 and proof that the insurance stated above is paid.
  • The parent or grandparent should be in a condition to be granted permission to enter Canada.
  • The parent or grandparent should take a medical test.

Stay in Canada longer

Visitors, students, and workers who want to extend their stay (temporary resident status) in Canada.

Also a visitors who want to spend more time in Canada, temporary students, and workers who want to extend their stay in the country for an unforeseen extra week or two, are people who apply for visitor status.

Visitor visas for workers and students

How to get a new visa if you have a work or study permit, your visa has or will expire soon and you want to leave and come back to Canada.

If you work or study in the US and are moving back to Canada, make sure you get your new visa properly. You have an option to either convert it to a visit permit while out of the country, or if you choose not to do that, once you get back to Canada go straight from your old status to your new visa/permit.

Transit through Canada

What it means to transit through Canada and which documents you need.

You may need to transit through Canada on your way to another country. The document you need to transit through Canada depends on:

  • How you will travel through Canada (by air, car, bus, train, boat, including cruise ship)
  • How long it’ll take you to transit through Canada
  • The nationality of your passport
  • Other factors, such as whether you are a permanent resident of the United States or a US visa holder

Visit Canada on business

Who business visitors are, and how to bring business visitors or delegates to your meeting or event.

Some Canadian provinces offer business immigration programs such as those of the Entrepreneur Immigration Stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

Regional business immigration programs normally require a smaller investment. The Provincial Nominee Program encourages business growth and investors who can edify our smaller communities.

Get border information for visitors

Travel tips, what happens at the border, and prohibited or restricted goods.

To avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution, make sure you have the information you need before attempting to import items into Canada.

Read more at Canada Border Service Agency

Get Started

A licensed immigration professional can assist you with all of your Canadian immigration needs.
Contact us for answers to any of your immigration questions.

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