Canada Canada — entry & visa requirements
Canada applies different rules depending on your passport: some travellers need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa), while travellers who do not need a visa may instead need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) costing CAN$7. Visitor visa applications are made online through the IRCC Portal or at a Visa Application Centre, with a CAN$100 per-person visa fee plus biometrics where required. The border officer normally allows a stay of up to six months and decides the exact length when you arrive. You cannot obtain a visa on arrival in Canada.
Who can enter visa-free
The archived official sources describe visa-free travel mainly in the transit context: travellers from certain countries or territories, and US citizens and lawful permanent residents, may transit Canada without a visa if they meet the conditions and carry the right documents. Travellers who do not need a visa may still need an electronic travel authorization. The actual list of visa-exempt countries or territories was not archived in this material.
- You may be able to transit Canada without a visa if you hold a passport from one of the listed countries or territories and meet the conditions.[1]
- US citizens and US lawful permanent residents can transit Canada without a visa as long as they bring the right travel documents.[1]
- If you do not require a visa to enter Canada, you may still require an electronic travel authorization (eTA).[4][5]
- You need an eTA to transit Canada by air if you are from an eTA-required country.[1]
- A super visa lets parents and grandparents visit their children or grandchildren in Canada for up to 5 years.[6]
General information
To get a visitor visa you must meet a set of basic requirements and satisfy an officer that your visit is genuine and temporary. Officers look for ties to your home country and for evidence that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit. Depending on your situation you may also need a medical exam and a letter of invitation.
- You must meet some basic requirements before a visitor visa can be issued.[12]
- You have to convince an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home, financial assets or family, that will take you back home.[12]
- You must also convince the officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.[12]
- You may additionally need a medical exam and a letter of invitation from someone living in Canada.[12]
- Check the list of documents required for your particular situation before you apply.[12]
Duration of stay
How long you may stay is decided when you arrive, not when the visa is issued. The officer at the port of entry normally authorises a stay of about six months, and you must leave by that date or apply to extend your status from inside Canada. Extending your stay as a visitor carries a fee of CAN$100 per person.
- The officer at the port of entry decides whether you may enter Canada and how long you may stay, and you must leave by that date.[4]
- The stamp placed in your passport by a Canadian official is generally valid for six months unless the official specifies another duration.[4]
- If you do not get a stamp, you can stay for six months from the day you entered Canada or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.[13][14]
- You must have enough money for your stay; how much depends on how long you stay and whether you use a hotel or stay with friends or relatives.[12][13]
- Extending your stay as a visitor costs CAN$100 per person.[11]
eTA and travel authorisation
The eTA is Canada's electronic travel authorisation for travellers who do not need a visa, and it is applied for online through the official government page. It costs CAN$7 and every traveller, including each family member, must apply separately. To complete the application you need a valid passport, a credit or debit card and an email address.
- Apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) through the official Government of Canada page; it costs CAN$7.[2]
- To apply you need a valid passport, a credit or debit card and an email address, and you must answer a few questions online.[2]
- Each family member must apply separately, and you cannot apply for more than one eTA at a time.[3]
- You need an eTA to transit Canada by air if you are from an eTA-required country.[1]
- If you do not require a visa to enter Canada, check whether you need an eTA before booking travel.[4][5]
Required documents
The core document is a digital copy of a valid passport or travel document, which should be valid for at least six months from your planned travel date. Depending on where you apply, your visa office may ask for additional country-specific documents, and you must state whether you are applying for a visitor visa or a transit visa. A letter of invitation supports an application but does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.
- Provide a digital copy of your valid passport or travel document, ideally valid for at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel.[7]
- Your visa office may require additional documents, so check the requirements for the country or territory you are applying from.[7][4]
- Select the visa type you want: a visitor visa, or a transit visa if you are passing through Canada for less than 48 hours.[4]
- A transit visa requires specific evidence of your itinerary from your transportation company or travel agent.[4]
- Use the Document Checklist IMM 5484 to gather the required documents, and remember that a letter of invitation does not guarantee a visa.[4][9]
Fees
Processing fees must be sent with your application, and if biometrics are required the biometric fee should be paid at the same time and in the same way to avoid delays. Fees are listed in Canadian dollars, are selected by application type and quantity on the payment page, and may in some cases be payable in local currency. The fee payment account is separate from other IRCC online service accounts.
- Processing fees must be included with your application.[4]
- If you or your family members must give biometrics, pay the biometric fee at the same time and in the same way as the processing fee to avoid delays.[4]
- Choose your application type and quantity on the fee page, then sign in or create an account to pay; a valid email address is required.[10]
- You may be required to pay fees in local currency.[4]
- This account is only for fee payment and is not the same account used for other IRCC online services.[10]
How to apply
You can apply for a visitor visa online through the IRCC Portal or send your application to a Visa Application Centre that serves your area. The reason for your trip determines the documents you need, and an invitation letter from a person or business in Canada is part of the evidence. If biometrics apply, wait for your instruction letter and book an appointment promptly.
- Apply online through the IRCC Portal, or send your application to a Visa Application Centre that serves your area.[7][4]
- Include a letter from the person or business inviting you to Canada and proof of your relationship with them.[7]
- Wait for your biometrics instruction letter, then book an appointment as soon as possible to avoid processing delays.[7]
- You may be able to book an appointment to give biometrics at a VAC at the same time you submit your application.[4]
- Pay your application and biometric fees and submit the application with your documents.[4]
At the border
A visa lets you seek entry but does not guarantee it: the border services officer decides when you arrive whether you still meet the requirements. If your passport is stamped, or the officer tells you how long you may stay, that sets your allowed period, normally up to six months. Changes in your circumstances since the application, or new information, can lead to refusal of entry.
- If you pass the identity and health checks and meet the entry requirements, the officer may stamp your passport or tell you how long you may stay, normally up to 6 months.[13]
- If you do not get a stamp, you can stay 6 months from the day you entered or until your passport expires; ask an officer if you need a stamp.[13][14]
- Keep the documents you need at the border with you rather than packed in your suitcase.[5]
- A valid temporary resident visa is not a guarantee of entry; the officer at the port of entry decides whether you still qualify.[4]
- If your circumstances change between applying and arriving, or new information comes to light, you may be refused entry.[4]
Notices and things to watch
A temporary resident visa, also called a visitor visa, must be obtained before you travel and cannot be issued when you arrive in Canada. The visitor visa fee is CAN$100 per person, and the same fee applies whether IRCC issues a single or a multiple entry visa. A separate temporary resident permit costs CAN$246.25 per person.
- You must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa before departure; you cannot obtain one on arrival in Canada.[4]
- A visitor visa costs CAN$100 per person, and the same fee applies to single and multiple entry visas; IRCC decides which to issue.[11][4]
- A Temporary Resident Visa is an official document placed in your passport showing you have met the requirements for admission as a temporary resident.[4]
- A temporary resident permit costs CAN$246.25 per person.[11]
Legal basis
The archived legal material covers only a few narrow points: protection rules for children, the definition of a valid marriage for immigration purposes, and information sharing. It says nothing about the statutory basis for visitor visas, so this section is thin. Travellers bringing minors should check the entry requirements for minors separately.
- Canada has laws and regulations to protect children, and delegates travelling with a child aged 17 or younger should consult the entry requirements for minors.[5]
- A marriage must be legally recognised both in the country where it took place and in Canada; proxy, telephone, internet and polygamous marriages are not valid spousal relationships.[4]
- Your information may be shared with other Canadian government institutions and with foreign governments as permitted under the Privacy Act.[4]
Frequently asked questions
The archived FAQ material consists mainly of dropdown labels from the processing-times tool rather than answered questions, so it is very thin. What it does show is that you can check the processing time for a visitor visa applied for from outside Canada by selecting where you are applying from. If you cannot see your current status, the source directs you to contact IRCC.
- Under temporary residence, choose "Visitor visa (from outside Canada)" and then select where you are applying from to see the processing time.[8]
- The processing-time tool also covers family sponsorship, economic immigration, citizenship and permanent resident cards, which are outside visitor travel.[8]
- If you cannot view your current status, contact IRCC, and the FAQ explains how to remove your application status from the internet.[4]
- The archived material gives dropdown labels instead of answers, so no further FAQ content can be reported.[8]
Official downloads
2 files as ZIP ≈2.7 MBTwo PDF forms were archived with this destination, both graded as background material for long-term stay, work or study categories rather than for a visitor visa application. They are reference files only; neither is described as required for a visitor visa.
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PDFPlease wait...imm1294e.pdf, a 1-page English form listed in the long-stay, work or study category, which the material says is usually not needed when applying for a visitor visa.
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PDFPROTECTED WHEN COMPLETED - Bimm5476e.pdf, a 4-page English application form in the same long-stay, work or study category, also described as generally not needed for a visitor visa.
Official sources
The archived Canadian sources are detailed and consistent on visa types, fees, documents and border procedures, but the reference country lists and the FAQ answers were not archived, so those parts of the page remain general.
Numbers match the markers in the text above; click a marker to jump here. Groups are collapsed by domain - click a heading to expand. A source cited more than once keeps a single number.
www.canada.ca12 URLs · cited 58 times
- 1www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit.htmlcited 4×
- 2www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.htmlcited 3×
- 3www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/minor-children-travelling-canada.html
- 4www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5256-applying-visitor-visa-temporary-resident-visa.htmlcited 22×
- 5www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/business/visitors-events-conferences.htmlcited 4×
- 6www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada.html
- 7www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.htmlcited 6×
- 8www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.htmlcited 3×
- 9www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/letter-invitation.html
- 12www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eligibility.htmlcited 6×
- 13www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/prepare-arrival.htmlcited 5×
- 14www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/about-visitor-visa.htmlcited 2×
ircc.canada.ca2 URLs · cited 6 times
Popularity rank #23 (score 26.5). This page was written by an AI from the official material listed above and adds no facts from outside it; visa rules change, so always confirm on the official portal before you apply.