Visitor Visa
If you wish to get a visitor visa to Canada, you must submit a visitor visa application to a visa office at a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate abroad, along with two passport size pictures, proof of available funds, along with a non-refundable processing fee.
Section 8 of the Immigration Act provides that the burden of proof of establishing that a person has a right to come into Canada rests with the person seeking admission to Canada. Section 9 of the Immigration Act provides that a person who applies to a visa officer is presumed to be an immigrant. Therefore, failure to satisfy a visa officer that you are entering Canada temporarily will result in refusal of the application.
Supporting Documentation
Section 8 of the Immigration Act provides that the burden of proof
of establishing that a person has a right to come into Canada rests
with the person seeking admission to Canada. Section 9 of the Immigration
Act provides that a person who applies to a visa officer is presumed
to be an immigrant. Therefore, failure to satisfy a visa officer that
you are entering Canada temporarily will result in refusal of the application.
If the person is visiting relatives, and if the relatives are going
to assume responsibility for the expenses incurred by the visiting relative
in Canada, it would be necessary to have a letter or statutory declaration
from the relative setting out responsibility for all expenses.
In addition, the relative must also indicate that he or she has the
necessary resources, and it would be helpful if the relative includes
a job letter, bank statements, etc.
The applicant and all dependants must be in possession of valid and
subsisting passports or travel documents.
A visitor visa to Canada will not be issued beyond the validity date
set out in the passport and a person cannot be admitted to Canada at
a port of entry by an immigration officer for a period that exceeds
the expiry date of the passport.
For applicants who reside outside of North America, it may be necessary
to satisfy the visa officer that the applicant has a valid and subsisting
airline ticket or proof of funds for travel. One of the primary concerns
of the visa officer prior to approving an application for a visitor
visa to Canada is whether the applicant has the means and ability to
leave Canada within the time period.
As one of the primary concerns of the visa officer is whether the applicant
will return to their home country at the end of the visit, it is therefore
important to illustrate that the applicant has strong ties to their
home country.
As one of the primary concerns of the visa officer is whether the applicant
will return to their home country at the end of the visit, it is therefore
important to illustrate that the applicant has strong ties to their
home country.
Documentation showing that the person has full-time permanent employment,
length of employment, proof of assets including house, bank accounts,
will be important.
In some Visa offices, visa officers will require letters of good conduct
from local police authorities confirming that the applicant does not
have a criminal record.
Visitor Visa Exemptions
People from many countries do not require a visa to visit Canada. These
include: citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria,
Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National
Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia,
Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua
New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia,
St. Vincent, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain,
Swaziland , Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western
Samoa persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence
who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card)
or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.
British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible
to the United Kingdom;
Citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship
through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the
British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands,
Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St.
Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;
Persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region
passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of the People's Republic of China;
Can I change my status after I arrive with a visitor visa to Canada?
A temporary resident enters Canada with a particular status and under specific conditions. A temporary resident who wants to change these conditions and status after arrival must get the approval of an immigration official.
In most cases, temporary residents cannot apply for permanent resident status from within Canada.
Exceptions to this rule include:
- Refugees or protected persons
- Live-in caregivers; and spouses or common-law partners of Canadian citizens or
- Permanent residents
