Canada visa
Canada's Temporary Resident system splits cleanly between the eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) for visa-exempt nationals flying in and the Temporary Resident Visa for everyone else. The published 30–37 day window applies to TRV cases, while eTA decisions are usually instant for clean applications. The 7 CAD figure shown corresponds to the eTA processing charge collected on the IRCC portal at lodgement; TRV applicants pay a separate consular fee plus biometrics at a Visa Application Centre. Both routes assess identity, financial substance, ties to the home country, and immigration history, with single fresh deposits or undisclosed prior refusals increasingly flagged. IRCC's fee tables and processing targets are reviewed periodically, so the live figures on canada.ca should be the reference at the moment of lodging.
| Visa required | Varies — verify on the official source |
|---|---|
| e-Visa available | Varies — verify on the official source |
Visa types, requirements & fees
| Visa type | Visa required | Processing | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | Yes | 30–42 days (source) | 150 CAD (source) |
| Tourist | Yes | 30–37 days (source) | 100 CAD (source) |
| Work | Yes | 30–37 days (source) | 155 CAD (source) |
Fees and processing times vary by visa type and can change — verify on the official source before applying.
Official resources
Requirements
Eligibility for the Visitor stream
- Hold a passport that is either visa-exempt (eligible for the eTA stream) or visa-required (eligible for a Temporary Resident Visa); the choice is set by nationality.
- Show genuine intent to visit Canada for tourism, family, business meetings, or short study and to leave at the end of the authorised stay.
- Demonstrate financial capacity through six months of stable bank statements showing the applicant's own funds, not borrowed deposits.
- Provide a travel itinerary covering flights, accommodation, and intended activities.
- Hold a passport valid for the entire requested stay; the visa cannot extend beyond the passport's validity.
- Meet IRCC's admissibility requirements — declare prior refusals from any country, criminal history, and immigration violations honestly.
- Meet health requirements through an IRCC-approved panel physician where triggered by the country of residence or planned stay.
- Provide biometrics at a Visa Application Centre where required (most TRV applicants between 14 and 79).
- Comply with the period of authorised stay set at the port of entry by the CBSA officer (normally up to six months).
Documents checklist
IRCC's Temporary Resident application is a structured upload through the IRCC Secure Account, with most checklists generated dynamically from the answers given on the form.
- Passport bio page with validity covering the entire requested stay.
- Recent digital photograph meeting IRCC visa-photo specifications.
- IMM 5257 application form (TRV) or eTA online form, completed in full.
- Schedule 1 background information form covering family, education, work, and travel history.
- Family Information form (IMM 5645) listing all immediate family with status and current location.
- Bank statements covering at least the last six months to demonstrate funds.
- Travel itinerary including flight reservations and accommodation.
- Letter of Invitation from a host in Canada, where applicable, with the host's status documents.
- Employment letter or business registration confirming ties to the home country.
- Police certificates if requested for the applicant's circumstances.
- Medical examination from an IRCC-approved panel physician where the stay or origin triggers it.
- Biometrics confirmation from a Visa Application Centre (fingerprints and photo).
Application steps
- Confirm whether the passport is eligible for the eTA stream or requires a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV); the choice is set by nationality and a wrong product cannot be corrected mid-application.
- Create an IRCC Secure Account on canada.ca to store the application, correspondence, and biometric instructions.
- Complete the online form (eTA or IMM 5257 for TRV) along with Schedule 1 background information and the Family Information form (IMM 5645) where required.
- Pay the application fee through the IRCC portal — the eTA is 7 CAD; TRV applicants pay a different consular fee plus a separate biometric charge.
- Upload supporting documents (TRV cases): passport bio page, photograph, financial evidence, travel itinerary, host letter, employment evidence, and police certificates if requested.
- Attend a Visa Application Centre for biometrics (fingerprints and photo) where required; the 30–37 day clock effectively starts from biometric receipt.
- Complete a panel-physician medical examination if triggered by the stay length or country of residence.
- Wait for the decision in the IRCC Secure Account or by email — eTA decisions usually arrive in minutes, while TRV decisions sit in the 30–37 day band.
- Travel to Canada with the passport carrying the eTA or TRV; present it to the CBSA officer at the port of entry, who issues the visitor record on admission.
Processing time
Processing time depends on the visa type — see the breakdown above.
Visa cost
Fees depend on the visa type — see the breakdown above.
The 7 CAD figure shown corresponds to the eTA processing charge collected by IRCC at the moment the online form is submitted — that fee funds the automated security and admissibility check that produces an electronic Travel Authorization linked to the passport.
Travellers who instead require a Temporary Resident Visa pay a different consular fee plus a per-application biometric charge at a Visa Application Centre; none of those are bundled into the 7 CAD figure. Payment is by credit or debit card on the official IRCC portal; mirror sites often add a service markup.
IRCC adjusts its fee schedule from time to time, so the current 7 CAD amount should be reconfirmed on the canada.ca application page before paying.
Common mistakes to avoid
Canadian visitor processing typically runs 30–37 days, and the listed 7 CAD figure aligns with the electronic Travel Authorization fee — applicants who need a full Temporary Resident Visa instead will see a higher consular charge, so confirm which document applies to your passport before lodging.
- Confusing the eTA with the visitor visa. The eTA is for visa-exempt nationals flying into Canada; visa-required nationals must apply for a TRV through a Visa Application Centre, and the two have different costs and document checklists.
- Booking flights before the 30–37 day window has run. Online tools sometimes show "average" wait times that exclude biometrics; the real clock includes time at the VAC and courier transit.
- Skipping biometrics where required. Most first-time applicants over 14 must give fingerprints and a photo at a VAC; until the biometrics are linked to the file, the application sits in queue.
- Submitting a thin proof-of-funds package. IRCC officers want bank statements covering several months and clear evidence the funds belong to the applicant, not borrowed deposits made days before lodgement.
- Failing to declare prior refusals from Canada, the US, the UK, Schengen, or Australia. The IMM 5257 form asks explicitly; omission is treated as misrepresentation under section A40 and bars re-applying for five years.
- Applying with a passport whose expiry is too close to the planned stay. The visa cannot be issued for a period longer than the passport's validity, and short validity often shortens the visitor period to a few weeks.
- Mistaking a multiple-entry visa for a long stay. A multi-entry sticker can be valid for years, but each individual entry is normally limited to six months unless extended through IRCC from inside Canada.
Country context & recent trends
Canada's Temporary Resident system splits clearly between the eTA stream (visa-exempt nationals flying in) and the Temporary Resident Visa stream (everyone else); the 30–37 day timeline tracks TRV processing rather than instant eTA decisions.
Recent rule changes
The eTA programme expanded in 2023 to cover several previously visa-required nationalities for travellers with valid US visas or who had recently held a Canadian visa. Cost-of-living thresholds for visitor and study files were raised in late 2023, and biometrics validity rules tightened for repeat applicants.
Regional appointment patterns
VAC capacity varies sharply by city — New Delhi, Manila, Lagos, Riyadh, and Beijing routinely run four- to six-week biometrics queues during the May–August peak. Smaller VACs (Almaty, Tbilisi, Casablanca) clear faster but offer fewer weekly slots, so the choice of VAC affects the practical timeline as much as the visa office itself.
How it compares to nearby destinations
For travellers planning a North American trip, Canada sits alongside the United States and Mexico as the three primary destinations — each runs its tourist programme on different fee and timeline assumptions.
| Destination | Visa required | Typical processing | Indicative fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (eTA / TRV) | Often yes for non-VWP | 30–37 days (TRV) / minutes (eTA) | 7 CAD |
| United States (B1/B2 or ESTA) | Yes for non-VWP | Weeks – months (B1/B2); minutes – 72h (ESTA) | ~ 185 USD (B1/B2); ~ 21 USD (ESTA) |
| Mexico (FMM/SAE) | Visa-free for many | On arrival or minutes online | ~ 0–700 MXN (paid in airfare for many) |
For passports eligible for both eTAs, Canada's 7 CAD eTA is the cheapest option in this table; visa-required nationals face higher fees in either Canada or the US.
Frequently asked questions
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How long does a Canadian visitor decision take?
The published target for Temporary Resident Visa cases is around 30–37 days, while eTA decisions are usually instant for visa-exempt nationals. Both timelines extend during peak windows (May–August and December), and biometrics queues at busy VACs add weeks beyond the IRCC clock itself.
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What does the 7 CAD fee actually cover?
The 7 CAD figure aligns with the eTA processing charge collected by IRCC at the moment the online form is submitted, funding the automated security and admissibility check. Travellers on the TRV path pay a different consular fee plus a separate biometrics charge at a Visa Application Centre — none of those are bundled into the 7 CAD figure.
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Do I need to give biometrics?
Most TRV applicants between 14 and 79 must enrol fingerprints and a photo at a VAC; eTA applicants generally do not. Biometrics are valid for ten years across multiple Canadian applications, so a recent enrolment can be reused without paying again, although the VAC service fee may still apply.
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Can my family apply with me on the same application?
Each family member needs an individual TRV or eTA application, but they can be linked through the IRCC Secure Account so the case officer reviews the group together. Each application carries its own fees, biometric obligations, and supporting documents.
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What happens if my application is refused?
IRCC refusals do not carry an automatic appeal for visitor cases, but the GCMS notes can be requested under Canada's privacy-access regime to understand the specific reasons. After addressing those reasons, the file can be re-lodged; misrepresentation findings, however, trigger a five-year inadmissibility bar.
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Can a multiple-entry visa let me stay long-term?
A multi-entry TRV can be valid for up to ten years (or until passport expiry, whichever comes first), but each individual entry is normally limited to six months unless a CBSA officer authorises a different period. Long stays require an in-country extension before the authorised period ends.
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Are eTA and TRV interchangeable?
No — the eTA is for visa-exempt nationals flying into Canada, while a TRV is required for everyone else and for some land or sea entries. Choosing the wrong product means the application is refused and the fee is not refunded, so confirm which document applies to the passport before lodging.