Canada Tourist visa
Canadian Visitor records use either the electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for visa-exempt nationals or the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for everyone else, with the choice driven by the passport. The published 30–37 day window applies to TRV processing, while eTA decisions usually arrive in minutes for clean cases. The 7 CAD figure shown matches the eTA charge collected on canada.ca at lodgement; TRV applicants pay a higher consular fee plus a separate biometric charge at a Visa Application Centre. IRCC reviews bank statements over six months for stable balances rather than fresh deposits, and weighs ties to the home country alongside the trip itinerary. A multi-entry sticker may be valid for years, but each individual entry is normally limited to six months unless extended through IRCC from inside Canada.
| Visa required | Varies — verify on the official source |
|---|---|
| e-Visa available | Yes |
| Processing time | 30–37 days (source) |
| Visa fee | 100 CAD (source) |
Official resources
Requirements
Visitor stream eligibility
- Hold a passport that is either visa-exempt (eligible for the eTA) or visa-required (eligible for a Temporary Resident Visa).
- Show genuine intent to visit Canada for tourism, family, or short business activity, and to leave at the end of the authorised stay.
- Demonstrate financial capacity through six months of stable bank statements; sudden fresh deposits before lodgement are flagged.
- Show ties to the home country — employment, family, property, or business — to support intent to return.
- Hold a passport valid for the entire requested stay; the visa cannot extend beyond the passport's validity.
- Meet IRCC admissibility — 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 planned stay or country of residence.
- 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
The Visitor stream's checklist is generated by the IRCC Secure Account based on the answers entered, so the precise list varies by passport and trip — but the core documents below are virtually always requested.
- Passport bio page valid for the entire requested stay.
- Recent visa-photo file matching IRCC specifications (size, background, head position).
- Application form IMM 5257 (TRV) or the online eTA form, completed without gaps.
- Schedule 1 background information form for TRV applicants.
- Family Information form (IMM 5645) listing immediate family.
- Bank statements for the last six months demonstrating stable balances.
- Travel itinerary covering flights, internal travel, and accommodation in Canada.
- Letter of Invitation from a host in Canada, with the host's identification and status documents.
- Employment letter, business registration, or pension records evidencing ties to the home country.
- Travel insurance for medical, evacuation, and repatriation costs.
- Police clearance where the IRCC officer requests it.
- Biometrics receipt from a Visa Application Centre (fingerprints and photo).
Application steps
- Confirm whether the passport requires the eTA or the TRV stream — visa-exempt nationals fly under the eTA, while visa-required nationals lodge a TRV through a Visa Application Centre.
- Create an IRCC Secure Account on canada.ca to manage the application and store correspondence.
- Complete the online form (eTA or IMM 5257) along with Schedule 1 background information and the Family Information form (IMM 5645) where required.
- Pay the application fee through the IRCC portal — the 7 CAD figure shown matches the eTA charge; TRV applicants pay the higher consular fee plus VFS biometrics.
- Upload supporting documents (TRV cases): passport bio page, photograph, six months of bank statements, travel itinerary, accommodation evidence, employment letter, and a Letter of Invitation where applicable.
- Attend a Visa Application Centre for biometrics (fingerprints and photo); the 30–37 day clock effectively starts from biometric receipt.
- Wait for the decision through the IRCC Secure Account or by email — eTA decisions usually arrive in minutes; TRV decisions sit in the published 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, and answer routine questions on purpose, length of stay, and ties to home.
Processing time
30–37 days (source) (typical). Processing times may vary.
Visa cost
Fee (from our data): 100 CAD (source) . Fees are subject to change; check the official source before applying.
The 7 CAD published amount lines up with the eTA stream — IRCC charges it once at lodgement, and the payment funds the automated check that produces an electronic Travel Authorization linked to the passport's chip.
Applicants from visa-required countries pay a different TRV fee plus a separate biometrics charge at a VAC; courier returns, optional priority handling, and any agent fees are also billed separately. Cards are processed inside the IRCC application portal; mirror sites frequently add their own service charge above the 7 CAD figure.
Visitor fees and biometric charges are revised periodically, so the current amount should be verified on the official IRCC application page before paying.
Common mistakes to avoid
Visitor records take 30–37 days to decide and the 7 CAD figure shown corresponds to the eTA stream — applicants from visa-required countries pay the standard TRV fee instead and should not assume their case will follow the eTA path.
- Filing the wrong product. Travellers from visa-exempt countries flying in need an eTA; everyone else needs a Temporary Resident Visa. Choosing wrong forces a refund-and-re-file cycle.
- Treating online instant eTA approvals as the rule. Most clear within minutes, but a small share fall into manual review and join the same 30+ day queue as TRVs; do not book unrefundable flights for 48 hours later.
- Glossing over financial proof. IRCC wants three to six months of statements showing stable balances; sudden top-ups before lodgement are flagged.
- Underdescribing ties to the home country. A vague "I will return after my trip" is not enough; supply employment, lease, family, or business documents.
- Using a passport with limited validity. Visa stickers cannot extend beyond passport expiry, and IRCC will trim the authorised period accordingly.
- Skipping the optional cover letter. A short itinerary, host details, and purpose-of-visit summary trims back-and-forth requests substantially and helps clean cases finish near the 30-day end of the window.
- Believing the visa equals automatic entry. The CBSA officer at the port has the final say on length of stay; misalignment between your stated plan and the visa application can result in a shortened admission or refusal at the border.
Country context & recent trends
Visitor records process in 30–37 days, but the experience differs substantially between an eTA (where decisions are usually instant) and a TRV (where biometrics, supporting evidence, and queue position drive a multi-week timeline). The 7 CAD fee shown matches eTA processing; TRV applicants pay a higher consular fee plus biometrics.
Recent updates
IRCC expanded the eTA list in 2023 for travellers with prior Canadian visas or current US visas from several countries. Standard TRV decisions have shifted toward a stricter financial-substance test, with single fresh deposits flagged for review more often than in the past.
Peak season
Summer (May–August) and the December holiday window pull TRV processing toward the longer end of the range. VACs in New Delhi, Mumbai, Manila, Lagos, and Riyadh run multi-week biometrics queues in those months; smaller VACs are noticeably faster but cover fewer territories.
How it compares to nearby destinations
Within the North American region, Canada's TRV and eTA streams sit alongside the US visitor system and Mexico's FMM as the main short-visit products.
| 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 (ESTA / B1/B2) | Yes for non-VWP | Minutes – 72 hours (ESTA); weeks – months (B1/B2) | ~ 21 USD (ESTA); ~ 185 USD (B1/B2) |
| Mexico (FMM) | Visa-free for many | Online or on arrival | Often included in airfare |
For passports eligible for both eTAs, Canada's 7 CAD charge undercuts the US ESTA fee; visa-required nationals face higher fees on both sides of the border.
Frequently asked questions
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How quickly are Canadian tourist visas issued?
Outside-Canada Temporary Resident Visa decisions sit in a 30–37 day window, while eTAs are usually instant for visa-exempt nationals. Both extend during May–August and December peaks, and biometrics queues at major VACs can add weeks to the IRCC processing clock.
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What is the 7 CAD fee for?
The 7 CAD figure corresponds to the eTA processing charge collected at lodgement, which funds the automated admissibility check that produces the electronic Travel Authorization. TRV applicants pay a different consular fee plus a separate biometric charge at a VAC; the 7 CAD only applies to the eTA stream.
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Do I need biometrics for a tourist visa?
Most TRV applicants enrol fingerprints and a photo at a VAC; eTA applicants generally do not. Existing biometrics from a Canadian application within the last ten years can be reused, although VAC service fees may still apply.
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Can I bring my children?
Each child needs their own application — TRV or eTA, depending on nationality — linked to the parent's IRCC Secure Account where applicable. Parental consent is required for minors travelling without both parents, and notarised letters are commonly requested at the border.
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What if my application is refused?
Visitor refusals do not carry an automatic appeal, but GCMS notes can be requested to understand the case officer's reasoning before re-lodging. Common refusal grounds — weak ties, fresh deposits, or undisclosed prior refusals — should be addressed substantively rather than masked.
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Can a multi-entry visa let me live in Canada?
A multi-entry TRV can be valid for up to ten years, but each visit is normally capped at six months and total time spent in Canada should not approach time spent outside. Long stays require an in-country extension before the authorised period ends.
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Can the visa be extended from inside Canada?
Visitor records can be extended through IRCC by lodging an application before the authorised stay ends, with a fresh financial and purpose assessment. Extensions are subject to maintained-status rules that allow the applicant to remain while the file is processed.