Canada visa for India citizens
Indian passport holders need a Temporary Resident Visa for short visits to Canada — the eTA stream alone is not available, although the IRCC online application is fully digital. The published 30–37 day decision window frequently extends to six to eight weeks during the March–August peak, with New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chandigarh running the highest TRV volume in the IRCC network. The 7 CAD figure shown corresponds to the eTA charge; the live TRV fee plus VFS biometrics make up the actual outlay for Indian applicants. IRCC officers look closely at financial substance — six months of stable bank statements, recent ITR-V filings, and salary or business records — alongside ties to the home country and prior immigration history. Many Indian applicants receive a multi-entry visa valid for up to ten years, but each individual visit is normally capped at six months and total time spent in Canada should not approach time spent outside.
| Visa required | Yes (source) |
|---|---|
| e-Visa available | No (source) |
| Maximum stay | 180 days (source) |
| Processing time | 30–37 days (source) |
| Visa fee | 100 CAD (source) |
Official resources
Requirements
TRV eligibility for Indian passport holders
- Hold an Indian passport with validity covering the entire requested stay; the visa cannot extend beyond passport validity.
- Demonstrate financial capacity through six months of stable bank statements, recent ITR-V filings, and salary or business records that match the lifestyle the application implies.
- Show ties to India — employment, family, property, or business — to support intent to return after the visit.
- Provide a travel itinerary covering flights, internal travel, and accommodation in Canada.
- For sponsored visits: provide a Letter of Invitation from the Canadian host, with the host's identification and status documents.
- 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 VFS Global centre (Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jalandhar, or others); the 30+ day processing clock effectively starts from biometric receipt.
- Comply with the period of authorised stay set at the port of entry by the CBSA officer.
Documents checklist
For Indian passport holders, the visitor file is denser than for many other nationalities — IRCC's New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chandigarh offices look hard at financial substance and travel history before granting a TRV.
- Indian passport with validity covering the entire requested stay.
- IMM 5257 application form completed in full, plus Schedule 1 background information.
- Family Information form (IMM 5645) listing immediate relatives.
- Bank statements covering the last six months — preferably with consistent balances.
- Income tax returns (ITR-V) for the last two to three years.
- Salary slips or business registration documents (GST, MSME, partnership deed).
- Property and asset documents where they support the financial picture.
- Letter of Invitation from a Canadian host, accompanied by the host's identification and status documents.
- Travel itinerary with flight reservations, internal travel, and accommodation.
- Employment letter confirming approved leave or business activity.
- Biometrics from VFS Global (fingerprints and photo).
- Travel insurance covering medical and repatriation costs.
- Police clearance certificate where IRCC requests it.
Application steps
- Confirm that a Temporary Resident Visa is required — the eTA stream alone is not available for Indian passport holders.
- Create an IRCC Secure Account on canada.ca to manage the application and correspondence.
- Complete the IMM 5257 form, Schedule 1 background information, and Family Information form (IMM 5645), declaring all prior refusals from any country.
- Pay the consular TRV fee through the IRCC portal; the 7 CAD figure shown is the eTA charge and does not represent the actual TRV outlay.
- Upload supporting documents: passport bio page, photograph, six months of stable bank statements, recent ITR-V filings, salary slips or business registration, travel itinerary, and a Letter of Invitation where applicable.
- Book and attend a biometrics appointment at a VFS Global centre — Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jalandhar, or others — fingerprints and a photo are captured.
- Complete a panel-physician medical examination if the planned stay or country triggers it.
- Wait for the decision in the IRCC Secure Account — routine cases sit in the 30–37 day band, with peak windows extending to six to eight weeks.
- Once approved, the passport is returned by VFS courier with the visa sticker; travel to Canada and present the passport to the CBSA officer on arrival.
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.
For Indian passport holders the 7 CAD figure shown most closely corresponds to the eTA, but Indian travellers normally need a full Temporary Resident Visa instead, which carries its own fee schedule plus a separate biometric charge at a Visa Application Centre.
The TRV fee, biometrics, courier handling, optional priority lodgement, and any VFS service charge each appear as line items at the application centre. Payment is taken in IRCC's portal for the visa fee and at the VAC for the biometric and service fees; agent fees, where used, are billed separately.
Because IRCC reviews fees periodically, both the visa fee and the biometric charge should be confirmed on canada.ca before paying.
Common mistakes to avoid
Indian passport holders applying for a Canadian visitor stream typically wait 30–37 days for a decision, and online lodgement is available — but most of the friction in the file sits in financial documentation, not the form itself.
- Submitting weak proof of funds. IRCC officers want stable balances over six months; a single statement showing a sudden deposit, a recent loan, or a fixed deposit broken specifically for the trip is a frequent refusal trigger.
- Submitting a thin Letter of Invitation. If a host in Canada is sponsoring the visit, the LOI must include the host's status, address, occupation, copies of identification, and a clear explanation of who is paying for the trip.
- Skipping biometrics at the VFS centre. Indian applicants are almost always required to give biometrics in person; until those are linked, the 30+ day clock does not start.
- Booking flights before the decision. The 30–37 day target is broad and gets longer in summer peaks; plan refundable bookings or wait for the passport return courier confirmation.
- Failing to disclose prior visa refusals from any country. The Schedule 1 form is explicit; suppressing a Schengen, UK, or US refusal is treated as misrepresentation and triggers a five-year bar.
- Treating dependent travel as automatic. Each family member needs an individual application, individual photos, and individual proof of ties; bundling them into a single narrative is a common reason a single member gets refused while others succeed.
- Misreading the multi-entry default. Many Indian applicants receive a 10-year multi-entry visa, but the period of stay per visit remains capped — the 10-year sticker is not a 10-year residence right.
Country context & recent trends
Indian passport holders applying through New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, or Chandigarh face the highest TRV volume in the IRCC network, and the 30–37 day target frequently extends to six to eight weeks during peak windows. The 7 CAD figure shown is the eTA charge; Indian travellers pay the higher TRV fee plus VFS biometrics.
Recent updates
IRCC's 2023–2024 cycle saw temporary capacity reductions at the New Delhi office during a diplomatic dispute, longer queues at Mumbai and Bangalore, and a reorganisation of biometrics scheduling at VFS centres. Refusals citing weak financial-substance evidence rose noticeably for Indian visitor cases.
Peak-season patterns
March–August is the densest window, driven by summer-vacation, family-visit, and August-intake study traffic. Bangalore and Hyderabad VFS centres run the longest biometrics queues in those months; smaller VACs (Pune, Jalandhar) typically have shorter waits.
How it compares to nearby destinations
For Indian travellers comparing destinations in the Anglosphere, Canada sits alongside the US, the UK, and Australia as the four most-applied tourist destinations — each operates a different visa product at a different price point.
| Destination | Visa required (Indian passport) | Typical processing | Indicative fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (TRV) | Yes | 30–37 days | 7 CAD (eTA charge shown) |
| United States (B1/B2) | Yes | Weeks – months (interview wait) | ~ 185 USD |
| United Kingdom (Standard Visitor) | Yes | ~ 15–21 working days | ~ 115 GBP |
| Australia (subclass 600) | Yes | ~ 1–5 days | ~ 200 AUD |
Indian applicants pay the live consular TRV fee plus VFS biometrics on top of the 7 CAD figure, so the headline number understates the practical Canadian outlay; Australia's subclass 600 is comparatively quick for Indian nationals when documentation is complete.
Frequently asked questions
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Do Indian citizens need a visa to visit Canada?
Yes — Indian passport holders need a Temporary Resident Visa for short visits to Canada and cannot use the eTA stream alone. The 7 CAD figure shown corresponds to the eTA, while the TRV carries a separate, higher consular fee plus VFS biometrics.
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How long does the application take from India?
The published target is 30–37 days, but New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chandigarh routinely run longer during the March–August peak. Lodge as early as possible and book biometrics at the VFS centre as soon as the file is submitted.
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Can my family apply together?
Each family member files an individual application linked to the same IRCC Secure Account, with each carrying its own fee, biometrics step, and document set. Sharing one financial story across multiple files is sensible, but each applicant must be assessed individually.
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What financial evidence do Indian applicants typically need?
IRCC officers expect six months of stable bank statements, recent ITR-V filings, and salary or business records that match the lifestyle the application implies. Single fresh deposits, sudden FD-breakages, or borrowed funds shortly before lodgement are the most common reasons for refusal under the financial ground.
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How can a refusal be addressed?
Order GCMS notes through Canada's privacy-access regime to understand the case officer's specific concerns, and respond to those concerns substantively in the next file. Misrepresentation findings carry a five-year inadmissibility bar, so undisclosed prior refusals from any country should be declared rather than hidden.
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Can I get a multi-entry visa from India?
Many Indian applicants receive multi-entry visas valid for up to ten years (or until passport expiry), but each individual visit is normally capped at six months. The ten-year sticker is a travel convenience, not a residence right.
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Are biometrics always required?
Yes, almost all Indian applicants between 14 and 79 must give biometrics at a VFS centre, and the 30–37 day clock effectively starts from receipt. Existing biometrics from a Canadian application in the last ten years can be reused, but the VFS service fee may still apply.