A Canada Tourist Visa is the official document granted by the Canadian authority, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, that lets a person stay in the country for a limited time. Officially, a tourist visa is actually called a Visitor Visa or a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
With a Canadian tourist visa, you are allowed to stay in the country for a period of about 6 months or as the border services officers allow you. You may be allowed to stay for half a year in Canada or if your passport expires before that, less than 6 months.
Table of Content
- Tourist Attractions of Canada
- Who can apply?
- What makes you ineligible for tourist visa?
- Documents Required
- Application Process
- What happens when you arrive in Canada on a tourist visa?
Tourist Attractions of Canada
Some of the best places to visit in Canada are:
- Old Quebec
- Yoho National Park of Canada
- Niagara Falls
- Notre-Dame Basilica
- CN Tower
- The Butchart Gardens
- Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
- Montreal Botanical Garden
- Canadian Museum of History
Who can apply for tourist visa?
Meet the following requirements and you can apply for a Canada tourist visa online:
- have a valid passport or a travel document
- have enough funds to last your stay in Canada
- must be in good health
- have a clean police record, especially when it comes to immigration-related matters
- convince the border services officer at the port of entry that you WILL leave the country once your stay ends, and that you have connection with your home country, which proves you will go back
You may also need to take a medical exam to demonstrate that your health is good, and you are not a threat to the safety of Canadians. Apart from these requirements, to obtain a tourist visa, you might need to acquire an invitation letter from someone you know who lives in Canada as well.
What makes you ineligible for tourist visa?
These reasons might lead to the rejection of your tourist visa:
- Not having a valid passport or having a
- passport issued from Somalia
- temporary passport which was issued by the Republic of South Africa
- non-machine readable passport issued by the Czech Republic
- provisional passport issued by Venezuela
- Being involved in criminal activities
- Unable to demonstrate clear ties with home country
- Not having enough money
- Unable to convince the immigration officer that you will leave Canada
- Being involved in organized crime or have violated human rights
What documents are required for tourist visa to Canada?
We are about to list the documents you may need for a tourist visa, but you must keep in mind that even if you upload all these documents, IRCC might not approve your application.
| Type of Document | |
| Identity Document | IRCC Will Accept: |
| Passport | |
| US Refugee Travel Document | |
| US Permit to Re-Enter | |
| For stateless persons – alien passport | |
| For non-citizen persons- refugee travel document | |
| Family Information | Applicants aged 18 or older will complete this form |
| Minor Children (if required) | This is required only if a minor child is traveling alone, with one parent, or a relative |
| Use of Representative (if required) | If a family member or a third party is applying for the principal applicant, they need to complete this form |
| Other Documents | Travel history |
| Itinerary | |
| Bank Account Statement | |
| Authority to release personal information to a designated individual |
You don’t have to upload all these documents as long as you upload the ones that prove you qualify for a tourist visa. In case IRCC requires more documents, it will ask you to upload them. You must provide the requested documents on time.
How to apply for Canada tourist visa?
Follow the steps below to get a Canada tourist visa by applying online:
Step 1 – Create an IRCC account
To create an IRCC account, you must get an invite code first.
To get an invite code, provide your email address and the code will be sent to you.
After that, you can sign in.
Step 2 – Complete the Forms
Once you are signed in, you can start filling out the tourist visa application form and upload the required documents. You will receive a list of documents based on the answers you provide after signing in.
Step 3 – Pay the Fee
Just simply pay CAN$100 for yourself, or CAN$500 if your family consists of 5 people and are going with you.
Step 4 – After applying
You must give your biometric information, if you haven’t done it in the last 10 years. Further, you may also need to provide further documents, if requested by IRCC.
Step 5 – Decision
If your application is approved, IRCC will send you a decision letter and another letter which will instruct you to submit your passport.
Once you submit your passport, IRCC will put the tourist visa in your passport and then you can come to Canada. In case you are coming with a minor child (a child under the age of 18 years), you will need to carry some documents with you to show that the child can travel.
Further, if someone invited you to Canada, at the port of entry, you might have to show that invitation letter to a border services officer.
What happens when you arrive in Canada on a tourist visa?
When you arrive in Canada and land at any one of the 4 major airports, your fingerprints will be collected at a primary inspection kiosk. The system will use your fingerprints to ensure that the information you provided in your application is all correct, and you are the same person who’s tourist visa application was approved.
On the other hand, if you land at a port of entry, a border services officer will meet with you and may refer you to go through a secondary screening where they will use a fingerprint verification device to check your identity.
Do you need a tourist visa if you are transiting through a Canada airport?
Yes, you do need a Canadian visa even if you are just transiting through a Canada airport. For transiting purposes, you apply for a Canada transit visa, which is free. A transit visa shows that you can transit through a Canadian airport for 48 hours, and you may use it once or twice only.
How long is Canada tourist visa valid?
Though a Canada tourist visa is usually valid for 6 months, it mostly depends on how long the border services officer lets you stay in the country. In case your passport is expiring before, you might need to leave Canada early.
Once you are through the security screening, have passed the medical exam and the formalities are done, the border services officer would either stamp your visa in your passport or they would let you know how long you can stay.
Is an interview required for Canada tourist visa?
Usually, you don’t need to attend an interview if you are coming to Canada on a tourist visa. However, you might still need to meet a border service officer who will check your identity before letting you in Canada.
How long does it take to get Canada tourist visa?
- Currently, IRCC is taking 114 days to process your Canadian tourist visa application if you applied from India.
- The current visa application processing time for a tourist visa applied from Canada is 18 days.
- Applying for a tourist visa extension will take 126 days.
Is biometric required for tourist visa?
Yes, biometrics are required for a Canadian tourist visa. However, if you have provided your biometric information to Canadian authorities in the last 10 years, you don’t have to give them again.
After giving biometrics, the authorities start processing your tourist visa application, and thus, it becomes essential that you provide the biometric information on time so your application is processed without any delays.
What is tourist visa fee for Canada?
A Canada tourist visa or a visitor visa costs CAN$100 for a single applicant. But if you are coming along with your family (consisting of 5 members), the cost increases to CAN$500. In case you are extending the tourist visa, pay CAN$100 for each person.
How much bank balance is required for Canada tourist visa?
Though there’s no definite bank balance required for a Canadian visitor visa or a tourist visa, you still need about CAN$6,500 in your bank account.
This bank balance is required to demonstrate that while you stay in Canada, you will be able to support yourself financially. You might need to show a higher bank balance depending on where in Canada you will be staying, whether you would be staying at a hotel or at a relatives, etc.
To know how much bank balance you would actually need to show, call us today (at +91 875-005-9500) and connect with an immigration consultant who will help you clear all your doubts.
Can you work in Canada with tourist visa?
While you are in Canada on a tourist visa, you cannot enter the labour market directly. However, since there’s a temporary policy going on, visitors are allowed to apply for a work permit if they meet the eligibility requirements.
This way, you might be able to convert your tourist visa to work permit in Canada.
Want to know more? Why not register yourself with the only CICC-licensed Canadian immigration consultants in India? Call Talent Connected Worldwide today, and let us assist you in your journey.
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