Canada Visitor Visa Guide

Do You Need a Visitor Visa or an eTA?

Whether you need a visitor visa depends on the passport you travel on and how you are travelling to Canada, not on how long you plan to stay or what you plan to do here.

• Citizens of visa-required countries need a visitor visa to visit or transit through Canada, whether they arrive by air, car, bus, train or boat.
• Citizens of visa-exempt countries need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport, and only a valid passport when arriving by land or sea.
• Citizens of 17 select visa-required countries (including Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia) may apply for an eTA instead of a visa if they are flying and have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa.
• US citizens need neither a visa nor an eTA, and lawful permanent residents of the US are exempt from the eTA but must carry proof of status and a valid passport.

If you are unsure which document applies to you, check your status with IRCC’s official entry-requirements tool before you apply. Applying for the wrong document is a common cause of delay.

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Who Needs a Canada Visitor Visa?

Citizens of visa-required countries must obtain a visitor visa before travelling to Canada. These countries include most nations in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. The visa is needed regardless of how long you intend to stay, whether it is a few days or several months.

Citizens of visa-exempt countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and most European Union member states, do not need a visitor visa. They need an eTA if they fly to Canada. Being visa-exempt does not change because you plan to work or study: a visa-exempt student or worker still needs a study permit or work permit, but the entry document remains an eTA (when flying) rather than a visa. IRCC issues that eTA automatically when it approves the initial permit.

In other words, the study permit or work permit is a separate authorization based on what you will do in Canada, while the visa or eTA requirement is based on your nationality and mode of travel. A work or study permit is not a visa.

A criminal record or a past immigration violation does not turn a visa-exempt traveller into a visa-required one. Instead, it can make you inadmissible to Canada. If that applies to you, you may need criminal rehabilitation or a temporary resident permit before you travel, and you should get advice before booking.

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Visitor Visa Fees in 2026

Government fees are set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The figures below reflect the IRCC fee list as of October 2026:

• Visitor visa (single or multiple entry, including super visa): $100 per person. IRCC decides which type to issue.
• Visitor visa, family maximum (5 or more people applying at the same time and place): $500
• Biometrics: $85 per person, or $170 maximum per family applying together
• Extend your stay as a visitor (visitor record): $100 per person
• Restore your status as a visitor: $246.25 (no separate visa or extension fee is needed)
• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), if that is what you need instead: $7

In most cases you should budget $185 CAD per adult first-time applicant: the $100 visa fee plus the $85 biometrics fee. These are government fees only and do not include any fee charged by a representative.

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How Long Does It Take to Get a Visitor Visa?

IRCC publishes visitor visa processing times by country of residence, and they change frequently. The real timeline depends on where you apply from, how complete your application is, whether you must give biometrics, and overall application volumes. Biometrics collection time is not included in IRCC’s published estimates.

Check the current estimate for your country on IRCC’s processing times tool before you book travel. Because incomplete applications are the most common cause of delay, applying well ahead of your travel date, several months where possible, gives you room if extra documents or verification are requested.

If you are being sponsored for permanent residence by your spouse or partner and your sponsor has received an acknowledgement of receipt, IRCC automatically gives your visitor visa application faster processing. See our Canada temporary visa overview for how the visitor visa fits with other temporary categories.

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What Are the Requirements for a Canada Visitor Visa?

To get a visitor visa you must convince an officer that you will stay temporarily, can support yourself, and are admissible to Canada.

1. Valid Passport

IRCC recommends that your passport be valid for at least six months from the date you plan to travel. A visa cannot be issued beyond your passport’s expiry date, so renew your passport before you apply if it is close to expiring.

2. Purpose of Visit

You must clearly explain why you are coming, such as tourism, business meetings or visiting family and friends. A detailed itinerary can strengthen your application.

3. Proof of Financial Support

You must show you have enough money for your stay, including accommodation, transportation and daily living costs. Bank statements, employment letters and proof of income are commonly used.

4. Ties to Your Home Country

Employment, property, family and other commitments help show that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.

5. Letter of Invitation (if applicable)

If you are visiting family or friends, a letter of invitation from your host can support your application. It should include the host’s status in Canada, your relationship, and the length of your visit.

6. Admissibility

You must not be inadmissible to Canada on criminal, security or medical grounds. Officers may run background checks, and some applicants may need a police certificate.

7. Medical Examination (if required)

Some applicants need an immigration medical exam, depending on where they have lived and how long they plan to stay.

8. Biometrics

Most visitor visa applicants must give fingerprints and a photo unless they are exempt, for example children under 14 or applicants over 79. Biometrics are generally valid for 10 years.

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How to Apply: Online or on Paper

IRCC requires most visitor visa applicants to apply online, through the IRCC Portal or an IRCC secure account. Paper applications are not a general alternative. You can apply on paper only if:

• you cannot apply online, including because of a disability, or
• you are travelling with an identity or travel document issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen.

Paper applicants who must give biometrics have to submit their application in person at a visa application centre.

1. Check That You Need a Visa

Confirm with IRCC’s entry-requirements tool that you need a visitor visa rather than an eTA.

2. Gather Your Documents

Prepare your passport copy, proof of funds, itinerary and any invitation letter. When you apply online you receive a personalized document checklist; your local visa office may require extra documents.

3. Complete the Application

Answer the online questions and complete the Application for Visitor Visa (IMM 5257) and family information form as listed in your checklist.

4. Pay Your Fees

Pay the $100 processing fee and, if you are a first-time biometrics applicant, the $85 biometrics fee when you submit. Paying biometrics later can delay your file.

5. Give Your Biometrics

Wait for your biometrics instruction letter, then book an appointment at a visa application centre as soon as possible.

6. Wait for a Decision

You may be asked for more information, an interview or a medical exam. If approved, you send your passport so the visa can be placed in it.

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What Documents Do You Need for a Canada Visitor Visa?

Your personalized checklist is the final word, but most applicants will need some or all of the following:

1. Passport or Travel Document

• A clear colour copy of the page showing your birth date and country of origin.
• Copies of any pages with stamps, visas or markings.

2. Visitor Visa Application Form (IMM 5257)

• Completed and signed application form.

3. Family Information Form (IMM 5645 or IMM 5707)

• Completed and signed family information form, if listed on your checklist.

4. Proof of Financial Support

• Bank statements showing at least six months of account history, with the bank’s name and contact details.
• Pay stubs or an employment letter showing salary and length of employment.
• Tax returns or proof of assets.
• If someone in Canada is supporting you, a letter of financial support and proof of their means.

5. Purpose of Visit and Itinerary

• Travel itinerary, flight details and proof of accommodation, or event registration.

6. Letter of Invitation (if applicable)

• A letter from your host including their full name, contact information, status in Canada, relationship to you and the length of your stay.
• A copy of the host’s proof of status in Canada.

7. Ties to Your Home Country

• An employment letter on company letterhead, dated within three months of applying, confirming your job, start date, salary and approved leave.
• Proof of property ownership or lease, and proof of family ties.

8. Travel History

• Copies of previous passports and visas used in the past 10 years, including visas to the United States, the United Kingdom or the Schengen Area.

9. Photos

• A photo meeting IRCC’s visa photo specifications, if requested in your checklist. Online applicants upload a digital photo.

10. Letter of Explanation

• A cover letter explaining the purpose of your visit, your plans and how you meet the requirements.

11. Medical Exam or Police Certificate (if required)

• Only if requested based on your country of residence, length of stay or history.

12. Relationship Documents (if visiting family)

• Birth or marriage certificates or other documents proving your relationship to the person you are visiting.

13. Consent Letter for Minors (if applicable)

• If a child is travelling alone or with one parent, a letter from the non-accompanying parent or guardian authorizing the trip.

If you plan to study or work in Canada, you need a study permit or work permit rather than a visitor visa alone. If your permit is approved, IRCC issues any visa you need at the same time.

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Factors Affecting Processing Time

• Country of residence: Processing times differ significantly between visa offices.
• Completeness of your application: Missing documents lead to requests for information and delays.
• Biometrics and medical exams: Appointment availability can add days or weeks.
• Background checks: Complex travel histories, previous refusals or criminal records can mean longer checks.
• Seasonal demand: Applications rise before summer and major holidays.

Tips for Minimizing Delays

• Apply early: Ideally several months before you plan to travel.
• Submit a complete application: Follow your checklist exactly and pay biometrics with your application.
• Check processing times regularly: Use IRCC’s processing times tool for your country.

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How Long Can I Stay in Canada on a Visitor Visa?

Most visitors are admitted for up to six months. The border services officer decides the exact period on arrival. If the officer does not stamp your passport or give you a document with a different date, you may stay for six months from the date you entered.

If you want to stay longer, you must apply to extend your stay (a visitor record) from inside Canada before your current status expires. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before it expires. The fee is $100. If you apply on time, you can generally remain in Canada under the same conditions while IRCC decides. A visitor record does not allow you to work or study without the appropriate permit.

Your visitor visa’s expiry date is a separate matter. The visa controls when you can travel to Canada; your authorized stay controls how long you can remain once admitted. An expiring visa does not shorten an authorized stay, and a valid visa does not extend it.

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What If I Overstay in Canada?

Overstaying means remaining in Canada after your authorized period of stay as a temporary resident has ended. This is a breach of Canadian immigration law and can lead to serious consequences.

Immediate Consequences

You may be reported and issued a removal order. Depending on the type of order, you may need written authorization to return to Canada in the future.

Long-Term Consequences

An overstay is recorded and can lead to refusals of future visa or immigration applications.

Restoring Your Status

If your visitor status expired less than 90 days ago, you may be able to apply to restore it. The 90 days run from the date your authorized temporary resident status ended, not from the expiry date of the visa in your passport. You apply using the Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada as a Visitor (IMM 5708), select “Restore my status as a visitor”, explain why you stayed longer than allowed, and pay the $246.25 restoration fee. Approval is not guaranteed, and you must still meet the requirements for visitor status.

If more than 90 days have passed, restoration is generally no longer available, and you should get legal advice about leaving Canada and your options for returning.

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Frequently Asked Questions