What it is
A visitor visa (temporary resident visa or TRV) is placed in your passport and allows foreign nationals from visa-required countries to travel to Canada temporarily — for tourism, visiting family and friends, or short business trips. Most visitors can stay up to 6 months at a time. Visas may be single-entry or multiple-entry (valid up to 10 years or to one month before your passport expires).
Who is eligible
You must: hold a valid travel document; be in good health; have no criminal or immigration-related convictions; convince an officer you have ties (job, home, assets, family) bringing you home; convince an officer you will leave at the end of your visit; have enough money for your stay. You may need a medical exam or a letter of invitation. Canadian permanent residents cannot get a visitor visa — a PR outside Canada without a valid PR card needs a permanent resident travel document instead.
The process
- Confirm you need a visitor visa (some travellers need an eTA instead).
- Gather documents using IRCC’s checklist for your country.
- Apply online (paper only in exceptional situations).
- Pay fees: $100 processing per person + $85 biometrics in most cases.
- Give biometrics at a Visa Application Centre if required.
- Medical exam or interview only if asked.
- If approved, submit your passport for the visa counterfoil.
Document checklist
Forms IMM 5257, IMM 5707, IMM 5484; valid passport; photos; proof of funds (bank statements, employment letter, pay slips, tax documents); travel itinerary; letter of invitation with host’s status proof; proof of ties to home country; travel history; IMM 5476 (representative) if applicable.
Important warnings
- Each family member, including dependent children, needs their own application.
- A refusal cannot be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division; options are reapplying with stronger evidence or judicial review.
- Apply well in advance — processing times vary by country.
Based on official guidance from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Next step: Visitor visa refusals often come down to how the file was presented. Contact Journey to West Immigration to prepare a clear, complete application.