Visitor Visa (TRV)

Overview

A visitor visa lets eligible foreign nationals travel to Canada temporarily. Officers look for proof of funds, a clear purpose for the trip and ties that show you will leave at the end of your stay.

Who may qualify

• Valid passport
• Proof of financial means
• Ties to your home country
• No criminal or medical inadmissibility

The process

1. 1Check whether you need a visa or an eTA
2. 2Gather documents
3. 3Submit your application
4. 4Give biometrics
5. 5Receive your visa

Timeline: Varies by country — check IRCC's current processing times

Travel permission versus status in Canada

A temporary resident visa, commonly called a visitor visa or TRV, is placed in a passport and allows travel to a Canadian port of entry to seek admission during visa validity. It does not guarantee entry or authorize employment. Whether you need a visa, electronic travel authorization or neither depends on nationality, travel document and sometimes how you travel.

Visa validity and authorized stay are different. A border officer determines the period of admission; most visitors may stay up to six months unless a different period is specified. Check passport notations and visitor records. A visa valid for several years does not permit continuous residence for that entire period. A visitor record extending status is not a replacement travel visa.

Describe a realistic purpose for the visit

Explain what you will do, where you will stay, whom you will visit and why the duration is appropriate. Tourism, family events and business activities need different evidence. A practical itinerary should fit available leave, finances and responsibilities. Avoid elaborate schedules created solely for the application if they do not reflect real plans.

For family visits, identify the host, relationship, accommodation and who pays expenses. An invitation clarifies purpose but does not replace eligibility assessment. For a conference or meeting, provide registration or correspondence and explain overseas employment. Activities entering the Canadian labour market may require a work permit even when unpaid, informal or brief. Assess actual duties rather than relying on a business-visitor label.

Requirements checklist: affordable and temporary travel

There is no single ordinary visitor-visa bank balance appropriate for every trip. Officers consider duration, accommodation, transport, dependants and support. Provide a realistic budget and accessible funds. Bank histories are more informative than an isolated balance certificate. Explain unusual deposits rather than temporarily borrowing money to create an appearance of capacity.

Reasons to leave may include employment, approved leave, an operating business, studies, dependent relatives and ongoing responsibilities in the country of residence. Property or family ties are not mandatory in every case and do not guarantee approval. Explain circumstances as a whole, including lawful residence outside your citizenship country. Disclose Canadian family connections honestly and consider them alongside the temporary plan.

Prepare the application around your individual history

Follow current instructions and the personalized checklist. Complete travel, employment, family and immigration histories accurately. Disclose relevant refusals, removals or overstays when asked, including other countries or old passports. Provide readable copies and compliant translations. Generic cover letters or identical explanations for every family member can overlook differences in funding, employment and travel.

Monitor the account for biometrics, additional documents and medical requests. A passport request is a processing step whose instructions must be followed. Use the specified channel and retain copies of correspondence. If your event passes before a decision, consider updated travel plans or an explanation rather than leaving an obsolete purpose unaddressed. Avoid non-refundable bookings while the result is uncertain.

Arrival, extensions and refusal planning

Carry evidence explaining the visit at the border, including accommodation, host contacts and funds. Answer honestly and check authorized stay after admission. Multiple-entry validity does not promise admission on each trip or a fresh six months each time. Repeated lengthy visits may raise questions about visiting temporarily versus effectively living in Canada.

If more time is needed, apply to extend visitor status before expiry and explain changed plans and funding. A qualifying timely extension may allow maintained status while waiting, subject to conditions. It does not authorize work or guarantee re-entry. A visa application is not an application to extend status. After refusal, review actual reasons and evidence; fresh applications and legal challenges are different options, and requesting records does not suspend court deadlines.

Government fees

Government amounts are in Canadian dollars and must be checked on the official fee list before payment. Professional fees, translations, medical examinations and other third-party costs are separate. Exemptions and family maximums may apply; paying a fee does not purchase approval.

Processing times: Use the linked live IRCC processing-times tool for your application type and location. Published estimates are not deadlines or guarantees. Allow separately for document preparation, biometrics, medical examinations and any passport submission. A processing estimate does not extend immigration status.

Document checklist

• Passport identity and relevant travel and visa pages
• Trip explanation, realistic itinerary and event evidence
• Invitation, host information and accommodation arrangements
• Bank histories, income evidence and trip budget
• Employment and leave letters, business or enrolment evidence
• Lawful residence evidence when applying outside citizenship country
• Relationship, custody and parental consent records where needed
• Translations and requested medical or additional records

Common refusal reasons

• Unclear or inconsistent trip purpose and duration
• Funds not sufficient, accessible or credibly sourced
• Officer not satisfied the visitor will leave after authorized stay
• Contradictions or omissions in travel and immigration histories
• Proposed activities require work authorization
• False documents or admissibility concerns

Frequently asked questions