How to Obtain a Visa Before Traveling to Canada

Traveling to the Great White North can offer a wealth of different sights and attractions for tourists and vacationers from all over the world. Before planning your trip, make sure that you have the necessary documentation to make entering Canada an easy passage. Obtaining a Visa is a requisite for travelers headed for a whole host of destinations and in some cases, Canada is no different; but travelers from certain nations are exempt from having to first obtain a Visa to visit. Before planning your trip, go to www.cic.gc.ca to find out if you will need a Visa to enter Canada. In the event that your home country is not exempt from the requirement of a Visa, review this guide to find out which documents you will need to secure your Visa and finalize your trip. 

Official Documents

The primary documentation needed for those travelers who seek a Visa into Canada includes a completed application for Visa, a valid passport with at least one blank page, and proof of a return ticket.

Other Documents

Secondary documentation and proof includes a statement of funds showing you are sufficiently funded for your stay and a signed statement declaring your purpose for visiting (tourism, vacation, education, etc.) Those who choose to apply for a Visa into Canada should also provide a self-addressed and stamped envelope.

Minors 

Minors traveling to Canada must provide additional documentation before a Visa will be granted. Those travelers under the age of 16 at the time of application will need to provide information regarding the adult travelers that will accompany their trip. In the event that minor travelers will be coming to Canada alone, identification of those adults with whom the minor will be staying is required in the application. Minor travelers will also need to provide permission from their parents or guardian in their home country. 

Visa Duration

Once granted a Visa into Canada, travelers are granted entry and stay within Canada for a period not to exceed 90 days. Requests for visits longer than 90 days will need to be handled via separate process and application.

Application Review 

Applications for Visa into Canada are handled within 20 days of receipt usually. Applicants are asked to provide 40 days for mailed requests to be processed and returned.

Cost

The cost for obtaining a Visa into Canada is $75 Euros for a one time tourist, $150 for multiple visit and $400 for a family for multiple or one time visit. (As of 9/2019)