Visa to Canada
Canadian Visa- is an official coloured stamp and document, which is granted to your passport by Canada Immigration. Visitor Visa to Canada allows people to enter Canada with different purpose of travelling to Canada: Travel, Visit friends and relatives, business purposes, study, work, etc. Potential Applicants has 2 options of applying to Canada: online and paper application. Online application can be processed only on official Canada immigration Website: cic.gc.ca . Online application is faster in processing and more tech savvy. However, paper application allows to add more documents and sometimes more efficient for some type of people. Processing time depends on country of application and may vary from 1 week to 2 month. Some citizenships are visa exempt and people of particular countries need to get only eTA ( electronic Travel Authorization).It is more convenient and fast for people ,who would like to visit Canada and lucky to be born and obtained citizenship of limited approved countries. As was mentioned earlier, there are different reasons and purposes to travel to Canada and get Visa to Canada. Lets mention some of them:
- Travel to Canada as a tourist. People, who would like to come to Canada as a tourist in most cases should apply for Tourist Visa. You always have to check first on official website: cic.gc.ca and check does your citizenship and passport requires Visa to Canada. In order to apply for Visitor Visa and raise your chances for approval, it is important to try to convince immigration officer of your genuine intention to come to Canada for travel purposes. It is a good idea, besides basic required documents such as embassy temporary resident application, photo, copy of passport and previous visas, bank letters and statements, employment letter or business license, family embassy application to add also some additional documents. Indeed, you have to show reasonable travel plan and would be great to add your return tickets, accommodation or hotel booking, letter of description of travel activities, which you are going to do in Canada: such as travel to Niagara falls, visit CN tower and other tourist sightseeings.
- Business Visit to Canada. In case if you need to travel to Canada for business purpose, you should indicate this in embassy application and add proof of future business activities in Canada. Some templates of business travel to Canada may be conference, business meetings for your current employer or business in your native country, intention to take a look and purchase property or business, other reasons, related to any business activity. Invitation letter from Canadian business will be an asset in your visitor visa application. Also, any proof of business cooperation with Canadian company, which invites you such us business correspondence, registration documents, employment letter, financial statements between 2 companies and any related documents are highly recommend to attach with your application.
- Study Visit to Canada. In order to enter Canada with aim to study, applicant in most cases should have Visitor Visa to Canada. However, in order to start study in Canada after arrival, future student must have study permit. In case of overseas application and intention to study more than 6 month, these 2 applications : Visitor Visa and Study Permit Application go in one study permit application. In case, if potential student would prefer to study less than 6 month, it will be regular Visitor Application with purpose of travel to Canada is study. There are some required documents for such type of application, for example: letter of acceptance of your program, tuition fee deposit, financial sponsor of your study, etc. Be aware, that in case if you would like to get education more than 6 month in Canada, you will get you Visa to the passport when you are located overseas in order you can get onboard , fly to Canada and enter the border. However, study permit will be issued by immigration officer on the Canadian border. If your study is less than 6 month, your visa in your passport will be enough to travel and study in Canada. As for the financial support, applicant will need to show 1 year tuition fees and 1 year living expenses coverage in Canada. It is around $25,000- $28,000 CAD per year. However, if your study will be less than 6 month, regular financial proof , which is used for regular tourist travel to Canada will be enough. Basically, short term stay in Canada required around $10,000 CAD, however it is up to the applicant and his financial situation. Financial means and support must seem reasonable for immigration officer and your purpose of travel to Canada.
- Family and Friends Visit to Canada. In case, if you have friends and close relatives in Canada, you can visit them in Canada by getting Visitor Visa to Canada. Be aware, that financial support for such travel should be provided from the applicant side. Relatives and Friends can guarantee the accommodation and covering some your expenses in Canada. However, main applicant must show his own financial documents and/or sponsor from his native country or any other country overseas. The person, who would like to visit their friends and relatives in Canada should demonstrate ties to home country in order to raise chances to get visa and convince immigration officer in their honest and true intention. Good examples of ties to home country will be : current employment or business, family, property, spouse and kids, etc. By visiting your relatives and friends it is important to show in your application absence of dual intent of you visit. Frankly speaking, some family visitors rely on their family in Canada and may eventually stay in Canada illegally after entering the border. That is why ties to home country and strong financial assets are required.
- Work Visa. As soon as someone would like to come to Canada with purpose of work, he still needs visitor visa to Canada. Such type of visa looks similar as regular Visitor Visa, however type of such document will be mentioned as worker. People can work in Canada with different work permit: spouse work permit, post-graduate work permit, LMIA work permit, Working holiday visa, LMIA exempt work permit, etc. Such kind of applicant must demonstrate the eligibility of working in Canada and absence of inadmissibility as any potential temporary resident in Canada. As for the application, applicant in most cases should how the job offer from Canadian employer, proof of related education, language proficiency may be required in some cases. Also, as soon as applicant enters the Canadian border with Visitor Visa with purpose of work, immigration office will be able to issue work permit after review all applicant documents and providing short interview.
Application Procedure Details.
As soon as you decided to apply for Visitor Visa and checked your eligibility, it is time to create your online application. To create most types of online applications, applicant can create account on cic.gc.ca through the GC Key account. During the initial questionnaire when you create an account, you have to answer basic question and finally get updated checklist and access for sections to upload required documents. Each section requires specific document to upload. Maximum size of the documents should be no more than 4 mb. After you prepare all documents and uploaded to required section in your account, you have to check completeness of the documents, confirm that all information true and up to date , process to the payment page, pay and submit the application. Be aware, that most Visitor Visa applicants need to pay biometrics fee and pass fingerprints check. After submission of your application ,the applicant will receive confirmation of the application and application number in his account and by email. Next step will be schedule and pass biometrics check. The invitation for mentioned procedure you will get in 24-48 hours after application confirmation. You will receive the letter with full explanation and deadline with 30 days timeline to pass the procedure. After that, Canada Immigration will start review your case and will update you about any news of your application and missing documents, if any. Always check your email and GC key account on a regular basis.
Documents to Prepare for Visitor Visa Application.
- Temporary Residence Application Form.
There is an embassy application form , which is used for applicants, who would like to apply for Temporary stay in Canada with purpose of Visit, Travel, Study, Work in Canada. In this application, applicant must choose purpose of coming to Canada and some personal details such as Date of Birth, Mailing and Residency address, passport details, travel history, etc. It is required to validate application as soon as it is ready for submission by pushing the proper button in application. The reason of validation this document is getting specific QR code for further immigration officer application review.
- Copy of Passport.
Your passport has to be valid at least 1 year. Also, it is recommended to include all visas and stamps to other countries for last 5 years.
- Invitation Letter.
Invitation letter is required in case applicant would like to use friends, relatives and business partners in Canada. This letter must include contact details of person, who invites applicant in Canada, business or personal address and contact details, relations to applicant and any additional responsibilities from Canadian side to future applicant.
- Return Tickets and Accommodation Reservation.
Future application for Visitor Visa will raise the chances of getting approval for Visitor Visa in case of return tickets attachment and also accommodation confirmation in Canada. It show that applicant has ties to home country and also plan the accommodation in Canada only for the temporary stay in Canada. In some cases, applicant can stay at inviter’s place in Canada, if the last one guarantees that in writing.
- Letter of Acceptance
This document must be attached only in case of Visitor Visa with purpose of short-term study up to 6 month or in case of study permit application, where visitor visa is included. This documents must be from Designated Learning Institution with specific unique number. To check school for DLI number, you can use official immigration website: cic.gc.ca
- Financial Documents.
Documents, which can prove financial strength of the applicant may be: financial sponsor( can be close relatives, employer, main applicant), sponsor’s bank letter, bank statements for last 4 month, business registration documents, Employment letter, paystub, rental agreement or rental lease agreement, property documents, any other additional income documents.
- Photo for future visa in your passport.
Applicant has to upload their photo, which meets the photo requirements as per Canada Immigration regulations.
What Happens next after application Submission
Processing time depends on particular country and may vary from 2 weeks to 1-2 month. Also, timely fingerprints submission and any missing documents, which may be required during the review of application by Canada Immigration. In case of application will be approved, applicant will be required to send the passport to close Canadian Embassy , which is assigned for your country. It can be in your native or residency country or other country where is assigned embassy located. After you get your passport back with the Canadian Visa stamp, you can travel to Canada and get any additional documents at the Canadian Border. Be aware, that in case if you would like to study or work in Canada, you have to get study permit or work permit documents already in Canada. Immigration officer in the airport of at the port of entry after the short interview will issue your proper document, depending on your eligibility and admissibility. In case, if you will need to extend or change your immigration status, applicant might be able to do that with their current UCI number in the Immigration System in case if he is eligible for particular type of immigration application.
Our company can assist the client in any types of Visa Application to Canada and preparation of any related immigration documents and applications inside and outside Canada. Our company is Government Licensed for immigration practice and representing clients on behalf of them to Canada Immigration since 2006. Welcome to Canada!
