Visitor Visa Applications for Canada

Applying for a Canada Visitor Visa

Canada is home to hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Getting a Visit visa for Canada  or known as a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is necessary in some cases depending on your nationality, background and other factors.

If you wish to come to Canada for a temporary purpose to do things like vacation, study, or work, you will have to consider applying for a Canadian visit visa first unless you are a citizen from a visa exempt country like the USA

It is important to note that an approved visitor visa at a Canadian Embassy does not guarantee admission to Canada. When coming to Canada, visitors must always satisfy a visa officer at the Canadian port of entry that the purpose of the visit is of a temporary nature.

Getting a visa for Canada can be confusing. Our law firm has over 15 years of experience in helping people with Canadian visas.  Let us help you with your Visitor visa application. Contact us for your assessment!

What if I leave Canada and then return before my Visitor Visa expires?

Well, visitor visas come with different “features”. Some are single entry visas which mean that they are for one entry to Canada only. If you leave Canada and wish to return, you will have to apply for another visa unless you are traveling to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon.

But some visas are multiple entry visas which allow people to leave and return to Canada during the validity of their visas. If you are in Canada on a visitor visa and wish to apply for an extension of your visitor status, you can do so at a Canadian immigration office within Canada but you should do so before the expiration of your visitor status. Generally but not always, when you come to Canada as a visitor, you will be issued a visa for a six month period.

Who does not need a Visitor Visa for Canada?

Some people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:

  • Citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tuvalu, United States, Vanuatu, Western Samoa and Zimbabwe;
  • Persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (USA Green Card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.
  • British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;
    Citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;
  • Turkish citizens traveling on a diplomatic passport; and
  • Persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See.

July 14, 2009: Visitors from Mexico Now Require Visas

But who does need a Visitor Visa for Canada?

Citizens of the following countries DO require a Visa to VISIT or TRANSIT Canada:

A
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan

B
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Hercegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina-Faso
Burundi

C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China, People’s Republic
Colombia
Comoros
Congo (The), Democratic Republic of
Congo (The), People’s Republic of
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic

D
Djibouti
Dominican Republic

E
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
EritreaEstonia
Ethiopia

F
Fiji

G
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana

H
Haiti
Honduras

I
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel (only Israeli citizens holding valid Israeli orange “Travel Document in Lieu of National Passport”)
Ivory Coast

J
Jamaica
Jordan

K
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea, North
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

L
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania

M
Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of)
Malagasy Republic
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)

N
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria

O
Oman

P
Pacific Islands, U.S. Trust Territory
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland

Q
Qatar

R
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S
Sao Tome e Principe
Senegal
Seychelles, The
Sierra Leone
Slovak Republic
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Syria

T
Tadjikistan
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan

U
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V
Venezuela
Vietnam

Y
Yemen
Yugoslavia

Z
Zambia

Update: Visas now required for St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Namibia, and Botswana and Swaziland.

Did you know that Work Permits and Study Permits are also Temporary Resident Visas?

Learn more about Work Permits and Study Permits by visiting our webpages.

Do you need a Canadian Visitor Visa?

Call us for a visa assessment of your Visitor Visa case at 1 866 929 0991 or email us at [email protected]