If you want to come to visit Canada, then there is a chance that you will have to submit a visitor visa. A temporary resident visa is required for anyone who is not a citizen of one of the 54 visa exempt countries or who do not have proof of permanent residency in the United States. A vast majority of people around the globe who want to travel to Canada, however, will require a visa before entering the country. The following is the process by which you must follow to obtain a temporary resident visa to travel to Canada.
Step One
Before you get a temporary resident visa, you need to check if the country that you are a citizen of requires a visa or an electronic travel authorization. If you need an eTA, then you are able to apply online with only your passport, a valid email, and a credit or debit card. The cost for an eTA is $7 CAD, and your application will most likely be approved within minutes of putting it through. If any further documents are needed, then you will be sent an email with instructions within 72 hours of making your application. An eTA lasts for five years after it has been approved or until your passport expires. If you need a temporary resident visa, however, then you will have a different process entirely.
Step Two
Application for a Canadian visa can be made online or at a Canadian Visa application centre or consular office. When you make your application you must meet at least the minimum necessary travel requirements:
● Have valid travel documents
● Have good health
● Have no criminal or immigration convictions
● Convince an immigration officer you have legitimate ties that will take you back to your home country after your visit (home, job, assets, family, etc.)
● Convince an immigration officer you will leave Canada once you have completed your visit
● Have enough money for the duration for your stay
If you meet all of the requirements set by Canada, then you can apply for your temporary resident visa. There are many reasons that you may be inadmissible to Canada; these are some of those reasons:
● You are tied to organized crime
● You are a security risk
● You have lied during the application process
● You have a health condition that is serious
● A family member of yours is not allowed in Canada
● You have committed a crime in Canada or abroad
Step Three
Once your application is sent in, the government of Canada will review it to make sure that it is completed. Applications not completed will be returned. You may have to get a medical exam, a police certificate, or attend an interview but this will be communicated to you by Canadian officials.
Application processing times depend on a few factors but usually take a few weeks or less to finish. If you need to complete additional steps, it may take longer. If you have been approved, then a visa will be stamped inside of your passport.
If you do not receive approval, you will be given information as to why.
Step Four
A visa does not guarantee entry into Canada. Once you have travelled to Canada a border services agent will greet you, and you will have to convince them that you are eligible to enter Canada. They will ask you for your passport and travel documents. If the border services agent believes that you have provided truthful information for your application, that you meet the travel requirements, and that you will leave Canada at the end of your approved stay, then you will be permitted entry into the country.
Note
It is worth noting that as of July 31, 2018, and December 31, 2018, biometric collection will be necessary for temporary resident visa applications. These can be collected at visa application centres and only have to be collected once every ten years, not on every trip made into Canada.
If you need assistance with immigration services in Vancouver, then Taraz Immigration is here for you. Our citizenship office in Vancouver offers many services to help those looking to visit and immigrate to Canada as well as their families. Contact us today.