Things To Know About Canadian Visitor Visa
Canada is one of the top travel and study destinations in the world. With a strong employment market, great cultural diversity, abundance of nature’s beauty, and more, Canada receives millions of people every year. If you are a foreign national, then a visitor visa is a must-have for visiting Canada.
In this article, we are laying down all the important information regarding the Canadian Visitor Visa.
Canadian Visitor Visa
Also referred to as Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), the Canadian visitor visa is essentially an immigration document that allows foreign nationals to travel to and enter Canada. No matter what your intention of the visit is, study, temporary work, or casual visit, you will compulsorily need a visitor visa. You can have an exemption if you are from a visa-exempt country. Application for a visitor visa can be done online or by paper mode.
Categories of Canadian Visitor Visa
The visitor visa provided by Canada are mainly of two different categories, namely,
1. Single entry visa- This type of visa is only granted for 6 months and the visitors are expected to return to their country of residence before the visa expires.
2. Multiple entry visa- With a valid multiple entry visa you get to travel to Canada for 6 months at a time, as many times as you want. The validity may extend up to 10 years or till one month before your passport expires, whichever is shorter.
Any individual who intends to study or work in Canada must obtain a valid work or study permit, whichever is suitable along with travel insurance.
Who Needs a Visitor Visa?
A visitor visa is required for every individual who is not a permanent resident, Canadian citizen, or otherwise visa-exempt. Even if the permanent resident visa of a Canadian permanent resident expires, he/she can not apply for a visitor visa. An application should be made for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) in the above-mentioned case. It is also necessary that they carry a valid Canadian passport. Canadian citizens, also including dual citizens are barred from applying for a visitor visa. A business visitor visa is applicable if you are transiting through or coming to Canada for business, not as a temporary foreign worker.
Visa- Exempt Countries
Individuals coming from visa-exempt countries do not require a visit visa. Canada has made agreements with several countries that allow the citizens of the respected countries to visit Canada for a period of up to 6 months without the requirement of a visitor visa. If the visa-exempt individuals wish to visit Canada by air, a valid electronic travel document (eTA) is required. If the preference is by land or sea, only a valid passport issued by the visa-exempt country is required. US citizens are the only exceptions.
US citizens can travel to Canada with a valid US passport and do not require a visitor visa or eTA, provided that they do not stay for a period longer than 6 months. Green card holders or US permanent residents are also visa exempt regardless of their country of citizenship.
How to Apply for a Canadian Visitor Visa?
The three options for an individual to file for a visitor visa are by online application, a paper application, or by doing it in person at a Visa Application Center (VAC). If you intend to travel as a family, then each of the family members, including the dependant children should complete their application. Submission of all the applications can be done together. Biometric information may be required to be filled by the applicants in their application, depending on their country of citizenship. If biometrics are necessary, an applicant should provide their photograph and fingerprints at the biometric collection service point.
After the submission of the visitor visa application, biometrics can be collected or can be collected at the same time in the visa application is in person at the Visa Application Center (VAC). It would be great that if you can find a best immigration law firm in Canada. Because with the guidance of an expert, the chance to get the approval for your application is high.
Extending a Canadian Visitor Visa
By acquiring a visitor visa, be it single entry or multiple entries, a foreign national can legally live in Canada for up to six months at a time. Your legal status will expire and you will have to leave Canada once the six months period gets over. As a foreign national if you would like to extend your stay beyond 6 months, then you must apply for it while your temporary resident status is still valid. At least 30 days before your status expires, you are supposed to apply for an extension. While your extension application is being processed, your current visa expires, then you may have to remain in Canada till a decision is made. It is called implied status.
Get in touch with the best Immigration Lawyers in Toronto to get apt guidance regarding Canadian visitor visas now.
