Visa or eTA: what you need

It depends on your citizenship:

• A visitor visa (Temporary Resident Visa, TRV) is required for citizens of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan and most other former Soviet countries. The visa is placed in your passport and is needed however you travel to Canada.
• An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is required for citizens of visa-exempt countries — for example, EU countries (including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia), the UK and Israel — when they fly to Canada. It costs $7 and you apply online. US citizens don't need an eTA.

How to get a visitor visa

You apply online through your IRCC account. The fee is $100 per person (up to $500 per family), and biometrics cost $85 ($170 per family) if you haven't given them in the last 10 years. The IRCC service standard is 14 days, but actual processing times depend on where you apply and are published on the IRCC website.

Visitor visas used to be issued as multiple-entry visas for up to 10 years by default. Since November 6, 2024, the officer decides whether to issue a single- or multiple-entry visa and for how long — but never beyond your passport's expiry date.

How long you can stay in Canada is decided by the border officer when you enter. It is usually up to 6 months; if the officer writes a different date in your passport, that date applies.

What the officer looks at

Above all, the officer must be satisfied that your visit is temporary and that you will leave when your authorized stay ends. They look at:

• the purpose and length of your trip — whether your plan is clear and makes sense;
• your finances — whether you have enough money for the trip and your stay; if your host is paying, their income must be shown;
• your ties to your home country — work, business, property, family;
• your ties to Canada — who is inviting you and whether you have more reasons to stay than to return;
• your travel history — previous trips, visas for other countries, refusals and overstays;
• admissibility — health, criminal record, and truthful information in your application.

Not having travelled before isn't a deal-breaker if the rest of your application is strong. What matters is that your documents tell a complete and truthful story.

Invitation letter

If you are visiting family or friends, a letter of invitation from your host helps the officer understand the purpose of your trip. It should include:

• your details: full name, date of birth, address and phone number, and your relationship to the host;
• the purpose of the trip, how long you will stay, where you will live, who will pay, and when you plan to leave;
• the host's details: full name, date of birth, address and phone number, job, status in Canada (with a copy of proof) and the number of people in their household.

An invitation letter doesn't guarantee a visa, but a well-written one makes your application noticeably stronger.

Why visitor visas are refused

Most often because the officer isn't convinced you will leave after your trip: weak ties to your home country, an unclear purpose, or not enough money. Less often, because of inadmissibility: health, criminality or misrepresentation. Officer decision notes are now included with the refusal letter, so you can see the reason right away. Before reapplying, analyze it and fix it — see our page on GCMS notes and refusals.

Since January 31, 2025, IRCC and the border agency have broader powers to cancel a visa or eTA that has already been issued — for example, if an officer is no longer satisfied that you will leave at the end of your stay. That is why it is important to respect the conditions of your visit.

Extending your stay: the visitor record

If you are already in Canada as a visitor and want to stay longer, you need to apply to extend your stay — this is called a visitor record. It is a document that extends your status inside Canada; it is not a new visa to enter Canada.

• Apply before your status expires, ideally at least 30 days before, and online only.
• The fee is $100, plus $85 for biometrics if you haven't given them in the last 10 years.
• You must explain why you want to stay longer and include your passport, proof of your current status, proof of funds for your stay and your departure plans.
• Your status can't be extended beyond your passport's expiry date.

While you wait for a decision

If you apply before your status expires, you can stay in Canada legally under the same conditions until IRCC makes a decision (maintained status). Extension applications can currently take more than a year to process, so this rule really matters.

If you leave Canada before a decision, your maintained status ends. To come back you will need a valid visa or eTA, and if you still need an extension, you will have to apply again and pay the fee again.

If your extension is refused, you must leave Canada by the end of your current status. If it has already expired, you must leave as soon as possible or, if you are eligible, apply to restore your status within 90 days.

If your status has already expired

You have 90 days after your status expires to apply for restoration. The fee is $246.25 — you don't pay the $100 visitor record fee on top. While your application is being processed, you can stay in Canada, but you have no status, and restoration isn't guaranteed. After 90 days, your status can no longer be restored.

What visitors can and can't do

• You can't work.
• You can take a course or program of 6 months or less without a study permit — for example, a language course.
• Since August 28, 2024, visitors can no longer apply for a work permit from inside Canada.
• Most visitors also can't apply for a study permit from inside Canada — this usually has to be done from outside Canada.

If you plan to work or study in Canada, think it through before your trip — see our pages on working in Canada and studying in Canada.

Parents and grandparents: the super visa

If you are a Canadian citizen or PR and want to invite your parents or grandparents for a long stay, the super visa is a better fit: it lets them stay in Canada for up to 5 years per entry. They need medical insurance — from a Canadian company or from a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI — and the host must meet an income requirement.

How can ViBK IMMIGRATION CONSULTING help you?

• We check what you need: a visa, an eTA or a super visa.
• We prepare a document checklist for your situation and show you how to strengthen your application.
• We help you write the invitation letter and a letter explaining the purpose of your trip.
• We fill out the forms and submit your application.
• We extend your visitor status (visitor record) inside Canada: we prepare your explanation and documents and submit your application on time.
• We help you restore your status if it has already expired.
• If you were refused, we request the officer's notes, analyze the reasons and prepare a new application.

Book a consultation — we will review your situation in detail and find the right solution for you.