Canada Visitor Visa Processing Time

Planning to make an immediate visit to Canada? Undoubtedly, Canada is a beautiful country with a high standard of education, excellent job possibilities, world-class healthcare, and a progressive economy. However, you must be aware that it’s important to apply for a Canada visitor’s visa and fulfil its requirements before making any reservations.

Visitors Visa

A visitors visa is also known as a tourist visa or a temporary resident visa (TRV). It is an official document issued on the individual’s passport issued by Canadian immigration officials. This document verifies that the individual has satisfied the conditions for temporary residency in Canada. It can be used by tourists, students, and employees.

What is the validity of the visitors’ visa?

The Visitor’s visa is only valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you wish to stay longer than your approved stay, you must request an extension at least 30 days prior to the end of your authorised stay.

What are the requirements of this visa?

In comparison to other forms of visa applications, the visitor visa has easy requirements. For example:

• A valid passport is required.
• It’s good to obtain travel health insurance.
• You should not have any criminal convictions on your record.
• You must demonstrate that you have links to your home country, such as a job, a house, financial assets, or family, in order to convince them that you will return.
• You must demonstrate that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.
• You should have enough funds to stay in Canada.

Who is eligible to apply for this visa?

Anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada is eligible to apply for this visa. It is often given for tourism, visiting family members, conducting business, or students applying for study visas in Canada.

Visitors Visa for Students

Since there is no separate visa application for students, they are expected to apply for a visitors visa along with study permits. In order to enter Canada as a student, however, you must satisfy two requirements:

• A valid study permit or a letter of introduction indicating that you have been granted a study permit.
• You must be enrolled in a DLI with a COVID-19 preparedness plan that the province or territory has authorised.

Application process 

1. You can apply either online or offline.
2. Complete the visa application form with all of the required information and papers.
3. Pay the visa processing fee.
4. Visit the nearest Canadian visa application centre with your passport, photographs, and other documents.
5. You must provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometrics).
6. Submit the visa application form to the Canada visa application centre.
7. Obtain a receipt from the application centre that includes the tracking number.

What is the Canada Visitors Visa processing time?

The length of time it takes to process a visitor visa is usually determined by the nation from where the applicant is applying. The processing period for a Canada visitor visa might range from a few days to a few weeks in most cases. The actual processing period is merely 12 days.

Applicants who apply for study permits, temporary work permits or business visas are expected to apply for the visitor visa, as their permits are not a visa. Hence, the processing time for such temporary resident visa applications is 16-20 days.

What are the reasons that your processing time can get affected?

There are a variety of reasons why your application can get affected or delayed by the expected given time.

• One of the possible reasons is that IRCC has varied visitor visa criteria for persons arriving from different countries. The processing time is likely to vary depending on the nation from where you are submitting your application.
• There may be delays if your application is incomplete or missing any required documents for the application.
•  Besides the reason mentioned above, the number of applications received at the IRCC may impact the Canadian visitor’s visa processing time.