Canadian Visitor Visa

There are great opportunities for foreigners who want to temporarily visit Canada. Regardless of whether you want to come to Canada to vacation, study, or work, you will be required to get a Visitor Visa.

Unless you live in a country that is exempt (refer to the list further down this page), you may not be permitted entry into Canada without this document.

Since a Visitor Visa is essential for visitors to Canada, you don’t want to take chances when applying. The process isn’t quite straightforward as there are lots of application details to take into account. If any information is missing or incorrect, your immigration case may be delayed or even denied.

The only way to ensure that all your paperwork and requirements are fulfilled is to seek the help of an immigration lawyer, who is an expert in Canadian immigration law.

Niren & Associates has helped prepare hundreds of thousands of immigration applications, including countless successful Visitor Visa cases. When you become our client, we work closely with you to ensure every step of the process is completed properly and comfortably.

Contact our Montreal, QC immigration attorneys for Visitor Visa help

I want to thank you for giving me the confidence to do well in my interview by making sure that I was prepared and organized. Your advice was invaluable and your thoroughness in making sure I obtained all the documents I could possibly need and running each scenario with me was key to my success. – Shawna L.

What to Know In Order to Obtain a Visitor Visa

When you meet with an immigration officer regarding your Visitor Visa application, it is important to satisfy certain requirements.

To obtain a Visitor Visa, you must prove:

• that your intentions in Canada are temporary and that you will leave once your visitor status has expired
• that you have sufficient ties to your home country
• your ability to financially support yourself during your stay

Two Types of Visitor Visas: Which One Do You Need?

Visitor visas come with different “features” and it is crucial to know which is best suited for your desired visit.

Single Entry Visas – These visas are intended 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.

Multiple Entry Visas – These visas 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 visas are issued for a six month period.

Visitor Visa Exemptions

You will not require a Visitor Visa if you are one of the following:

• A Citizen 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 is in possession of your alien registration card (USA Green Card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.

• a British citizen or and British Overseas Citizen who is re-admissible to the United Kingdom; a Citizen of British dependent territories who derives your 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;

• a Turkish citizen traveling on a diplomatic passport; and

• a person holding a passport or travel document issued by the Holy See.

Before Applying for a Visitor Visa, Consult with our Montreal Immigration Lawyers for Advice

The most effective way to get a Visitor Visa is with the assistance of an expert in immigration law. The legal process for visiting Canada is designed to ensure that only qualified individuals enter, and if you are qualified, then your application shouldn’t be the reason you are not admitted.

Our experienced immigration lawyers can professionally prepare your paperwork, as well as prepare you for your interview with an immigration officer. We take care of the legal aspects so you can focus on your business and pleasure in Canada.

Contact our Montreal immigration lawyers to prepare your case today

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