If you plan on visiting Canada in the near future, you may require a Canadian Tourist Visa upon entry. Canada has strict entrance, travel and stay requirements so you'll want to be sure you have all the required documents before reaching the border so as to not be turned away. There are some exceptions to this requirement for certain countries such as the United States, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, to name just a few.
The first thing you'll need to know is if you need a tourist visa based on your citizenship.
An excellent reference list can be found on several web sites such as the Travel Document Systems page or the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web page. There you can find the territories and countries which do have this requirement.
If you've confirmed that you do need a tourist visa for your Canadian visit, you'll have to start your application process early so as to have your visa in time for your trip. It's always best to start with the actual application form, as that is a key document and also will point you towards supporting documentation that you'll need to include. Canada utilizes a variety of forms, depending on the exact nature of your visit. If your visit is to sightsee, visit family and friends or on business use IMM 5256. If you plan to stay and study, select IMM 5269, whereas coming to Canada to work requires IMM 5487.
Supporting documentation is required with your visa application submittal. This is a very important requirement as even a perfectly completed form will be rejected if the accompanying documents are missing or incomplete. A passport is your first requirement. If you're traveling with members of your family, each of them must have their own passport. Passport photographs are also needed with your application. The photos in your current passport do not qualify, and be sure the new photographs meet the standards for passport photos. Canada also requires that you are able to show that you have sufficient funds to provide for your needs while visiting. The amount is dependent on why you're there, how long you'll be staying, etc.
Other documents may also be necessary, again depending on the reason for your visit. You may need information which proves that you will be employed within Canada, have something which confirms that you do have friends or relatives in the country such as a letter of invite, or a copy of your itinerary.
There are fees associated with your application which you'll need to have ready. If you only plan on entering Canada once, each person's visa fee is $75.00. Requesting a Canadian tourist visa which allows entry multiple times costs $150.00 per person.
The amount of time for your application to be processed is dependent on the office where you submitted your application. Some offices also require that you submit to an interview and you may also need to have a medical examination before entry.
These are general guidelines for applying for a Canadian Tourist Visa
as each country has variations on what's needed. The best source of detailed information is the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web page which is up to date with the most current information.
Visit often to learn more information from our updated Canadian Tourist Visa.
