Many people dream of visiting Canada. It is a highly developed country in North America, and the demand for travelers has increased rapidly in the last few years. However, most people need to know how they get there. Understanding the process for obtaining a US to Canada Visa is the first step toward making this dream a reality.
A Canada visa is a stamp on your passport that permits you to enter Canada without facing any legal consequences. It acts like permission to travel to the country and reside there lawfully, temporarily, or permanently.
Having a Canadian visa means that the Canadian Embassy or consulate in your home country has determined that you fulfill all the entry requirements and are eligible for a Canada visa. However, when you are at the Canadian border and customs the decision will be taken by the officers at the border to check whether you are fit and allowed to enter or not.
The Canadian Border Services Officers (BSD) will question you, and they will let you enter only if you answer all the questions honestly and correctly. If they think that you are not eligible to visit Canada, you will be asked to go back to your home country even if you have a Canada visa.
Individuals who do not have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) agreement with Canada or a visa exemption will require a visa to visit Canada. To be precise individuals from around 148 countries require a visa to visit Canada or to immigrate to Canada.
You require a visa for Canada if you belong to any of these applicants. You must apply for a visa according to your situation and the type of visa you want. There is a proper method to apply but you should take some general steps to travel to Canada without any hindrance.
There are several Canada visa types according to every situation so when you apply for a Canada visa in the USA you should first understand which visa you should apply for. These are some of the types of Canada visa:
You should apply for a visa that best suits the motive of why you want to travel to Canada.
The temporary Canada visa can be either a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa. It allows the visa holder to stay in Canada for a specific period which will be determined by the Canadian Consulate or the Border Services Officers (BSO). Usually, the time is up to six months.
A single-entry visa allows you to enter Canada only once to stay for six months and then return to your home country whereas a multiple-entry visa allows you to enter the country multiple times until the visa expires and can stay there temporarily.
These are the types of Temporary Canadian Visas.
With a tourist Visa or visitor visa you can enter Canada for tourism purposes in the country.
A Canada Super Visa permits the parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents to visit Canada to meet their children or grandchildren for a longer stay.
Officials and diplomats from foreign countries can enter Canada with a Diplomatic and Official Visa for official purposes and duties.
All those people including members of trade missions or diplomats with touristic intent who do not qualify for a Diplomatic and Official Visa but are given importance because of their ranks and positions are provided a courtesy visa.
People who are traveling to Canada as individuals or as a group with the purpose of business require a business visa.
Women who are pregnant and want to give birth in the country and who fulfill all the criteria to stay for a short time in Canada are provided with this visa. Children who are born in Canada are considered Canadian citizens automatically.
A person who is traveling to Canada with the intent of donating an organ to a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen requires this Canada visa.
Canadian citizens who have dual nationalities and who do not have a passport of Canada but have a passport of any other nationality are given a Facilitation Visa. It is stamped on the other nationality visa of the person because of the extreme difficulty they face in getting a Canadian passport.
Students who have admission to complete their education from a Canadian university can apply for a Canadian student visa. If you are visiting Canada to study for less than six months then you can enter Canada with a TRV visa but if the time is more than six months then you will have to apply for a Student visa.
Temporary Canadian Work Visas are given to those individuals who will work for at least six months and have a job offer in Canada. An individual has to present a job letter from an employer that is valid and must qualify for a temporary visa.
Such visas are permitted for those people who want to go to Canada for other purposes but are not eligible for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). The permit is only given for the length of time the person is going to be present in Canada. For example, attending a seminar for 1 week.
The Working Holiday Visa is provided to young individuals from thirty different countries to let them work and travel in Canada. They have to submit the application forms and wait until they get randomly selected for the work permit because it is a random-selection visa.
The Permanent Canada visa also known as the immigrant visa permits the visa holder to reside or settle permanently in Canada. These visas can be of several types such as:
The Express Entry Visa program is designed by the government of Canada which is an electronic immigration program that allows people from around the world to apply for immigration to Canada dependent on their specific skills.
The below-mentioned programs are a part of the Express Entry Visa program:
The Canadian Experience Class is a permanent visa that is issued to those who hold a temporary student visa or a temporary work visa and wish to switch to a permanent resident status. They should have either a Canadian education or work experience and must have settled into Canadian society.
The Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) visa is permitted for those low-skilled or semi-skilled workers who can contribute to the Canadian economy with their work. The workers are positioned in different regions of Canada where the demand for work is higher.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) visa is given to those people who hold a profession which is required in Canada. You must verify what are the occupations that are required in Canada at the particular point when you are planning to apply and obtain the important points to get a Visa to Canada.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is permitted to those who are qualified tradespeople in the occupations mentioned below:
The application process for the Canada Visa application will depend mainly on the type of visa you are applying for. You have to follow some simple steps to apply and get a visa to Canada:
Before applying for any type of visa be it a Canada visitor visa or a Canada Immigrant Visa one must check the eligibility requirements. The Canadian government has made it easier for people to check out how they can get a Canadian visa. To check the eligibility of the applicant the government has designed multiple tests. Depending on the type of visa you wish to apply for you have to fill out a questionnaire online and answer several questions after which the system will inform you whether you are eligible or not. Along with that, it will also send you some steps and instructions to follow to fulfill the requirements to apply for a Canada visa.
You must navigate to the website of the Canadian government to get access to the questionnaire and to find out whether you are eligible for a Canada visa or not. You will be shown different information and multiple tabs from which you can select but you must navigate to the Immigration tab first.
When you click on the Immigration tab it will reflect a list of options. The first option will be My Application, and then there will be other tabs like Visit, Immigrate, Study, Work, etc. You should choose anyone that best suits the visa type that you wish to apply for. For example, if you want to apply for a tourist visa you must select the Visit tab.
You will notice more information once you select the tab that matches the reason why you want a visa for Canada and the visa that you wish you apply for. Whichever tab you click on, one of the links will be visible saying,” Find out if you can apply, or ‘Find out if you are eligible’. You have to click on this link to proceed further.
Once you click on the link it will redirect you to the questionnaire which you will have to fill out by answering several questions. It will have different questions including your personal information, reasons why you wish to visit Canada, and any previous travel history. The system will show you the results at the end after you finish filling out the questionnaire.
You will be able to see any one option from the undermentioned results:
The system will ask you to provide contact information (generally your email) and will send you a set of documents if you are eligible for the visa you have chosen or any Different Type of Visa.
The document will have all the information about the visa along with the instructions and details about how you can apply and they will also send you a reference code.
You have to keep the reference code because it is one of the most important pieces of information using which you will be able to start your application process. You will not be able to apply without a reference code. The reference code informs the system about the information you have provided in your questionnaire and the type of visa you are applying for.
To get access to the application form you must save the email along with the documents. You should note down the reference code in different places by sending it to yourself, writing it down on paper or your computer or anywhere but you must keep it safe and not lose it. If you end up losing the code you will have to start the questionnaire process from the beginning.
You will receive instructions through mail in which it will be mentioned if you must apply for a Canada visa online or in person. Most people can apply online as the Canadian government is digitalizing all the records which makes it more convenient. To apply online you must make an account and there are two ways to create an account to fill out the application for a Canada visa:
You can choose any option that fits your situation better and you will have to use your bank details in both options to pay the Canada Visa Fee.
You can apply for a Canada visa in the USA after logging into your account. Apply for the visa you have been considered eligible for by using your reference code. Once you provide the reference code the system will reflect a list of documents that are required to be submitted for your Canadian visa application. Submit every document that is required without missing out on any and then proceed further by applying.
Once you submit all the documents the system will now verify if you have submitted every necessary document and then it will redirect you to the payment page. You will have to pay an amount as a fee depending upon the type of visa you are applying for. When you pay your Canada visa fee your application will be submitted successfully.
It will at least five working days for you to check the application on your account. If you are applying in person then you have to gather and take all the documents to the Canadian embassy in your home country.
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Depending on the type of visa you have applied for the Canadian embassy will process your Canada visa application for at least two or more weeks. They might also ask for some additional documents or a biometric test and an interview.
If you are asked to submit your biometrics it means you will have to go and visit the Embassy physically even when you have applied online. You will have to book an appointment on your own or the Embassy will do it for you. You are required to submit your relevant photographs and fingerprint at the appointment. You also have to give answers to the questions asked by a Canadian Embassy official.
The Canadian Embassy official will decide if you are fit to get a Canadian visa or not. They will inform you about their decision immediately after the appointment or will send you a notification later.
All the visa information from your Embassy will be posted on your account so you have to keep checking it continuously doesn’t matter if you have not submitted your biometrics or given an interview.
If you get a positive response about the successful processing of your application the next step is to handle your passport to the Canadian embassy. You can send your passport along with the processing fees by sending it as mail to the address of the Embassy in your country. The amount for the Canada visa fee will depend on the type of visa you wish to apply for and it will generally range from $20 to $50. You must make the fee payment by cheque or money order. You also have to pay for a return envelope for your passport.
The officials in the Embassy will receive your passport and fees and they will stamp the visa on your passport and then send it back to you through mail. If they inform you about the decision immediately after the interview then you will have to submit the processing fee and you can get your passport right away.
You can travel to Canada after receiving your visa. At the time of entry, you will have to show your passport and your documents for verification. The officials over there will verify and ask a few questions about why you are visiting Canada.
They will decide whether to allow you inside the country or not based on your answers. They have the authority to restrict your entry into Canada if they feel that you can commit crimes, violate the rules, or not respect the visa restrictions. A Canadian visa does not guarantee that you can enter Canada, the decision completely depends on the border officials.
The Canada visa processing time will vary depending on specific situations it can either take two to three weeks or more than that. The processing will begin only when the Canadian authorities will receive your complete application. If they ask for any additional documents or information then the Canada visa processing time may get delayed.
If you want to bring your family member or any friend to Canada who lives abroad then you can write a letter of invitation to them:
The letter of invitation must contain all the below-mentioned information about the person you want to invite:
Information About You
However, a letter of invitation will not decide if they get a Canada visa or not. The visa processing will be decided on its merit but the letter will help a little. If you wish to sponsor your family member to join you in Canada for the long term or permanently you can do that with the Canada Family Sponsorship Program.
If you are planning a trip to India then here is a comprehensive guide for the USA to India Visa to make sure that you are fully prepared for both locations.
If your Canadian visitor visa is going to expire but you want to stay for longer then you have to apply for your visa extension which is called a Canada Visitor Record.
You have to apply at least thirty days before your visitor visa expires for the visa extension for Canada (visitor record).
Apart from extending the tourist visa, you can convert your study or work permit visa to a Vistior Record visa but it will only be available when you are inside Canada.
You will not be allowed to enter with a visitor record if you wish to leave and enter Canada again.
If you stay in Canada even after the expiry of your visa then the decision will be made based on how long have you overstayed.
If you have overstayed for less than ninety days then you can restore your visitor status by applying for a visitor record and choosing ‘Restore my status as a visitor.
On the other hand, if you have overstayed for more than ninety days then you are not allowed to apply to restore your status and will have to leave Canada. You might not be qualified to get another Canada visa.
You should not try to overstay your Canada visa but if you wish to stay longer than the time length of your visa then you should apply for a visa extension before the visa expires.
The cost of the Canada Visa Fee will depend completely upon the type of visa you wish to apply for. The fee will vary depending on the visa type. There are multiple fees that you have to pay including processing fees, application fees, and biometric fees.
Generally, a normal visitor visa costs $CAN100
There are chances of your visa application getting rejected and in such a case you can re-apply for a visa again anytime if your rejection letter does not prohibit you from re-applying.
You can re-apply only when you have to add some additional information which may help you in getting your Canada visa approved and if your situation has changed.
In the matter of appeals, Appeals are processed by the Immigration Appeal Division(IAD) and there is no formal process to appeal for a Canad tourist visa decision. They are only accessible to refugee and permanent residency applications.
The Canada Visa fee is non-refundable in case of application rejection. The amount you pay for the fees is for the processing of the visa application and not for the visa itself.
However in some situations, if you withdraw your application before the processing then you may get a refund but if you withdraw after it starts processing then you will not get any refund.
You may get a refund in the below-mentioned situations:
Despite that, you can still request a refund for any of your fees on the website of the Government of Canada: Immigration and Citizenship website.
If there are no Visa application centers or Canadian Embassies in the country you reside then you may have to travel to some other country to apply for a Canada visa.
You should only apply to the Canadian Embassy or Visa application center that is responsible for your jurisdiction for a visa which means for the country of which you are a legal resident.
Furthermore, if you belong to Country 1 and have a permitted residence in Country 2 then you can apply for a Canadian visa from Country 2.
But if you are visiting Country 2 without any legal residency there then you have to apply at a Canadian Embassy or VAC for your jurisdiction either in your own country or else.
The Canadian Embassy will send you a letter to inform you about when you have to submit your biometrics. You can give the information about your biometrics at a Canadian VAC but to receive the letter you have to pay the biometric fees while submitting the Canada visa application.
Find a Canadian Visa Application Center that is near to you to submit your biometrics as there are a lot of VACs around the world. Visit the website of any VAC which is nearer to you and check the fees and services they offer.
Yes, most of the applicants have to provide their biometrics when applying for a Canada at the Visa Application Center which includes fingerprints and pictures visa no matter which type of visa they are applying for.
A Canadian visa has a distinct look. It is a stamp on the passport and does not include any pictures. It includes information like:
If you wish to travel to the US from Canada then you will have to Apply for a US visa in Canada but if you are a citizen of a country that is included in the Visa Waiver Program then you do not have to apply for a US visa from Canada instead you can apply for an ESTA.
