How to Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

A Canada visitor visa (officially a Temporary Resident Visa) lets you enter Canada for a holiday, to see family, or for a short business trip. The application is done online, and the process is the same wherever you apply from. Here’s exactly how it works, what it costs, and where people slip up.

What a Canada visitor visa is

It’s a document that lets you travel to Canada for a temporary stay, usually up to six months. You apply before you travel, and an officer decides based on your documents whether they believe you’ll visit and then return home. That last part, proving you’ll come back, is the heart of a strong application.

Step 1: Check that you need a visa

Most travellers from countries that don’t have a visa-exempt agreement with Canada need a visitor visa. If you already hold a valid US visa or you’re from a visa-exempt country, you may only need an eTA instead. Confirm your situation before you start, so you apply for the right thing.

Step 2: Create your online account and application

You apply through an IRCC secure account. Run the short eligibility questionnaire first, and it builds a personal document checklist for your exact situation. Then you complete form IMM 5257, the main visitor visa application, inside the account.

Step 3: Gather your documents

This is where most applications are won or lost. At a minimum you’ll need:

• A passport valid for the length of your stay
• A digital photo that meets the size and background rules
• Proof of funds, usually your bank statements for the last four to six months
• Proof of ties to home: an employment letter, property, or family responsibilities
• A purpose of travel letter explaining your trip and confirming you’ll return
• An invitation letter if you’re staying with family or friends
• The IMM5645 family information form

Every document should tell the same story. If your travel dates, your funds, and your reason for the trip line up across every paper, the officer trusts the file. If they contradict each other, they don’t.

Step 4: Pay the fees

The visitor visa fee is $100 CAD. Biometrics cost $85 CAD, and everyone aged 14 to 79 has to give them. So a single adult applicant pays $185 CAD in total. Children under 14 don’t give biometrics, which lowers their cost. You pay online when you submit.

Step 5: Give your biometrics

After you submit and pay, you get a Biometric Instruction Letter. You then book an appointment and go in person to have your fingerprints and photo taken. This is the one step nobody can do for you. You have 30 days from the letter to complete it.

Step 6: Wait for the decision, then travel

Processing times vary by country, but many visitor visa applications are decided within a few weeks. Wait for approval before you buy your flights. Booking a non-refundable ticket before you have the visa is a common and expensive mistake.

Why applications get refused, and how to avoid it

The most common refusal reason is that the officer isn’t convinced you’ll leave Canada. Weak proof of funds, a vague reason for travelling, and no clear ties to home all point the same way. Thin documentation is the other big one: a bank balance with no context, or a purpose letter that says almost nothing. Fix both by showing real ties (a job you’re returning to, family, property) and by making every document specific and consistent.

Getting help with your application

You can do all of this yourself. Plenty of people do. But if the forms and letters feel like a lot, or you’d rather have them done right the first time, we prepare the entire package for you: the forms filled, the letters written, and a checklist so nothing’s missing. Start your application here.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Canada visitor visa cost?

The government fee is $100 CAD for the visa plus $85 CAD for biometrics, so $185 CAD for a single adult. Children under 14 don’t pay the biometric fee.

How long does it take to get a Canada visitor visa?

It varies by country, but many applications are decided within a few weeks. Apply well before your planned travel dates and don’t book flights until you’re approved.

Do I need to give biometrics?

Yes, if you’re between 14 and 79. You give them in person after you submit your application and receive your Biometric Instruction Letter.

Can I apply from any country?

Yes. The online process is the same worldwide. Where you give biometrics and how long processing takes depend on your location.

Code X Elite Ltd provides document preparation and form-filling assistance. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal immigration advice. Final decisions rest with the Government of Canada.