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Visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
Canada visitor visa guide
Indian citizens need a visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa, to visit Canada. You apply online with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and most applicants also give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre. This guide reflects IRCC's official pages as of October 2026.
Visa name
Visitor visa (temporary resident visa). It is placed in your passport.
Usual stay
Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The officer at the port of entry may allow more or less time.
Visa validity
Up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first. The officer decides the actual validity and whether it is single or multiple entry.
Visa fee
CAN$100 per person, or CAN$500 maximum for a family of 5 or more applying together (as of October 2026).
Biometrics fee
CAN$85 per person, or CAN$170 maximum for eligible family members applying together (as of October 2026).
How Indians apply
Online, through an IRCC account or the IRCC Portal. Paper applications are only for limited cases, such as being unable to apply online.
Biometrics
Fingerprints and a photo, usually given after you apply. Children under 14 and applicants over 79 are exempt. Biometrics are generally needed once every 10 years.
Processing time
Times change, often weekly. Check IRCC's processing-times tool for applications from India before you book anything.
1Visitor visa for a graduation ceremony
Parents and relatives who want to attend a student's convocation in Canada apply for the ordinary visitor visa. There is no separate visa for graduation ceremonies.
Plan early. Check the convocation date with the student, then check IRCC's processing-times tool for India. Remember to allow time for the biometrics appointment and for sending your passport after approval.
The officer must be satisfied that you have ties at home, such as a job, property, savings or family, and that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit. Be ready to explain who you are visiting, why you are going, how long you will stay, where you will stay and who will pay for the trip.
The super visa is a different visa. It is for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. It does not apply when your son or daughter is in Canada as a student.
Useful supporting documents: the convocation invitation or confirmation from the institution; a letter of invitation from the student; proof of your relationship, such as the student's birth certificate naming you as a parent; copies of the student's passport and study permit; your travel plan; bank statements; and a letter from your employer.
2Visitor visa for an event or family visit
A visitor visa also covers family occasions, such as a wedding, or a visit to a son or daughter studying in Canada.
IRCC's document list for visitors includes a letter of invitation from the person you are visiting and proof of your relationship with them. The person in Canada writes the letter themselves and sends it to you to upload with your application.
IRCC says the letter should include your full name, date of birth, address and phone number, your relationship to the person inviting you, the purpose and length of your trip, where you will stay, how you will pay for it, and when you plan to leave. It should also give the inviter's name, date of birth, address and phone number in Canada, job title, their status in Canada with proof, and details of their family.
A letter of invitation does not guarantee a visa. The person writing it must tell the truth and plan to keep any promises made in it.
What is not allowed: visitors may not work in Canada without authorisation. Visitors may not study unless authorised, although a programme of study of up to six months does not need a study permit.
Useful supporting documents: the letter of invitation; proof of relationship (for example a marriage or birth certificate); the event details, such as a wedding invitation; a copy of the inviter's proof of status in Canada; your bank statements and employer letter.
3Visitor visa for tourism
Tourism uses the same visitor visa. You apply the same way and meet the same eligibility rules.
You must have a valid passport, be in good health, have no criminal or immigration-related convictions, and have enough money for your stay. You may also be asked for a medical exam.
IRCC recommends including your travel history, your itinerary, bank statements covering at least 6 months, and a letter from your employer dated no more than 3 months before you apply. IRCC's tourist document list also includes a letter of invitation and proof of relationship where someone in Canada is inviting you. Your personal checklist in your IRCC account shows exactly what you must upload.
Useful supporting documents: a day-by-day itinerary; hotel bookings or details of where you will stay; your previous travel history; bank statements; an employer letter or business papers.
4Renewal / applying again
A visitor visa can be valid for up to 10 years, but that is not how long you can stay. The visa lets you travel to Canada. The officer at the border decides how long each visit can last, usually up to 6 months.
If your visa has expired, you apply again in the same way. Each application is assessed on its own facts. A newer passport does not mean a longer visa; the officer sets the expiry date based on your circumstances.
If an application is refused, the fees are not refunded. If you apply again, you pay the processing fee again and, if it applies, the biometrics fee again. Online applicants can see the refusal reasons in their IRCC account.
If you are already in Canada and want to stay longer, you must apply online for a visitor record before your current status expires. The fee is CAN$100 per person. A visitor record is not a visa: it lets you stay longer, but you cannot use it to re-enter Canada. If you apply before your stay ends, you can legally remain until a decision is made. If your status has already run out, IRCC lists a separate fee to restore status as a visitor (CAN$246.25).
Useful supporting documents: your old and current passports; copies of any earlier Canadian visas; proof you left Canada on time after earlier visits; updated bank statements and employer letter.
How the application process works
Prepare
Check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your travel date. Gather your documents, including any letter of invitation, proof of relationship, bank statements and employer letter.
Apply online in your IRCC account
Create an IRCC account or use the IRCC Portal. Answer the questions to get your personal document checklist, fill in the forms and upload scanned copies.
Pay the fees, including biometrics
Pay at the end of the application with a credit or debit card: CAN$100 for the visa and CAN$85 for biometrics per person (family maximums apply). Pay the biometrics fee when you apply to avoid delays.
Give biometrics at a visa application centre
After paying, you receive a biometric instruction letter. Book an appointment at an official visa application centre as soon as you get it, and bring the letter and your passport.
Decision and passport request
IRCC may ask for an interview, a medical exam or a police certificate. If approved, you get a letter in your IRCC account telling you how to submit your passport. Submit the same passport you used in your application.
Receive your passport with the visa
The visa is placed in your passport. You cannot travel to Canada until this is done. When it comes back, check your name, date of birth and the visa's expiry date.
Documents to keep ready
Application documents
Passport valid for at least 6 months from your travel date; the forms on your IRCC checklist (for example IMM 5645 family information); letter of invitation and proof of relationship where someone in Canada is inviting you; a letter authorising a minor child to travel, if a child travels without both parents.
Financial evidence
Bank statements covering at least 6 months; an employer letter dated within 3 months of applying, or business and income papers if self-employed; proof of who is paying for the trip, and the inviter's support if they are paying.
Reasons to return
Proof of your job, business, property, savings and family in India; your past travel history; a clear plan for the visit with a departure date.
IRCC does not set a fixed minimum amount for visitors. You must have enough money for your stay, and the amount depends on how long you stay and whether you stay in a hotel or with friends or family.
Before you travel
A valid visa and passport do not guarantee entry. The border services officer decides whether to let you in.
The officer must be convinced you meet the rules and will leave when your authorised stay ends.
Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The officer may allow more or less time, may stamp your passport, or may give you a visitor record with your leaving date.
If your passport is stamped, leave by that date. If it is not stamped, you can stay until six months after entry, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first.
Carry your letter of invitation and any papers for a child travelling with you.
A visitor visa does not let you work in Canada. You cannot study unless authorised, apart from a programme of up to six months.
To stay longer, apply online for a visitor record before your status expires.
Golden Globe Overseas Education can help you understand the process, organise documents and prepare for the interview. Visa decisions are made by the immigration authorities of Canada.
