Canada is open to visitors from around the world, with more than 20 million visitors in an average year. Visitors to Canada are required to obtain approval from the government of Canada before they travel to the country. For many, this means obtaining a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) before departing to Canada.

A Temporary Resident Visa is also known as a visitor visa.

The main determining factor as to whether you require a Temporary Resident Visa before travelling to Canada, is nationality. If you are a citizen of a country that Canada has exempted from the Temporary Resident Visa requirement (known as a “visa-exempt” country), you must instead obtain an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before travelling to Canada by air (if travelling over land, visa-exempt individuals may obtain approval to enter Canada on a temporary basis at the Canadian border).

Travellers from all other countries must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa. Most Temporary Resident Visa applications are approved in a matter of days or weeks, though the approval rate and processing time varies from one visa office to another. Typically, visa holders are approved for a multiple-entry visa, allowing them to leave and re-enter Canada without needing to reapply.

Three types of Temporary Resident Visas are possible:

Single Entry: Allowing the foreign national only one single entry into Canada.
Multiple Entry: Allows the foreign national multiple entries into Canada before the expiry of Visa.
Transit Visa: All foreigners who stop in Canada for less that forty-eight (48) hours and are not from visa exempt countries.

All foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries, traveling to Canada by air usually apply and get electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) online, before flying to Canada. Online confirmation is usually received in 24 hours.

US Citizens do not require a TRV or an eTA, but Green Card holders in the United States, require an eTA to come to Canada, regardless of their nationality.

Eligibility Criteria for the Temporary Resident Visas

To be eligible to apply for the Temporary Resident visas for Canada you must be able to fulfill the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years old to apply as the primary visa applicant.
• Have a valid governmental issued passport with at least one blank page that is not the last page of the passport.
• Translate and certify all the documents that you have that are in another language other than English or French.
• Gave a clean criminal history and submit court documents to prove it.
• Be ready to pay the necessary visa application fees and visa processing fees.
• You might have to provide additional information as requested by the officer
• You must be in good health. In few case depending upon from where you are coming or whether you have visited any specified country before coming to Canada, a complete a medical examination might be required.
• Fill and sign a Visa Application Center (VAC) Consent Form.
• In some cases depending upon your country of origin you might also needs to go through Biometric verification.
• Submit copies of your current immigration status in another country or in Canada.
• Have enough funds to cover your stay in Canada.
• Be ready to attend and interview or give biometric information.
• Prove that your stay in Canada is temporary and that you will return to your home country once your visit is over.
• You must prove that you do not plan to work or study in Canada.

However, depending on the type of TRV visa that you are applying for, you might have to comply to additional criteria.

Extending a Visitor Visa

Visitor visas, whether single entry or multiple entry, allow foreign nationals to legally live in Canada for up to six months at a time. At the end of this period, your legal status will expire and you must leave Canada. Foreign nationals who would like to extend their stay beyond six months must apply to do so while their temporary resident status is still valid. You should apply for an extension at least 30 days before your status will expire. If your current visa expires while your extension application is still being processed, you may remain in Canada while waiting for a decision to be made. This is called implied status. You can also apply for permanent resident status, if you are eligible for one of Canada’s immigration programs.