Founder and Principal Consultant
What this page covers
- What is a visitor visa, and do you need one?
- Should parents and grandparents apply for a Super Visa instead?
- How long can you stay, and how do you extend?
- Is a multiple entry visa still the default?
- What actually decides a visitor visa application?
- How do you get a visitor record?
- Frequently asked questions
Most refusals on visitor applications turn on ties and purpose, not on money. Read what actually decides an application before you assemble documents.
Overview
Canada welcomes millions of visitors each year for tourism, business, and family visits. For visiting Canada temporarily, most travelers need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). This guide provides detailed information on the various types of visitor visas, eligibility requirements, the application process, and more.
Visitor Visas (Temporary Resident Visas - TRVs)
Canada offers various visitor visas, or Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs), for those looking to visit the country for tourism, family visits, or business purposes. Understanding the different types and requirements can help streamline your application process.
Key Information
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Single-Entry VisaAllows a one-time entry for specific visits or events.
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Multiple-Entry VisaPermits multiple entries for up to 10 years, ideal for frequent visitors.
Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents
The Super Visa is a special type of multiple-entry visa designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It allows longer stays without frequent renewals.
Key Information
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Extended StayAllows stays of up to 5 years per visit.
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EligibilityRequires medical insurance, proof of relationship, and a letter of invitation.
How Long You Can Stay, and How to Extend
A visitor is normally authorized to remain in Canada for six months from the date of entry. That period is not automatic in every case: a border services officer can authorize a shorter or longer stay, and where they do, the date is written in your passport.
Working Out Your Authorized Period:
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If the officer stamped a date in your passport, that date governs
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If there is no stamp and no document, the default is six months from the date of entry
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If you hold a visitor record, the date on that document governs
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Apply to extend at least thirty days before your authorized stay ends
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A visitor record extends your status inside Canada, but it is not a visa and does not permit re-entry after you leave
The distinction that catches travellers out. A visitor record and a visitor visa are different documents doing different jobs. The record keeps your status valid inside Canada. To return after leaving you still need a valid visitor visa or eTA, whichever applies to your nationality.
The Multiple-Entry Visa Is No Longer the Default
For years the standard outcome of a successful visitor visa application was a multiple-entry visa valid up to ten years. That stopped being the norm in November 2024, when IRCC amended its instructions to state that a multiple-entry visa issued to maximum validity is no longer the standard document.
What Officers Now Consider:
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The purpose and duration of your visit
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Your financial circumstances and the funds available for the trip
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Your ties to your home country, including employment, family and property
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Your travel history, and any previous refusals in Canada or elsewhere
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Your status in your country of residence, and conditions in your home country
Officers now have full discretion over both the entry type and the validity period. Ten years remains the maximum, limited by passport or biometrics expiry, but it is no longer what you should expect by default. Single-entry visas are typically issued for one-time events, short-term work or study under six months, and certain country-specific procedures.
IRCC Processing Time
Visitor Visa (TRV) from outside Canada
29 days
Current IRCC processing time for Visitor Visa (TRV) from outside Canada from India is 29 days.
As per IRCC, last updated 2026-10-18 00:38:10, refreshed weekly
Processing times for all countries
| Country of application | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 42 days |
| Albania | 42 days |
| Algeria | 22 days |
| Andorra | No processing time available |
| Angola | 169 days |
| Anguilla | No processing time available |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 29 days |
| Argentina | 19 days |
| Armenia | 10 days |
| Aruba | No processing time available |
| Australia | 7 days |
| Austria | 38 days |
| Azerbaijan | 83 days |
| Bahamas | 31 days |
| Bahrain | 60 days |
| Bangladesh | 34 days |
| Barbados | 35 days |
| Belarus | 19 days |
| Belgium | 40 days |
| Belize | 23 days |
| Benin | 98 days |
| Bermuda | 29 days |
| Bhutan | 30 days |
| Bolivia | 25 days |
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba | No processing time available |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 35 days |
| Botswana | 570 days |
| Brazil | 29 days |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | No processing time available |
| Brunei | No processing time available |
| Bulgaria | 38 days |
| Burkina Faso | 38 days |
| Burma (Myanmar) | 43 days |
| Burundi | 87 days |
| Cambodia | 44 days |
| Cameroon | 45 days |
| Cabo Verde | No processing time available |
| Cayman Islands | 35 days |
| Central African Republic | No processing time available |
| Chad | 112 days |
| Chile | 27 days |
| China (People's Republic of) | 40 days |
| Colombia | 19 days |
| Comoros Island | No processing time available |
| Congo (Republic of) | 38 days |
| Costa Rica | 20 days |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 49 days |
| Croatia | No processing time available |
| Cuba | 22 days |
| Cyprus | 36 days |
| Czech Republic | 37 days |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | No processing time available |
| Denmark | 42 days |
| Djibouti | 113 days |
| Dominica | 25 days |
| Dominican Republic | 25 days |
| Ecuador | 28 days |
| Egypt | 64 days |
| El Salvador | 26 days |
| Equatorial Guinea | 115 days |
| Eritrea | 137 days |
| Estonia | 33 days |
| Ethiopia | 132 days |
| Fiji | 8 days |
| Finland | 30 days |
| France | 38 days |
| Gabon | 40 days |
| Gambia | 91 days |
| Georgia | 79 days |
| Germany | 36 days |
| Ghana | 87 days |
| Greece | 42 days |
| Grenada | 20 days |
| Greenland | No processing time available |
| Guatemala | 22 days |
| Guinea | 71 days |
| Guinea-Bissau | No processing time available |
| Guyana | 15 days |
| Haiti | 24 days |
| Holy See (Vatican City) | No processing time available |
| Honduras | 24 days |
| Hong Kong | 21 days |
| Hungary | 40 days |
| Iceland | 70 days |
| India | 29 days |
| Indonesia | 25 days |
| Iran | 90 days |
| Iraq | 78 days |
| Ireland | 20 days |
| Israel | 23 days |
| Italy | 40 days |
| Jamaica | 35 days |
| Japan | 55 days |
| Jordan | 56 days |
| Kazakhstan | 10 days |
| Kenya | 125 days |
| Kiribati | No processing time available |
| Kosovo | 40 days |
| Kuwait | 63 days |
| Kyrgyzstan | 10 days |
| Laos | 43 days |
| Latvia | 28 days |
| Lebanon | 69 days |
| Lesotho | 103 days |
| Liberia | 106 days |
| Libya | 35 days |
| Liechtenstein | No processing time available |
| Lithuania | 17 days |
| Luxembourg | 36 days |
| Macao | 17 days |
| North Macedonia | 39 days |
| Madagascar | 149 days |
| Malawi | 238 days |
| Malaysia | 21 days |
| Maldives | No processing time available |
| Mali | 74 days |
| Malta | 29 days |
| Marshall Islands | No processing time available |
| Martinique | No processing time available |
| Mauritania | 96 days |
| Mauritius | 147 days |
| Mexico | 19 days |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | No processing time available |
| Moldova | 42 days |
| Monaco | No processing time available |
| Mongolia | 21 days |
| Montenegro | 26 days |
| Morocco | 20 days |
| Mozambique | 398 days |
| Namibia | 211 days |
| Nauru | No processing time available |
| Nepal | 42 days |
| Netherlands | 25 days |
| New Caledonia | No processing time available |
| New Zealand | 7 days |
| Nicaragua | 21 days |
| Niger | 76 days |
| Nigeria | 103 days |
| Korea (Democratic People's Republic of, North) | No processing time available |
| Norway | 41 days |
| Oman | 61 days |
| Pakistan | 65 days |
| Palestinian Authority | 1 days |
| West Bank | 1 days |
| Panama | 27 days |
| Papua New Guinea | No processing time available |
| Paraguay | 22 days |
| Peru | 26 days |
| Philippines | 24 days |
| Poland | 9 days |
| Portugal | 38 days |
| Puerto Rico | No processing time available |
| Qatar | 61 days |
| Romania | 38 days |
| Russia | 18 days |
| Rwanda | 61 days |
| Saint Lucia | 16 days |
| Samoa | No processing time available |
| San Marino | No processing time available |
| Sao Tome and Principe | No processing time available |
| Saudi Arabia | 51 days |
| Senegal | 60 days |
| Serbia | 38 days |
| Seychelles | No processing time available |
| Sierra Leone | 114 days |
| Singapore | 20 days |
| Slovakia | 29 days |
| Slovenia | No processing time available |
| Solomon Islands | No processing time available |
| Somalia | 119 days |
| South Africa | 185 days |
| Korea (Republic of, South) | 56 days |
| South Sudan | No processing time available |
| Spain | 37 days |
| Sri Lanka | 44 days |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 21 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 20 days |
| Sudan | 74 days |
| Suriname | 27 days |
| Eswatini | 158 days |
| Sweden | 41 days |
| Switzerland | 39 days |
| Syria | 92 days |
| French Polynesia | No processing time available |
| Taiwan | 52 days |
| Tajikistan | 16 days |
| Tanzania | 63 days |
| Thailand | 42 days |
| Timor-Leste | No processing time available |
| Togo | 95 days |
| Tonga | No processing time available |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 16 days |
| Tunisia | 36 days |
| Turkey | 76 days |
| Turkmenistan | No processing time available |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 28 days |
| Tuvalu | No processing time available |
| Uganda | No processing time available |
| Ukraine | 13 days |
| United Arab Emirates | 55 days |
| United Kingdom | 23 days |
| United States | 18 days |
| Uruguay | 21 days |
| Virgin Islands (U.S.) | No processing time available |
| Uzbekistan | 16 days |
| Vanuatu | No processing time available |
| Venezuela | 33 days |
| Vietnam | 40 days |
| Yemen | 53 days |
| Zambia | 332 days |
| Zimbabwe | 182 days |
| lastupdated | October 14, 2026 |
What Actually Decides a Visitor Visa Application
Visitor visa refusals are among the most common decisions we are asked to review, and the reasons given are remarkably consistent. Officers are rarely doubting that you want to visit. They are doubting that you will leave.
Strengthening an Application:
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Evidence of employment or business ownership that requires your return, with dates and approved leave where relevant
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Financial documents showing a consistent history, not a single deposit made shortly before applying
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A clear, specific itinerary and purpose, rather than a general intention to visit
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Where a host is inviting you, an invitation letter supported by their status and their own circumstances
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Honest disclosure of any previous refusal, since an undisclosed refusal is a far bigger problem than a disclosed one
One further point worth knowing: since 31 January 2025 IRCC and CBSA officers can cancel an eTA, visitor visa, work permit or study permit on a case-by-case basis, including where there is doubt a person will leave by the end of their authorized stay. Applications and conduct are looked at together, so building the file properly the first time is materially cheaper than addressing a refusal later.
Would a Considered View on Your Visiting Canada Temporarily Options Help?
Most applicants have more than one route available and rarely the same one they arrived expecting. SAAB Immigration Services Inc. offers a complimentary ten minute consultation to set out the options that genuinely apply to your situation. There is no obligation.
Visitor Visa for Business
A business visitor visa allows individuals to come to Canada for short-term business activities without entering the labor market.
Key Information
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Short-Term VisitsFor attending meetings, conferences, or training sessions.
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No Canadian Job Market EntryBusiness visitors do not engage in local employment.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
Citizens from visa-exempt countries need an eTA to fly to or transit through Canada. It’s a quick and straightforward process done online.
Key Points
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Visa-Exempt CountriesRequired for travelers from certain countries.
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Quick ApprovalUsually processed within minutes online.
Extension of Stay (Visitor Record)
If you need to extend your stay in Canada beyond the authorized period, you can apply for an extension, also called Visitor Record.
Key Information
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Apply EarlySubmit the extension application at least 30 days before your status expires.
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Justification NeededProvide valid reasons and documentation.
For details on how to extend your stay, visit our Extension of Stay page.
Caveats and Warnings
Additional Information and Considerations
Medical Insurance
Ensure you have comprehensive medical insurance for the duration of your stay in Canada.
Proof of Funds
Be prepared to show evidence of sufficient funds to cover your stay.
Travel History
A good travel history can positively impact your application.
Misrepresentation
Providing false information can lead to refusal of entry or future bans.
Overstaying
Staying beyond your visa’s validity can lead to deportation and future entry bans.
Biometrics
Depending on your country of origin, you may be required to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo) as part of your application.
Processing Times
Processing times can vary by country and type of visa; check the current processing times before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I stay in Canada as a visitor?
Normally six months from the date of entry. If a border services officer stamped a date in your passport, that date governs instead. If there is no stamp and no document, the six month default applies.
Will I get a ten year multiple-entry visa?
Not automatically, and this changed in November 2024. A multiple-entry visa issued to maximum validity is no longer the standard document. Officers now have full discretion over both the entry type and the validity period, based on your purpose, finances, ties and travel history.
What is the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor record?
A visitor visa lets you travel to Canada. A visitor record extends your status once you are inside Canada. A visitor record is not a visa and does not let you re-enter after leaving, so you still need a valid visa or eTA to return.
When should I apply to extend my stay?
At least thirty days before your authorized stay ends. Applying before expiry keeps you on maintained status while the application is decided.
Why are visitor visa applications refused so often?
Almost always because the officer is not satisfied you will leave at the end of your stay. It is rarely about whether you genuinely want to visit. Strong applications document employment or business ties requiring your return, a consistent financial history rather than a recent deposit, and a specific purpose and itinerary.
Can my visa be cancelled after it is issued?
Yes. Since 31 January 2025 IRCC and CBSA officers can cancel an eTA, visitor visa, work permit or study permit case by case, including where there is doubt a person will leave by the end of their authorized stay.
Plan Your Visiting Canada Temporarily Application Properly, the First Time
A refused application follows an applicant into everything that comes after it, which is why the preparation matters more than the submission. We will review your circumstances and documents together, address the risks before they reach an officer, and set out exactly what is required.
Who Will Be Working on Your File
Related Pages
Other pages on this site that deal with closely connected questions.