I have dreamed of visiting a beautiful country known as Canada for a long time. But, unfortunately, my passport does not allow me to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. You see, because I’m an Indian citizen, I need to apply for a visa to enter Canada, specifically the Canada Tourist Visa, also known as the Canada Visitors Visa.
For this reason, I have decided to share my Canada tourist Visa application with you. I’ll guide you through the entire process and add relevant screenshots you can use to reference when applying for your own Canada tourist Visa to make your process so much easier.
General Visa Information About The Canada Tourist Visa
Before I walk you through the process of getting your next Canada Tourist Visa, I’ll briefly talk about the general visa information you need to consider. These will include information in regards to:
What Is The Canada Tourist Visa?
The Canada Tourist Visa, also known as a Canadian visitor visa or temporary resident visa (TRV), allows you to enter Canada for tourism. Typically, your Canada Tourist Visa will be attached to your passport (or valid travel document.) This document states that you meet the minimum requirements to enter Canada legally.
Additionally, citizens of specific countries can also apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. If you are unsure whether you would need to get a Canadian visa or not, you can check your eligibility on the Canadian Immigrations website.
Who Is Eligible For A Canada Tourist Visa?
Before starting your visa application, you’ll need to check if you are eligible for a CANADA VISA APPLICATION PROCESS. When you click the link, it will redirect you to the Canadian Government’s official webpage. Here you’ll be asked a few questions regarding COVID-19, your nationality, and the purpose of your intended trip.
Once you’ve completed the short questionnaire, you’ll receive a message that looks something like this:
This message indicates that you’re eligible to apply for a Canada Visa. However, it’s worth mentioning that this does not guarantee a successful visa application.
Keep in mind that border authorities at Canada’s port of entry always have the right to deny you entry into Canada (even if you’ve got a Canada Visa).
What Types Of Canada Visas Are Available For Tourism?
If you’re eligible for a Canada Visa, you’ll need to check what type of visa you’ll need, which can be found on the government of Canada’s official website. The type of visa you need depends on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. In the case of tourism, the entry visa most people will need is the Canada Visitors Visa/Tourist Visa or the Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
- For US Citizens
If you’re a US Citizen, you don’t need to apply for any type of visa to enter Canada. As long as you meet the basic requirements, you may enter Canada with a valid US passport for up to 6 months.
- For US Green Card Holders
If you’re a US Green Card Holder, you don’t have to apply for a Canada Tourist Visa. However, you’ll need to apply for the Canadian ETA, which will grant you entry to Canada for up to 6 months.
If You’ Don’t Fall Under One Of The Categories Mentioned Above (like me)
I’ll quickly walk you through determining what type of visa you need when you plan to visit Canada. Similar to the eligibility check, you’ll need to answer a few questions that will determine the type of Canada Visa you need. Once you click the provided link, you’ll be redirected to the following page:
Here, you’re required to answer a few questions surrounding your nationality/home country and the purpose of your trip. After answering all the questions, you’ll be redirected to a new page that tells you what CANADA VISA FOR BELGIAN CITIZENS.
For the purpose of this post, I only discuss the Canada Visitor Visa and the process surrounding this type of visa.
What Are The Canada Visit Visa Fees?
For your Canada Tourist Visa, or Visitors Visa, you can expect to pay the following amounts:
- Canada Visa application fee – $78.18 USD or $100 CAD
- Biometric fee – $66.45 USD or $85 CAD
These are the Canada tourist visa fees I paid when I first applied for my Canada Visa. Keep in mind that the Canada tourist visa fees are subject to change and may not be the same for you. Also, at the end of the visa application process, you’ll need to submit your passport via post. To do this, you’ll need to purchase the appropriate shipping labels, which cost around $90.
What Are The Documents Required For Canada Tourist Visa?
The list of documents that you’ll need to apply for a Canada visa online is not very long. However, you must start gathering all the required documents soon as you know of your travel plans. Some of the documents that you will need are:
- Canada visa application form (IMM5257)
- A valid passport and copies of the front and back of the passport
- Copies of your old passport and copies of entry/exit stamp
- Passport-sized digital photos
- Proof of means of financial support such as bank statements and proof of bank account
- Letter describing the purpose of travel
- Travel itinerary such as proof of accommodation, flight tickets, or event you will be visiting
- Proof of vaccination for covid
- ArriveCAN receipt electronic or on paper upon reaching Canada
- Police clearance certificate
- Medical examination certificate
If you are applying for the Canada visitor visa on paper, you can find the additional documents or a checklist here.
Remember that depending on the type of visa you apply for, the list of required documents will change. Hence, you might need to add supporting documents to the above-mentioned list in specific cases.
How To Apply For Canada Tourist Visa
Ok, now you know the basics about the Canada Tourist Visa. Now you need to understand the process to apply for a Canada tourist visa online. To apply for a Canada tourist visa online might seem like a difficult process at first. Still, if you follow my guide, you should complete it easily.
I’ll divide the How-To process into steps and add additional screenshots for your convenience. Be sure to bookmark this page to quickly return to it when you start your own application process.
In this How-To section, you’ll find the following information:
First, we’ll look at the Canada Tourist Visa Online Application Form. Phew what a mouth full…
I recommend using the clickable links above to navigate this section. To apply for the Canada visa application online process can take a while, and there are a lot of complicated steps you need to take. Therefore, I’ll be providing an extremely detailed guide you can follow. Also, I’ll add multiple screenshots for your convenience.
Step 1 – Complete The Canada Tourist Visa Application Form
For the Canada Visitors Visa, you’ll need to start the Canada visa application online. As soon as you click the link, you’ll be redirected to the official government page.
Here you must select Option 1: GCKey. After selecting Option 1: GCKey, you’ll see the following:
You’ll need to sign up and create an account before starting the application. The sign-up process is pretty straightforward, but I’ll list what you can expect:
- Accept the terms and conditions
- Create your username, which must be between 8 – 16 characters.
- Create a unique password
- Finally, you’ll need to create your recovery questions, answers, and hints. Ensure that you remember the answers you enter. You may need to give the same answers later in the application process (for security purposes).
When I applied for my Canada Visa, I struggled to log into my account. The government page kept redirecting me to another page that had nothing to do with my application. After a lot of frustration, I finally found a work-around to this problem. All you need to do is go to your browser settings and clear your search history and return to the page. After doing this, the page should work correctly, and you’ll be able to log in.
After logging in to your account, you’re again required to accept the Terms and Conditions. After doing this, you’ll start creating your account. For this part, expect to see the following page:
After creating an account, you’ll need to set up your own security questions. This can be anything you like. I used my favorite animal, food, drink, and so on.
After setting up your security questions and answers, you can click continue. Next, you’ll see this page:
At first, this might look very confusing. However, don’t worry too much about everything you see. The important part is finding the title that says “Start an Application”. Once here, select “Apply to come to Canada”.
Now, you’ll find a new page that asks you to enter your “personal reference code.” In most cases, you don’t have this. Not to worry, all you need to do is scroll a bit down and select “Visitors visa, study and/or work permit” under the heading “I do not have a personal reference code”
Next, you’ll need to determine if you’re eligible for the Canada Tourist Visa you’re applying for. You can expect the following questions:
- What would you like to do in Canada? (Select visit.)
- How long are you planning to stay in Canada? (Select duration. For me, it was less than 6 months)
- Select the code that matches your passport. (For example, IND for India)
- What is your current country/territory of residence? If you are presently in Canada, you should select Canada.
- Do you have a family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and is 18 years or older? (If you select yes, you’ll need to provide relevant information like name, surname, and so on)
- What is your date of birth?
- Have you lived in Canada as a permanent resident or landed immigrant? (Yes/No)
- Are you a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) number? (If yes, you must provide relevant information.)
- What is your marital status?
- What is your province of destination? If visiting multiple provinces, select the one where you will be spending most of your time.
Finally, after completing all these questions, you’ll be informed about the type of visa you need to apply for.
Next, you’ll be asked more questions. However, the answers you provide will determine the required documents you’ll need to submit for your visa application. I’ll add screenshots that you can reference for the questions asked.
