Canada Visitor Visa 2026: How to Apply for a Tourist (TRV) Visa

If you want to visit Canada — to see family, take a holiday, or attend a business meeting — and you hold a passport from a visa-required country, you need a visitor visa before you board your flight. This guide walks through exactly what a visitor visa is, who needs one, what it costs, how to apply on the official IRCC website, and the two reasons most applications get refused.

Quick Answer: What Is a Canada Visitor Visa?

A Canada visitor visa — officially a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) — is a document placed in your passport that lets a citizen of a visa-required country travel to Canada for a temporary purpose such as tourism, visiting family, or business. It costs CAD $100 per person, plus a CAD $85 biometrics fee. You apply online through a secure IRCC account before you travel. Officers may issue either a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa at their discretion, and a visa does not guarantee entry — the final decision is made by a border officer when you arrive.

One distinction matters before anything else. A visitor visa is for visa-required nationals. If you are from a visa-exempt country (for example, the UK, Germany, Japan, or South Korea) and you fly to Canada, you do not need a visitor visa — you need an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) instead, which is a different, much cheaper document. US citizens need neither. Confusing the two is the single most common mistake travellers make, so read the eTA guide if you are unsure which group you fall into.

Who Needs a Visitor Visa (TRV)?

You need a TRV if all of the following are true:

You are a foreign national (not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident).
Your country of citizenship is on Canada's list of visa-required countries.
You are coming temporarily — to visit, tour, transit, or do short business.

Citizens of dozens of countries — including India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nigeria, and most of Africa, South Asia, and parts of Latin America — are visa-required and need a TRV regardless of how they arrive (air, land, or sea). Visa-exempt travellers flying in need an eTA instead; visa-exempt travellers arriving by car or bus from the US generally need nothing beyond a valid passport.

If you plan to work or study in Canada, a visitor visa is the wrong document. You will need a work permit or study permit, although a TRV is often issued alongside those permits so you can physically enter the country.

Summary: A visitor visa (TRV) is for citizens of visa-required countries coming to Canada temporarily. Visa-exempt flyers need an eTA, US citizens need neither, and anyone planning to work or study needs a permit — not a visitor visa.

Single-Entry vs Multiple-Entry Visas

There are two types of visitor visa, and you do not choose which one you get — an officer decides based on your application.

Single-entry visa lets you enter Canada once. After you leave, you generally need a new visa to return (with limited exceptions, such as a quick trip to the US or St. Pierre and Miquelon during the same authorized stay).
Multiple-entry visa lets you enter and leave Canada many times until the visa expires. It can be valid for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire — whichever comes first.

For years, IRCC treated the multiple-entry, 10-year visa as the default and considered nearly every applicant for it automatically. That changed on November 6, 2024. IRCC discontinued the automatic-default practice; officers now have full discretion to issue a single-entry visa, a shorter multiple-entry visa, or a long one, based on each applicant's individual circumstances. In practice this means a strong, well-documented application is more important than ever — you can no longer assume you will receive a 10-year visa.

You pay the same CAD $100 fee whichever type you are issued.

How to Apply for a Visitor Visa (Step by Step)

Almost everyone now applies online through a secure IRCC account. Paper applications still exist for limited cases, but online is faster and is what IRCC steers most applicants toward.

Confirm you need a visa (not an eTA). Use IRCC's "Find out if you need a visa" tool. If it tells you that you need an eTA, stop — you are in the wrong process.
Create or sign in to your IRCC secure account. This is where you complete forms, upload documents, pay, and track status.
Complete form IMM 5257 (Application for Temporary Resident Visa). Each applicant 18 or older completes their own form. Children are included on a parent's application.
Gather your documents using the country-specific document checklist (IMM 5484). The list differs by where you apply from.
Pay the fees — CAD $100 visa processing plus CAD $85 biometrics (see below).
Give your biometrics. After you pay, you receive a Biometric Instruction Letter telling you to book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to provide fingerprints and a photo.
Submit and wait. IRCC reviews your file, may request more documents or an interview, and either approves or refuses. If approved, you mail in your passport (via the VAC) to have the visa placed inside.

Approval does not guarantee entry. A border officer at the airport makes the final call, so carry your supporting documents with you when you travel.

Summary: Apply online via an IRCC secure account: complete IMM 5257, use the IMM 5484 checklist, pay CAD $100 + CAD $85, give biometrics at a VAC, then send your passport for visa placement if approved.

Fees: What a Visitor Visa Costs in 2026

Item	Fee (CAD)
Visitor visa (TRV) processing — per person	$100
Biometrics — per person	$85
Biometrics — family maximum (2+ people applying together)	$170

So a single applicant pays $185 total. A couple or family applying together pays $100 each for processing but tops out at $170 combined for biometrics. Fees are non-refundable even if your application is refused, and they are set by IRCC and subject to change — always confirm the current amount in your IRCC account before paying.

Documents That Make or Break Your Application

A visitor visa is decided largely on paper. The officer is asking one core question: will this person leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay? Your documents have to answer "yes." The strongest applications cover four areas:

1. Proof of funds. Show you can pay for your trip and your stay — recent bank statements (typically the last 4–6 months), pay slips, or a letter from your employer. There is no single published magic number for a tourist visit; the amount should be reasonable for your trip length and plans.

2. Ties to your home country. This is what officers weigh most heavily. Strong ties make it credible that you will return home: a stable job (employment letter, approved leave), property ownership, a business you run, immediate family staying behind, or ongoing studies. The more roots you can document, the better.

3. Purpose of visit. A travel itinerary, flight reservations (you do not have to buy tickets before approval), hotel bookings, conference registration, or event details — whatever explains why you are coming and when you are leaving.

4. Invitation letter (if visiting someone). If family or friends in Canada are hosting you, a letter of invitation strengthens your file. It is not legally required, but it adds credibility. It should include the host's status in Canada, their address, your relationship, the visit dates, and who is paying. A host can also include proof of their status, such as a PR card or citizenship document.

Summary: Win on four fronts — proof of funds, strong ties to home, a clear purpose with dates, and (if applicable) an invitation letter. Officers approve applicants they believe will go home.

Processing Times by Country

There is no universal processing time — it depends heavily on the country you apply from and current demand. As a rough guide, many visitor visa applications in 2026 are processed in a range of a few weeks to a couple of months, with biometrics adding extra time on top.

Because these figures change frequently, always check the live estimate for your country on IRCC's official processing-times tool rather than relying on a number in any article (including this one). As of mid-2026, for example, applicants from countries such as India and the Philippines were seeing turnaround in the range of roughly three to four weeks after biometrics — but that figure moves week to week.

Two practical tips: apply well ahead of your travel date (months, not weeks), and give your biometrics promptly after you pay, since the clock effectively starts once IRCC has a complete file.

Common Refusal Reasons

Most visitor visa refusals come down to two issues, both tied to that core "will they leave?" question:

Weak ties to your home country. If the officer is not convinced you have enough reason to return — no stable job, no property, no dependents at home — they can refuse. This is the most common reason by far.
Insufficient or unexplained funds. Bank balances that are too low, or large deposits that appear suddenly before applying with no explanation, raise red flags.

Other reasons include an unclear or unconvincing purpose of visit, incomplete documents, a travel history that suggests overstaying, or inadmissibility (criminal or medical). A refusal is not always permanent — you can reapply with a stronger file addressing the specific gap, but reapplying with the identical package usually produces the identical result.

The Super Visa Alternative for Parents and Grandparents

If you are inviting your parents or grandparents to Canada for a long stay, a regular visitor visa is usually the wrong tool — a standard visitor is admitted for up to six months at a time. The better option is the super visa: a special multiple-entry visa that lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents stay for up to five years per entry, with the visa itself valid for up to 10 years.

The trade-off is stricter requirements: the host in Canada must meet a minimum income threshold (the calculation method was updated effective March 31, 2026), and the visitor must buy at least one year of valid medical insurance. If a multi-month or multi-year visit is the goal, the super visa is almost always the right path. We cover the income thresholds, insurance rules, and application steps in detail in our super visa guide for parents and grandparents.

Summary: For long visits by parents or grandparents, the super visa (up to 5 years per stay, valid up to 10 years) beats a standard visitor visa — but it requires host income proof and a year of medical insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work or study on a visitor visa? No. A visitor visa is for temporary visits only. Working requires a work permit and studying generally requires a study permit. Working or studying without authorization can make you inadmissible to Canada.

How long can I stay in Canada on a visitor visa? Most visitors are admitted for up to six months per entry — but the border officer sets the exact length and may stamp a different date in your passport. Always check the stamp. If there is no stamp, the default is usually six months from your entry date.

Does a visitor visa guarantee I can enter Canada? No. The visa lets you travel to a port of entry, but a Canada Border Services Agency officer makes the final decision when you arrive. Carry your supporting documents (funds, invitation, itinerary) in case you are asked.

Can I extend my stay once I'm in Canada? Yes. You can apply online to extend your status as a visitor (a "visitor record") before your current stay expires — ideally at least 30 days before. You stay legally while a timely application is being processed.

What is the difference between a visitor visa and an eTA? A visitor visa (TRV) is for citizens of visa-required countries and costs CAD $100 plus biometrics. An eTA is for visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada and costs CAD $7. You need one or the other based on your nationality — never both.

Where do I start once I arrive in Canada? Visitors don't get most newcomer services, but if your visit turns into a longer stay or a status change, our newcomer first-week checklist and SIN application guide walk through the practical next steps.