Canada tourist visa: check what you need and prepare your application

Planning a trip to Canada to see the country or visit family? Before you book anything, you need to know which travel document applies to you. Depending on your citizenship and how you travel, that could be a visitor visa, an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or a transit visa. This guide walks you through finding the right document, putting together an application that holds together, and what happens between approval and the moment you land. It is based on IRCC pages checked on October 20, 2026.

Key points before you start

• Your citizenship and your way of arriving decide the document. Someone who is visa-exempt may still need an eTA to fly to Canada.
• A visitor visa (temporary resident visa) does not set how long you can stay. The border services officer decides whether you get in and for how long.
• Your trip has to make sense on paper. Dates, accommodation, budget and purpose should line up with the documents you submit.
• You apply online through your IRCC account, with the forms that fit your situation and documents that are easy to read.
• The visa fee and the biometrics fee are separate: $100 per person for the visa and $85 per person for biometrics, each with a family maximum.
• For timelines, use IRCC's official processing times tool, which shows the estimate for your type of application and country.

Visitor visa or eTA: which one do you need?

The answer starts with your passport, then your route and how you get here. Before you buy a ticket, run IRCC's "Find out if you need a visa or an eTA" tool. It takes a couple of minutes and removes the guesswork.

Travellers from visa-required countries generally need a visitor visa to come to Canada, and in some cases even to pass through. Travellers from visa-exempt countries may need an eTA instead if they fly in or connect through a Canadian airport. IRCC explains who needs one on its eTA page.

Our visitor visa and eTA page sets out the differences, and our guide on eTA or visitor visa helps you work out which one applies to you. An eTA costs $7. Apply for it only through the official IRCC site: third-party sites charge more for the same form.

A visitor visa is a temporary resident visa placed in your passport. An eTA is an electronic authorization linked to your passport. A transit visa is for some travellers who only pass through Canada on the way to another country.

Document	What it's for	What to check
Visitor visa	Travel to Canada as a visitor or, in some cases, transit through it	Whether your citizenship requires it, and your passport's validity
eTA	Travel authorization for some visa-exempt travellers arriving by air	The passport you'll travel with, and your flight route
Transit visa	Lets some travellers pass through Canada	Citizenship, route and transit conditions

A holiday, a family visit, a business trip and a simple connection aren't always handled the same way. Describe the real reason for your trip and follow the instructions that match it.

Who qualifies, and how long you can stay

To get a visitor visa, you have to satisfy the officer that your trip is temporary, that you have enough money for it and that you'll respect the conditions of your stay. IRCC also looks at your personal circumstances and at the ties that make your return home believable. Read the official eligibility criteria before you apply.

Your visa's validity is the window during which you can show up at the border with it. It doesn't mean you can stay in Canada until the visa expires, and it doesn't replace your passport's expiry date.

How long you can stay is decided when you arrive. The officer may set a specific period, stamp a date in your passport or issue a visitor record. Whatever the officer grants is the period you need to respect.

A visa or an eTA gets you to a port of entry; it doesn't guarantee you'll be let in or give you a set length of stay. The border services officer makes that call after speaking with you and looking at your plans.

Don't confuse the length of a visit with the life of a multiple-entry visa. For each trip, make sure your passport and travel document are still valid, then follow the conditions you were given on entry.

Documents that support the purpose of your trip

Start with a simple itinerary: your planned dates, how long you'll stay, the cities you'll visit, where you'll sleep and what you'll do. Every part of it should fit the purpose you declare, the money you have and the commitments waiting for you when you get back.

If you're visiting relatives or friends, a letter of invitation can spell out who your host is, how you know each other, why you're coming, where you'll stay and who pays for what. It helps, but tailor it to your file: an invitation letter isn't required in every case, and it never replaces the evidence about you.

IRCC lists what the letter should cover on its letter of invitation page, and our guide on the invitation letter for a visitor visa goes through it point by point. Ask your host to be concrete about how they'll welcome you and to say clearly whether they're covering any costs.

To show you can pay for the trip, choose documents that fit your profile: proof of income, financial statements, proof of your business or activity, or support from your host. Make it clear who pays for the flight, the accommodation and day-to-day spending. The budget you announce should match what the documents show.

Evidence of your ties at home should reflect your real life: a letter from your employer and approved leave, your business, studies you're returning to, family responsibilities or commitments after the trip. The goal is to show how a short trip fits into your life, not to pile up paper that doesn't connect.

The list varies with where you live, your profile and the visa office's instructions. Our guide to Canada visitor visa documents covers the pieces that count. Group your documents by theme so the officer can follow your reasoning easily.

For a minor, you may need documents on parental authority and consent to travel, depending on the family situation and the route. Keep the contact details of any parent or guardian who isn't travelling with the child.

Applying online, step by step

1. Confirm which document you need. Check whether your citizenship and route call for a visa, an eTA or a transit visa.
2. Use the official online channel. Create or sign in to your IRCC account and start the application that fits your situation. The steps are on IRCC's visitor visa page.
3. Keep your answers consistent. Use the same purpose, dates and travel plans in your answers, your forms and your supporting documents.
4. Fill in the forms you're asked for. Forms and documents vary by applicant and visa office, so follow what your application asks for.
5. Upload readable files. Put each file in the right section, check that every page is there, and make sure names, dates and amounts match across documents.
6. Pay the fees and submit. Keep the payment confirmation and receipt with your records.

According to IRCC's fee list, a visitor visa, super visa included, costs $100 per person, with a family maximum of $500 when five or more people apply together at the same place. Government fees are separate from anything you pay a representative for help.

Before you submit, compare the form summary with your itinerary and documents one last time. The general instructions are on the official visitor visa page, but the instructions specific to your file always come first.

Biometrics, follow-up and processing times

If IRCC asks for your biometrics, read the letter carefully and follow the instructions to book an appointment and give them within the deadline. Some people are exempt, and some can reuse biometrics that are still valid; check the official biometrics page.

Biometrics cost $85 per person, with a family maximum of $170 for two or more people applying at the same time.

After you apply, keep an eye on your account and the messages linked to it. If IRCC asks for documents or information, follow the instructions and send a complete answer within the deadline in the request.

Processing times change with the type of application and where it's processed. Check them with IRCC's processing times tool rather than relying on a figure you heard somewhere else.

After the decision: passport, arrival and your authorized stay

If you're approved and IRCC asks for your passport, send it and pick it up as instructed. Don't travel until every requested step is done and you have the document you need in hand.

At the border, be ready to explain why you're visiting, how long you'll stay, where you'll sleep, how you're paying and when you're going home. Keep the details that match your application close at hand, such as your host's address or your itinerary.

The border services officer decides whether you're admitted and for how long. That period is separate from your visa's validity, so respect the departure date and the conditions attached to your visitor status.

Visitor status doesn't let you start working in Canada, and studying also comes with specific rules and exceptions. Look at our pages on the work permit and the study permit before you take on any activity.

Common mistakes, refusals and extending your stay

A frequent mistake is mixing up the visa and the eTA without checking citizenship and how you'll arrive. Also watch out for missing or contradictory documents, and for a stated purpose that doesn't fit the length of stay, the budget or the accommodation.

If you're refused, read the decision letter closely and pick out the exact reasons the officer gave. A new application makes more sense when it answers those reasons with explanations and evidence, rather than sending the same file again.

To see what your options are after a refusal, read our page on visa refusals and our guide on reconsideration or reapplying after a visitor visa refusal. Either route has to rest on a careful reading of the decision and of what you submitted.

If you want to stay longer once you're here, you have to apply for a visitor record before your status runs out. It lets you extend your stay from inside Canada, but it isn't a travel visa. See IRCC's page on extending your stay as a visitor ($100 per person) and our guide on the visitor record.

Plans to work or study call for a separate check of the permits and exceptions involved. Don't assume a visitor visa is enough for either.

Frequently asked questions about Canada tourist visas

Do I need a letter of invitation to visit family in Canada?

Not in every case. It can make your visit plans clearer, but it doesn't give your host any say over the decision.

What does a minor need to travel to Canada with one parent, or without parents?

The child needs their own travel documents and papers showing who is travelling with them and who agrees to the trip. A parent or guardian can prepare a signed consent letter with the contact details of the responsible adults, depending on the situation.

What if IRCC asks for more documents after I apply?

Reply through the account you used to apply, in the way IRCC's message asks. If you can't provide a document, explain why and include whatever you do have that clarifies the point.

What if my passport expires before the end of my trip?

Renew it before you leave, and if your application is still being processed, send IRCC the new passport details using its web form.

Should I buy plane tickets before applying?

A planned itinerary is enough to describe your trip without spending the money yet. Wait until you have the documents you need before finalizing your arrangements.

Is medical insurance required for every Canada tourist visa?

It depends on the document. The super visa has its own conditions, including medical insurance, that don't automatically apply to a regular visitor visa. Check the super visa for parents and grandparents if that's what you're planning.

Conclusion

For a Canada tourist visa, start by confirming which document your citizenship and route require. Then build a file that hangs together: a clear purpose, enough money for the trip and a real life to go back to. Follow IRCC's instructions on forms, fees and biometrics, check the official processing times, and be ready to answer questions when you land. For advice on your own situation, you can book a consultation or describe your situation.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 20, 2026:

• IRCC — Visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
• IRCC — Eligibility to apply for a visitor visa
• IRCC — Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
• IRCC — Fee list
• IRCC — Biometrics
• IRCC — Extend your stay in Canada (visitor record)