Canada visaTemporary resident visaCanada visitor visa (TRV) for Indian passport holders
The temporary resident visa covers tourism, visiting family and short business trips. IRCC charges CAD 100 plus CAD 85 for biometrics, usually issues a multiple-entry visa valid up to 10 years, and the officer at the border sets the stay, normally six months.
8 min read Verified 29 October 2026 against canada.ca · How we verify
Canada visitor visa: quick answers
- Who needs a Canada visitor visa?
- Every Indian passport holder entering Canada by any route, including a connection through a Canadian airport, unless they qualify for the electronic travel authorisation expansion: Indian citizens flying to Canada who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years. Everyone else applies for the TRV before travel.
- What does it cost?
- CAD 100 per applicant plus CAD 85 for biometrics (CAD 170 maximum for a family giving biometrics together; the visa fee is capped at CAD 500 for a family of five or more applying at the same time). Both are paid online at filing. The visa application centre in India adds its own service charge.
- How long does it take from India?
- IRCC's tool showed about 29 days for applications filed in India in late October 2026; over the previous twelve months the same figure moved between 29 and 106 days. Add one to two weeks to get a biometrics slot at a VAC. Vistolane quotes the filing date, never the decision date, because IRCC does not.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Temporary resident visa (visitor visa), single or multiple entry |
| Government fee | CAD 100 per person (CAD 500 family maximum) |
| Biometrics | CAD 85 per person, CAD 170 per family; valid 10 years |
| Validity | Up to 10 years or one month before the passport expires, whichever is earlier |
| Stay per entry | Up to 6 months unless the officer writes a shorter date in the passport |
| Processing from India | About 29 days (IRCC tool, late October 2026); 29 to 106 days over the last year |
| Where to apply | IRCC secure account online; biometrics at a VFS Global VAC in India |
| Decision letter | Approval asks you to send the passport to the VAC for the visa counterfoil |
Who qualifies for a Canada visitor visa
There is no points test. The officer must be satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of the authorised stay, that you can pay for the trip without working, that you have no criminal or medical inadmissibility, and that the purpose of the visit is genuine. Those four questions decide almost every file from India, and the refusal letter uses the same wording when they are not met.
Strong files show a reason to go (an itinerary, an invitation from a relative with proof of their status in Canada, a conference registration), a reason to come back (a job with approved leave, a business, property, dependants in India) and money that has been in your account for months rather than weeks. Travel history to the US, UK, Schengen states or Australia helps; a previous Canadian refusal that is not explained hurts.
Dual intent is allowed. IRCC's operational guidance says a person who has also applied for permanent residence, or intends to, can still be issued a visitor visa if the officer believes they will leave at the end of the authorised period. State the PR application in the form; hiding it is misrepresentation.
Fees and what they cover
| Item | CAD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa, per person | 100 | Same fee for single and multiple entry; IRCC decides which to issue |
| Visitor visa, family of 5 or more | 500 maximum | Only when all apply at the same time and place |
| Biometrics, per person | 85 | Ages 14 to 79; fingerprints and photo at the VAC |
| Biometrics, family | 170 maximum | Spouse or partner and dependent children applying together |
| Extend your stay inside Canada | 100 | Apply before the current stay expires |
| Restore status after it lapses | 246.25 | Within 90 days; no visa fee on top |
Fees are paid in the IRCC account by card when the application is submitted and are not refunded if the visa is refused. The VAC service charge in India is separate and is paid to VFS Global when the biometrics appointment is booked.
How the application runs, step by step
- 1
Create the IRCC account and answer the eligibility questions
The questionnaire produces the personalised document checklist; the application form (IMM 5257) and the family information form (IMM 5707) are completed inside the account.
- 2
Upload documents and pay CAD 185
Passport, photo, funds, purpose and ties evidence as PDFs or JPGs, each under 4 MB. Pay the visa fee and the biometrics fee together.
- 3
Give biometrics at a VAC within 30 days
The biometric instruction letter arrives in the account; book VFS Global in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jalandhar, Kochi or Trivandrum.
- 4
Wait for the decision
Processing starts once biometrics are received. IRCC may ask for more documents or, rarely, an interview. Track the status in the account.
- 5
Send the passport for the counterfoil
On approval a passport request letter arrives; submit the passport through the VAC and collect it with the visa inside, usually within two weeks.
Timeline for an Indian applicant
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents gathered | 1 to 2 weeks | Bank statements, employer letter, invitation, bookings |
| Submission to biometrics appointment | 3 to 14 days | Book the earliest VAC slot; the 30-day deadline runs from the letter |
| Biometrics to decision | About 29 days at the latest update | IRCC's tool is updated weekly; expect longer in May to August |
| Approval to passport back | 7 to 14 days | Passport submitted and returned through the VAC |
Count backwards from the travel date: eight to ten weeks is a safe window for a straightforward file; twelve or more if you want time to reapply after a refusal.
At the border and after you arrive
A multiple-entry visa lets you enter as often as you like while it is valid, each time for up to six months unless the officer writes a different date or stamps nothing (then the stay is six months from entry). Carry the same evidence you filed: return ticket, funds, host details. Working or studying on a visitor visa is not allowed, except short courses of six months or less.
To stay longer, apply for a visitor record online before the authorised stay ends (CAD 100). Parents and grandparents of citizens and permanent residents can use the super visa instead, which allows five years per entry and needs the host to meet an income cut-off and the visitor to hold Canadian medical insurance of at least CAD 100,000.
Document checklist: identity and forms
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid for the whole trip | IRCC does not fix a minimum validity, but the visa is only issued up to one month before the passport expires; renew first if under a year remains |
| Digital photo to IRCC specification | 35 x 45 mm frame, plain background, taken in the last six months |
| IMM 5257 application and IMM 5707 family information | Completed in the online account; the family form must list parents, spouse and children even if deceased or not travelling |
| Previous passports and visas | Scans of old passports with US, UK, Schengen or Australian visas and entry stamps |
Purpose of the trip
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Itinerary or invitation letter | Day-by-day plan with bookings, or a signed letter from the host stating relationship, dates, address and who pays |
| Host's status in Canada | Copy of the host's PR card, citizenship certificate or passport, plus a recent notice of assessment if they are paying |
| Return flight reservation | A reservation is enough; do not buy a non-refundable ticket before the decision |
Funds
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Bank statements for the last four to six months | Salary credits visible, balance built over time; large unexplained deposits are the most common funds problem |
| Income tax returns for two years | ITR-V or Form 16 for salaried applicants; audited accounts for business owners |
| Sponsor's documents if someone else pays | Their statements, employment proof and a signed letter explaining the relationship |
Ties to India
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Employment letter with approved leave | On letterhead: designation, salary, start date, leave dates and that the job continues on return |
| Business registration or GST certificate | For self-employed applicants, with recent bank statements of the business |
| Property, fixed deposits, family in India | Title deeds, FD statements, marriage and birth certificates of dependants staying behind |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Purpose of visit not credible
The officer was not satisfied the visit was for tourism or a family event: thin itinerary, no invitation, or an invitation that did not match the travel dates.
The fix. Rebuild the file around one clear purpose with dated evidence (wedding card, conference registration, hotel bookings that match the flight dates) and a host letter that states who pays.
Insufficient funds or unexplained deposits
Statements showed a balance that appeared in the last few weeks, or the trip cost exceeded what the salary could plausibly support.
The fix. Show four to six months of statements with the source of every large credit (property sale deed, maturity of a deposit, gift letter from a parent with their statements).
Weak ties to India
No employer letter, a short job history, no property or dependants, or a long gap in employment.
The fix. Add approved-leave letter, ITRs, property or FD proof and a short, factual explanation of what you return to; students add an enrolment letter and the academic calendar.
Travel history and previous refusals
Limited international travel, or a prior US, UK or Canadian refusal that was not declared or not explained.
The fix. Declare every refusal in the form, attach the refusal letters and a one-page explanation of what has changed since.
Misrepresentation
A document that could not be verified, an undeclared refusal or an employer who did not confirm the letter. A finding under section 40 carries a five-year ban.
The fix. Never submit a document you cannot stand behind; if an agent prepared an earlier file, obtain the GCMS notes before reapplying so the new file addresses what was recorded.
Official sources
Canada visitor visa questions
Other Canada routes
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CAD 150 per person
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CAD 155 per person
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Family class
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