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You may need a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization. The entry document you need depends on:

• the type of travel document you plan to travel with
• the country that issued your travel document
• your nationality
• your method of travel to Canada for this trip

You must meet some basic requirements to get a visitor visa. You must:

• have a valid travel document, like a passport
• be in good health
• have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
• convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to your home country
• convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit
• have enough money for your stay
  – The amount of money you will need depends on how long you will stay and if you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.

You may also need a medical exam and letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Some people are not allowed to enter Canada

Some people are not admissible to Canada, which means they are not allowed to enter the country. You can be inadmissible for several reasons, including being involved in:

• criminal activity
• human rights violations
• organized crime

You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Minor children travelling to Canada

Make sure you know what to do if your minor children (children under the age of 18) will be travelling with you, with someone else, or alone.

A CBSA border services officer (BSO) may issue a visitor record to a temporary resident at the port of entry (POE) on their arrival to Canada.

When a foreign national arrives at a POE, an officer may issue a visitor record to document an authorized length of stay other than the 6-month standard, for reasons that include but are not limited to the following

• an officer determines that it is necessary to ensure compliance with a condition imposed

– for example, an officer believes that it is necessary to limit or extend the period of authorized stay

Please see POE issuance for more information.

An IRCC officer at a case processing centre may issue a visitor record to a temporary resident in order to

• extend their stay in Canada beyond their initial authorized stay
• restore their status as a temporary resident in Canada, following a loss of their status
• change the conditions of their stay

See in-Canada applications for more information.

Imposed conditions

Section 183 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) outlines the conditions imposed on all temporary residents:

• authorization for the period of stay
• indication of when the period of authorized stay for a temporary resident begins and ends
• stipulation that the temporary resident must leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay
• specification that the temporary resident may not engage in work or studies without authorization
• outline of the process for an extension of period authorized for stay
• detail on the nuances around the continuation of status and conditions

Officer-decided conditions

Section R185 states that an officer may impose, vary or cancel the following specific conditions on a temporary resident:

• the period of time authorized for their stay
• the work that they are permitted to engage in, or are prohibited from engaging in, in Canada
• the studies that they are permitted to engage in, or are prohibited from engaging in, in Canada
• the area within which they are permitted to travel, or are prohibited from travelling, in Canada
• the times and places at which they must report for

– medical examination

– surveillance

– treatment

– presentation of evidence of compliance with applicable conditions

A CBSA BSO at the POE will determine the length of time that a temporary resident may remain in Canada.

If a BSO believes that a foreign national requires further examination, they will be referred to secondary for an interview and further processing. If the BSO at secondary determines that the foreign national is admissible as a visitor to Canada, they will specify a date by which the individual must leave Canada by

• placing a stamp in the foreign national’s passport and handwriting a date below it or
• issuing a visitor record, and placing a stamp alongside the visitor record document number

As referenced in the automated POE instructions, if the foreign national is processed at an automated POE or primary inspection kiosk (PIK), a BSO is not required to and may not place a stamp in the foreign national’s passport. A foreign national can still receive a stamp upon request, or if required by CBSA policy and regulations.

If there is no stamp or handwritten date in the foreign national’s passport, their authorized period of stay is 6 months from the day they initially entered Canada, or until their passport expires, whichever comes first, as per subsection R183(2). A visitor record may be issued at a POE in cases of:

• limiting or extending length of stay
• work permit and study permit exemptions

In accordance with ENF 4: Port of Entry Examinations (PDF, 1.53 MB), section 13.32 “Issuing visitor records”, the visitor record is generated in the Global Case Management System (GCMS), printed and attached to the foreign national’s passport. The attached visitor record will be accompanied by a stamp and specific instructions (if applicable).There are no processing fees for issuing a visitor record at the POE.

Subsection R183(2) states that the standard length of stay for visitors in Canada is 6 months, but this is authorized and established at the discretion of the BSO at the POE. Issuing a visitor record is a means of exercising an element of control over the foreign national’s length of stay in Canada, with the intention of,

• limiting to a period of less than 6 months or
• extending beyond 6 months, although never exceeding the validity of their travel document or passport

A BSO may limit the stay of a visitor for reasons that include but are not limited to the following:

• the foreign national’s passport or travel document will expire within 6 months
• the foreign national is a seafarer signing off or seeking entry to join a crew
• the foreign national is entering Canada for medical treatment
• the foreign national has been extradited to Canada and is being allowed forward as a temporary resident

A BSO may also issue a visitor record if they determine that the foreign national’s departure from Canada must be verified by the CBSA, by imposing a reporting requirement. See officer-decided conditions for more information.

Foreign nationals may be issued a visitor record at the POE in situations that include, but are not limited to the following.

Work permit exemptions

Please see the list of foreign nationals who may be authorized to work without a permit.

Foreign nationals who are eligible for the 120-day work permit exemption or the short-term (15- to 30-day) work permit exemption may request a visitor record at the POE.

If requested and if all other requirements have been met, a BSO will issue a visitor record to the foreign national. This will verify the status of the temporary resident as work permit exempt and support their application to Service Canada for their Social Insurance Number.

The issued visitor record would include remarks specifying the ability of the foreign national to work without a permit. Acceptable remarks that may appear on the visitor record include

• “Work permit exempt as a [job title]”
• “Work permit exempt, per section R186”; a subsection may be listed, for example, subsection R186(s)
• “120-day short-term work permit exemption – Public policy”
• “30-day or 15-day short-term work permit exemption – Public policy”

Consult the “Visitor records” section in the Short-term (120-day) work permit exemption PDI for more details.

Study permit exemptions

See the list of foreign nationals who are exempt from the requirement of a study permit.

A foreign national studying in Canada may be issued a visitor record to authorize a stay in Canada without a study permit to attend a course or program of study of 6 months or less. Minor children already in Canada are authorized to study without a study permit at the pre-school, primary and secondary level, if one of their parents is a visitor record holder and is authorized to study without a permit.

A foreign national may apply to extend their temporary resident status beyond the initial period granted for their stay by a BSO at the POE or by a previous in-Canada extension.

If a foreign national applies to extend their stay in Canada and meets the eligibility requirements as a visitor, the IRCC officer may issue a visitor record, which serves to legally extend a foreign national’s temporary resident status in Canada.

A temporary resident should apply at least 30 days in advance of their status expiring, and must submit an application to IRCC to apply for a visitor record.

The application must be accompanied by the appropriate extension fee in order to initiate processing of the visitor record.

In cases where foreign nationals lose their temporary resident status, they may, within 90 days of losing it, apply for restoration of temporary resident status.

If the applicant is eligible for restoration, the officer will issue a visitor record outlining the conditions of the restoration, including the length of stay. The visitor record issued following an in-Canada application typically includes an extension or restoration of 6 months, but this may vary from case to case.

Parents and grandparents who hold a super visa, have valid temporary resident status and who apply to extend their stay in Canada are issued a visitor record for 1 year as a default.

Refer to instructions on super visas for information specific to the processing of and length of stay for super visa holders.

To be eligible for faster processing through the Student Direct Stream, you must:

• be a legal resident living in 1 of the following countries:

– China

– India

– Morocco

– Pakistan

– the Philippines

– Senegal

– Vietnam

• have an acceptance
• letter from a post-secondary designated learning institution
• prove that you’ve paid the tuition fees for your first year of study
• live outside of Canada when you apply
• have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000
• have a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion

– This is only if you’re planning to study in Quebec

• get a medical exam before you apply (if you need one)
• get a police certificate before you apply (if you need one)
• have your most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s)
• have a language test result that shows:

– a score of 6.0 or higher in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening) on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or

a Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) score that is equal to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 7 in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening)

Depending on where you’re applying from, you may also need to provide other documents. Make sure you include all the documents required by the visa office that processes your application.

You may be asked to give additional documents to support your application. In this situation, your application will take longer to process

If you live anywhere other than 1 of the countries listed above (even if you’re a citizen of one of the countries above), you must apply through the regular study permit application process.

If you live in another country (even if you’re a citizen of one of the countries above), or if you don’t meet the eligibility for faster processing, you may still be eligible for a study permit through the regular study permit application process.

A GIC is a Canadian investment that has a guaranteed rate of return for a fixed period of time. Many banks offer GICs. The bank that gives you the GIC must:

• confirm that you bought a GIC by giving you 1 of the following:

– a letter of attestation

– a GIC certificate

– an Investment Directions Confirmation or

– an Investment Balance Confirmation

• hold the GIC in an investment account or a student account that you can’t access until you arrive in Canada
• make you confirm your identity before they release any funds to you
• release the funds to you by providing:

– an initial lump sum once you identify yourself upon arrival in Canada

– the remainder of the funds in monthly or bi-monthly installments over 10 to 12 months

If your bank or GIC doesn’t meet these criteria, you won’t be able to apply through the Student Direct Stream.

Financial institutions that offer GICs

You can get a GIC from a financial institution listed on the Canadian Deposit Insurance Company website. Make sure the financial institution you choose offers a GIC and meets the criteria for the Student Direct Stream.

The following financial institutions offer GICs that meet the criteria:

• Bank of Beijing
• Bank of China
• Bank of Montreal
• Bank of Xian Co. Ltd.
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• Desjardins
• Habib Canadian Bank
• HSBC Bank of Canada
• ICICI Bank
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
• RBC Royal Bank
• SBI Canada Bank
• Scotiabank

Depending on where you’re applying from, you may need to get a medical exam or police certificate. To get faster processing through the Student Direct Stream, you must include these with your application (if you need them). If you don’t, we won’t process your application faster.

Who needs a medical exam?

You may need to get a medical exam if:

• you lived or travelled in certain countries or territories for 6 or more months in the year before you come to Canada, or
• you plan on studying or working in:

– the health field

– primary or secondary education, or

– child or elder care

To get a medical exam, you must see a doctor that has been approved by IRCC.

Find out more about medical exams here.

Who needs a police certificate?

Your visa office instructions will tell you if you need to get a police certificate. You’ll find these instructions when you select your country of residence below. Make sure you read these instructions before you apply, so you know if you need a police certificate or any other documents to apply.

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children may also be able to get faster processing on a

• visitor visa
• work permit
• study permit

You must complete and submit their applications at the same time as your own. If you don’t, we will not process their applications faster. When you apply online, indicate that you have family members coming with you to Canada. This lets you complete their applications with yours.

Apply for a study permit through the Student Direct Stream

You must apply online to get faster processing for your study permit. There’s no paper application for the Student Direct Stream. Make sure you include all the required documents with your application.

Before you apply online, make sure you have the following:

• instruction guide to fill out your forms
• scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents
• valid credit or credit card to make a payment

1. You need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)

Once you pay your fees (including your biometrics fee) and submit your application, we’ll send you a letter that says you need to give your biometrics (if you need to). The letter will tell you how and where to do this. You need to bring this letter when you give your biometrics. You also need to bring your valid passport. You have up to 30 days to give your biometrics in person.

If you didn’t pay the biometrics fee, we’ll send you a letter asking you to do this first. You can only get the instruction letter if you pay the biometrics fee.

2. We process your study permit application

Once we receive your biometrics, we’ll be able to process your study permit application. We process most Student Direct Stream applications within 20 calendar days after we receive your biometrics, if you meet the eligibility.

If your application doesn’t meet the eligibility for the Student Direct Stream, we’ll review it as a regular study permit. You won’t get faster processing if this happens.

Find out how long it takes to process a regular study permit application.

We’ll send you:

• a letter of introduction

– This isn’t your study permit. You need to show this letter to the officer when you arrive in Canada.

• an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa (temporary resident visa), depending on which you need to enter Canada

If you need an eTA

Your letter of introduction will have information about it. Your eTA will be electronically linked to your passport and will be valid for 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Make sure you travel with the passport you used to apply.

If you need a visitor visa

We’ll ask you to send your passport to the nearest visa office so we can attach your visa to it. Your visa will be in your passport and will show if you can enter Canada once or multiple times. You must enter Canada before your visa expires.

Getting your study permit

When you arrive at the port of entry, an officer will make sure you meet the requirements to enter Canada. If there are no problems, the officer will then print your study permit and give it to you. Make sure you have all the documents you need to enter Canada with you.

Find out what happens when you arrive in Canada and what your conditions are as an international student in Canada.

Your study permit is normally valid until the end of your school program. If your passport expires before the end of your study program, your permit will only be valid until your passport expiry date. If this happens, you’ll need to apply to extend your study permit once you have a new passport.

If you have questions or there’s a mistake on your study permit, ask the officer before you leave.

We’ll send you a letter explaining why you were refused. If you have questions, contact the office that sent the refusal letter.

We accept credit cards and prepaid cards from:

• Visa®
• MasterCard®
• American Express®
• JCB®
• UnionPay® (for online applications only; debit cards not accepted)

If you use a prepaid credit card, keep it for at least 18 months after you pay to make refunds easier. Find more on prepaid cards.

We also accept all Visa Debit cards. The card you use doesn’t have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name will appear on the receipt but it does not need to match your application.