WHY VISIT CANADA?

The wilderness of Canada’s natural beauty, from hidden lakes and forests to mountains and glaciers, is almost incomparable worldwide. More than 35 million people visit Canada every year. This amazing country is also seen as one that absolutely makes life worth living. And is by far one of the most cross-cultural on the planet. Canada’s charm is not just the great outdoors, it has cosmopolitan cities that are safe, friendly, clean, and multicultural.

With diverse landscapes that cover mountains, beaches, and even glaciers, this place is truly something to consider. At every 2000 sq., there is so much to see and do here- breath-taking fjords, divine hiking trails and tablelands that appear to stretch for days. Canada is a country that loves to celebrate. Quebec City host’s the world’s largest winter carnival. Whereas Montreal hosts the world’s largest comedy and jazz festival.

Canada is a local food mishmash; its traditional diversity is reflected in its taste. The east coast has the world’s most fresh seafood, where fishing is a century-old tradition. In Quebec, cheese, maple syrup, smoked meat, poutine, and bagels are world-famous, while New Brunswick is the birthplace of one in every French fry.

WHO IS A VISITOR:

A definition of a visitor is given under Sec. 2 (1) of The Immigration Act (Act) as a person who is lawfully in Canada as a visitor or who wishes to come into Canada for a temporary purpose and who is not:
1. A holder of a minister’s permit;
2. A Canadian permanent resident and citizen;
3. An immigrant who is admitted into Canada as his/her examination cannot be concluded at the port of entry by the officer.

VISITOR VISA

Purpose:

The purpose of the visitor/tourist visa under the Canadian Immigration Act is to:

• Allow the entry of an individual who wishes to visit Canada for the purpose of doing trade with Canadian companies, for tourism and allow other foreigners to foster scientific and international understanding.
• At the same time controlling the entry of those who wish to involve in criminal activities in Canada or who are likely to put in danger the health and safety of Canadian society.

TYPES OF VISITOR VISA

There are two types of visitor visas that can be issued: single-entry and multiple entries.

Single Entry Visas

A single entry visa allows you to enter Canada one time. A single entry visa can be issued up to 6 months before the date of travel. Generally, single-entry visas are issued for 6 months.

Multiple Entry visas

A multiple-entry visa allows you to enter Canada multiple times from your home country. Multiple entry visas can be issued for up to 5 years (so long as your passport is still valid for that time).

NOTE- If CIC has any doubt about issuing a multiple entry visa, it will not issue a single entry visa as a compromise – it will simply reject your application.

RENEWING YOUR VISITOR VISA

If you wish to renew your visitor visa, it is important that you file your renewal application before it expires. With your renewal application, you should include the same materials as you included in your earlier application. In addition, you should add a cover letter listing your reasons for continuing your stay. And also, your plans to return home.

If you can get a letter from your employer in your home country extending your leave of absence, that would be valuable to your application as well. You will have a much greater chance of a successful renewal if you have a valid reason to continue to stay. If you have commitments in your home country that you will have to return to in future, include those.

Remember, CIC is always asking: “Will this person return to his or her home country when the visitor visa expires?” So, if you have made future travel arrangements to return home, you should include copies of those as well.

Renewal applications are sent to the Vegreville Case Processing Centre in Alberta.

APPLYING FOR A RENEWAL AFTER YOUR VISA EXPIRES

If you failed to renew your visitor visa before it expires there is still hope.

You will have to apply for “restoration.” Besides, restoration of your status is a different process with a higher application fee.

You must apply for restoration within 90 days of the day when your visitor visa expired.

This means that CIC must receive your application within 90 days of your visitor visa expiring (and not that you must mail your application within 90 days).

As with most things, CIC has the choice to deny restoration of your status.

So how do you make a successful restoration application?

In addition to the renewal documents in the application, you absolutely must include a detailed letter explaining why you missed applying for renewal while your visitor visa was still valid.

Your best chance at success is to provide an explanation where circumstances were beyond your control, if applicable. For example, if you had a medical emergency or an accident and missed the renewal application deadline, CIC would look on this quite favourably.

If your only explanation is that you forgot to renew your visitor visa, then your best chance is to include as much evidence as you can that you will return to your home country after your visit, as discussed above.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR A VISITOR VISA

• Passport with at least six months validity for regular visit visa/minimum 2 years for a super visa
• Relevant Fee/Application Processing Fees (Can be paid online)
• Colour Digital photograph
• Marriage certificate if accompanying a spouse.
• Purpose of travel – Copy of confirmed Air Ticket (One way is acceptable for Super visa /Round Trip for visitor visa)
• Personal Documentation of the Applicant:
  If SALARIED:
  • Proof of employment (letter from employer confirming salary and length of employment.
  • Salary statements for the past 6 months or Pay Stubs for the last 6 months
  • Most recent provident fund statement. Employment contract.
  • Letter from the employer which indicates that the applicant(s) have leave approval
  If SELF-EMPLOYED/BUSINESS:
  • Business License / Registration
  • Business and Personal Income Tax returns for the last 2 years
  If RETIRED:
  • Pension payment slips for the last 6 months if the pensioner
  • Bank statement as the proof of pension amount deposit
  Other documents from the applicant:
  • Income Tax Returns for the past two years
  • Bank Statements/bank books for last 6 months
  • Proof of assets like property/house etc. Property Tax receipt would also suffice as proof of property.
  If you are visiting as a tourist
  • Detailed itinerary including proof of ticket booking
  • Proof of hotel reservation
  If you are visiting a relative/friend – recommended documents:
  • Letter of invitation
  • Proof of immigration status of the inviter – this may include a photocopy of a Canadian permanent resident card (both sides) or Canadian passport or Citizenship card.
  • Residential proof – Hydro bill / Rent receipt / Gas bill / Cell phone bill/lease agreement.
  • Financial documentation of inviter: * such as:
    • A most recent copy of Notice of Assessment or Option C printout (To obtain a free Option C printout, call CRA at 1-800-959-8281
    • A most recent copy of T4 or T1 if NOA is unavailable
    • Proof of employment / Letter of employment (if self-employed, a letter from their accountant stating their annual income)
    • Evidence of other sources of income
    • Proof of the inviter’s existing funds (bank statements, bank books)
  • Proof of relationship with the applicant and the inviter:
    • A marriage certificate
    • A birth certificate
    • An official document naming you as a parent
    • A copy of the inside back cover of the inviter’s passport showing the inviter’s parents
  • Proof from your child or grandchild that he/she meets the Low Income Cut-Off. Two (2) Most recent tax years’ NOA or T4 if tax not filed yet.
  • Proof of Medical Insurance coverage for 1 year with a Canadian Insurance company (Policy /certificate copy) and that:
    • Covers health care, hospitalization, repatriation,
    • Provides a minimum coverage of $100 000, and
    • Is valid for each entry to Canada and be available for review by a port of entry officer.
• Children under 18 travelling without one or both parents or without a legal guardian must provide a notarized authorization for travel signed by both parents or by the parent or legal guardian not travelling, as well as proof of their identity/signature for verification. This authorization should also be available for presentation at the Canadian Port of Entry
• English or French translations must accompany any documents not originally in English or French
• Passports must be valid for at least 6 months.

Note: A temporary resident visa may not be issued beyond the validity of your current passport

Who is eligible?

To visit Canada, you must:

• Firstly, have a valid travel document, such as a passport
• Secondly, be in good health
• Also, satisfy an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home, and family, which will take you back to your country of origin
• Further, satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit and
• Finally, have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.

You may also need a:

• Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship
• Medical examination and
• Letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Travel documents:

On March 11, 2010, CIC amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to clarify the factors used to determine which travel documents can be used to apply for a visa and to travel to or enter Canada.

Under the new Regulations, Canada considers the following travel documents as unreliable and not acceptable for entry into Canada:

• Any passport claiming to have been issued by Somalia,
• Non-machine readable passports issued by the Czech Republic,
• Temporary passports issued by the Republic of South Africa, and
• Provisional passports issued by Venezuela.

This list is subject to change. Check it regularly for up-to-date information.

Visas and exemptions:

You may or may not need a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada, depending on your citizenship. Even if you are exempt, though, there are important information you need to know before you plan your trip:

• Show an immigration officer that you satisfy all other requirements to enter Canada (mentioned above under ‘who is eligible’). If you do not, you may not get permission to enter.
• Have a valid passport. Some citizens from visa‑exempt countries have to meet more requirements, such as having a machine-readable passport or an e‑passport to travel to Canada. Find out what the specific information on passport requirements are for your country.
• Find out if you need to undergo a medical examination. Visit a visa office to receive instructions on undergoing a medical examination

Please see the list of Countries and territories whose citizens do not require visas in order to enter Canada as visitors.

Inadmissibility:

Some people are inadmissible—they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime. You can also be inadmissible for security, health, or financial reasons.

Criminal inadmissibility:

If you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, you may not be allowed to enter Canada.

Criminal offences include both minor and serious offences, such as theft, assault, manslaughter, dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you have a past criminal history when you were under the age of 18, you can probably still enter Canada. See the Related Links for more information about admissibility.

Please Contact Us today to know more about Temporary Resident Visa and the requirements to apply for the same.