TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISAS
In order to travel to Canada on a short-term basis (less than 6 months), foreign nationals must meet requirements of the legislation to enter and remain in Canada as legitimate visitors and demonstrate their ability and willingness to leave at the end of their authorized stay. Temporary residents are subject to various conditions while in Canada, such as limits to the length of their stay and restrictions related to working and studying. To demonstrate that they meet entry requirements for Canada, every foreign national seeking entry must establish that they hold the required temporary resident visa (TRV) or have a valid electronic travel authorization (eTA).
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for foreign nationals from countries which do not require a visa to enter Canada. The eTA request must be submitted online and once approved, gets electronically linked to the foreign national’s passport. The eTA allows foreign nationals to travel to Canada as often as they like for short stays (normally for up to 6 months at a time). If the foreign national wishes to stay for more than 6 months, an application to extend visitor status must be made inside Canada by way of submitting an on-line application. If it expires or the foreign national obtains a new passport, an application for a new eTA must be made.
- Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is required for all foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Canada. Prospective applicants must submit relevant application forms and supporting documents for processing before they can travel. Once the application is approved, foreign nationals will be asked to send their original passports to the applicable visa office for TRV issuance – it will be stamped in the passport. TRV allows foreign nationals to remain in Canada for up to six months with a possibility of extension from inside Canada. TRVs are issued allowing multiple entries and are valid to the same date as the passport.
- Super visa is a branch of TRV and is intended for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The application process is the same as a TRV, but these visas allow a 2-year stay from the date of entry instead of 6 months. Document requirements for this visa are more stringent than those for a TRV, asking to include proof of financial funds from the Canadian residents, and valid medical insurance to cover foreign nationals for the entire duration of their stay. Super visas look exactly the same as TRVs and are issued allowing multiple entries and are valid to the same date as the passport.
- Business Visitor Visa is another branch of TRV and is issued to visitors who come to Canada for international business activities but will not be entering the Canadian labour market. This includes meetings with Canadian companies to make purchases, traveling for training, after-hours equipment maintenance, etc. Business visitors must prove that their main source of income and main place of business will remain outside of Canada and they have no intention in staying beyond the required period. Business visitors who require an entry visa for Canada, must submit their application online, just like a TRV. Visa exempt nationals must have a valid eTA to travel to Canada and on entry they must present a collection of documents pertaining to the reason of their visit.
- Super visa is a branch of TRV and is intended for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The application process is the same as a TRV, but these visas allow a 2-year stay from the date of entry instead of 6 months. Document requirements for this visa are more stringent than those for a TRV, asking to include proof of financial funds from the Canadian residents, and valid medical insurance to cover foreign nationals for the entire duration of their stay. Super visas look exactly the same as TRVs and are issued allowing multiple entries and are valid to the same date as the passport.
If you are looking for a Canadian Immigration Lawyer that can assist you with your matter, there is no need to look any further. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.
Visa Application Process
Here we will describe a general visa application process for visa-required foreign nationals that must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for their travel to Canada. This also includes a Super visa and Business Visitor Visa application processes. Processing times for these applications vary depending on the government-posted processing time and the foreign national’s country of citizenship and residence.
General Requirements and Process:
Applications for Canadian visas can be submitted online, once the applicant collects all relevant immigration forms, supporting documents explaining reasons for travel, identity documents (including photos) and processing fees.
Documents demonstrating reasons for travel to Canada differ depending on the type of visa one applies for. For tourist entries, applicants should include a letter outlining reasons for travel, intended itinerary, proof of any already purchased tickets, hotel reservations, etc.
If the visitor visa is made with the purpose of visiting family or friends in Canada, they should include a letter of invitation, outlining details of where the applicant will be residing during their stay. If traveling for an event like a wedding or a religious celebration, a copy of the invitation would also be helpful.
In either way, applicants must show that they have enough money to undertake their travel to Canada and have strong reasons to return home. This can include details related to applicant’s employment or studies, family, property, and any other obligations which require them to return. This can mean letters from employers confirming limited vacation, school enrollment letter showing upcoming start date, home ownership documents, marital status documents showing spouse and/or children remaining in the country of residence, etc.
Business visitors must prepare and present specific documents pertaining to the nature of their business visit to Canada. Usually, corporate documents from the home country are required to show that the applicant is gainfully employed abroad and is coming to Canada to execute a specific service along with the invitation letter from the hosting company in Canada outlining requested service.
Once the application is submitted, officers examining the application will assess the applicant’s general eligibility, reason for entry to Canada and evaluate the likelihood of them remaining in Canada after their resident status expires. Significant number of visa applications are refused based on the assessment that the applicant is likely to overstay or not having strong ties back home, rather than for any specific issue like criminal inadmissibility.
To submit the complete application, in addition to the regular processing fee of $100, applicants must also include a biometrics fee of $85.00 (14 years and older) if they do not have valid biometrics from previous applications.
During the processing, applicants may be asked for additional documents or information. Once the application is approved, a visa is issued to the applicant in the form of an official counterfoil document stamped into their passport. Visas are generally issued for the duration of the passport and allow multiple entries.
If you are looking for a Canadian Immigration Lawyer that can assist you with your matter, there is no need to look any further. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.
