Within the temporary Canada visas, there are several categories of visas. One of them is the Temporary Resident Visa Canada. This article will go through this group of visas and the relevant details on them.
What is a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa?
The Canadian Temporary Resident Visas are a category of visas for people who want to stay in Canada for a short period of time, usually 6 months or less. They are for various purposes of staying such as tourism, business, family visits, and so on.
If you have one of these visas, then it means you will stay in Canada for a short period of time and not much longer. You will not be allowed to apply for citizenship of Canada, apply to get Canadian government documents or try to claim for Canadian benefits such as health coverage.
You are only allowed to stay in Canada for the purpose that you applied for, and you cannot try and work or study for a long-term program there. If you find a study program that has a duration of 6 months or less, then you are allowed to attend it, but only if you have specified it in your application. Otherwise, working is not permitted at all. Additionally, you must prove that you plan to return to your home country and not stay in Canada.
Do I Need to Apply for a Canada Temporary Resident Visa?
Most travelers will need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) which grants them entry to Canada, although there are nationals of countries which will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or they are completely exempt and can enter freely with their passports without needing a visa.
Eligibility Criteria for the Temporary Resident Visas
To be eligible to apply for the Temporary Resident visas for Canada you must be able to fulfill the following criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old to apply as the primary visa applicant.
- Have a valid governmental issued passport with at least one blank page that is not the last page of the passport.
- Translate and certify all the documents that you have that are in another language other than English or French.
- Gave a clean criminal history and submit court documents to prove it.
- Be ready to pay the necessary visa application fees and visa processing fees.
- Sign and date the appropriate documents where necessary.
- Fill and sign a Visa Application Center (VAC) Consent Form.
- Submit copies of your current immigration status in another country or in Canada.
- Have enough funds to cover your stay in Canada.
- Be ready to attend and interview or give biometric information.
- Go through a medical examination if the Canadian Consulate asks you to.
- Prove that your stay in Canada is temporary and that you will return to your home country once your visit is over.
- You must prove that you do not plan to work or study in Canada.
However, depending on the type of TRV visa that you are applying for, you might have to comply to additional criteria.
What are the types of Canadian Temporary Resident Visas?
There are several types of Temporary Resident Visas separated by the purpose of visit. The following visas belong to this category:
- Visitor Visa – or simply said Canada Tourist Visa is the visa which allows you to go to Canada for tourism purposes;
- Super Visa – is the visa for parents or grandparents of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents to visit their children or grandchildren for longer period of times, up to 2 years at a time;
- Diplomatic and Official Visa – is the visa for governmental officials or diplomats of foreign countries to go to Canada on official duties and responsibilities;
- Courtesy Visa – is the visa for those persons who are not governmental officials or diplomats and cannot qualify for the Diplomatic and Official Visa, but have some importance or ranks;
- Facilitation Visa – is the visa given to those persons who are Canadian Citizens with dual nationalities, but because of circumstances that were beyond their control, they do not have a Canadian passport. To allow them to visit Canada, the Consulate issues a Facilitation Visa in the passport of the other nationality that they hold.
- Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa – is the visa for businesspeople who are going to Canada for the purposes of doing business, attending meetings, workshops, conferences, or trade shows;
- Persons wishing to enter Canada for the purpose of giving birth – is the visa given to women who want to give birth to a baby in Canada, since any child born in Canada is considered a citizen;
- Intending Organ Donors Visa – is the visa for those who want to donate an organ to a Canadian Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen;
- Dual Intent Visa – is the visa for those who want to stay in Canada temporarily, but intend to also apply for a permanent visa and claim so in their applications.
What are the requirements for the TRV Canada?
Since this is a category of visas and not a single visa, there are two types of requirements that potential applicants must fulfill to qualify or be eligible for any of the visas:
- General Visa Requirements
- Visa Specific Requirements
General Requirements for all Temporary Resident Visas
The standard Canada Visa Requirements are a set of criteria that apply to any of the Temporary Resident Visas, no matter the purpose of your visit.
To apply for any of the Canada temporary resident visas you must submit the following forms:
- Form IMM 5257, Application for Temporary Resident.
- Form IMM 5707, Family Information Form.
Other forms that you might have to fill out if they are applicable for you are:
- Form IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union.
- Form IMM 5476, Use of a Representative.
- Form IMM 5475, Authority to release personal information to a designated individual.
Visa Specific Requirements
If you qualify and meet the standard Canada Visa Requirements, then there are additional criteria based on your purpose of visit. These are different for each type of visa in the group. A few examples of such requirements are below:
- For the Tourist Visa, you must have an itinerary of the places you plan to visit in Canada;
- For the Super Visa, you must have an invitation letter from your child or grandchild and proof of relationship such as a birth certificate;
- For the Business Visa, you must prove that you work for a company other than the one you are doing business with in Canada;
- For the Diplomatic Visa, you must have documents which prove you are a governmental official of your country and you are visiting Canada for official duties, etc.
For more detailed visa specific requirements, we recommend you find the specific visa you are applying for in our guide and go through the details and instructions. Meeting these requirements is very important for you to get the visa. If you do not qualify for all the requirements, then you might have to submit additional proof to the Canadian Consulate to convince them that they should give you the visa, or the officials will reject your application.
How to Apply for a Temporary Resident Visa?
The application for Temporary Resident Visa has a set of steps that applicants must follow. There are two ways you can apply for the TRV:
- Online application;
- Application in person;
Since most application processes are being digitized, it is recommended that you try and apply online if it is possible. However, even if you apply online, if the Consulate requires an interview or your biometrics, you will have to show up in person. If you apply in person, then you will have to visit the Consulate multiple times to complete the whole process.
The application process for the TRV has these specific steps:
Confirm your eligibility for a Temporary Resident Visa for Canada
You must go to the Government of Canada website to the Immigration tab. Click on that tab and then click on Visit. When you get to the page, you will see a link called “Find out if you need a visa”. Click on that link and you will be directed to a survey.
You must answer the questions truthfully and select the reason for your visit. The questionnaire will analyze your answers and determine whether you need a Temporary Resident visa, whether you are eligible, or if you only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
If you are eligible for a Temporary Visitor Visa, then the page will direct you to the instructions on how to apply. You can apply online or in person and with the increasing digitalization of visa applications, it is much easier if you apply online. Answer a few more questions on the “Determine your eligibility and apply online” survey and you will be given a reference code and a checklist of what you have to do to apply.
Create an account
You must save the reference code and then open an account in the same Government of Canada website. You can either open the account through your bank account details or use a Government of Canada login (GCKey). Once you login, you can start your application.
Submit the Application
Use your reference code to access your answers to the questionnaire and the forms you need to fill out.
Wait for processing and respond to additional requests for information
Once you submit your application, it will take around 5 days for it to show up on your account. During the next few weeks, the Canadian Consulate will process the application. If they see it necessary, they will invite you for a visa interview and/or to give your biometric information.
If that happens, you must attend the interview at the scheduled time and respond to all the questions truthfully.
Send your passport for stamping
Once your Canada Temporary Resident visa is approved, the notification will show up on your online account or the Embassy will let you know once you complete the interview. The next step is to then submit your passport for stamping and processing.
If you have completed all the procedures online, then the Embassy will send you an email with instructions on where to mail your passport. You must mail the passport and the processing fees, as well as pay for a return envelope. If you are at the Embassy in person, then you will pay the fees there and give the Consular Officer your passport.
The Consulate will process your passport, stamp it, and return to you. If they mail it back, it will take a few days to arrive, but from that point forward, you can start making your travel arrangements for your visit in Canada.