The main difference between these two visa types is that a single entry visa allows entry to Canada for one-time only and a multiple entry visa allows entry many times.

You don’t need to choose. A multiple entry visa is what all visa applicants are automatically considered for. We will review your application and issue you a visa depending on your situation.

While valid, a multiple entry visa will let you travel to Canada for six months at a time as many times as you want. It will be valid for up to 10 years or one month before your passport expires, whichever is shorter. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.

A single entry visa lets you travel to Canada only one time. For instance, you may only be eligible for a single entry visa if:

• you are eligible for a fee-exemption and the purpose of your entry to Canada is limited (such as, for an official visit by a foreign national)
• you are taking part in a one-time special event in Canada
• there are approved country-specific procedures or guidelines in place.

In most cases, once you have left Canada, you will need a new visa to enter Canada again.

You won’t need a new visitor visa to return to Canada if you are travelling directly to the United States (including its Territories and Possessions) or St. Pierre and Miquelon.

All applicants who are eligible for a multiple entry visa will be issued one. However, not all applicants will be eligible for a multiple entry visa. This remains at the discretion of a visa officer. A single entry visa may be issued in cases where, for example:

• An applicant is eligible for a fee-exemption and where the purpose of entry to Canada is limited (e.g., for an official visit by a foreign national);
• An applicant is participating in a one-time special event in Canada (e.g., Pan-American Games); and/or
• Country-specific procedures or guidelines are in place and approved by IRCC.

Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months in Canada.

At the port of entry, the border services officer may allow you to stay for less or more than 6 months. If so, they’ll put the date you need to leave by in your passport. They might also give you a document.

If you don’t get a stamp in your passport, you can stay for 6 months from the day you entered Canada or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

If you need a stamp, you can ask a border services officer for one. If you arrive at an airport that uses primary inspection kiosks, ask the border officer after you finish at the kiosk.

If you want to stay longer than your authorized stay, you should apply for an extension at least 30 days before the authorized end of your stay.

When you arrive at the point of entry in Canada, a border services officer will make sure you meet the requirements to enter Canada.

The officer will authorize your stay by stamping your passport and/or issuing another document.

If there is no stamp, handwritten date or document in your passport, your temporary resident status will expire six months from the day you arrived in Canada.

If you received a visitor record, student or work permit, the expiry date is marked on it.

No. If you plan to travel to Canada, you need a valid visitor visa OR a valid eTA.

The one you need depends on:

• the type of travel document you will travel with;
• the country that issued your travel document;
• your nationality; and
• how you will travel to Canada.

If you are on a cruise ship that departs from Canada or the continental United States and enters international waters and you are not in possession of a valid multiple-entry visa, you will need to obtain a new temporary resident visa in order to re-enter Canada.

The document you need to transit through Canada depends on a few factors, including if you plan to visit Canada.

You can answer a few questions to find the document you need to transit through Canada.

You’re considered a visa-required traveller if you’re from a visa-required country.

You need a visitor visa if:

• you visit Canada (even if you’re travelling by air and it’s for less than 48 hours)
• stay in Canada more than 48 hours while transiting, or
• you’re crossing the border by:
  • bus
  • car
  • train
  • boat
  • cruise ship

You need a transit visa if:

• your international flight stops at a Canadian airport on its way to another country
• you’ll be connecting between 2 international flights at a Canadian airport
• you’ll transit through Canada in 48 hours or less, and
• you don’t have a valid visitor visa

You’re considered a visa-exempt traveller if you’re from an eTA-required country.

You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you’re from an eTA-required country.

You don’t need an eTA if you’re transiting through Canada and you enter by train, bus, boat or cruise ship. You do need to bring the right travel documents.

You can apply for a transit visa by filling out the application for a Temporary Resident Visa and selecting transit visa from the list of options on the form.

You may not need a transit visa if you are travelling to or from the United States. The Transit Without Visa program (TWOV) and the China Transit Program (CTP) allow certain foreign nationals to transit through Canada on their way to and from the United States without a Canadian transit visa, if they meet certain requirements.

Anyone who plans to visit Canada must apply from outside of Canada before they travel.

What your friend or family member needs depends on:

• the type of travel document they will travel with;
• the country that issued their travel document;
• their nationality; and
• how they will travel to Canada.

Before applying, find out what document(s) they need.

If they need a visitor visa, you may provide your family member or friend with a letter of invitation in support of their visa application. A letter of invitation can help, but it does not guarantee the person will get a visa.

There is no formal appeal process if your application for a temporary resident visa is refused.

Should you wish to re-apply, you should do so only if your situation has changed substantively or you have significant new information to submit.

Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors. You should get health insurance to cover any medical costs before you come to Canada.

No. Each person must complete and sign the Application for Temporary Resident Visa (IMM 5257), as well as any other forms needed. Each applicant aged 18 or over must also complete the Family Information form (IMM 5645).

You can submit all family member applications in the same envelope with one payment receipt for the total fee for all of your applications.

Parents or guardians can help children fill out their forms. Parents or guardians must sign the forms for any children under the age of 18.

As a U.S. Green Card holder, you do not need a visitor visa to travel to Canada. However, you are expected to have an eTA if you plan to fly to or transit through Canada.

When flying to Canada, you will need to present:

• proof of status in the U.S. (such as a valid Green Card), and
• your valid passport that you used to apply for your eTA.

The border services officer will verify your eTA when you arrive in Canada.

When travelling by land or sea directly from the U.S., you will only need to provide proof of your U.S. lawful permanent resident status (such as your Green Card).

No. Simply apply for a visitor visa online or on paper.

For paper applications, check the document checklist for full details of what you need to submit with your application.

Please note:

• Visa application centres are not involved in the visa decision-making process and can’t provide advice to applicants.
• All decisions on applications are made by visa officers at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada visa offices.
• Applications that meet the criteria will also be processed faster.

Visa application centres will screen all applications for CAN+ eligibility. Applications that show that the applicant travelled to Canada in the last 10 years or holds a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa will be sent to the visa office for expedited processing.

Check the document checklist for full details of what you need to submit with your application.

No. If your application was refused, applying again with the same information, even with an immigration or travel agent, will not change this decision.

Your application may be refused because:

• the official deciding your case has reason to believe you’ll stay in Canada beyond your authorized stay
• you’re inadmissible to Canada

Applying a second time will not change this decision. It will only cost you more money and increase processing times for other applicants. However, if your situation changes, you may apply again with your new information.

Examples of your situation changing include:

• you’ve applied for criminal rehabilitation and were approved
• you’re eligible for deemed rehabilitation
• you’re inadmissible but are applying for a temporary resident permit
• you were inadmissible for medical reasons, but those reasons have since changed

Hiring an immigration representative also won’t change any previous decision on your application.

If anyone tells you you’ll have a better chance on your second application because they’re representing you, they’re not being truthful and are likely looking to take your money.

If you are applying on paper we recommend that you apply for a visa from your home country. However, if you are legally admitted to the country you are currently in, you can apply at your nearest visa application centre (VAC). The VAC can help make sure your application is complete and that all proper documentation is included. You must state clearly on your application why you have not applied in your normal country of residence.

A visitor visa (also known as a temporary resident visa) is an official document citizens from visa-required countries need to get to travel to and enter Canada as a visitor for up to 6 months.

• We stick the visitor visa in your passport.
  • It shows that you meet the requirements to enter Canada.
• It includes the date by which you must arrive in Canada.
  • The date is not an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
• If you apply for a study or work permit for the first time, you’ll automatically get a visitor visa when we approve your application.

A visitor record is a document that a border services officer may issue to you to extend or restrict your stay in Canada. If you want to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you have to tell the border services officer.

You may also get a visitor record after we approve your application to extend your stay or restore your status. A visitor record is issued either by the Canada Border Services Agency or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

• You need to apply for a visitor record when:
  • you first arrive at the port of entry and you know you want to stay longer than 6 months; or
  • you’re in Canada and decide you want to stay longer.
    • You must apply at least 30 days before your authorized stay in Canada expires.
• It’s an independent document (not placed in your passport).
• It includes an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
  • That’s the date by which you must leave Canada.

You may travel to Canada as a tourist before you get your permanent resident visa. However, we strongly advise against making any definitive arrangements for your stay in Canada until you have received your permanent resident visa.

You will need to apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada as a tourist.

Please note that having a valid visitor visa does not guarantee your entry into Canada. A border services officer will decide if you can enter Canada and how long you can stay.

Holders of diplomatic, official and service passports from visa-required countries do need a visa to visit Canada. However, they may be exempt from paying the processing fee if they are travelling on official business.

Yes, most travellers need a visitor visa or an eTA to travel to, or transit through, Canada.

What you need depends on:

• the type of travel document you will travel with;
• the country that issued your travel document;
• your nationality; and
• how you will travel to Canada.

Currently, most visitors to Canada may visit for up to six months when they first enter Canada. Visitors who wish to stay longer must apply for an extension, and pay a new fee.

With the parent and grandparent super visa, eligible parents and grandparents can visit family in Canada for up to two years without the need to renew their status.

The Super Visa is a multi-entry visa that provides multiple entries for a period up to 10 years. The key difference is that the Super Visa allows an individual to stay for up to two years at a time in Canada, while a 10-year multiple entry visa would only have a status period for each entry of six months only.

Yes, the super visa is a multi-entry visa. It allows multiple entries for up to 10 years.

The key difference is that the super visa allows multiple entry periods lasting up to 2 years. Those travelling on a 10-year multiple-entry visa can only stay for up to six months per entry.

A single-entry super visa is also available. This remains at the discretion of a visa officer.

To be eligible for a super visa, you must:

• be the parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents and
• meet other eligibility requirements.

Your dependants are not eligible for a super visa. They can still apply to visit Canada for up to 6 months with the right travel document. Find out what kind of travel document they need.

When you apply for a parent and grandparent super visa, include the following people when calculating family size:

• the child or grandchild inviting you;
• the spouse of the child or grandchild inviting you;
• the dependants of the child or grandchild inviting you;
• any dependants travelling with you;
• any other person whom the child or grandchild inviting you is currently sponsoring or co-signing for; and
• yourself.

Here are some examples.

• The child or grandchild in Canada that is inviting you is not married and has no children. He or she has invited one parent to visit Canada for a two-year stay. The family size is two.
• The family in Canada inviting you is a family of four (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and two dependent children). They plan to host two visiting parents. The family size is six.
• The family in Canada inviting you is a family of three (child or grandchild who is inviting you, the spouse and one dependent child). The child or grandchild inviting you previously co-signed the sponsorship of the spouse’s parents (two persons). That sponsorship is still in effect. Now, they are inviting you and your spouse for a long-term visit on a parent and grandparent super visa. The family size is seven.

The family in Canada inviting you is a family of three (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and one dependent child). They plan to host you and your dependent child. The family size is five.

Yes, you can withdraw your sponsorship application at any time. You can still apply for a super visa.

In addition to the required documents for a visitor visa, you must include the following documents:

• A copy of the child’s birth certificate
• A letter of authorization, preferably in English or French, signed by their parent(s) or legal guardian.

The letter of authorization should include:

• the parents’, or legal guardian’s, address(es) and telephone number(s), and
• the name, address and telephone number of the custodian (the adult who will be responsible for the child while in Canada).

You must present the following documents:

• A copy of the child’s birth certificate
• A letter of authorization signed by the parent who is not travelling, containing their address and telephone number, in English or French if possible, and
• A photocopy of the non-accompanying parent’s signed passport or national identity card

If the parents are separated or divorced, and share custody of the child, the parent travelling with the child should carry copies of the legal custody documents.

If the parents are separated or divorced and one of them has sole custody of the child, the letter of authorization may be signed by that parent only and they should bring a copy of the custody papers.

If one of the child’s parents is deceased, the travelling parent should bring a copy of the death certificate.