The temporary resident visa covers tourism, visiting family and short business trips. IRCC charges CAD 100 plus CAD 85 for biometrics, usually issues a multiple-entry visa valid up to 10 years, and the officer at the border sets the stay, normally six months.
Who needs a Canada visitor visa? Every Indian passport holder entering Canada by any route, including a connection through a Canadian airport, unless they qualify for the electronic travel authorisation expansion: Indian citizens flying to Canada who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years. Everyone else applies for the TRV before travel.
What does it cost? CAD 100 per applicant plus CAD 85 for biometrics (CAD 170 maximum for a family giving biometrics together; the visa fee is capped at CAD 500 for a family of five or more applying at the same time). Both are paid online at filing. The visa application centre in India adds its own service charge.
How long does it take from India? IRCC's tool showed about 29 days for applications filed in India in late October 2026; over the previous twelve months the same figure moved between 29 and 106 days. Add one to two weeks to get a biometrics slot at a VAC. Vistolane quotes the filing date, never the decision date, because IRCC does not.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Temporary resident visa (visitor visa), single or multiple entry |
| Government fee | CAD 100 per person (CAD 500 family maximum) |
| Biometrics | CAD 85 per person, CAD 170 per family; valid 10 years |
| Validity | Up to 10 years or one month before the passport expires, whichever is earlier |
| Stay per entry | Up to 6 months unless the officer writes a shorter date in the passport |
| Processing from India | About 29 days (IRCC tool, late October 2026); 29 to 106 days over the last year |
| Where to apply | IRCC secure account online; biometrics at a VFS Global VAC in India |
| Decision letter | Approval asks you to send the passport to the VAC for the visa counterfoil |
There is no points test. The officer must be satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of the authorised stay, that you can pay for the trip without working, that you have no criminal or medical inadmissibility, and that the purpose of the visit is genuine. Those four questions decide almost every file from India, and the refusal letter uses the same wording when they are not met.
Strong files show a reason to go (an itinerary, an invitation from a relative with proof of their status in Canada, a conference registration), a reason to come back (a job with approved leave, a business, property, dependants in India) and money that has been in your account for months rather than weeks. Travel history to the US, UK, Schengen states or Australia helps; a previous Canadian refusal that is not explained hurts.
Dual intent is allowed. IRCC's operational guidance says a person who has also applied for permanent residence, or intends to, can still be issued a visitor visa if the officer believes they will leave at the end of the authorised period. State the PR application in the form; hiding it is misrepresentation.
| Item | CAD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa, per person | 100 | Same fee for single and multiple entry; IRCC decides which to issue |
| Visitor visa, family of 5 or more | 500 maximum | Only when all apply at the same time and place |
| Biometrics, per person | 85 | Ages 14 to 79; fingerprints and photo at the VAC |
| Biometrics, family | 170 maximum | Spouse or partner and dependent children applying together |
| Extend your stay inside Canada | 100 | Apply before the current stay expires |
| Restore status after it lapses | 246.25 | Within 90 days; no visa fee on top |
Fees are paid in the IRCC account by card when the application is submitted and are not refunded if the visa is refused. The VAC service charge in India is separate and is paid to VFS Global when the biometrics appointment is booked.
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents gathered | 1 to 2 weeks | Bank statements, employer letter, invitation, bookings |
| Submission to biometrics appointment | 3 to 14 days | Book the earliest VAC slot; the 30-day deadline runs from the letter |
| Biometrics to decision | About 29 days at the latest update | IRCC's tool is updated weekly; expect longer in May to August |
| Approval to passport back | 7 to 14 days | Passport submitted and returned through the VAC |
Count backwards from the travel date: eight to ten weeks is a safe window for a straightforward file; twelve or more if you want time to reapply after a refusal.
A multiple-entry visa lets you enter as often as you like while it is valid, each time for up to six months unless the officer writes a different date or stamps nothing (then the stay is six months from entry). Carry the same evidence you filed: return ticket, funds, host details. Working or studying on a visitor visa is not allowed, except short courses of six months or less.
To stay longer, apply for a visitor record online before the authorised stay ends (CAD 100). Parents and grandparents of citizens and permanent residents can use the super visa instead, which allows five years per entry and needs the host to meet an income cut-off and the visitor to hold Canadian medical insurance of at least CAD 100,000.
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid for the whole trip | IRCC does not fix a minimum validity, but the visa is only issued up to one month before the passport expires; renew first if under a year remains |
| Digital photo to IRCC specification | 35 x 45 mm frame, plain background, taken in the last six months |
| IMM 5257 application and IMM 5707 family information | Completed in the online account; the family form must list parents, spouse and children even if deceased or not travelling |
| Previous passports and visas | Scans of old passports with US, UK, Schengen or Australian visas and entry stamps |
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Itinerary or invitation letter | Day-by-day plan with bookings, or a signed letter from the host stating relationship, dates, address and who pays |
| Host's status in Canada | Copy of the host's PR card, citizenship certificate or passport, plus a recent notice of assessment if they are paying |
| Return flight reservation | A reservation is enough; do not buy a non-refundable ticket before the decision |
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Bank statements for the last four to six months | Salary credits visible, balance built over time; large unexplained deposits are the most common funds problem |
| Income tax returns for two years | ITR-V or Form 16 for salaried applicants; audited accounts for business owners |
| Sponsor's documents if someone else pays | Their statements, employment proof and a signed letter explaining the relationship |
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Employment letter with approved leave | On letterhead: designation, salary, start date, leave dates and that the job continues on return |
| Business registration or GST certificate | For self-employed applicants, with recent bank statements of the business |
| Property, fixed deposits, family in India | Title deeds, FD statements, marriage and birth certificates of dependants staying behind |
The officer was not satisfied the visit was for tourism or a family event: thin itinerary, no invitation, or an invitation that did not match the travel dates.
The fix. Rebuild the file around one clear purpose with dated evidence (wedding card, conference registration, hotel bookings that match the flight dates) and a host letter that states who pays.
Statements showed a balance that appeared in the last few weeks, or the trip cost exceeded what the salary could plausibly support.
The fix. Show four to six months of statements with the source of every large credit (property sale deed, maturity of a deposit, gift letter from a parent with their statements).
No employer letter, a short job history, no property or dependants, or a long gap in employment.
The fix. Add approved-leave letter, ITRs, property or FD proof and a short, factual explanation of what you return to; students add an enrolment letter and the academic calendar.
Limited international travel, or a prior US, UK or Canadian refusal that was not declared or not explained.
The fix. Declare every refusal in the form, attach the refusal letters and a one-page explanation of what has changed since.
A document that could not be verified, an undeclared refusal or an employer who did not confirm the letter. A finding under section 40 carries a five-year ban.
The fix. Never submit a document you cannot stand behind; if an agent prepared an earlier file, obtain the GCMS notes before reapplying so the new file addresses what was recorded.
A US visa does not replace the Canadian visitor visa for Indian citizens, but it is strong evidence of travel history. Indian citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, or who have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years, may qualify for the electronic travel authorisation (CAD 7) when flying to Canada; check IRCC's eligibility tool before paying the CAD 100 visa fee.
IRCC publishes no figure for visitors. A working rule for a two-week trip is CAD 150 to 200 per day plus the flights, held for at least four months. What matters more is that the balance is consistent with your declared income.
Only if you plan to stay more than six months, or will work in healthcare, childcare or agriculture. Short visits from India need no exam.
Yes. Vistolane prepares and files the TRV application and books the VAC biometrics appointment; the CAD 185 in government fees is charged at the official rate and shown separately on the price card.
You receive a letter with the grounds ticked. You can reapply immediately; there is no appeal for visitors. Order the GCMS notes (about six weeks) to read the officer's reasoning before filing a new application.