Author: Yan Desjardins, Founder & Executive Director
A complete guide to help you apply for a Canada visa.
Travelling is a way to ignite your dreams, go further and discover other cultures. Travelling builds character, tolerance and provides a fresh new vision of the world we live in. But one of the main obstacles to realizing those dreams of travelling might be obtaining the proper visa.
With the correct information and the help of a trained and regulated immigration professional, you too can be this much closer to realizing your dreams of discovering the world! Keep reading below to find out why Canada is a great travel option and more about the Canadian tourist visa application procedure to obtain a 10-year Canadian visa.
Reasons Why You Should Apply For a Canadian tourist visa.
Witness the beauty of Canada
By applying and being granted a Canadian tourist visa, you will be able to come year after year to visit and discover all of the great attractions and natural beauty Canada has to offer. Choose from the beautiful Canadian Rockies in Alberta, the cosmopolitan city of Toronto, or the French colonial beauty of Québec City. Canada has something to offer to everyone. Keep reading for more reasons why you apply for a Canada visa.
Get a 10-year Canadian visa.
Canada understands the importance of the tourism industry to boost the economy of its cities, businesses, and tourist attractions. The 10-year Canadian visa program is one of the most generous of its kind across the world. When you apply for a Canada visa, not only are you saving money from not having to renew your Canadian tourist visa every year, you are also optimizing your chances of obtaining a visa for other countries.
Canada: a highly respected country
Having a 10-year Canadian visa in your passport can help you obtain visas for other countries. Canada’s tourist visa application procedure is among the most thorough and respected in the immigration industry worldwide. Successfully applying for a Canada visa can provide you with the international recognition needed to demonstrate that you are a trustworthy traveller.
The Canadian tourist visa Categories
Did you know that there are different types of Canadian tourist visas available to apply for? That’s right. While you may not qualify for the more specific categories, you can still apply in the 10-year Canadian visa stream. Here are the different types and how you can apply for them.
The 10-year Canadian visa program.
The 10-year Canadian visa is the most commonly known tourist visa program for Canada. This is the general Canadian tourist visa category where everyone can apply. When approved, you are most likely to receive a 10 years Canadian visa if your passport is valid for the whole duration. Your Canadian tourist visa can only be issued to the validity of your passport, so make sure to renew it and take advantage of the 10 years of unlimited travel to Canada!
When you apply for a 10-year Canadian visa, you will need to show the following:
- Your previous travel history: having travelled to other countries will increase your chances of getting a 10-year Canadian visa.
- Ties to your home country: do you have strong family ties in Vietnam? Are you employed or own a business? These are some of the questions that can help to establish your ties to your home country.
- Economic establishment: do you have a good financial establishment and available funds to support yourself during your trip to Canada?. You may use proof of employment and income, bank statements, and proof of other assets, for example.
Keep reading below for more information on the Canadian tourist visa application procedure.
The ‘CAN+’ 10-year Canadian visa program
The CAN+ Canadian tourist visa program facilitates the Canadian tourist visa application procedure for those frequent travellers! It allows for fast processing and also alleviates the need to provide financial proof documentation. If you have travelled to Canada in the 10 years or hold a valid United States tourist visa, you can apply under this program!
When you apply for the ‘CAN+’ Canadian tourist visa, you will need:
- Your valid passport;
- Your past Canadian visa or proof of travel to Canada;
- Your current valid US visa, if you are applying for a Canadian tourist visa for the first time;
- Proof of payment of the fees for the Canadian tourist visa.
It’s that simple! And, the processing time for the CAN+ Canadian tourist visa is 5 business days so that you will be on your way to Canada in no time!
Parents & Grandparents Super Visa Program
The ‘Parents & Grandparents Super Visa Program’ aims at reuniting families quicker and for longer. This Canadian tourist visa category allows parents and grandparents to visit their family in Canada and stay for up to 2 years at a time!
Due to the added benefits of this program, you will need to meet some additional conditions to get the 10-year Canadian visa. Take a look!
- Your relative in Canada must be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen;
- They must provide you with a letter of invitation;
- They must offer a promise of financial support for you;
- They must purchase medical insurance that is valid for at least 1 year and with a minimum coverage of CAD $100,000.00;
- Your relative in Canada must meet the minimum income to support your visa application;
- You will need to complete an immigration medical examination.
Don’t miss out on all those memories with your loved ones. Apply today!
Business Visitor Program
A business visitor comes to visit Canada to conduct business activities, and you will not enter the Canadian labour market. Instead, you will come to Canada to expand your business relationships with your Canadian counterparts.
To qualify as a business visitor, you must show that you meet the same requirements of the 10-year Canadian visa. In addition, it is essential to show that you intend to stay in Canada for no more than 6 months and that your primary source of income or profit comes from outside Canada.
The 10-year Canadian visa business visitor program can help your business grow and reach new levels of success!
How and Where Can I Apply For a 10 year Canadian Visa?
Currently, applications are received online only. The Canada Visa Application Center (VAC) no longer accepts paper applications.
Applicants and licensed Canadian immigration consultants can apply directly to IRCC. The process is simple and efficient. However, you will need access to a computer and a scanner to digitize some of your documents.
A few clicks, and you’ll be on your way!
Other than the documents we already covered above, you will need to complete some additional steps to complete your application.
Biometrics Enrollment
After applying for your Canadian tourist visa, you will receive a ‘biometrics Instruction Letter’ by email. With the letter in hand, you will need to go to either VACs, located in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, to collect your electronic fingerprints and take a digital photo.
Why does Canada collect biometrics information?
This procedure ensures that you do not have a criminal record in the Canadian police database and provides the Canadian visa officers valuable information on previous travels to other countries. Once your biometrics collection is complete, the system will send the results electronically to the Canadian tourist visa processing office.
What is the validity of the biometrics information?
The results of your biometrics enrollment are valid for 10 years. Biometrics results can reuse the results for other types of visa applications, such as study or work permits, or in case of a subsequent 10-year Canadian visa following a refusal.
How Much Does the 10 Year Canadian Visa Cost?
You must pay your fees to apply for a Canada visa online using a credit or debit card. The cost of the 10-year Canadian visa fee and the biometrics collection fee are in Canadian dollars.
The visa fee for a single applicant is CAD$100.00, while the family rate is CAD $500.00 maximum. The family rate applies to families of 5 members or more. Only your spouse/common-law partner, your children and their dependent children can be included in the family rate.
You will also need to pay the biometrics enrollment fees. Biometrics fees per person are CAD $85.00, and the biometrics family rate (2 or more people) is CAD $170.00.
How Long Will My Application for a Canadian Tourist Visa Take?
On average, an application for a 10-year Canadian visa takes approximately 4 weeks to process. However, it can sometimes be faster or take longer depending on the application volumes at the visa office. Your application may also take longer to process if you delay completing your biometrics collection or if you have a criminal record.
How long can I stay when I visit Canada?
When you travel to Canada with your 10-year Canadian visa, the border officer at your arrival will allow you to enter for a maximum of 6 months. When applicants wish to stay in Canada longer, they must apply to extend their stay to a processing office in Canada.
Travellers who come to Canada with a super visa for parents and grandparents can stay for up to 2 years upon entry to Canada. However, similar to those with a 10-year Canadian visa, applicants who wish to stay longer will have to submit the same application to extend their stay.
What to do in case of a refusal
Being refused a visa is a regrettable and stressful moment. But, unfortunately, it can happen. There are many reasons why a visa can be denied. The main reasons are when applicants do meet the requirements, as we explained above.
When a refusal occurs, applicants must look at whether or not they can provide further proof to the processing office that they meet the criteria and reapply for a subsequent Canadian tourist visa and pay the applicable visa fees. Remember, you do not need to repay or redo the biometrics collection.
Errors in processing can occur. You or your immigration consultant can request a reconsideration of the decision rendered at the visa office when they do.
Get to know us
Phan Immigration Canada is an immigration consulting firm specializing in immigration to Canada for individuals who need reliable and personalized immigration consulting services. We aim to connect communities by creating people-to-people ties and uplift people’s lives and businesses throughout Asia to attain their ambitions and goals.
Both of us are Canadian citizens living in Vietnam, making Phan Immigration Canada a 100% foreign Canadian-owned company. So not only do we bring you the authentic Canadian experience, but we understand immigration by having immigrated abroad ourselves.
Let us accompany you on your journey to discover Canada. With us, you can ignite your dreams and go further.
Find out if you are eligible for a 10-year Canadian visa by taking our self-assessment test today.
