Visit Canada: Visitor Visa, eTA and Super Visa Explained

Do I need a visa to visit Canada?

What you need to visit Canada depends mostly on the passport you hold and how you travel. There are three main situations:

Some travellers from visa-required countries can fly with an eTA instead, if they held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or have a valid US non-immigrant visa. This only applies to certain countries and only for air travel. US green card holders need a valid green card and passport, but no eTA.

Ways to visit Canada

"Visiting" covers more than tourism. Pick the option that matches the real reason for your trip:

• Visitor visa (TRV): for tourism, visiting friends and family, short courses under six months and most short trips. Usually up to six months per entry.
• Super Visa: for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Stay up to five years at a time, with a visa valid for up to 10 years.
• Business visitor: for meetings, conferences, buying goods and other business that does not enter the Canadian job market. No work permit needed.
• Transit: some travellers passing through a Canadian airport for less than 48 hours need a transit visa, which is free. Others can use the Transit Without Visa Program.

What visa and border officers look for

Every visitor, with or without a visa, has to satisfy two people: the visa officer who reviews the application and the border officer who meets you when you land. Both are checking the same things:

1. You will leave at the end of your visitStrong ties at home help: a job, a business, property, family who depend on you, and a past travel record.
2. You can pay for your tripBank statements, pay slips and, if someone in Canada is hosting you, their invitation letter and proof of income.
3. Your trip makes senseA clear purpose, a believable plan and a length of stay that fits the purpose.
4. You are admissibleNo serious criminal record, no health risk to the public, and no history of breaking immigration rules.

Having a visa does not guarantee entry. The border officer decides how long you can stay and can refuse entry if your answers do not match your application, so carry the same documents you used to apply.

Recent changes for visitors to Canada

• Single or multiple entry: since November 2024, officers no longer give multiple-entry visas for the full length of your passport by default. They decide the number of entries and the validity case by case.
• No switching to a work permit from inside Canada: the temporary policy that let visitors apply for a work permit without leaving Canada ended on August 28, 2024.
• Mexican citizens: since February 29, 2024, most Mexican citizens need a visitor visa unless they qualify for an eTA by holding a US non-immigrant visa or a recent Canadian visa and flying in.
• Super Visa income rules: since March 31, 2026, hosts can use either of the two tax years before applying, and the parent's own income can help cover the minimum.
• More checks: IRCC refuses a large share of visitor applications from some countries. A complete, honest application matters more than ever.

How long can a visitor stay in Canada?

Most visitors are allowed to stay up to six months. The border officer can give you less, and the date will be stamped in your passport or written on a visitor record. If there is no stamp, you can usually stay six months from the day you entered.

To stay longer, apply online for a visitor record before your status ends. IRCC suggests applying at least 30 days before. The fee is $100. If you applied on time, you can stay while you wait for the decision.

Why visitor visas get refused

The most common refusal reasons we see on visitor applications are:

• The officer is not satisfied you will leave Canada at the end of your stay
• Bank statements show a sudden large deposit with no explanation
• The purpose of the trip or the length of stay is not clear
• Weak travel history, or past refusals for Canada, the US, the UK or Australia that were not disclosed
• Missing documents, such as an invitation letter, employment letter or proof of the host's status

There is no waiting period before you reapply, but sending the same application again almost always gets the same answer. Get your officer's notes, fix the real problem and add new evidence.

How 4Ways helps visitors

4Ways Canada Immigration is a licensed RCIC firm in Brampton, Ontario. For visitors we help with:

• Visitor visa and Super Visa applications, including invitation letters and host documents
• Business visitor files with company letters and supporting proof
• Applications after a refusal, with a review of the officer's notes
• Extensions, visitor records and restoration of status
• Applications for travellers with a past criminal record or other admissibility issues

Frequently asked questions