To enter Canada, all visitors, except those exempt by regulation, must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa or, as it is usually called, visitor visa. A visitor visa is a document issued by Immigration Canada which shows that a foreign individual has satisfied the Canadian visa requirements for admission as a visitor at the time of application.

To be eligible for visitor visa, applicants must demonstrate to visa officer that they have significant family, social, economic and cultural ties to their country of origin and that they have sufficient means to support themselves during their visit to Canada. Applicants must also satisfy visa officer that there is no risk that they will overextend their visit to Canada.

Visitor visas may be for single entry, multiple entry, or transit purposes. Single entry visitor visas allow entry to Canada only once. Multiple entry visitor visas allow entry to Canada from any country on repeated occasions. These entries may occur at any time prior to the expiry of visitor status.

Visitor visas must be applied for and obtained from a Canadian visa office outside Canada. Only visitor visa extensions may be applied for within Canada.

As a general rule, tourists are admitted for a period of not longer than six months. Temporary foreign workers and international students are admitted for varying periods of time, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

A valid temporary resident visa is not a guarantee of entry into Canada. An immigration officer at the port of entry will decide if the visitor still meets the requirements for admission when they arrive. If there has been a change in circumstances between the date of the application and the arrival in Canada or if subsequent information is given which was not originally available to the visa office, the visitor may be refused entry.

The most common mistake of applicants is submitting documents "as per the visa office list". While the list is generic in nature and is designed in order to determine whether the applicant meets the requirements of the Act and Regulations, the applicants task is to prove that he/she meets the requirements. This suggests submission of a package that is based on applicant's specific circumstances.

Ariadne Counselling can assist you in the following ways:

• consult you how to meet Canadian visa requirements;
• prepare and submit application package for a visitor visa;
• represent you and deal with Immigration Canada on your behalf.

This is not a legal document. For legal information, refer to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations or the Citizenship Act and Regulations, as applicable. © Ariadne Counselling Services. All rights reserved