Canada is a beautiful country with many attractions to offer, from breathtaking nature and cities filled with culture to museums and galleries showcasing local art. Whether you’re planning on exploring Canada’s cities or spending time in the wilderness, there are many things that make the country a popular destination for travellers from around the world.
Canada is a country with vast landscapes, diverse population and rich history. It’s easy to see why so many people choose to visit Canada as visitors. This guide will show you how to make the most of your time on Canadian soil.
Who can visit Canada?
- You must be 18 years or older to visit Canada.
- You must have a valid passport, which is required for all visitors from the U.S., Mexico and most other countries that require passports for entry into their country (e.g., Australia).
- You must also have proof of funds in order to enter Canada as well as your return ticket or travel itinerary if you plan on staying longer than 72 hours in one place outside of the Toronto/Montreal area only! If you don’t have any money yet then please check out our article on how much money you need before coming here
- Someone who is in good health and medically sound.
- A person with a valid travel document
Who can’t visit Canada?
- If you have a criminal record or been refused entry to Canada in the past, this is not a good idea.
- If you’re not in good health, don’t come. If you have a communicable disease, stay away from Canada and its border crossings until your symptoms clear up completely.
- If you have a mental illness, or if you’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, stay away from Canada.
- If you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse, then don’t even think about visiting Canada. If you’re on medication, make sure that your prescriptions are up to date and don’t run out while you’re in Canada.
- If you take any illegal medications or recreational drugs, don’t come to Canada with them. Don’t try to bring anything over the border that is not allowed into the country; this includes weapons such as guns or knives.
- If you have not been involved in any case of child molestation or abuse, sexually of otherwise.
Getting your visa to visit Canada.
If you’re planning to travel to Canada as a visitor, you’ll need to apply for a visa. Most countries require their citizens who want to visit Canada for business or pleasure (or both) to have an electronic passport that has been issued within the past 10 years and contains at least one digit of validity.
The visa application process takes about a month to complete and you’ll need:
A valid passport that has been issued within the past 10 years and contains at least one digit of validity. You can’t use a temporary passport or an expired passport as your travel document.
– A valid Canadian visitor visa (if you have one). This will be included in your passport if you’re travelling from the United States using an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). If you’re travelling to Canada from any other country, you’ll need to apply for a Canadian visa.
Steps to Apply for a Visitor Visa
The steps to apply for a visa to Canada as a visitor is very straightforward. If you have your documents ready which includes passport and other valid documents, you will also need to have a valid payment method like your ATM card or other payment gateways.
To start the process, you have to
- First check if you meet all the requirements as mentioned above
- Ensure that all your documents are valid and duly signed.
- If you are applying online, you’d have to create an account, upload your documents, and make your payment as well.
- The next step is submit your local visa application centre
- Your application will then be checked by the officials to ensure the documents are complete and valid, if they are, it will be returned unprocessed or even rejected.
- If your visa application is approved, then you should prepare all you need to make your journey to Canada and book the flight
3 ways to get a Canadian visa.
There are three ways to get a Canadian visa:
- On arrival, you can apply for your visa at the airport. This is the easiest way and will only take about 30 minutes. You’ll need to have your passport with you and show it when applying for your visa.
- If you don’t intend on staying in Canada long term, then the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) may be more useful for your trip. The ETA allows travellers who wish to visit Canada up to 180 days within one year of their entry date (within three years if they hold an existing Canadian resident card). It costs $28 USD but can be applied online or at any Canadian embassy or consulate around the world.
- Another way is to obtain a visa before you enter Canada. This is the most common way to get a visa to Canada and it’s known by many people. You can apply online for your visa or go in person, either way your visa should be around 3 to 6 months depending on the conditions at the time of application.
Conclusion
If you are planning to visit Canada, you will probably need a Canadian visa, or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Visitor visas are required for most foreign nationals. The visitor visa is valid for up to six months and can be extended for another three months at the border or online.
Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTAs) are required for some foreign nationals who do not have a visitor visa such as citizens of Mexico and Brazil who have been granted an eTA after entering Canada by land border crossing or airway mode of transportation respectively.
