How to get a Canadian Visa step by step in 2022 [Updated] » Voice of Nigeria
How to get a Canadian visa step by step
Want to know how to get a Canadian visa ? We will teach you to follow all the details to issue online. Check price, consulate information for Nigerians, and much more in the step-by-step guide below!
The Canadian visa is required for all Nigerians who wish to visit Canada and must be requested at least six weeks in advance. The first difference with the American visa, which we are more used to, is that the duration is much shorter: generally only six months. The issuance process is quite simple and the rejection rate is very low – less than 5% of visa applications are denied.
Read Also: Canada Visa Lottery
Online Visa (ETA) for Canada: How to get it?
The government of Canada offers the eTA – Electronic Travel Authorization – for Nigerian who have already had a Canadian visa in the last ten years or who have a valid US visa. It works like an online visa: just go to the Government of Canada website , inform your passport and visa information already obtained and pay a fee of 7 Canadian dollars. In most cases, within a few minutes the applicant has the eTA approved and confirmed via email.
Visitor or temporary resident visa
For those who cannot apply for the eTA, it is necessary to apply for a Canadian visitor visa , also called a Temporary Resident visa. On the Immigration page of the Government of Canada you must do the research and answer your travel details to confirm the required type of visa. The tourist visa (visitor visa) allows stays of up to six months in the country and costs 100 Canadian dollars.
Necessary documents
The first step in applying for a Canadian visa is to gather the necessary documentation. To make the task easier, the Canadian government has created checklists with the necessary documentation . On the website of the Canadian government there is a manual with the step-by-step instructions and any queries regarding the visa application , as well as links to the forms (in English).
Required forms to apply for a Canadian visa:
- Request form IMM5257E – four page document with your personal and travel information. It must be completed individually and validated, printed and signed;
- Family Information Form (IMM5645 or IMM5707) – for all applicants;
Two copies of the VFS Consent Term per applicant – for using the services of the Visa Application Center; - Additional Information Questionnaire – must be printed, completed by hand and signed. One form can be used by the whole family
Schedule 1 Form (IMM5257 – Schedule 1) – only for applicants who have or have had links with political parties, military service, civil defense or a relevant position in the Judiciary; - Declaration of Stable Union (IMM5409) – only for union not registered in a notary’s office.
- Documents required to apply for a Canadian visa:
valid passport - A current 3×5 photo (according to the size informed in the manual)
- Financial proof (as a suggestion: last income tax with delivery receipt, the last three payslips, articles of association and bank statements)
- If you have been to Canada within the last 10 years or have a
- valid US (non-immigrant) visa and can prove one of the information
(with an entry stamp in your passport or the visa itself), you are exempt from - presenting financial documentation. . The others must present the last complete Income Tax return with
delivery receipt, 3 last payslips and bank statements for the last 3 months;
NOTE: If a third party is financially responsible for the trip, a letter covering the cost of the trip is required, which must contain: full names (of who is funding and who will be funded), level of relationship between them, number of their documents and signature of the responsible.
Proof of social and economic ties with Nigeria– statements from your employer referring to the last three payments, documents from your company or proof of enrollment in an educational institution are accepted)
Travel authorization , if under 18 years old, signed by both parents and issued by the competent body
Proof of payment of visa fees – present original proof
Important:
After filling in the forms electronically, click on the “Validate” field located at the top or bottom and only then print the form. This will generate a barcode on the last page, which facilitates the evaluation of your application and reduces your visa issuance time. To ensure that the encoded information has been captured, you must include the barcode page with the order.
Canadian visa biometrics
As of November 3, 2018, prior appointment is mandatory to provide biometric data at all Canada Visa Application Centers in Nigeria..
Emergency appointments may be requested as long as proof of justification is presented at the time of application, which may include a note or other documentation from an official official.
Payment of fees
Visa Application Fee – Canadian Consulate
The value varies according to the type requested. For the tourist visa (temporary resident) with multiple entries, the value is 100 Canadian dollars per person or 500 Canadian dollars for families of 5 or more people.
Biometrics fee with CVAC
In addition to the application fee, you must also pay the biometrics fee . The price for one person is 85 Canadian dollars. If you are a family, the price for two people will be 170 Canadian dollars. Group travelers of three people pay R$800 in total.
Payments made via ATMs, bank transfers, online payments or checks are not accepted. Also, payments made incorrectly are not refunded.
See how to schedule biometric collections for a Canadian visa
Please note that other fees may apply. Consult!
How to apply for a visa via CVAC
The Canadian Government has created Canada Visa Application Center (CVAC). Until then, almost all visas were issued through dispatchers or travel agents, but with the new centers the process has become much faster and simpler.
Issuing via CVAC there is a service charge of almost 35 Canadian dollars per person. With all the documentation in hand, there are a few ways to apply for an entry visa to Canada via CVAC:
- In person at one of the request centers
- By a delivery service of your choice
- By home collection – in this case, contact the CVAC closest to your home by email, informing your residential address to receive more information. An additional fee is charged.
At the CAV, copying services, photographs, computers for filling in forms and even advice on filling out the requirements are offered. Services are charged separately.
How to apply for a visa online
The Canadian government has launched a new form of visa application, entirely online. To apply, you must gather all the documentation and have a scanner or camera with sufficient resolution to digitize the documents. The application is made directly to the Canadian government’s Department of Citizenship and Immigration .
After completing a quick qualification form, the page selects whether you are eligible to apply online and the type of visa required. If all goes well, you are taken to the request page. In addition to the convenience, the advantage is not having to pay the CVAC fee. However, there is the complication of submitting your original passport to be stamped in Canada and the need to submit documentation in English or French.
As it is a new service, it is likely that over time they will find an easier way, but for now it may be more practical to do it through the VAC than to run the risk of having the passport lost or the visa denied due to some problem in filling.
Remembering that, in any case, an in -person schedule is necessary for the collection of biometrics . Learn more on the VFS Global website.
How the visa application is processed
The Canadian Consulate informs that upon receiving an application, the visa department analyzes it to make sure it is complete. Incomplete orders are returned without processing, so pay attention to the list of required documents and forms.
If your order is complete, you will be subject to the following requirements:
Medical Examination
The Immigration Officer will determine whether or not a medical examination is necessary and, if required, instructions for carrying it out and a personalized form will be sent. Find out more on the Canadian Government website.
Criminal Record Certificate
You and your family members over the age of 18 who will accompany you on your trip to Canada may be required to provide a criminal record certificate. The visa department will inform you if this is necessary. Find out more on the Canadian Government website.
Interview
If the immigration officer deems it necessary to conduct an interview, you will be informed about it and given all relevant instructions. In most cases, the decision is made without an interview. Therefore, please add all relevant information in writing to your initial request.
issuance term
If there is no problem in your process, the consulate informs you that the average time for issuing a tourist visa is 15 working days. The deadline is the same for applications submitted via CVAC or in person.
The following factors may affect your order processing time:
- Forms without the barcode;
- Incomplete orders;
- Mandatory medical examinations;
- More in-depth security checks;
- Criminal record history;
- Interview, when deemed necessary;
- More detailed verification of required documentation
Visa issuance
Once your application has been analyzed, your passport and any original documents will be returned. If you have sent false documents, they will not be returned. If your application is approved, the visa stamp will appear in your passport.
The expiration date that appears on the first line of the visa represents the date by which you must arrive in Canada, not the date by which you must leave the country. You should arrive by the date printed under “Expiry date”.
If your application is denied, you will receive a letter explaining the reasons for the refusal.
Important contacts and links
If you still have questions, the following pages offer complete information about the entire process and other aspects of traveling to Canada:
Canadian Consulate General
Contact the Consulate
Visa Application Center (VAC)
Is that you? Have you already got your Canadian visa? Share your experience in the comments!
Want to know more about top Canadian destinations? Read our comprehensive guides with all the information about Banff , Montreal , Ottawa , Quebec , Toronto and Vancouver .
