Every year more than 35 million people visit Canada. Canada welcomes these visitors as tourists, students or temporary workers. As a visitor, they enjoy the many opportunities Canada has to offer. However, visitors should not have a criminal record or pose a security risk, should be in good health, and should have sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay in Canada. Visitors will need a valid passport, proof of identity or other travel documents; and will need a Visitor Visa, unless they are citizens of  visa exempt countries.

Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors. Visitors should ensure that they have health insurance to pay for medical costs before leaving for Canada.

Travel Facts :

• Once you arrive
• Facts for the Traveler
• When to Visit

Applicants must demonstrate to visa officials 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 officials that there is no intention to overextend their visit to Canada.

In some cases an applicant wishing to apply for a visitor visa has an immigrant application already in process. This area is referred to as dual intent. The fact that a prospective visitor has an immigrant application pending or is even planning to apply for permanent residence is not, in itself, grounds to refuse to issue a visitor visa. A person may have the dual intent of immigrating and of abiding by the immigration law respecting temporary entry. An intending applicant for immigration to Canada may often have a legitimate reason to visit Canada before the residence application is finalized. Visa officer's attempt in such cases should be to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants are those who have no intention of leaving Canada should their application be refused. As visa officers yield significant discretion to issue or refuse a visitor visa this area of decision-making has come under increasing controversy.

Visitor Visas may be for single entry, multiple entry, or transit purposes. If needed, visitor visas must be applied for and obtained from an Immigration Canada 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 six months. Temporary foreign workers and international students are admitted for varying periods of time, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

Single Entry Visitor Visas allow entry to Canada only once. Single entry visas may be issued up to six months before the expected date of travel. However, Immigration Canada allows holders of Single Entry Visitor Visas to leave and re-enter Canada within the validity of their Visitor status if such travel is to and from the USA or St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Multiple Entry Visitor Visas allow entry to Canada from any country on repeated occasions. The maximum validity date for multiple entry visitor visas is up to five (5) years or one month prior to the expiry date on the passport/re-entry visa, whichever is earlier. These entries may occur at any time prior to the expiry of Visitor status.

Transit Visitor Visas allow entry into Canada for a period of no more than 48 hours, and apply to foreign individuals whose bus or flight stops in Canada on route to another country.