Visiting Canada

Do I need a visitor visa?
What type of visitor visa should I apply for?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need a visitor visa?

If you are travelling on a passport of a country whose citizens require a visitor visa to enter Canada, you should apply for a visa at the nearest Canadian diplomatic mission. Please consult the list Countries Whose Citizens Require Visas in Order to Enter Canada as Visitors. If you are a citizen and passport holder of a country that does not appear on the list, you do not require a visitor visa to enter Canada. You may travel to Canada with only a valid passport. All visitors are interviewed at a Canadian port of entry by a Canadian Immigration Officer,who will determine their admissibility to Canada. A valid visitor visa, however, is not a guarantee of entry into Canada; an immigration officer at the port of entry will decide if you still meet the requirements for admission when you arrive. If there has been a change in circumstances between the date of your application and the date of your arrival in Canada, you may be refused entry. Please note: If you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and you intend to work or study in Canada, you will require a student authorization or a temporary employment authorization.

What type of visitor visa should I apply for?

A visitor visa may be for a single entry, for multiple entries or for transit purposes.

A single entry visa allows you to enter Canada only once. If you leave Canada to go to the U.S.A., you may use this visa for repeated entries to Canada from the U.S.A., provided these entries occur within the time allowed for your stay in Canada. Please contact the American Embassy regarding visa requirements for the U.S.A.

A multiple entry visa allows you to present yourself for entry to Canada from any country as often as you wish during the validity of the visa. A transit visa is required for travel through Canada to another country by those persons who need a visitor visa and whose flight will stop in Canada for less than 48 hours. To obtain a transit visa you must provide specific evidence of your travel arrangements from your transportation company or travel agent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Visitor Visa

How soon will I receive my visa?

Apply for the visa as early as possible, up to six months in advance of travel.  Processing can take 2 to 5 working days when no further information is required.  In a minority of cases, applicants are asked to provide more information before an answer is possible.  There are also situations where our procedures require a minimum of 11 working days before an answer can be given.

Our busiest periods are December through January, and again May to September.  When the application is handed in, the receptionist will provide a more accurate date to return for an answer based on the demand for our services at that time and a rapid initial review of the case.

Last minute applications for all reasons cannot be guaranteed faster service. This includes flight reservations and meetings.  We will do our best to provide as fast service as possible, as circumstances allow.

Who needs to provide proof of economic solvency?

If the applicant is paying for the trip, he/she must provide proof of economic solvency. If, however, someone in Chile or Canada is paying for the applicant's trip, whether whole or in part, proof of the contributor's economic solvency is required in addition to the applicant's.

What proof of economic solvency can I use if I am self-employed?

If you are self-employed, you can provide tax declarations, self-employment receipt booklet (talinario de boletas), proof of savings and traveller's cheques.

Will I need an interview?

After reviewing your application, a visa officer may call you to an interview, which will take place immediately. If you do not speak English, French or Spanish, you should be accompanied by an interpreter. You must satisfy the visa officer that you meet the requirements of Canada's Immigration Act, that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay and that you will return to your country. You must be of good health and character and have enough money to support yourself while in Canada.

Will I need a medical exam?

In the majority of cases, if your visit is less than six months, no medical examination is required. However, if your stay is greater than six months no medical examination is required unless the applicant has resided or sojourned for six or more consecutive months in a designated country/territory in the one year immediately preceding the date of seeking entry to Canada. Please see the Designated Country/Territory List to determine if a country/territory is designated. (A country/territory is designated if there is a "YES" in the column entitled "Designated".)

Please note: Chile is not in the Designated Country/Territory List.

Can I submit my application through a travel agency?

Yes. Travel agencies submitting applications on behalf of their clients have special instructions. However, travel agency applications must meet the same documentation requirements as in-person applications. The applicant, not the travel agent, is responsible for all information that appears on the application. Applications submitted to the Embassy by travel agency take up to 2 working days to process, depending on seasonal workload.

How can my children visit Canada without me or my spouse travelling with them?

If a child is under 18 years of age, he/she requires a notarized authorization signed by both parents in order to travel. When more than one child under 18 years is travelling alone, the parents must present a separate visitor visa application for each child.

What are some common reasons for the refusal of a visitor visa application?

Your application may be refused for lack of supporting documentation, insufficient proof of funds to finance the trip, insufficient proof of financial stability or personal ties in your country of residence, criminal inadmissibility or previous immigrations infractions.

What should I do if my application is refused?

You should first review the reasons for your refusal. Also, review the information checklist that came with your application to ensure that you have provided correct and complete information. If there is additional information that you could provide to convince the visa officer that you are a bonafide visitor, you may submit a new application, and the visa officer will consider your new application with the additional information.