By Isabel Prontes
If you are planning to visit
Canada for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a visa. There are many different types of Canadian visas. Examples include tourist visas, student visas and business visas.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Documentation
Money for application fees
- Documentation
- Money for application fees
Step 1
For a business visa, first get an official letter from your employer or sponsoring company on the company's letterhead. The letter must state clearly your employment status and the reason for your visit. It also must state who is financially responsible for your travel and provide an extensive list of Canadian contacts. Then fill out a Canadian business visa application form (make sure it is signed), include two current passport-size photos (2 by 2 inches), proof of valid United States legal status, and a copy of your airline tickets. For single-entry visas, the cost is $65. Multiple-entry business visa processing fees are $130. It is also necessary to submit your signed, valid passport with your application and documents.
Step 2
For a student visa, submit your valid, confirmed round-trip airline ticket information with a student visa application form. You also must present your signed passport and make sure it is valid for six months beyond the time you intend to stay in Canada. Keep at least one passport page blank for visa stamps, if possible.
Step 3
For a tourist visa, submit your valid passport, complete and signed visa application form, two current passport-size photographs, proof of sufficient funds to sustain yourself in Canada (such as a bank statement), an invitation letter from a friend or family member and round-trip airplane tickets or your travel itinerary.
Step 4
Apply with your signed and valid passport, if you are trying to get a Canadian student visa. With your student visa application form, include two passport-style (2 by 2 inches) photographs. You also must show an official invitation from a university, college or other Canadian educational institution. The official letter of acceptance you received from the Canadian institution also must be included. You also must show a printed flight itinerary (from a travel agency or airline) or the actual copy of an airline ticket. Finally, document your financial status, with bank statements from the last four months, to prove you have enough money for the duration of your study in Canada. Medical requirements must also be shown.
Travel Document Systems, Inc. (Washington, D.C. office)
925 15th Street NW Ste. 300
Washington D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 638-3800
Travel Document Systems, Inc. (San Francisco office)
One Embarcadero Ctr Ste. 500
San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel: (415) 773-2829
Resources
About the Author:
Isabel Prontes is a freelance writer and traveler residing in Manhattan, NY. She has traveled to five continents and counting. Her work has appeared on a number of websites, such as Travels, eHow.com and "Happy Living Magazine." Prontes has a professional background in public relations; she received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Pace University.
