Citizenship and Immigration Canada defines visitors as foreign nationals who wish to enter Canada for a temporary purpose, such as tourists, temporary foreign workers and international students. All visitors to Canada must apply for and be granted Visitor Visas by Immigration Canada, unless they are citizens of visa exempt countries. In addition, 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.
A Visitor Visa is a document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada which shows that a foreign individual has satisfied the requirements for admission as a visitor. Possession of a valid Visitor Visa does not necessarily mean that the Immigration Canada official at the Port of Entry will admit the visitor into Canada. All visitors must always satisfy the immigration official at the Port of Entry that the purpose of their visit into Canada is of a temporary nature.
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. 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. 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.
