Temporary Resident Visas
The TRV is a document issued by a Visa Office outside Canada, showing that the holder has satisfied the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. It is in the form of a small sticker (counterfoil) placed on a page in your passport.
Having a visa does not guarantee the right to enter, as a Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) agent retains the ability to refuse entry to people who are inadmissible.
Types of Temporary Resident Visas
Temporary Visas for Canada are divided into following five groups:
- Visitor Visa: The Temporary Resident Visa for Canada are given to tourists, those who have family in Canada, as well as business people and others.
- Study Permit: A student permit for Canada is given to those who have an admission from a Canadian university to complete their studies. If you are going to Canada to study for less than 6 months, then you can only get a general visa, but for more than 6 months of studies, you will need a Student Visa.
- Temporary Worker Permit: Temporary Foreign Worker permit are given to those people who have a job offer in Canada. To get this visa, the person must present a valid job offer letter from an employer and qualify for a temporary visa.
- Temporary Residence Permit: This permit is for people who need to go to Canada for different purposes but are otherwise not admissible for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). This permit is issued only for the length of time that the person needs to be in Canada, for example 2 weeks for a workshop.
- Super Visa: This visa is for parents or grandparents of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents to visit their children or grandchildren for longer period of times, up to 2 years at a time.
TRV or an eTA? You only need one of them, not both.
As of March 15, 2016, visitors with passports from countries that are visa-exempt who enter Canada by air will need an eTA. The authorization is electronically linked to your passport and is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
Exception: Citizens of the United States do not require a TRV or an eTA, but Green Card holders in the United States, require an eTA to come to Canada, regardless of their nationality.
Requirements for Temporary Resident Visa
Since this is a category of visas and not a single visa, there are two types of requirements that potential applicants must fulfill to qualify or be eligible for any of the visas:
- General Visa Requirements
- Visa Specific Requirements
General Requirements
Here are the documents required for a Canada visa:
- satisfy an officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their stay;
- show that they have enough money to maintain themselves and their family members in Canada and to return home;
- not intend to work or study in Canada unless authorized to do so;
- be law abiding and have no record of criminal activity;
- not be a risk to the security of Canada;
- provide any additional document requested by the officer to establish their admissibility;
- be in good health (complete a medical examination if required).
Visa Specific Requirements
If you qualify and meet the standard Canada Visa Requirements, then there are additional criteria based on your purpose of visit. These are different for each type of visa in the group. A few examples of such requirements are below:
- For the Tourist Visa, you must have an itinerary of the places you plan to visit in Canada;
- For the Super Visa, you must have an invitation letter from your child or grandchild and proof of relationship such as a birth certificate;
- For the Business Visa, you must prove that you work for a company other than the one you are doing business with in Canada;
- For the Diplomatic Visa, you must have documents which prove you are a governmental official of your country and you are visiting Canada for official duties, etc.
