
All You Need To Know About Courtesy Visa to Canada
Do you want to know your eligibility for a Courtesy Visa to Canada?
Call us toll-free or take less than a minute to fill our Online Assessment for Your Visa Options.
Do you want to know your eligibility for a Courtesy Visa to Canada?
Call us toll-free or take less than a minute to fill our Online Assessment for Your Visa Options.
Do you want to know your eligibility for a Courtesy Visa to Canada?
Call us toll-free or take less than a minute to fill our Online Assessment for Your Visa Options.
The process of application for Courtesy Visa is different from other Resident Visas. It is a bit like the Diplomatic and Official Visa. If you have the mentioned requirements and want to visit Canada for official duties, you can submit your direct visa application to the Canadian Embassy.
You need to make sure you're eligible, gather the required documents, and then schedule an appointment with the Canadian Embassy.
Courtesy Visas are for all other persons traveling to Canada for the purpose of an official visit who do not qualify for a diplomatic or official visa. If you are traveling to Canada for an international organization or on behalf of a foreign government you can be issued a courtesy visa.
You must follow a few requirements to be eligible for a Courtesy Visa. Applicants must justify why the government should give them this visa.
To receive the Courtesy visa, first, you must be eligible for a Temporary Resident visa.
You also must have a significant position in your government, the Canadian government should have an agreement or bilateral interest in your country, you should have an official invitation from an international institution or the Canada government to come to Canada, a valid passport from your government that will not expire during your stay, and official duties in Canada.
You need to make sure you're eligible, gather the required documents, and then schedule an appointment with the Canadian Embassy.
The documents you will need when apply for a courtesy visa include a valid passport, financial reports to prove you can afford your trip to Canada, and a statement in the form of either a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a formal request for a diplomatic mission from your government, an international organization written request, a Secretaries of the International Civil Aviation Organization letter, or different invitations from an international agency or the government of Canada.
You will also require your declaration letter to the Canadian Government explaining why they should give you a courtesy visa, the details of your official duties in Canada, and visa photos according to the Canada photo requirements.
You should schedule an appointment with the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country. You could get a date through their website or by phone. When the date comes, you should attend it in person. Don’t forget to bring your requirements and passport.
When you submit the requirements, you will have to pay the fee. If officials ask about your biometrics, you have to pay the fee for that as well.
As you are not an official or diplomat, the Embassy may ask for your Biometric information. They might even ask you to go through a medical examination. If asked this, you should submit your photos, fingerprints, a medical form to a licensed doctor, and the results of necessary tests/a physical examination.
You Might have to go through an interview. The Canadian visa officer will ask you about the purpose of your visit and your background.
When you finished all procedures during your appointment, you must wait until your visa gets processed. The processing time for a Canada courtesy visa depends on the country you apply from, your specific case, and the Canadian embassy or consulate workload.
The application fee is CAD$100 for all Temporary Resident Visas, so it is the same for the Courtesy Visa. If you must give your Biometrics information, you have to pay its fee of CAD$85.
In the end, to get your passport processed, you will have to pay the processing fee of around CAD$45.
Courtesy Visa processing times can take between one week to two months. It depends on the country you apply from, your specific case, and the Canada embassy or consulate workload.
The stronger your case, the more likely you visa is to get approved.
The Courtesy Visa is usually valid for up to 3 years. It is also often a multiple entry visa. Please remember that a Canada courtesy visa is a non-immigrant (short-stay) visa. You cannot stay in the country for longer than six months at a time.
If your official duties are not complete, you must leave the country and enter again.
As the Courtesy Visa is like the Diplomatic and Official Visa, you may bring your dependents with you to Canada. In this case, your dependents are your spouse and children under 21 years of age.
If your children are over 21, they can go with you only if they are full-time students. If your children are over 25, they may not accompany you. They have to apply for a Canada Tourist Visa.
In addition to your family members, some service staff may come with you if they fall under the category of private servant or live-in caregiver.
Under Canadian law, no person other than those listed under diplomatic visas or official visas is entitled to diplomatic, consular, or official privileges and immunities. Therefore, all other persons travelling to Canada for the purpose of an official visit, for an international organization or on behalf of a foreign government, may be issued courtesy visas.
If you have a temporary resident visa, your duration of stay depends on if the visa has a stamp or handwritten date on it. If not, you can stay for only about 6 months.
To earn a permanent resident status, you need to file an application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). After completing five years of stay in Canada, the permanent resident card allows you to apply for Canadian Citizenship.
Congratulations on taking your first step towards obtaining your Canadian Citizenship!
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