How to Apply for a Canada Facilitation Visa
The Facilitation Visa application process is different from other Temporary Resident Visa applications. If you fulfill the requirements above, then you may submit a direct visa application to the Canadian Consulate or Embassy in the foreign country where you have your second citizenship. You must submit the Temporary Resident visa forms.
The Consulate might take a few days to process the application depending on their workload or they will immediately respond to your visa application. They will either grant you the visa and stamp it on your passport, or they will deny it and let you know about the reasons for the denial.
Canada Facilitation Visa
The Canada Facilitation Visa is exclusive for Canadian citizens with dual citizenship. This visa facilitates the entry to Canada to those who have dual citizenship.
What Is the Facilitation Visa?
There are circumstances where a Canadian citizen with dual citizenship will be required to place a facilitation visa counterfoil into the passport of the Canadian’s other nationality. A facilitation visa is issued in cases where not facilitating the Canadian citizen’s travel would result in undue hardship.
Who Is Eligible for the Facilitation Visa?
A facilitation visa is eligible to Canadians in distress because of lost/stolen documents, for dual nationals coming to Canada for the first time or who did not obtain a Canadian passport prior to leaving Canada, for children born in Canada to foreign nationals who have returned to their country and do not wish to assert their Canadian citizenship at birth, for children who go through the citizenship adoption process overseas and their birth country only allows them to leave on that country’s passport, and for Canadians under 18 who are coming to Canada to reside with their Canadian parents or for humanitarian reasons as determined by the visa officer (the person must also be in possession of a valid foreign national passport or travel document).
What Are the Requirements for the Facilitation Visa?
The requirements for a facilitation visa are proof that you have a Canadian citizenship through a birth certificate or other manners, or proof that you do not have a Canadian passport due to reasons beyond your control.
You must be in one of the following circumstances and need to travel urgently to Canada to be eligible for a facilitation visa: your documents have been lost or stolen, you have a dual citizenship and are going to Canada for the first time, you have a dual citizenship and did not get a Canadian passport before leaving Canada, you were born in Canada to foreign parents who have returned to their home country and did not want to claim your Canadian citizenship that you acquired automatically when you were born, you are/were a child who went through an adoption process in a foreign country and are only allowed to leave through their national passport, or you are under 18 and are coming to live with Canadian parents for humanitarian or compassionate reasons, but you must have a foreign passport or travel document.
How to Apply for the Facilitation Visa?
The Facilitation Visa application process is different from other Temporary Resident Visa applications. If you fulfill the requirements above, then you may submit a direct visa application to the Canadian Consulate or Embassy in the foreign country where you have your second citizenship. You must submit the Temporary Resident visa forms.
The Consulate might take a few days to process the application depending on their workload or they will immediately respond to your visa application. They will either grant you the visa and stamp it on your passport, or they will deny it and let you know about the reasons for the denial.
Compiling the Document File for the Canada Facilitation Visa
You must submit the following supporting documents to apply for a Canada Facilitation Visa:
- Your valid government issued passport from the country where you have your second citizenship
- Proof that you have are a Canadian citizen
- Proof that you could get a Canadian passport for reasons beyond your control
- Proof that you need to go to Canada due to an emergency
- Your bank or other financial statements to prove you have enough funds for the trip to Canada
- A Declaration Letter from you to the Government of Canada where you explain why they should give you a Facilitation visa
- Two photos that meet the Canada Photo Requirements
- Medical examination forms if the Consular Officer finds it necessary
- Your employment or education status through a resume or diplomas, as well as a letter from your employer stating that you have contractual obligations to fulfill and you must return to your home country.
What Are the Facilitation Visa Fees?
The Facilitation Visa fees are CAD$100 for the visa application fee, CAD$85 for the biometrics fee, and, if your application is approved, you must pay the passport processing fee of around CAD$45.
How Long Is the Facilitation Visa Processing Time?
Since the Facilitation Visa is given to people who have emergencies and need to go to Canada, the processing time is quite short. It could take a few days for you to get a response from the Consulate on whether you got the visa or not, or they might let you know immediately once your interview is over.
