Basic requirements

To visit Canada, you will need to meet some basic requirements, such as:

• • have a valid travel document, such as a passport,
• • be in good health,
• • have no criminal or immigration-related convictions,
• • convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to your home country,
• • convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit, and
• • have enough money for your stay. (The amount of money you will need can vary. It depends on things such as how long you will stay, and whether you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.)

You may also need a:

• • medical exam and
• • letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Conditions of a visa

There are two types: a single-entry visa and a multiple-entry visa. Both are valid for a fixed period and cannot be used after they expire.

A multiple-entry visa allows visitors to come and go from Canada, usually for six months at a time, without having to reapply. It is valid for up to 10 years, or one month before your passport expires, whichever comes first. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.

A single-entry visa allows you to come to Canada only once. After you leave Canada, excluding travel to the United States and St. Pierre and Miquelon, you will need a new visa to travel back to Canada.

Find out if you need a visa.