Canada Tourist Visa for Indians: Fees & Documents

Visa validity and permitted stay are different. A multiple-entry visa valid for several years does not permit continuous residence in Canada.

You can apply for a visitor visa for a genuine temporary holiday or personal visit. IRCC assesses whether you meet the entry requirements and will leave Canada when your authorised stay ends.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• A valid passport or accepted travel document.
• A clear reason for the visit.
• Enough money for your proposed trip.
• Employment, business, family or other circumstances supporting your return.
• Compliance with the applicable health, criminal and immigration requirements.

Your circumstances are assessed together. An invitation, property ownership or previous international travel does not guarantee approval.

If your purpose involves work, studies or another immigration route, check our Canada visa types and requirements before preparing a tourist application.

Canada does not issue different tourist visa categories for a five-day holiday, a two-week itinerary or a multi-city trip. IRCC decides whether to issue a single-entry or multiple-entry visitor visa and how long it will remain valid.

Check the conditions of the issued visa and your authorised stay on arrival. Most visitors are admitted for up to six months, but the border officer can authorise a shorter or longer period.

The government application fee is the same for single-entry and multiple-entry visitor visas. Biometrics and other charges depend on the applicant and services used.

Government Fees

Family-fee caps have eligibility conditions. For the visitor application cap, qualifying family members must apply together at the same time and place.

Applicants with reusable biometrics or an exemption may not need to pay for a new collection.

INR conversion: Estimates are rounded to the nearest ₹10 using CAD 1 ≈ ₹67.89, based on the Bank of Canada reference rate dated 2 November 2026. The final payment may differ because of currency conversion and payment-provider charges.

Applicable VFS Charges

The VFS schedule effective 1 November 2026 lists temporary discounted rates of ₹858 for standard one-way courier and ₹1,560 for two-way courier, under the offer available until 30 April 2027.

The biometrics fee includes one package transmission through the VAC where biometrics were collected, subject to exceptions. Do not automatically add a separate transmission charge to every application.

Check the official VFS service-charge schedule for the services and rates applicable to your submission.

Government fees, applicable VAC services and professional assistance charges are separate. Fees may change; confirm the latest amounts before payment.

Use the personalised checklist generated for your application and any additional visa-office instructions. The evidence needed for a salaried holidaymaker can differ from that needed for a retired parent visiting family.

Common Application Evidence

IRCC’s current visitor guidance recommends passport validity of at least six months from the planned travel date.

For a Holiday

Prepare a realistic itinerary showing the places you intend to visit, the approximate duration and your accommodation arrangements.

Your explanation should connect the trip to your circumstances. For example, an employee taking annual leave should use travel dates consistent with the proposed absence from work.

Avoid making non-refundable travel commitments solely to support an application.

For Visiting Relatives or Friends

Where an invitation is relevant or requested, the host’s letter should explain:

• Your relationship.
• The reason and expected duration of the visit.
• Where you will stay.
• How expenses will be paid.
• The host’s identity, contact details and status in Canada.

Include relevant supporting evidence of the relationship and host’s status. An invitation does not guarantee a visa.

Supporting Evidence by Applicant Circumstances

The following are examples to consider alongside your checklist, rather than a mandatory list for everyone.

Children Travelling

Prepare the child’s own passport and relevant relationship documents. Consent, custody, guardianship or other evidence depends on whether the child travels with both parents, one parent, another adult or alone.

Check the requirements for the actual arrangement and carry the relevant documents when travelling.

Documents in Other Languages

Supporting documents should be in English or French. For other languages, follow IRCC’s translation instructions, including any required affidavit and supporting copy. Applicants and their family members must not translate their own documents.

Step 1: Select the Appropriate Online Route

Start with the official IRCC visitor visa application page. Select the travel purpose and follow the account or portal instructions provided for your situation.

Step 2: Complete the Application and Upload Evidence

Provide accurate personal, travel, occupation and immigration-history information. Upload the documents requested in the personalised checklist.

Follow the application system’s file-size, format and signature instructions.

Step 3: Pay the Applicable Fees

Pay the visitor application fee and biometrics fee where required. Retain the receipt and application details.

Step 4: Complete Biometrics if Required

If you receive a biometric instruction letter, follow its deadline and arrange collection at an authorised location. Bring the documents specified in your letter and appointment instructions.

Check whether previous biometrics remain reusable before assuming another collection is required.

Step 5: Monitor Your Application

Check the application account and associated email for requests. IRCC may ask for further information, an interview, a medical examination or a police certificate.

Respond within the deadline stated in the request.

Step 6: Follow Passport-Submission Instructions

If your online application is approved, IRCC will explain how to submit your passport. Wait until the visa has been placed in it before travelling.

When your passport is returned, check the name, passport number, validity and entry conditions.

Canada tourist visa processing times from India change. Use the official IRCC processing-times tool, selecting a visitor visa from outside Canada and India.

The estimate is not a guaranteed decision date. Further verification or document requests can extend the wait.

Plan for the complete journey from application preparation to passport return. If travelling for a wedding, school holiday or another fixed occasion, explain the genuine dates and purpose, but allow for uncertainty when making bookings.

There is no reliable application season that guarantees a faster decision. Use current official guidance rather than an old processing figure or an assumed seasonal shortcut.

There is no single bank balance that guarantees approval. IRCC considers whether the funds available are sufficient for the planned stay, including its length and accommodation arrangements.

Self-Funded Holidays

Prepare a budget covering transport, accommodation, daily expenses and planned activities. The financial evidence should explain the money available and its source.

IRCC’s visitor guidance recommends at least six months of account details. Relevant income records can help explain the account activity.

For preparation, compare the trip’s estimated cost with the funds genuinely available. Explain significant transactions where they are relevant to understanding the financial position.

Sponsored Visits

If someone else is paying, explain who they are, your relationship and the expenses they will cover. Provide supporting evidence of the arrangement and the sponsor’s ability to meet those costs.

Where a host provides accommodation, make that clear so the proposed budget reflects the actual arrangements.

Retired Applicants and Applicants Without a Salary

Present the funding relevant to your situation, such as pension income, savings or family support. An explanation based on your real circumstances is more useful than submitting employment documents that do not apply to you.

Before submission, check for:

• Travel dates that conflict across the application and supporting evidence.
• Unclear accommodation or sponsorship arrangements.
• Financial evidence that does not explain how the proposed trip will be paid for.
• A generic itinerary unrelated to the intended visit.
• Missing information requested in the personalised checklist.
• Inaccurate answers about previous refusals or immigration history.

Keep the explanation clear and relevant. Additional paperwork should support the application rather than make it harder to understand.

A tourist application should present a clear picture of your holiday or personal visit: why you are travelling, where you intend to stay and how the trip will be funded. Match the supporting evidence to your circumstances and proposed duration. Once the application is submitted, follow the instructions issued by IRCC and allow time for any further requests and passport return before finalising travel arrangements.