Choose the right document
Visiting Canada involves two separate questions: which document lets you travel to Canada, and which date controls how long you may stay. A visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) gets you to the border. The border services officer then decides whether to admit you and for how long. Inside Canada, a visitor record changes or extends that stay.
| Document | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa (temporary resident visa, TRV) | A visa placed in the passport that shows a visa-required traveller meets the requirements to travel to Canada. The officer chooses single or multiple entry and the validity, up to 10 years but never past the passport or biometrics expiry. | It does not set how long each stay lasts, and it does not allow work or study. |
| Electronic travel authorization (eTA) | An electronic authorization linked to the passport, for visa-exempt travellers (and some eligible visa-required nationals) who fly to or through a Canadian airport. | It is not a visa. Most travellers do not need one by land or sea. It is not available to Iranian citizens. |
| Transit visa | For visa-required travellers who connect through a Canadian airport between two international flights within 48 hours. There is no fee. | It does not allow you to leave the airport or visit Canada. |
| Super visa | A multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years that lets an eligible parent or grandparent stay up to 5 years per entry. | It is not permanent residence and does not allow work or study. |
| Visitor record | A document issued inside Canada that extends visitor status, or changes a worker or student to a visitor, and shows a new expiry date. | It is not a visa and does not guarantee that you can leave and return. |
Use IRCC's official "find out if you need a visa or eTA" tool before applying. The answer depends on your passport, how you will travel, and why you are coming.
Notes for Iranian citizens
A visa is always required
Iran is a visa-required country. It is not on the list of countries whose citizens may use an eTA instead of a visa, even if they hold a valid U.S. visa or had a Canadian visa before. Changing planes at a Canadian airport also needs a visa (a transit visa or a visitor visa).
No Canadian office in Iran
Canada has no embassy, consulate or visa office in Iran. The Tehran visa office closed in 2012. IRCC's list of visa offices names Ankara, Türkiye, for Iran, but IRCC processes applications across a global network, so another office may handle your file.
Biometrics outside Iran
There is no visa application centre (VAC) in Iran. IRCC says that if there is no VAC in your country, you may go to any other VAC. Nearby VACs on IRCC's list include Ankara, Istanbul, Yerevan, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Erbil, Baku and Tbilisi. You must meet that country's own entry rules, which IRCC does not set.
Sending your passport
If an online application is approved, IRCC asks you to submit your passport so the visa can be placed in it, usually through a VAC. Send it only after you receive the request. Plan time and travel for this step, and for collecting the passport.
Single or multiple entry
Since November 6, 2024, a multiple-entry visa at maximum validity is no longer the standard. Officers decide the visa type and validity in every case. No IRCC rule says Iranians receive single-entry visas. The usual factors apply: purpose, funds, ties, and travel and immigration history.
Medical exam
Iran is not on IRCC's list of countries that trigger a medical exam for visits over 6 months. An exam is still needed for every super visa, for certain jobs, and after 6 months or more in a designated country in the past year.
No special measures for visitors
The 2025 measures for Iranians inside Canada expired on February 28, 2026. The current public policy (March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) covers only work permit extensions. Iranian visitors extend their stay through the normal visitor record process.
Translations
Documents in Persian need an English or French translation. A translator's affidavit is required unless the translator is certified in Canada. You and your family members cannot translate your own documents.
Time-sensitive: Ebola measures until November 27, 2026
Who can get a visitor visa
An officer issues a visitor visa only if satisfied that you meet the requirements in section 179 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), including that you will leave Canada by the end of your authorized stay. IRCC lists these basic requirements:
- a valid passport or travel document;
- good health, and a medical exam if one is required;
- no criminal or immigration-related convictions;
- ties to your home country, such as a job, home, financial assets or family, that will take you back;
- enough money for your stay, which depends on how long you stay and where (hotel or with family or friends);
- a letter of invitation from someone in Canada, if needed.
Dual intent is lawful
Wanting permanent residence one day does not by itself disqualify you (IRPA s. 22(2)). The officer must still be satisfied that you will leave at the end of the authorized stay.
Admissibility
Security, human or international rights violations, criminality, organized crime, health, financial reasons, misrepresentation and past non-compliance can make a person inadmissible.
Full details: Visitor visa guide.
Build one consistent evidence package
- Identity and travel historyA passport valid for your planned trip (bio page and every page with stamps or visas), previous passports and visas, civil-status documents, and proof of legal status in the country where you apply if you are not a citizen there.
- Purpose and planA short, specific explanation of why you are travelling, your dates, itinerary, where you will stay, who pays, and the job, studies or duties you will return to.
- Funds and their sourceBank statements (IRCC suggests at least 6 months, showing your name and address), employment or business income, pensions or assets. Explain large or recent deposits. A host's support must be documented, and it does not replace your own ties.
- Host and invitationIf you will stay with someone, include their letter of invitation, proof of their status in Canada, their address and proof of your relationship. An invitation supports your purpose but never guarantees a visa.
- Evidence for your purposeFor example, an employer letter on letterhead dated within 3 months, event registration, business meeting details, medical or family evidence, or, for a sponsored spouse, the sponsorship acknowledgement of receipt.
- ChildrenA minor travelling alone or with one parent should carry a consent letter, a copy of the birth certificate and any custody documents. Never submit a purchased invitation, a made-up job or altered bank records. Misrepresentation can lead to a five-year ban.
How to apply
- Check the document you needUse IRCC's visa-or-eTA tool and choose the purpose that matches your trip: tourism, family, business, super visa or transit.
- Apply onlineMost people must apply online through the IRCC Portal or an IRCC secure account. The new version of the IRCC Portal is only for adults applying alone, for the first time, without a representative. Paper is limited to people who cannot apply online (for example because of a disability) or who travel on a refugee, stateless or non-citizen travel document.
- Upload, pay and submitFollow the personalized checklist, upload clear copies, pay the processing and biometrics fees, and keep the receipt and a full copy of what you filed.
- Give biometricsIf you receive a biometric instruction letter, book an appointment at a VAC promptly. IRCC generally gives 30 days.
- Answer requestsWatch your account for requests for a medical exam, an interview, police certificates or more documents.
- Submit your passportIf approved online, IRCC sends a letter asking for your passport. You cannot travel until the visa is placed in the passport.
Government fees
These are IRCC's processing fees in Canadian dollars (IRCC fee list, last modified September 21, 2026). VAC service charges, medical exams, translations, courier, insurance and professional fees are separate. Check the fee list again on the day you pay.
| Application or service | Fee (CAD) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa (single or multiple entry) | $100 per person | Same fee whichever type the officer issues |
| Visitor visa, family maximum | $500 | Family of 5 or more applying together at the same time and place |
| Super visa | $100 per person | Not charged to visa-exempt applicants |
| Transit visa | No fee | No biometrics fee either |
| Biometrics | $85 per person; $170 family maximum | Family maximum applies to 2 or more people applying together |
| eTA | $7 | Apply only on the Government of Canada site |
| Visitor record (extend stay) | $100 per person | Each person applies and pays separately |
| Restore status as a visitor | $246.25 | No separate extension fee is needed |
At the border: the officer decides
A visa or eTA lets you travel; it does not guarantee entry. After identity and health checks, a border services officer of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) decides whether to admit you and for how long.
Questions at entry
Expect questions about your purpose, funds, where you will stay, when you will leave, and whether you plan to work or study. False or incomplete answers can lead to refusal.
How long you can stay
Most visitors may stay up to 6 months. The officer can set a shorter or longer period with a passport stamp or a visitor record. Super visa holders are generally stamped for 5 years.
No stamp
If your passport is not stamped, you may stay until the earliest of 6 months after entry, your passport expiry, or your biometrics expiry. You can ask the officer for a stamp, including after using an airport kiosk.
Keep documents with you
Carry your passport, invitation, itinerary, proof of funds and (for super visa) proof of paid insurance in your hand luggage, not in checked bags.
The online Advance CBSA Declaration (ArriveCAN) is optional at participating airports and can be prepared up to 72 hours before a flight.
Staying longer: you extend your status, not your visa
| Your goal | Correct application | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| Stay longer as a visitor | Visitor record | Apply before your current status expires; IRCC recommends at least 30 days before |
| Change from worker or student to visitor | Visitor record | Apply before your permit expires; stop working or studying when your permit ends |
| Leave and come back as a worker or student who needs a visa | New visitor visa from inside Canada | Only for holders of a valid work or study permit; not for people in Canada only as visitors |
| Your visitor status ended less than 90 days ago | Restoration as a visitor | Discretionary; you have no status while you wait |
Applying for a visitor record
- Find your real expiry dateLook at the passport stamp, your visitor record, or your work or study permit, not the visa. With no stamp, it is 6 months from entry.
- Apply in timeIRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your status expires. The legal deadline is before it expires, so apply right away if less time is left.
- Apply onlineUse an IRCC secure account and form IMM 5708. Paper is allowed only for a disability or a problem with the online system.
- One application per personEvery family member who wants to stay longer needs their own application and fee. You can submit them together.
- Explain the planAsk for a realistic date, explain why your stay is still temporary, how you will pay for it, and what you will return to.
What a visitor record application should prove
Status and identity
Passport bio page and entry stamp, current visitor record or permit, earlier approvals and your Canadian address.
Reason and dates
A clear explanation of why you need more time and the date you will leave, with supporting family, medical or event evidence.
Money
Bank records, income or pension, any host support, and a realistic budget for the extra months.
Compliance
That you have not worked or studied without authorization, and an honest account of earlier extensions or refusals.
Full details: Extending your stay and visitor records.
Maintained status while you wait
- Apply before expiryIf IRCC receives your extension application before your status ends, you may stay in Canada under the same conditions until a decision is made. IRCC calls this maintained status (it used to be called implied status).
- Keep proof of filingSave the submission confirmation and fee receipt.
- No new rightsMaintained visitor status does not allow work or study. A worker or student applying only to become a visitor must stop working or studying when the permit ends.
- Leaving ends itMaintained status lasts only while you stay in Canada. A temporary resident permit application does not give maintained status.
- Incomplete or refusedAn application rejected as incomplete is treated as never filed. If the application is refused after your original expiry date, your status ends on the refusal date and the 90-day restoration period starts.
Restoring status after it expires
- Within 90 daysYou may apply to restore your status within 90 days of losing it, if you still meet the requirements for your stay and have not broken other conditions.
- Stay in CanadaYou must be in Canada when you apply and remain until the decision. If you leave, the application is refused and the fee is not refunded. Restoration is not available at a port of entry.
- One feeRestoration as a visitor costs $246.25; no separate extension fee is needed.
- No status while waitingYou are without status during processing and cannot work or study. Approval is discretionary.
- Former workers and studentsA former worker or student may be restored as a visitor. Restoration is not available to anyone who worked or studied without authorization, or to a temporary resident permit holder whose permit expired.
- After 90 daysRestoration is no longer possible. Get advice right away about leaving Canada and your options.
Travelling out of Canada and coming back
- A visitor record is not a visaIt shows your status inside Canada but does not guarantee re-entry.
- Visa-required travellers need a valid visa to returnThe exception is returning directly from a visit to the United States or Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
- Visitors cannot renew a visa from inside CanadaOnly people with a valid work or study permit can apply for a new visitor visa from inside Canada. IRCC recommends applying at least 2 months before you leave, and not leaving until you have it.
- Pending applicationsLeaving Canada ends maintained status. On return, the border officer makes a new decision.
Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
Who needs one
Visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to or through a Canadian airport. It is generally not needed by land or sea. U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents are exempt.
Some visa-required countries
Citizens of 17 listed countries may use an eTA instead of a visa if they had a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa, and they fly. Iran is not on the list.
Cost and validity
$7. Valid up to 5 years or until the passport expires. A new passport needs a new eTA.
Not entry permission
An eTA is not a visa and does not allow work or study. The border officer still decides.
Full details: eTA guide.
Parent and Grandparent Super Visa
Host
Your biological or adopted child or grandchild, 18 or older, living in Canada, who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, signs a letter of invitation and meets the minimum income.
Applicant
Apply from outside Canada, pass an immigration medical exam, buy qualifying Canadian or OSFI-authorized medical insurance, and show you are a genuine visitor. Dependants cannot be included.
Income (2026 rules)
From March 31, 2026, the host can meet the full minimum in either of the two tax years before applying, or show at least 75% and add the parent's or grandparent's own income for the rest.
Length
Multiple entries for up to 10 years and up to 5 years per entry for people who entered on or after June 22, 2023.
Super visa documents at a glance
- Letter of invitationSigned by the host (and a co-signing spouse or partner, if any), with a promise of financial support and the names and dates of birth of everyone counted in the family size.
- Income proofCRA notice of assessment for the host, and for Option 2, 12 months of evidence of the applicant's own continuing income.
- Relationship and statusThe host's birth or baptismal certificate (or another official record naming the parent or grandparent) and proof of the host's status in Canada.
- Insurance and medicalA paid policy (not a quote) for at least 1 year from entry with at least $100,000 emergency coverage, and proof of the medical exam.
Full details: Super visa guide and the Super visa income calculator.
Transit through Canada
Who needs a transit visa
Visa-required travellers whose international flight stops in Canada, or who connect between two international flights, for 48 hours or less, and who do not hold a valid visitor visa.
When a visitor visa is needed instead
A stay over 48 hours, any plan to leave the airport and enter Canada, or arrival by land or sea.
Cost
No processing fee and no biometrics fee. Apply online before you travel.
Without a visa
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and some travellers from listed countries on flights to or from the United States, may transit without a visa. Iranian citizens are not included.
Full details: Transit visa guide.
Business visitors
Who qualifies
People coming for less than 6 months who will not enter the Canadian labour market, and whose main place of business and source of income and profits stay outside Canada.
Typical activities
Meetings, conferences and trade fairs; buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business; taking orders; after-sales service under a warranty or sales agreement; certain training.
When a work permit is needed
If you plan to work in Canada, or to stay more than 6 months, you may be considered a temporary worker and need a work permit.
Documents
A visa or eTA, a letter from your employer abroad, the Canadian host's invitation, contracts or warranty papers if relevant, and 24-hour contact details for your host.
Full details: Business visitors guide.
Frequently asked questions
My visa is valid for several years. Can I stay in Canada that long?
No. The visa only lets you travel. How long you can stay is set at the border, usually up to 6 months per entry, and is shown by a stamp or visitor record.
Can I apply for a work permit or study permit after I arrive as a visitor?
Generally not. The temporary policy that let visitors apply for work permits inside Canada ended on August 28, 2024. You can apply inside Canada only if you fall into a category the regulations allow, for example as the spouse of a work or study permit holder.
Does a letter of invitation have to be notarized?
IRCC does not require notarization. Some hosts choose to have the letter notarized or commissioned, but this is optional.
Will using a licensed consultant make approval more likely?
No. IRCC says that using a consultant or other representative does not improve your chances. A licensed representative can help you understand the rules and prepare a complete, accurate file, but cannot promise any outcome.
Official sources
- IRCC: Visit Canada
- IRCC: About the visitor visa
- IRCC: Visitor visa eligibility
- IRCC: Entry requirements by country or territory
- IRCC: Update on issuing visas (November 6, 2024)
- IRCC: International visa offices
- IRCC: Find a visa application centre
- IRCC: Measures for Iranian nationals
- IRCC: 2026 Ebola temporary measures
- IRCC: Fee list
- IRCC: Visitor record, who can apply
- IRCC: Travelling with a visitor record
- IRCC: Restoration of temporary resident status
- IRCC: Parent and grandparent super visa
- IRCC: Transit through Canada
- IRCC: Business visitors
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 179
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 183
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.