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Canada Visa For Indians

Canada Visa for Indians

Canada is a huge country, one of the largest in the entire world. Luckily, Canada often issues long term tourist visas to Indian citizens so you can take multiple trips over the years to see more of this beautiful land. Furthermore, since 2014, Canada has started a new program called CAN+ that makes it very easy for Indians to get a Canadian visa. This system is currently only open to Indian, Chinese, and Mexican nationals residing in their respective countries.

A little Canadian-Punjabi humor by SikhPark

A little Canadian-Punjabi humor by SikhPark

 

Under the CAN+ system, you can get a multiple entry visa for the duration of the validity of your passport. This means that if your passport is valid for another 5 years, you will get a visa for 5 years. If your passport is valid for 10 years, well, you’re in luck, you should get a 10 year multiple entry visa.

To qualify for your visa to be processed under the CAN+ system you need to be an Indian citizen applying in India and have a US visa that has been used for prior travel to the United States in the past 10 years. Canada runs a very smooth online application system so if you pay via credit card online and can scan or take digital photos (with your phone) of all your documents, you don’t have to go anywhere until your visa is approved.

Furthermore, the CAN+ system promises that your application is approved in 5 business days. No additional documents need to be submitted (no bank statements, flight tickets, tax returns, etc.), just the form, your travel history information (including US visas and entry stamps), copies of your passport pages, and the visa fees which are CAD $100.

The skyline of Montreal as seen from the top of Mount Royal on a cloudy day

The skyline of Montreal as seen from the top of Mount Royal on a cloudy day

 

Canada operates a very easy to use online visa application system. You answer a few questions and the system will generate a unique service ID and document checklist for you. There are questions regarding your US visa and prior travel to the US, and when you answer these questions, you will get a reduced document checklist with fewer requirements.

Once you submit all your documents online, they will process your visa application at their end. If approved, you will receive an email with a request to submit your passport for stamping. Unfortunately, this step requires a visit to your nearest VFS visa processing centre to submit your passport, furthermore, you have to pay the VFS passport submission fee.

Of course, if you do not have a US visa and travel history to the US, you can still apply online but you will have to submit a few more documents regarding your situation. In this case, your visa will be subject to ordinary processing times (around 15 days on average).

In my case, as I applied for my Canadian visa outside India, I had to submit more documents than I would have had to, in India. This is a rare situation since in my experience visa applications inside India tend to be far more complicated than in other jurisdictions. However, since I had a valid US visa and prior travel history to the United States, my Canadian visa application was approved fairly quickly.

Ashray in Old Montreal

Ashray in Old Montreal

 

Canada’s online visa application process is very smooth and well designed. The CIC website works very well and is quite informative. I had no issues with making the online payment. If you have a US visa and have traveled to the US in the past, visiting Canada has now become a no-brainer.

Time to take a trip to the Great White North!


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9 Comments

  • Sumit Vasudeva Says

    Thank you so much Ashray. This post has been of great help as i am planning to got to canada in the coming month.

  • inder Says

    I have visa in Canada

  • wow, I did not know about this! Thanks for putting it up here Ashray. I have been meaning to spend some more time in Canada, since it is so humongous & diverse! This should definitely help ;)

  • Subodh Agrawal Says

    Hi Ashray, it was of great help to me for my ambitions. I would sincerely appreciate if I could have a chance to communicate with you in regards to solving my basic issues and fulfilling my only ambitions.

    I have some similarities, as mentioned by you, which helped you obtain a Canadian visa, like traveling to you in the past 10 yrs & so on.

    As I believe you being fond of travelling too much so would not know, in what part of the world are you in as of now. I look forward to hearing from you and I would love to call you for further advise, if you could provide my your contact details.

    Eagerly await a +ve reply from your end.

    Tnx & Regards
    Subodh Agrawal
    India Cell : +91-812-897-1806
    Whatsapp No.: +1-609-662-6109
    Email Id : Sub.agrawal@gmail.com

  • A.Shakulhameed Says

    I m finished in Diploma in electrical engg.i have 8 years experience in kuwait.my graude was Site Asst Engg…i want Canada Work permit visa.

  • Ankit Dubey Says

    Theres a great news for Indian Passport holders and it is that from 1st APRIL,2017 Ukraine will start giving Visa on Arrival for 15 days for Indian tourists and Bussinessmen..Ofcorse with proof of return tickets and Sufficent funds to be provided on arrival.

    Its a great News …Ukraine Firsr European Country to give VISA ON ARRRIVAL to INDIA the only South Asian Country.

  • Astik Samal Says

    I am currently studying in London on a UK student visa. And I have a 10 years USA visa as well as travel history to New York. Am I eligible for CAN+ visa application process ?

  • Aruhi Says

    Great Blog!!
    This blog is very helpful for Canada Visa.

  • That was informative! Thanks a lot

Comments are closed for this post.

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