Visit Canada: New Fees and Multiple Visa Options

In February 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced that applicants for visitor visa will be automatically considered for a multiple-entry visa. It allows a visitor to stay for six months at a time with re-entry for up to 10 years without having to re-apply each time they will be traveling to Canada. No doubt, a multiple entry visa makes it easier to travel to Canada.

Why visit Canada?
The move aims to promote tourism and trade by making the visa application simpler and convenient for people to travel back and forth to Canada which is a top country of choice for visitors. Consistently rated as one of the most livable countries, Canada offers magnificent scenic spots, great outdoors, clean cities and a safe and friendly multicultural environment. It is estimated that every year more than 35 million people visit Canada and in 2012, around one million visas were approved, representing a 40% increase since 2004. With the multiple entry visa assessment in place, more and more eligible visitors are expected to flock to Canada.

Visitors who hold a 10-year passport, such as those coming from China, India and Mexico are eligible to be granted 10 year visas. On the other hand, visitors from the Philippines and Brazil who hold 5-year passports could be issued multiple-entry visas for up to five years.

Requirements for visiting Canada
To visit Canada, you must have a valid travel document, such as a passport, be in good health, and convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will make you want to go back to your home country. As well, you have to convince an immigration officer that you have enough money for your stay and will leave Canada at the end of your visit. The amount of money you will need can vary depending on various factors 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 temporary resident (visitor) visa, depending on your citizenship. Visitors from the Philippines and China, among others, would need a visitor visa before travelling to Canada. A medical exam may also be required and a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

New application fees
The fee for processing temporary resident visa (TRV) application has now been reduced from $150 to $100 for either a single or multiple entry visa. In the same breath, increases have been introduced in the fees for various applications. The new fees are as follows:

● $150 study permits and renewals
● $155 work permits and renewals
● $100 extensions to remain in Canada as a visitor
● $500 maximum fee for a family to apply for TRVs
● $465 maximum work permit fee for a group of performing artists and their staff

The new fees better reflect the cost of processing those applications.

Processing times
The processing times for visitor visa applications vary depending on the visa office but normally, it only takes a few weeks or less. Currently, the wait time for the visa office in the Philippines is 15 days from the time of submission of a complete application package, meaning that you have answered all of the questions on the application forms and have submitted all the necessary documents along with your applications. Applications are processed in the order in which they arrive.

What is your best visa option for Canada?
Depending on the purpose of your stay in Canada and your citizenship or residential status you may qualify to apply for one or more visa options when it comes to visiting or working in Canada.

Would your visiting parents/grandparents want to stay longer than six months? Instead of the added expenses and uncertainty of applying for an extension every 6 months the option to apply for a super visa valid up to 10 years would authorize longer stays of up to 24 months for your parents/grandparents.

Are your friends or relatives abroad looking at employment opportunities in Canada? Filipinos working abroad with valid work visas, say Saudi Arabia or Hong Kong, may have the advantage of submitting visa applications to Canada via offices serving the countries of their current employment where processing times could be faster than in the Philippines.

Are your nieces or nephews eager to explore educational options in Canada? Upon completing their studies in Canada they might decide to return home to pursue their careers or they might be eligible to stay and work in Canada for up to three years on an open work permit depending on whether they enrolled in a qualified program of studies and have remained in good status.

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Grace and Leo are licensed immigration consultants (members of Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council). Submit your questions and story ideas or to enquire about a professional consultation, they could be reached at onthemovecolumn@gmail.

com or by phone at 778-840-4295 (Grace) and 778-227-7679 (Leo).