Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa to Canada

Travelling to Canada as a Visitor

Have you ever had an emergency travel need and did not have a valid visa to travel outside of Canada? Have you ever regretted not taking enough time out to put relevant documents together for the ease of your travel? Well, you are not alone. In this blog we will talk about Temporary Resident Visas and its various categories. Some people come to Canada on Work Permit or Study Visa but do not know what document they need to have in case if they have to travel again out of Canada. Temporary Resident Visa has different categories. We will talk about those categories in detail and help you understand what category you might fit to travel in and out of Canada. Not only for traveling purposes but we will also explain what you can do with your Temporary Resident Visa once you arrive in Canada.

Who needs a Temporary Resident Visa to Canada?

Before we can explain TRVS in detail, we need to understand what Temporary Resident Visa means. TRV is a document which is needed to gain entry into Canada. However, a TRV is not needed while you are inside Canada on Study Visa or Work Permit, but it is always a good idea to keep a valid TRV in case if you have to travel out of Canada for any emergency travel needs. TRV enables you to enter Canada legally as a visitor if you meet certain requirements but having this visa does not guarantee your entry into Canada if immigration officer has legal grounds to believe that you do not meet the criteria. Does every body need a TRV visa? No, not everyone needs a TRV as there are countries that are visa exempt and the residents of those countries do not require a TRV to travel to Canada, instead they need an online authorization called eTA. eTA stands for Electronic Travel Authorization, you can use the government of Canada’s official website to apply for an eTA. Normally eTA applications are approved within minutes of applying. To figure out whether you need an eTA or a TRV you will have to check the list of visa exempt countries to figure out whether they need a visa or not. The list of visa exempt countries is easily available on government of Canada’s website cic.gc.ca. Mostly people coming from the third world countries require a TRV to enter Canada.

Types of TRVs

There are various types of TRV visas. We need to know what types of visas or category of visas we can apply for and what makes us qualified for it under the requirements of immigration laws. We will discuss briefly what we can do with those visas while in Canada and how one can apply for it. The types of TRVs are listed below:

• Single Entry Visa
• Multiple entry visa
• Transit Visa

Single Entry Visa:

Let’s look at Single Entry Visa first. A single entry visa allows you to enter Canada one time only. Once you leave Canada, barring a few exceptions such as travel to the United States and St. Pierre or Miquelon, apart from these exceptions, you will need a new visa to travel back to Canada. This visa allows you as a foreign national to enter Canada only once throughout the validity of the visa. Also, this category of visa may be issued for up to six months before the expected travel date. Single entry visa needs to have an expiry date of at least one month prior to the expected date of arrival in Canada.

Multiple Entry Visa:

The second category that we will look at is Multiple Entry Visa. This category of visa allows you to enter and leave Canada constantly while the visa is valid. Multiple Entry Visas also allows you to seek entry in Canada from any country in the world. If you are a frequent traveller to Canada, this visa facilitates your consistent travel needs. The length of time this visa is valid, is from 10 years to minimum one month. Some of you might think that Super Visa also has the same length of time of 10 years of validity on it; therefore they might be the same. The key difference between Super Visa and Multiple-Entry Visa is that multiple entry visa holders can stay in Canada for up to six months per entry whereas super visa allows multiple entry to the holder lasting up to 2 years per entry.

Transit Visa:

Transit visa can only be applied by visa exempt foreign nationals.Foreign nationals of visa exempt countries are expected to have an Electronic Travel Authorization called eTA. The only exceptions are U.S nationals and Canadians with valid travel documents who cannot apply for this category.Normally, an eTA is valid for 5 years or at least until the expiry of your passport.

These categories are specific to the needs of certain individuals who meet the requirements. Meeting requirements cannot be a guaranteed to gain entry into Canada. Immigration officials can have various grounds to reject the application. It is always best to consult with an immigration lawyer or a consultant before you fill out such an application. It might cost you a little extra money but it does save you the hassle.

How do I know if I need TRV?

Again, not everyone needs a Temporary Resident Visa; citizens of Visa-Exempt countries do not need a TRV. However, having a valid Study Permit or Work Permit in Canada and if you only visit the United States and re-enter Canada, you will not need TRV to re-enter Canada. This rule also applies to TRV holders only if they make it back before their expiry date. You will always need a temporary resident visa if you belong to a country that is not on the list of visa exempt countries around the world. When you initially apply for a Study Permit, you do not require to apply separately for a Temporary Resident Visa. If your Study Permit gets approved and a TRV is required as part of your application, then you will be issued a TRV along with your study permit. A TRV is not always needed when you are inside Canada, but it is a good idea to keep a valid TRV in case of any urgent trips abroad.

Where do I send my TRV application?

Sending TRV application depends on which country you are from. If you are in Canada currently with a valid Study or Work Permit, you must apply for TRV through the CIC case processing office which is located in Ottawa, Ontario. If you are outside of Canada, you should apply through which ever visa office is nearest to your location.

Contact Akrami & Associates:

If you require any assistance in applying for TRV whether in Canada or outside of Canada we can help. If you want to travel to Canada as a visitor or if you already have a Work Permit or a Study Permit or want to extend your TRV, please do consider Akrami & Associates for all your legal needs. Our team of dedicated consultants and lawyers will take good care of you by presenting the best possible case for you and your loved ones.

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!