Canada Tourist Visa: How Much Does an Application Cost?
The cost of a tourist trip to Canada is not limited to the plane ticket and accommodation: depending on the traveler's nationality, administrative fees also apply to obtain the required entry authorization. These fees are generally modest compared to other expense items, but they are worth anticipating.
The cost of the electronic travel authorization
For nationals of visa-exempt countries traveling by air, the eTA generally represents a relatively low cost, valid for several years or until passport expiry, for an unlimited number of short-term trips. It is the most economical device among tourist entry formalities, and its cost generally remains stable from one application to another, except for a change of passport during its validity.
The cost of the temporary resident visa
For nationals subject to a visa requirement, the processing fees for a visitor visa are generally higher than those for the eTA, and apply per person, including for children in some cases. These fees are generally non-refundable if the application is refused, which underscores the importance of preparing the application well before submission. A family with several members must generally multiply this cost by the number of applicants, which can represent a significant amount for large households.
Biometrics fees
Many visitor visa applicants must also provide their biometric data (photograph and fingerprints) at an approved visa application center, which incurs additional fees, generally charged separately from the visa fees themselves. This data generally remains valid for a certain period, which may exempt some applicants from repeating this step during a subsequent close application.
Additional fees to anticipate
Beyond the official fees, travelers should generally budget for the cost of travel insurance, often recommended although not systematically mandatory, as well as possible document translation fees if their file includes documents in a language other than French or English. Travel costs to the nearest visa application center may also add up, especially for applicants living far from a major city.
Fees for extending a stay
A visitor wishing to extend their stay from within Canada must generally pay specific processing fees for this extension request, separate from the fees initially paid for entry into the country. It is generally advisable to submit this application well before the expiry of the status, to avoid any risk of overstaying while the application is being processed.
Comparing costs by nationality
The total amount to budget varies significantly depending on whether the traveler falls under the eTA regime or the visitor visa regime, the latter generally involving a larger cumulative cost of processing and biometrics fees. It is therefore useful, even before planning travel dates, to check with official sources which regime applies to one's nationality, in order to properly budget for all the procedures.
Payment methods and reference currency
Processing fees are generally payable online by credit card, in the reference currency used by Canadian authorities, which for many applicants involves a conversion from their local currency. This conversion can cause slight variations in cost from one application to another depending on exchange rates at the time of payment, a generally marginal element but worth keeping in mind during budget planning, especially for group applications involving multiple travelers.
The case of grouped family applications
Applications submitted for several members of the same family generally involve a cumulative total of individual fees, without a systematic reduction linked to the number of applicants. However, certain categories of children may benefit from reduced fees or partial exemption depending on the rules in force at the time of application, which should be checked with official sources before budgeting for a family application as a whole. Preparing a common file, while submitting separate individual applications for each family member, generally remains the practice expected by the authorities.
Conclusion
While the fees related to obtaining visitor status in Canada generally remain contained, they add to an overall travel budget that should be anticipated precisely, by checking the current amounts with official sources before submitting any application.
