Recent developments for Canadian visa applicants include new guidelines that go into more detail about how long it takes to process your application. While these timelines have always been available, this is the first time they've been posted in-depth by federal government agencies.
The latest information can be found here at ImmigrationCanada.ca where you will find both general processing times as well as specific dates for when different departments within VISA/PARAMOUR are allowed to start working on your case.
Recent developments for Canadians seeking a visit visa in Australia include an increase in days to process your application. Some countries have even eliminated the need to do a quick check of their databases before issuing you a visa!
Canada has always been one of the more difficult nations to get into, but recent changes may push it towards being completely impossible to enter.
In March 2018, just over two months ago, CIC announced that processing time for both the Pre-Visit Visa (PV) service and the Visit Visa (OV) service would be extended by five working days. This means that if you apply for either of these visas within this period then there is no need to wait for your documents to arrive before visiting or investing money in travel.
This new rule goes into effect on May 25th so please make sure that you are ready! If not then at least know that it will soon expire.
What about those who already have a PV or OV?
If you currently hold a pre-visit visa or visit visa from earlier than April 1st, 2018 then this article contains some important information for you.
Citizens of most Western European countries can now use our services without having to worry about visa delays.
The next step in applying for citizenship is to gather all your documents, pack them up, and send everything off to be reviewed. This includes applications for permanent resident status or Canadian residency, as well as applications for citizenship!
The time frame for processing depends on what country you are submitting from and how quickly each government agency can review and approve their portion of the paperwork. Some agencies, such as Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and International Organization for Migration (IOM), have set timelines for approval that we recommend meeting because they help ensure that nothing gets lost during this process.
At IOM, for example, it takes an average of 40 days after submission before notification of receipt so we suggest getting yourself a reminder email about two weeks into the process to make sure nothing got overlooked.
The next step in the processing of your Canadian visa is what we refer to as ‘visa endorsement’. This is when one of our offices outside Ottawa gets notified that you have a valid passport, and therefore you are eligible to travel to Canada. They will then fax or email us a copy of your passport along with a form asking if you want us to endorse the visa as being authentic.
If you already have visa-free entry into Canada, this process is usually done by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) directly. If you don’t however, it’s up to you whether you would like to enter Canada or not!
We can’t force CIC to give you a visa, but we can advise you on how to prepare for yours so you know what to do if things go wrong. We also help you track your application status which gives you some sense of hope; even though there isn’t much you can do if something goes horribly wrong once you’re in Canada.
The day your visa is due, you will be notified via email by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). They may also call you to confirm that this notification went through, depending on how busy their phones are at the time of the update.
If for some reason you do not receive the notice in time or if it does not go through clearly, there are several ways to check your visa status. You can use our tool to track your application!
We have made tracking applications easy so you don’t have to spend hours searching for information yourself. Simply enter your application ID and we'll keep an eye out for any updates.
The way most countries work is that if you have to leave their country, you need to give them a certain amount of time to process your visa before you can depart. This is what they call an “exit policy” for visas. Most countries have a two week minimum exit policy for business or tourist visits.
Canada has one of the longer exit policies in place when it comes to working visas. They require at least four weeks from the day you receive your resident permit until you are able to travel internationally. During this time period, there are several things that must happen.
You will need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself while traveling. This means proving employment with paychecks or proof of savings. You will also need to make sure that you do not own any real estate outside of Canada. If you do, you will be required to sell these properties and distribute the proceeds to governments abroad!
This may sound ridiculous but it is true. All foreign governments monitor financial transactions so thoroughly that even owning a house becomes too risky. Luckily, there are ways around this problem. More information on how to stay in Canada as a foreigner can be found online and through local Canadian embassies.
Visas for work in Canada can be categorized as either temporary or permanent. The most common types of visas for work in Canada include those that expire within one year, such as business or tourist visits, and employment-based visas (EbVs), which require you to have an employer willing to sponsor you here.
There are also longer term non-work visas, usually for studies or research. If you’re looking to live permanently in Canada, you will need to apply for citizenship, which is more difficult than applying for residency.
Having these questions answered is the next step in knowing how long it will take to process your visa. However, there are additional fees that you must know about! The first one we will talk about is the VISA APPLICATION FEES. These vary depending on if you are applying online or offline, as well as whether you are submitting your application directly with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) or through a third-party agency.
Some of the main application fee types include: An Application Processing Fee, an Application Tracking System (ATS) Usage Fee, an Authentication Service Fees, a Data Transfer And Storage Fees, and Shipping Costs. It’s important to note that not all of these apply to every country and individual, but for most countries they do!
The overall cost of processing your visa can also depend on the type of visa you have applied for. For example, if you are only seeking entry into Canada then the Exit From Australia Travel Document may be free or very inexpensive whereas if you are looking to stay longer than 30 days or study here, a work permit may incur extra charges.
Recent developments have led some to believe that there has been an increase in visa processing times for Canadian citizens. Some claim that Consulates are holding up applications as part of a cost saving measure, while others say that officials are taking their time due to lack of resources or staffing at the Embassy/Consulate.
It is important to note that not every consulate will hold up your application if they feel like you’ve done enough to prove yourself eligible. Only those with doubts will put pressure on you to make changes to your documents or statements!
If you find out that your visit has been delayed, speak with other Canadians living abroad or look into whether any organized groups exist where you live. There may be ways to help keep your trip on track or work around the delay.
