Obtaining a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) Formerly: Canadian Visitor Visa O ffice for I nternational S tudents and S cholars

Obtaining a Canadian Temporary

Resident Visa (TRV)Formerly: Canadian Visitor

Visa

Office for International Students and

Scholarswww.isp.msu.edu/oiss

OverviewA few facts to start:

Who is a Visitor?What is a TRV?Who needs a TRV?What are the basic requirements for a TRV?

Fee ScheduleWhat are some additional requirements for a TRV?Do my spouse and children need to apply separately?

The applicationDocuments neededMail or Walk in

How to Complete the Form Application for a TRV (IMM 5257)FAQ

Office for International Students and Scholars www.isp.msu.edu/oiss

Click here to find application directions and an IMM 5257

A few facts to start:

Applications should be made at least one month before your intended departure date.

Applicants should visit with OISS prior to any international travel. Applicants should bring documents to make sure they are in order and signed.


Who is a visitor?

A visitor is a person who seeks to enter Canada for a temporary purpose, such as a tourist.

The length of stay is determined by the Canadian Immigration officer.

It must be understood that entry to Canada is a privilege and not a right.


What is a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)?A TRV is a form issued by a visa officer. This form is placed in your passport (it is like the US visa stamp that goes in your passport). It is an official document showing that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a visitor.

A valid TRV is not a guarantee of entry into Canada; an immigration officer at the port of entry will decide if you still meet the requirements for admission when you arrive. For example, if there has been a change in circumstances between the date of your application and your arrival in Canada, you may be refused entry.


Uses of a Canadian VisaA visa may be for a single entry, for multiple entries, or for transit purposes.

A single entry visa allows you to enter Canada only once. In practice, it is possible to travel between the US and Canada more than one time on a single entry visa. This is only possible between the USA and Canada or St. Pierre and Miquelon, and this is only if you do not enter an additional country. The most important thing to note is that the decision is up to the officer at the port of entry.


More about single entry TRVsThe officer at the port of entry (at the border) decides whether or not the counterfoil (the visa stamp that was placed in your passport) will be good for more than one entry.

Usually the officer at the port of entry will either stamp your visa, put a line through it or both. In order to determine if you can travel more than once on your visa, please contact the Canadian Consulate office by email or by phone. Their general email is:

[email protected] can also contact the Consulate by phone Monday through Thursday 1:30-4:00pm at 313-567-2085

Multiple Entry Visa

A multiple entry visa guarantees multiple entry to Canada.

Transit VisaA transit visa means that the transit visa holder cannot leave the airport of transit. If you intend to leave the airport, you should apply for a single or multiple entry visa rather than the transit visa.

Who needs a TRV?Persons who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada may require a visa to enter Canada.

If your country of origin is on the list of those required to obtain visas, then that requirement applies to all types of entry to Canada (including those visitors that require a transit visa because they are transiting through Canada).

Permanent Residents of the US do not require a visa but must show their PR Card (“green card”) and passport at the border.

The following countries require TRVs:A

AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAzerbaijan

BBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia-HerzegovinaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundi

CCambodiaCameroonCape VerdeCentral African Rep.ChadChileChina, People’s Rep. ofColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Rep. of theCongo, Rep. of theCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCzech Rep.

DDjiboutiDominicaDominican Rep.

EEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopia

FFiji

GGabonGambiaGeorgiaGhanaGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyana

HHaitiHondurasHungary

IIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsrael (only Israeli citizens holding valid Israeli “Travel Document in lieu of National Passport”)Ivory Coast

JJamaicaJordan

KKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, NorthKuwaitKyrgyzstan

The following countries require TRVs: (continued)L

LaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuania

MMacao S.A.R.MacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldives IslandsMaliMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMicronesia, Fed. StatesMoldovaMongoliaMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmar (Burma)

UUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUruguayUzbekistan

VVanuatuVenezuelaVietnam

YYemen

ZZambiaZimbabwe

S Sao Tomé e PrincipeSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegalSerbia-MontenegroSeychellesSierra LeoneSlovak Rep.SomaliaSouth AfricaSri LankaSudanSurinamSyria

TTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvalu

NNauruNepalNicaraguaNigerNigeria

OOman

PPakistanPalauPalestinian AuthorityPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPoland

QQatar

RRomaniaRussiaRwanda

Last updated 3/17/2005. Please visit this link for the updated country list.

The following countries require longer processing time on their TRV application:Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,

Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Chile, China, Dem. Rep. Of Congo, People’s Rep. Of Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Rep of N. Cyprus-Turkish, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Nigeria, Palestinian Authority, Peru, Russia, Rwanda, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia.

Last updated 3/17/2005. Please visit this link for the updated list. In order to find the list please scroll near the end of the page.

The following countries require additional questionnaires:

Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Palestinian Authority, Rwanda, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yugoslavia.

Last updated 3/17/2005. Please visit this link for the updated links. In order to find the links please scroll near the end of the page.

The following countries do not require a visa to visit Canada:

Citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa; persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.

The following countries do not require a visa to visit Canada: (continued)

British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;

citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;

persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;

persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See. Last updated 3/17/2005. Please visit this link and

scroll to the bottom for the updated country list.

What are the basic requirements for a TRV?

You must satisfy the visa officer that you meet the requirements of the Canadian Immigration Act and Regulations and that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay only.

Basic TRV requirements:Have enough money to maintain yourself and your dependents in Canada and return home.

Be in good health (complete a medical examination if required).

Be law abiding and have no record of criminal activity. (You may be asked to provide a police clearance certificate.)

Not intend to work or study in Canada (unless authorized to do so).

Basic TRV requirements: (continued) Not be a risk to the security of Canada.

Satisfy a visa officer that you will be able to return to your country or be able to be admitted to another country after your visit.

Produce any additional documents requested by the visa officer to establish your admissibility (see slides 29-34).

Pay a non-refundable processing fee (see slides 22-23).

Fee ScheduleThe processing fees are only for handling your application. You will not get your money back even if your application is refused.

Therefore, we suggest you read the application instructions very carefully before submitting a formal application.

To view current fees and correct payment procedure please visit: fees

Fee Schedule- January 2005(all fees are in US dollars and subject to change)

TRV- Single Entry- $65TRV- Multiple Entry- $130TRV- Transit – No chargeTRV – Family Rate - $340What is a family rate?

It is for at least three people for a multiple entry and six people for a single entry. Only spouses or kids under 18 can count towards the family rate, not parents.

What are some additional documents for a TRV?

Citizens and residents of certain countries require additional formalities, which could add three weeks or more to the normal processing period.

The Consulate will advise you further if such requirements apply to you.

Do my spouse and children need to apply separately? Your spouse and children who wish to visit Canada must apply for permission to do so. As long as you all apply together, it will not be necessary for each person to fill out separate forms. List the names and other information about your dependants in the appropriate space on the application.

Children 18 years and over must complete their own application form.

The Application

This section explains how to apply, how long it will usually take, and how applications are processed by the Consulate.

What additional documents should I include?

A valid passport or travel document or identity document that guarantees re-entry to the country that issued it

Make sure there is a blank page free for issuance of the counterfoil

Two recent passport size photos for each family member over the age of 18

All original documents supporting status in the US

What additional documents would an immigration officer request?It is always better to bring more documents than less (in cases of providing bank statements, transcripts, etc.) Applications used by the US government are NOT necessary (i.e. applications for H-1B).

It is always good to include ANY letters of invitation.

If you are attending a conference, it is always good practice to include a letter or email of invitation with application.

If you are visiting the US Consulate, it is important to include the letter from the Consulate with the application.

Additional documents required based on immigration status in the U.S.OISS recommends that you bring the

documents listed in the next slides to the Consulate based on your immigration status. This is only our recommendation and additional documentation may be required by the immigration officer.

If your immigration status is not listed, please visit the Consulates website for further information.

F-1 StudentA currently endorsed I-20.

What is currently endorsed? Despite the fact that the I-20 says that “each

certification signature is valid for one year,” OISS recommends that an I-20 is endorsed every six months.

Provide proof of enrollmentThe easiest way to accomplish this is to ask OISS for a “verification letter”Students can also request a certificate of enrollment from the Registrars office.

J-1 StudentProvide a currently endorsed DS-2019

OISS recommends that a student gets a new endorsement every six months if traveling.

If working provide pay stubs or current letter from employer stating proof of current employment status

Provide proof of enrollmentThe easiest way to accomplish this is to ask OISS for a verification letterStudents can also request a certificate of enrollment from the Registrars office.

J-1 ScholarProvide a currently endorsed DS-2019

OISS recommends that a scholar gets a new endorsement every six months if traveling.

Proof of employmentPlease see slide 33 for what this could entail

J-1 Scholar: How do I prove employment?

Provide an original recent offer letter or current pay stubs (if working).

If you do not have a recent offer letter, ask your department to:

Provide a letter showing proof of current status which would include: Who, what, where, when, how and why you are doing what you are doing.

H-1B Working statusAsk OISS to provide you with your original I-797 Notice of Action. (You must return this document to OISS)

Your I-94 (this is the bottom portion of your I-797).

Proof of employmentPay stubs or a letter from employer stating employment status

What additional documents should I include?(continued)

Proof of funds available to support yourself and dependents during your stay and funds available for you to exit Canada, such as a bank statement, pay stubs, or proof of employment.

How do I apply?

You can apply by mail or in person at the Consulate.

By Mail(The Canadian Consulate is not responsible for lost documents).

The consulate prefers that applicants use Federal Express, since it is easier to track important documents.

http://www.fedex.com

For document return, the Consulate asks that applicant provides a prepaid Federal Express waybill, with a tracking number

They do not accept: UPS, DHL or any waybill using a credit card number with an expiration date on it.

By Mail (continued) If approved, your passport and documents will be returned to you by mail with the requested visa.

If refused, your passport and documents will be returned by mail with an explanation of why your application was refused.

If additional documents are needed for visa issuance, a letter will be sent to you explaining the documents needed.

Walk InApplications may be made in person at the Consulate in Detroit between 8:30 and 11:00 am. In many cases, processing will be done the same day, but this is not guaranteed.

Applicants can apply at the Immigration entrance of the Canadian Consulate General which is located at:

Suite 1100600 Renaissance Center Detroit, Mi 48243

Walk In (Continued)When applying in person, applicant must be able to communicate in English or French. If they cannot, they will be advised to come back with a translator.

The Canadian Consulate also prefers that only the principal applicant apply in person.

They especially prefer that applicants do not bring children into the office, as the office gets extremely crowded especially during the summer months.

Walk in (continued)If approved, the visa is issued and your documents and passport are returned during that same day.

If refused, your passport and documents will be returned to you. You will be given an explanation of why your application was refused in writing.

If a wait is required, the immigration officer will provide you with additional documents. These additional documents will include arrangements in regards to document return and how long the wait is.

Directions to the Canadian Consulate General Detroit

Directions from East Lansing, MI1: Start out going SOUTH on ABBOTT RD toward LINDEN 2: Turn RIGHT onto MI-43 W/W GRAND RIVER AVE.3: Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto MICHIGAN AVE/MI-143 W 4: Turn LEFT onto S HOWARD ST.5: Take the I-496 W/US-127 S ramp. 6: Merge onto US-127 S. 7: Merge onto I-96 E via the exit on the LEFT toward DETROIT.8: Merge onto I-696 E/WALTER P REUTHER FWY via the exit on the LEFT toward PORT HURON.9: Merge onto JOHN C LODGE FWY/MI-10 S via EXIT 8 toward US-24/TELEGRAPH RD.10: JOHN C LODGE FWY/MI-10 S becomes JEFFERSON AVE W.11: Turn RIGHT onto RENAISSANCE CENTER. 12: End at 600 Renaissance Ctr, Detroit, MI 48243-1815 US Map

Will I need to attend an interview?

After reviewing your application, an officer will decide if an interview is necessary. If so, you will be informed of the time and place.

In most cases interviews are conducted the same day as the applicant applies.

Filling out the form

In this presentation, we will guide you through each form in an effort to answer questions that you might have.

If you still have questions after viewing the entire presentation, please speak with an advisor in OISS.


Sample IMM 5257 Form

The next several slides will assist you when filling out

this form.

Fill out each question completely and truthfully, do not leave any blanks!

The numbers on following slides correspond to question numbers on

application.


IMM 5257#1: Check which type of visa you are requesting. #2: Print the name of the principal applicant and provide the information requested for each family member traveling to Canada with the principal applicant. If you have more than three accompanying family members, use the front side of the IMM 5257 and only fill out number one for each additional applicant.

Make sure that you fill your name out as accurately as possible. It is best to write your name exactly as it appears in your passport. If your passport does not include a surname it is best to use the surname that appears on your US Visa.DO NOT leave marital status blank (State: single, married, etc.)


IMM 5257

#3: Check the box that states your purpose of your visit to Canada.

An example of “Other” would be a conference of any kind or the US Consulate. Please write the name of conference or US Consulate in the space next to ”Other”.

#4: Estimate as accurately as possible the length of your stay in Canada. DO NOT leave this blank.

IMM 5257#5: Estimate your available funds for the time you are in Canada. It is acceptable to state your funds in US dollars, but make sure to indicate this on the application using USD.

#6: Write your complete mailing address, include your phone number and email if applicable.

#7: If your residential address is different from your mailing address, fill out this question. ( i.e. Post office box, Department address, etc.) If not, write n/a.

IMM 5257#8: a.) Check proper immigration status in the U.S.

b.) Enter the date stamped on I-94 card. If your I-94 card states “D/S”, write your program end date from your I-20 or DS-2019.

#9: List present employment. If student, write student.

#10: Provide full name and address of employer or school. For MSU write:

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI, 48824.

IMM 5257#11: Provide details of any person or institution you may be visiting.

If not visiting anyone, write n/a. An “institution” could be a business, conference, or includes the US Consulate. If visiting a business, conference or US Consulate, write name and address.

#12: Answer each question truthfully and accurately.Part C includes being denied entry at any border.Part D includes applying for a TRV (formerly “Visitors Visa” to Canada).

IMM 5257

#13: Read this question carefully. State information regarding you and your family members.

#14:

SIGN AND DATE THE APPLICATION.

What happens when I arrive in Canada?

When you arrive in Canada, the officer at the port of entry will determine based on whether or not something has changed in regards to your status in the US whether you may enter Canada and how long you may stay.

You must leave Canada on or before the date set by the officer at the port of entry.

Frequently asked Questions:Do I need to use a “use of representative” form (IMM 5476)?

It is not necessary to use a representative unless legal counsel is needed.

Should I provide the Consulate with the document checklist off of their national website?

The Detroit Consulate does not need applicants to provide the checklist.The checklist is for applicants use only. Applicants should be mindful that documents needed vary from Consulate to Consulate and they should follow the documents needed for the Consulate in their region. For Michigan State, this would be the Canadian Consulate General in Detroit.

Frequently asked questions: (continued)

My child is over the age of 18 but is still dependent on me, do they have to fill out their own application?

Yes, if you have children who are over the age of 18, they must fill out their own form even if they are still dependent on you.

My parents are dependent upon me financially, can I put them on my application as dependents?

No. Parents traveling with you must fill out their own form, regardless of their dependency.

Frequently asked questions: (continued)Should I provide original documents or photocopies?

The Canadian Consulate in Detroit always prefers original documents over photocopies. Also, in cases of providing official documents that prove status (for example, I-20s or DS-2019s), only original documents will be accepted.

Does my child need any additional documents to travel to Canada if they are traveling without their parents?

Yes, in cases where the child is under the age of 18, BOTH parents must provide letters of consent for the child to travel without them and state who will be the caregiver of the child for their travels.

Long Term Canadian OptionsIf you are interested in more long term Canadian Options such as working, studying or applying for permanent residence in Canada, please visit this link: Canadian Visa and ImmigrationApplication kits for Working and Studying can be found on this website along with directions for applyingIf you are interested in applying for permanent residency in Canada, please remember it is a long and complicated process and applicants should allow themselves ample time to prepare. If you have any additional questions please contact the Canadian Consulate General in Detroit at 313-567-2085.

Applicants can use this number to obtain answers to general inquiries regarding immigration from the hours of 1:30-4:00 pm Monday through Thursday. This phone number can be used at any time to request application kits.

Thank you for visiting the online TRV slide show. Please contact OISS if you have any questions.

Click here to find application directions and an IMM 5257
