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Visitor visa: How to apply online

Apply online

To apply online, you need a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents, and a valid credit or debit card.

Credit cards and prepaid cards

We accept credit cards and prepaid cards from:

  • Visa®
  • MasterCard®
  • American Express®
  • JCB®
  • UnionPay® (for online applications only; debit cards not accepted)

If you use a prepaid credit card, keep it for at least 18 months after you pay to make refunds easier. Find more on prepaid cards.

We also accept all Visa Debit cards.

The card you use doesn't have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name will appear on the receipt but it does not need to match your application.

Debit cards

It must:

  • be from a Canadian bank using INTERAC® Online, and
  • be registered for online banking through your bank’s website.

We also accept all Debit MasterCard® and Visa® Debit cards. If your card has the Visa Debit logo on it, alone or with the INTERAC® Online logo, select Visa Debit as your payment method.

The card you use does not have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name will appear on the receipt but it does not need to match your application.

Read the instruction guide before you complete your application. As an online applicant, you can ignore steps 3 and 4 of the guide (paying the fees and submitting your application).

If you’re applying for the first time, you must pay the biometrics fee when you submit your application (unless you’re exempt). Otherwise you may experience delays.

Who can’t apply online for a visitor visa

You must apply on paper if you’re using one of the following travel documents from a visa-exempt country:

  • alien’s passport for stateless persons
  • other refugee travel document for non-citizens

Apply for a visitor visa

Study and work permit holders

If your visitor visa has or will expire soon and you need to leave and return to Canada, you need to follow the steps to apply from inside Canada.

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