What is a Temporary Resident Visa?

The Temporary Resident Visas are a category of visas for people who want to stay in Canada for a short period of time, usually 6 months or less. They are for various purposes of staying such as tourism, business, family visits, and so on.

If you have one of these visas, then it means you will stay in Canada for a short period of time and not much longer. You will not be allowed to apply for a citizenship of Canada, apply to get Canadian government documents, or try to claim for Canadian benefits such as health coverage.

You are only allowed to stay in Canada for the purpose that you applied for, and you cannot try and work or study for a long-term program there. If you find a study program that has a duration of 6 months or less, then you are allowed to attend it, but only if you have specified it in your application. Otherwise, working is not permitted at all. Additionally, you must prove that you plan to return to your home country and not stay in Canada.

Do I Need to Apply for a Canada Temporary Resident Visa?

Most travelers will need a visa which grants them entry to Canada, although there are nationals of countries which will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or they are completely exempt and can enter freely with their passports without needing a visa.

What are the types of Temporary Resident Visas?

There are several types of Temporary Resident Visas separated by the purpose of visit. The following visas belong to this category:

• Visitor Visa – or simply said Canada Tourist Visa is the visa which allows you to go to Canada for tourism purposes;
• Super Visa – is the visa for parents or grandparents of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents to visit their children or grandchildren for longer period of times, up to 2 years at a time;
• Diplomatic and Official Visa – is the visa for governmental officials or diplomats of foreign countries to go to Canada on official duties and responsibilities;
• Courtesy Visa – is the visa for those persons who are not governmental officials or diplomats and cannot qualify for the Diplomatic and Official Visa, but have some importance or ranks;
• Facilitation Visa – is the visa given to those persons who are Canadian Citizens with dual nationalities, but because of circumstances that were beyond their control, they do not have a Canadian passport. To allow them to visit Canada, the Consulate issues a Facilitation Visa in the passport of the other nationality that they hold.
• Businesspeople and Business Delegations Visa – is the visa for businesspeople who are going to Canada for the purposes of doing business, attending meetings, workshops, conferences, or trade shows;
• Persons wishing to enter Canada for the purpose of giving birth – is the visa given to women who want to give birth to a baby in Canada, since any child born in Canada is considered a citizen;
• Intending Organ Donors Visa – is the visa for those who want to donate an organ to a Canadian Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen;
• Dual Intent Visa – is the visa for those who want to stay in Canada temporarily, but intend to also apply for a permanent visa and claim so in their applications.

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Citizens of certain countries are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). For these individuals, the government of Canada has introduced what is known as electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

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