Canada Visitor Visa Checklist from Pakistan

Canada Visitor Visa Checklist from Pakistan

Short answer: A Pakistani passport holder visiting Canada for tourism, family, or a short business trip needs a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), known as a visitor visa. Apply online, pay CAN$100 plus a CAN$85 biometrics fee, and show you can pay for the trip and will return to Pakistan.

This guide is for Pakistani passport holders planning a short visit to Canada. It covers the visitor visa only, not a study or work permit. Every fact comes from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Rules change, so confirm the current requirements on canada.ca before you apply.

Who Needs This Visa?

Almost every Pakistani citizen needs a visitor visa to enter Canada, by air, land, or sea. Pakistan is not visa-exempt, so an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) alone will never get a Pakistani passport holder onto a flight to Canada — beware agents selling an "eTA" as though it were enough. The visa covers tourism, family visits, short business meetings, conferences, and short medical treatment. It never allows paid work or a full academic programme. Parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can consider the Super Visa, allowing up to five years per entry.

Document Checklist

Every item links to its official source. Rules last checked 4 Nov 2026.

  • Valid passport (digital copy) — Photo page and every stamped or visa page; valid six months past your travel date. Source: IRCC
  • Your personalised checklist — Built from your online answers; your visa office may ask for more, so follow your own list. Source: IRCC
  • Proof you meet the basic requirements — Ties to Pakistan (job, home, assets, family), enough money, good health, and no criminal or immigration-related convictions. Source: IRCC
  • Bank statement covering six months — Shows the bank's details, your name and address, and six months of activity with balances. No minimum balance is published. Source: IRCC
  • Employer letter (if employed) — On letterhead, dated within three months, confirming your job, name, date of birth, start date, duties, salary, and manager's contact details, signed. Source: IRCC
  • Travel history (if you have travelled before) — Copies of previous passports and visas used outside Pakistan in the last ten years. Source: IRCC
  • Travel itinerary — Flight details, accommodation proof, or event registration showing your stay length and plans. A refundable booking is enough. Source: IRCC
  • Letter of invitation (if someone in Canada invites you) — The host's details, your relationship, trip purpose and length, stay, funding, and departure date, plus the host's status with proof. It helps but never guarantees a visa. Source: IRCC
  • Proof of relationship to the inviter (if a relative invites you) — A marriage or birth certificate, a document naming you as their parent, or a Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409). Source: IRCC
  • IRCC forms your checklist may include — Family Information (IMM 5645), Use of a Representative (IMM 5476), and IMM 5475 for sharing information with someone else. Source: IRCC
  • Authorisation letter for a minor child (if a child under 18 travels) — Signed by both parents or the legal guardian, with contact details and the details of the adult caring for the child in Canada. Source: IRCC
  • Biometrics appointment (when your instruction letter arrives) — Pay the fee with the application, then book promptly at a Visa Application Centre. Bring the letter and your passport. Source: IRCC

Fees

CAN$100 per person, or CAN$500 for a family of five or more, plus a CAN$85 biometrics fee for first-time applicants (capped at CAN$170 for a family). Both are paid online by card. A Visa Application Centre (VFS Global) charges its own separate service fee — check the VFS Global Pakistan website. Confirm current amounts on the IRCC fee list before paying.

Processing Time

IRCC says most applications take a few weeks or less. Check the official IRCC processing-times tool.

How to Apply

  1. Confirm you need a visitor visa, not an eTA. A regular multiple-entry visa suits most trips.
  2. Settle your purpose of travel and gather the documents above, keeping names and dates consistent.
  3. Create your IRCC secure account and answer the questionnaire for your personalised checklist.
  4. Upload clear scans in the right categories and complete the form accurately — an incomplete application may be refused.
  5. Pay the CAN$100 processing fee and CAN$85 biometrics fee online by card.
  6. Give biometrics at a Visa Application Centre in Islamabad, Karachi, or Lahore, with your passport and instruction letter.
  7. Track your file in your secure account and reply quickly if IRCC asks for more documents or an interview.
  8. If approved, send your passport via the Visa Application Centre or courier for the visa sticker.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Bank statement that does not prove the account is yours — Check your name, address, the bank's details, and six months of history are visible, and avoid a sudden large deposit.
  • Old or incomplete employer letter — Get a fresh letter dated within three months, on letterhead, with salary, start date, and manager contacts.
  • Weak evidence you will return home — Your job, business, property, family, and studies in Pakistan convince the officer.
  • Ignoring your personalised checklist — Your visa office can ask for more than the general list.
  • Buying an "eTA" from an agent — An eTA alone will never let a Pakistani passport holder board a flight to Canada.
  • Letting anyone submit altered documents — Fake or "improved" papers can mean refusal and a multi-year ban.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Canada visitor visa fee from Pakistan?

CAN$100 per person, or CAN$500 for a family of five or more, plus a CAN$85 biometrics fee for first-time applicants (capped at CAN$170 for a family). The VFS Global service fee is separate.

How many months of bank statements do I need?

At least six months, including balances, showing your name and address and the bank's contact details. No minimum balance is published.

Do I need an invitation letter?

If a person or business in Canada invites you, include their letter and, for a relative, proof of your relationship. It strongly supports a family visit but does not guarantee approval.

How long does a Canada visitor visa take?

IRCC says most applications take a few weeks or less. Check the official IRCC processing-times tool, and book biometrics as soon as the instruction letter arrives.

Can I work or study on a visitor visa?

No. It never allows paid work or a full academic programme. To stay longer, apply for a Visitor Record from inside Canada before your status expires. A visa also does not guarantee entry — the border officer decides your authorised stay, commonly up to six months.

Related guides: See the complete visa document checklist for all routes, how to book a visa appointment, and our document pre-check service if you want a real person to review your file before you submit it.

Urdu Summary

پاکستانی پاسپورٹ رکھنے والوں کو کینیڈا جانے کے لیے مکمل وزٹ ویزا درکار ہوتا ہے، صرف ای ٹی اے کافی نہیں۔ درخواست آن لائن دی جاتی ہے اور فیس سو کینیڈین ڈالر ہے، جبکہ پہلی بار بائیو میٹرکس کی فیس پچاسی ڈالر الگ سے ادا کرنی ہوتی ہے۔ چھ ماہ کی بینک اسٹیٹمنٹ، تین ماہ سے پرانی نہ ہونے والی ملازمت کا خط، اور پاکستان سے مضبوط تعلق کا ثبوت سب سے اہم دستاویزات ہیں۔ پاسپورٹ سفر کی تاریخ سے کم از کم چھ ماہ تک کارآمد ہونا چاہیے۔ زیادہ تر درخواستوں کا فیصلہ چند ہفتوں میں ہو جاتا ہے، لیکن بائیو میٹرکس جلد کروانا ضروری ہے۔

This guide is general information only, not legal or immigration advice. Visa rules change — always verify the current requirements on the official embassy or visa-centre page before you apply. SA Global Enterprises cannot guarantee any visa decision.

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