Canada is one of the most gorgeous countries in the world. With snow-capped mountains, serene beaches, aurora borealis, midnight sun and abundant wildlife, Canada is a highly sought-after tourist destination. It offers best-in-class education which attracts students from all over the world. Canada is also one of the leading developed nations, making it an ideal place for conducting businesses. If Canada is on your travel bucket list and you have been planning a trip to this North American country, you will need to obtain a Canada visa. Besides the Canada visa, you should also buy travel insurance in order to secure your trip to Canada.
Canada visa is an official permit that allows a foreign national to enter the Canadian border. It is a document that grants permission to its holder to travel to as well as stay in Canada for a limited period of time. It also allows its holders to transit through the international transit areas of Canadian airports or land borders. A Canada visa is issued by the Embassy and Consulates located in the home country of the traveler.
As per the laws of Canada, Indian students can get a Canada study visa faster if they apply via the Student Direct Stream (SDS).
Every person traveling to Canada should carry valid travel insurance with them. A travel insurance policy is an insurance that protects the insured traveler from any eventualities that he may face during his trip to Canada. It is advisable for all people traveling to Canada to purchase a travel insurance policy before they commence their trip to Canada.
Different kinds of travelers have different reasons for traveling to Canada. Some would want to study in Canada, others may be traveling for work or simply to visit this beautiful country. Based on different purposes of travel, five types of Canada visas are offered to foreign nationals wanting to visit Canada. Every traveler should select a Canada visa based on the purpose of their travel. Moreover, you can obtain a travel insurance policy for your trip to Canada irrespective of the type of Canada visa you apply for. Take a look at the five different Canada visa types:
A Canada Visitor visa or a Temporary Resident visa is a visa that allows a foreign national to travel and stay in Canada for a short duration of time. It is a type of Canada Visa that can be applied by people traveling for vacations, for business or just to meet friends and families staying in Canada. A Canada Tourist visa or business visitor visa is issued for a period of 6 months. A Canada Tourist visa from India can be issued for both single trip and multiple trips. Applicants of Canada Visitor visa need to apply for the following permits if they want to study or work in Canada:
A Study Permit is a document issued along with a Canada Visitor visa that allows a foreign national to study in an educational institution in Canada. Although Study Permit is not a type of visa, several people also consider it as a Canada Student visa or Canada Study visa.
A Work Permit is a document that allows a non-Canadian citizen to work in an organization located in Canada. It is not a visa and thus has to be applied along with your Canada Visitor visa if you want to work there. A Canada Work Permit Visa is available in two types – Employer-specific Work Permit and Open Work Permit. If your Canada Work visa application gets approved, you will be sent a letter by the Canadian Embassy or Consulate. This letter will authorize you to get a work visa on arrival in Canada. Moreover, a Canada Work visa can be issued within 2 weeks if your employer requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment or LMIA letter through the Global Talent Stream under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
It is a type of Canada visa that should be applied by people who are traveling to visit their children and grandchildren in Canada. It is an extension of Canada Visitor visa and has been exclusively designed for parents and grandparents who will be staying with their children or grandchildren for more than 6 months. A Super Visa is a multi-trip visa that is issued for a period of 10 years with a maximum duration of 2 years per trip. Moreover, it is mandatory for all applicants of Super visa to have medical insurance with a minimum of $100,000.
A Transit visa is a type of Canada visa that should be applied by people who would be arriving in Canada to catch a connecting flight to their travel destination. It allows its holder to transit through the international transit areas of the Canadian airports or land borders within 48 hours. A transit visa is mostly valid for single or double entries in Canada. People who need more than 48 hours to transit from Canada should apply for a Canada Visitor Visa instead of a Transit visa.
Indians are given preference when applying for a Canada Study visa or Study Permit. Canada Study visa can be fast-tracked and obtained within 20 days if Indian applicants apply through the Student Direct Stream (SDS). SDS is a visa process that allows Indians to receive a Canada Study visa or Study Permit much faster than the rest of the world.
However, getting a Canada Study visa faster through SDS is possible only if all the required documents and biometrics are submitted to the Canadian Embassy or Consulates at the earliest. Plus, it can only be applied by Indian students filing a Canada visa application from outside Canada.
Besides India, SDS is applicable to Canada student visa applications from 6 other countries including China, Morocco, the Philippines, Pakistan, Vietnam and Senegal.
A Permanent Resident (PR) is a non-Canadian citizen who has been granted permanent resident status in Canada. A person with a PR status can live, study and work in any part of Canada. He will be protected like a Canadian citizen under the laws & citizen rights of Canada and will be eligible for social benefits such as medical cover. Moreover, a person with a PR status of Canada can later apply for the citizenship of Canada.
Each PR status holder needs to spend a minimum of 730 days in Canada in the last five years to retain their status. People staying in Canada temporarily for studying or work does not become a permanent resident of the country. People with refugee status can apply for PR status if their claim is approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board.
Each permanent resident is issued a Permanent Resident or PR card. The card can be used to show your residency status in Canada. It can be used at the time of entering Canada through public transport including aeroplane, train, bus, ship, etc. However, a person with a Canada PR status cannot vote or contest an election. Such people are also not allowed to take up jobs that require a high-level security clearance.
Although PR status can be lost upon its expiry, its holder can voluntarily give up their permanent residency by following an official procedure.
|
Canada Visa Types |
Visa Validity |
|
Temporary Resident Visa/ Visitor Visa |
6 months |
|
Transit Visa |
Up to 48 hours |
|
Super Visa |
Up to 2 years |
|
Study Permit |
Duration of course + 90 days |
|
Work Permit |
Depends on the job and its duration |
As per the laws of Canada, all Indians need a Canada visa in order to travel to this country. The visa is granted by the Canadian Embassy and Consulates located across India. All kinds of Indian travelers can obtain a travel insurance policy before they apply for a Canada visa.
Every person who wants to obtain a Canada visa should apply for it before their date of departure from India. It cannot be obtained at the international airport in Canada where you arrive. Similarly, international travel insurance cannot be purchased after arriving in Canada and has to be obtained before your departure in India.
The procedure for applying for a Canada visa is very simple. You can apply for a Canada visa online or offline. Follow the steps below to file a Canada visa application online:
Every Canada visa application requires a few documents to be submitted. Take a look at the list of documents that you need in order to obtain a Canada visa:
*GIC can be obtained from the listed banks on the official website of Canadian Deposit Insurance Company. It includes ICICI Bank, SBI Canada Bank, HSBC Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, Bank of China, Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and RBC Royal Bank.
It is advised to all applicants of Canada visa to confirm the list of supporting documents at the time of applying.
Every Canada visa application online or offline will be processed only after you pay the fees. Take a look at the fee amount that needs to be paid along with different kinds of visa applications:
|
Canada Visa Types |
Visa Fees (Canadian Dollar) |
|
Temporary Resident Visa/ Visitor Visa |
100 |
|
Transit Visa |
Nil |
|
Super Visa |
100 |
|
Study Permit (with or without SDS) |
150 |
|
Work Permit |
155 |
Canada is the go-to country for people who love exploring different places or want to experience nature at its best. It is also a favorite destination for conducting business or for pursuing higher studies. A lot of planning goes behind planning the perfect trip to Canada. But even a small eventuality such as falling ill due to climate change or missing your connecting flight can cost you dearly. The only way to maintain yourself and your budget from such unforeseen incidents is by purchasing travel insurance.
A travel insurance policy is a safety net that protects the insured traveler from any eventualities that they may face during their trip to Canada. It covers any emergency expenses that you may incur during your Canada trip and also arrange emergency cash if you, unfortunately, lose your bag or get robbed. International travel insurance for Canada provides coverage against medical expenses, loss of passport, trip cancellation & curtailment, personal liability, loss or delay of check-in baggage, personal accident, missed connecting flight, flight delay, medical evacuation, etc.
A travel insurance policy can vary in its features and coverage depending on the type of policy you choose. While students traveling to Canada can get a Student Travel Insurance, families traveling together can obtain a Family Travel Insurance. There are also customized Senior Citizen Travel Insurance plans for elderly people. Frequent flyers can opt for Multi-Trip Travel Insurance. A Student Travel Insurance provides additional coverage including sponsor protection, study interruption, compassionate cover and bail bond.
Buying a travel insurance policy is not mandatory to apply for a Canada visa, except in case of a Super visa. In order to apply for a Super Visa application, you need to get medical insurance or health insurance with a minimum cover of $100,000 from a Canadian insurance provider. However, it is advisable for all Canada visa applicants to obtain a travel insurance policy before their trip.
Buying a travel insurance policy is possible online as well as offline by visiting the branch of an insurance company. Travelers who want to purchase travel insurance for their trip to Canada online can follow the steps mentioned below:
The processing time varies for different types of Canada visa applications. Refer to the table given below to find out the visa processing time taken by different types of Canada visa applications:
|
Canada Visa Types |
Processing Time |
|
Canada Visitor Visa |
12 days |
|
Super Visa |
57 days |
|
Study Permit |
4 weeks |
|
Work Permit |
7 weeks |
The Canada visa processing time mentioned in the table above does not include the time taken by the Visa Application Centre (VAC) to send the application to the Embassy office. It also does not include the time taken to give your biometric.
You can check the status of your Canada visa application online. Follow the steps given below to check the status:
Do I need visa to go to Canada?
All Indian citizens require a visa in order to visit Canada. You can choose a Canada Visitor visa, Canada Work Permit visa, Canada Study visa, Super visa or Transit visa according to the purpose of your travel.
Does Canada visa processing time include weekends?
Yes. Processing time for a Canada visa includes all weekends and any holidays in between.
What is the best travel insurance?
Different people may find different travel insurance as best. Factors like the purpose of travel, age of travelers, duration of the travel, etc. determine the best travel insurance for a traveler. If you are traveling to study in Canada, Student Travel Insurance will be the best for you. Similarly, the best travel insurance for families traveling together is Family Travel Insurance.
Should I purchase travel insurance for international travel?
Although purchase travel insurance for your trip to Canada is not mandatory, it is advised to all travelers to buy a travel insurance policy to stay protected from any adversity that may cause a financial burden during their trip.
Do I need medical insurance to travel to Canada?
If you are traveling to Canada to visit your child or grandchild and applying for a Super visa, then you would require valid medical insurance. The insurance should be a minimum of $100,000 and should be purchased from a Canadian insurance company. Apart from Super visa applicants, it is not mandatory for other Canada visa applicants to get medical insurance to travel to Canada.
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