Canada welcomes over 40 million international visitors in a normal year, but the country draws a sharp line between nationalities that can arrive freely and those who must apply for formal permission. For the majority of the world’s passport holders — including citizens of India, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, and dozens of other countries — a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is required before boarding any flight to Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal. The tourist visa Canada price in 2026 is CAD $100 for the government application fee, but that single number does not capture what most applicants actually pay by the time their visa is stamped and ready.

Biometric fees, VAC service charges, travel insurance, and possibly a Visitor Record extension fee can significantly increase the realistic total cost. And for the large group of travellers who qualify for Canada’s Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) rather than a full visa, the fee drops dramatically to just CAD $7. Understanding which pathway applies to your passport — and what each truly costs — is the most valuable starting point for any Canada trip budget.

This complete guide covers every Canada tourist visa fee for 2026, the full application process, and the practical insights that help applicants get approvals rather than rejections on the first attempt.

For those planning specific Canadian destinations, our Vancouver destination guide is a useful companion for trip planning once your visa is secured.

Two Entry Pathways: TRV vs. eTA — Which Applies to You?

Canada’s visitor entry system is split into two completely separate pathways, and the pathway that applies to you is determined entirely by your passport nationality.

The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is for visa-exempt travellers who fly to Canada. This includes citizens of the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and most other Western European nations, among others. The eTA costs CAD $7, takes minutes to apply for online, and is valid for five years or until passport expiry — whichever comes first. It allows multiple trips to Canada with stays of up to six months each.

The Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) — commonly called the Canada visitor visa or tourist visa — is required for nationals of countries not on Canada’s visa-exempt list. This includes India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines, China, and many others. The TRV costs CAD $100 in government fees, requires biometrics (CAD $85 additional), and involves a full application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Canada Tourist Visa (TRV) Price in 2026: Official Fee Breakdown

The IRCC publishes a standardised fee schedule for all immigration and visa applications. For 2026, the fees applicable to a standard tourist TRV are as follows:

The Biometric Fee: Why the Canada Visa Costs More Than CAD $100

One of the most frequent budget miscalculations for first-time Canada TRV applicants is accounting only for the CAD $100 application fee. The biometric enrolment fee is mandatory for most TRV applicants aged 14–79, and at CAD $85, it represents a near-doubling of the base cost for an individual.

Biometrics — fingerprints and a digital photograph — are collected at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and stored for 10 years. Once your biometrics are on record with IRCC, you do not pay the CAD $85 again for subsequent applications within that 10-year window. Citizens of certain nationalities (including US citizens, who are visa-exempt) and people aged under 14 or over 79 are exempt from the biometric requirement.

The family group cap of CAD $170 applies when two or more family members submit their biometrics together at the same appointment. Regardless of family size, the maximum biometric charge for a group cannot exceed CAD $170 — making it more cost-effective for larger families to apply and attend their biometric appointments together rather than separately.

Total Realistic Canada Tourist Visa Cost by Applicant Type (2026)

VAC Service Charges: The Third Layer of Canada Visa Costs

Visa Application Centres in most countries charge an optional or mandatory service fee for the administrative handling of your application. In Canada’s case, VACs are operated primarily by VFS Global in many parts of the world. The service charge typically ranges from approximately CAD $22–$40 per applicant equivalent, though it varies by country and fluctuates with local currency conversions.

VAC charges cover document scanning, secure transmission to IRCC, and passport return. They also offer optional premium services — priority queuing, premium lounge access, and passport courier return — each adding incremental cost. None of these premium options affect the IRCC processing decision itself; they are entirely about application submission convenience.

It is worth noting that many countries allow applicants to submit their TRV applications entirely online through the IRCC portal without using a VAC. In countries where in-person biometric collection is required, the VAC visit is mandatory for that step regardless of how the application form is submitted.

Hidden and Additional Costs Every Canada Visa Applicant Should Budget For

The government fee and biometric charge are the core costs — but experienced travellers and immigration professionals consistently highlight several additional expenses that quietly push the total cost of a Canada tourist visa higher than the headline figures suggest.

Canada eTA Price in 2026: Who Pays Just CAD $7?

The Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization is one of the most cost-efficient entry systems operated by any G7 country. At just CAD $7 per applicant, it covers nationals of approximately 53 countries — mostly Western European nations, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Chile, and several others.

The eTA is applied for entirely online at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship — the process takes under 10 minutes for most applicants and approvals arrive by email, typically within minutes to a few days. The eTA is tied to your passport and valid for five years or until the passport it is linked to expires, whichever comes first. Within that window, you can make unlimited trips to Canada, staying up to six months per visit.

How Canada’s TRV Compares to Other Popular Tourist Destination Visa Fees

Context matters when evaluating the Canada tourist visa price in 2026. Compared to peers, Canada’s CAD $100 government fee is moderate — but the combination of application fee plus biometric fee makes the realistic total for first-time TRV applicants one of the higher costs among English-speaking destinations.

For travellers who are comparing Canada against other accessible destinations — particularly those exploring Egypt as an alternative warm-weather destination — the Egypt e-visa price guide for 2026 on this site offers a useful cost comparison for another popular tourist market.

Required Documents for a Canada Tourist Visa Application in 2026

The IRCC evaluates every TRV application on two central questions: whether the applicant has a genuine, temporary reason to visit Canada, and whether they have sufficient ties to their home country to ensure they will leave at the end of the permitted stay. Every document in the application package should speak to one or both of these questions.

• Valid passport — must remain valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended departure date from Canada; two blank pages required
• Completed online application form (IMM 5257) — filled through the IRCC portal at canada.ca; digital signature required
• Recent passport-size photographs — two photos meeting IRCC biometric photo specifications (35×45mm, white background, full face front view)
• Proof of financial means — bank statements for the last 3–6 months showing sufficient funds for the trip; CAD $10,000 is a commonly cited informal benchmark for a two-week visit, though there is no hard-coded minimum
• Travel itinerary — confirmed flight booking (or reservation) and accommodation bookings for the duration of stay in Canada
• Proof of home ties — employment letter on company letterhead, leave approval, property ownership documents, tax records, or family responsibilities demonstrating compelling reason to return home
• Letter of invitation — if visiting family or friends in Canada; the host should provide their Canadian immigration status, contact information, and address
• Travel insurance certificate — covering medical emergencies for the full duration of the Canada visit
• Previous travel history — copies of previously issued visas (US, UK, Schengen) strengthen TRV applications significantly by demonstrating established international travel credibility

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a Canada Tourist Visa in 2026

Canada visa applications are submitted through the IRCC online portal. Most applicants can complete the process entirely online, though a VAC visit is required for biometric collection where applicable.

1. Create a GCKey or Sign-In Partner account
   Visit canada.ca and create a secure account to access the IRCC application portal. Your GCKey is how you access, save, and submit your application, and how you receive correspondence from IRCC throughout the process. Keep your credentials safe — you will need them throughout the processing period.
2. Complete the online TRV application (IMM 5257)
   Fill in all fields accurately. The form asks for personal information, travel history, employment background, and your specific plan for the Canada trip. Consistency between your application and supporting documents is critical — discrepancies are a leading cause of refusal.
3. Upload all supporting documents
   Scan and upload your passport, photographs, financial evidence, employment documents, travel itinerary, and invitation letter (if applicable). File formats accepted include PDF, JPEG, and PNG. Each document must be clear, complete, and within the file size limits displayed on the portal.
4. Pay the CAD $100 TRV application fee
   Payment is made online through the IRCC portal using a credit or debit card. The fee is charged in CAD and is non-refundable once submitted. If you are paying from a non-CAD bank account, your card issuer will apply a foreign exchange conversion — typically 1–3% above the interbank rate.
5. Receive your biometric instruction letter
   After submitting your application and fee, IRCC will issue a biometric instruction letter within a few days. This letter authorises you to book your biometric appointment at a VAC. You have 30 days from the date of the letter to complete biometrics.
6. Book and attend your VAC biometric appointment
   Visit the VFS Global portal (or equivalent VAC operator) for your country to book your appointment. Bring your passport, biometric instruction letter, and the CAD $85 biometric fee payment (made online before or at the VAC). Fingerprints and a digital photo are taken — the entire appointment takes approximately 15–20 minutes.
7. Wait for the IRCC decision and passport return
   After biometrics, IRCC processes the application and makes a decision. If approved, your passport is stamped with the TRV and returned via the VAC (in-person collection or courier). If additional documents are requested, respond promptly through your GCKey account — delayed responses extend processing times.

Processing Time for Canada Tourist Visa in 2026

IRCC publishes live processing time estimates on its website, updated weekly based on current application volumes. The estimates represent the time from when IRCC receives your complete application — including biometrics — to when a decision is made. In 2026, typical processing times for major applicant nationalities include:

Common Mistakes That Lead to Canada TRV Refusals

• Weak ties to home country — the most common and most preventable cause of refusal. An application without strong evidence of employment, property, family responsibilities, or financial commitments at home leaves the visa officer with no compelling reason to believe you will return. Include every piece of evidence available.
• Insufficient financial evidence — bank statements that show low balances, recent large deposits of unclear origin, or only savings accounts (without active transaction history) raise concerns. Use current account statements showing consistent income and regular financial activity.
• Applying too close to the intended travel date — submitting with less than 4 weeks to departure leaves no margin for the standard processing window, let alone any request for additional documents.
• Inconsistencies between form and documents — if your application form states you are employed by Company X but your bank statement header shows Company Y, officers flag the discrepancy. Ensure every detail matches across all submitted documents.
• Previous refusals not declared — IRCC requires disclosure of all previous visa refusals worldwide. Failure to disclose is treated as misrepresentation and carries serious consequences, including 5-year bans on Canadian immigration applications.
• Using unregistered immigration consultants — anyone receiving payment to represent you in a Canadian immigration application must be a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a licensed lawyer. Unregistered consultants operating in high-demand countries often provide incorrect advice or submit fraudulent applications.

For travellers who enjoy well-planned, intelligently researched trips — not just the visa process, but the journey itself — our guide to smart travel planning covers the broader framework of making international trips exceptional from start to finish. And if you are building a comparison of visa costs before deciding on your next destination, our travel prices category brings together detailed fee guides across multiple countries.

Extending Your Stay: Visitor Record and Status Extension Costs

If you arrive in Canada on a TRV and want to extend your stay beyond the initial period authorised by the border officer (typically six months), you must apply for a Visitor Record before your current status expires. The Visitor Record application fee through IRCC is CAD $100 — the same as the initial TRV fee — and it is submitted entirely online while you are in Canada.

Applications must be submitted before the expiry of your current authorised stay. Submitting after expiry means your status has already lapsed, which is an immigration violation. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your authorised stay ends to allow time for processing and to maintain legal status throughout the review period.

For travellers who plan to explore multiple Canadian cities — from the Rockies to Quebec City — having the right visa duration from the outset avoids the added cost and administrative burden of a mid-trip extension application. Our Vancouver guide and our feature on Canada travel and places offer a strong starting point for planning what to do with your approved visit duration.

Frequently Asked Questions: Canada Tourist Visa Price in 2026