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What New Changes To Expect When Applying for a Canadian Visitor Visa 2024?

Post by : Admin on Jan 07,2025

IRCC launched new changes to the issuance of Canadian visitor visas on November 6th, 2024. The purpose is to allow immigration officers to assess stricter factors while determining an applicant's eligibility for the visa. Earlier the government usually issued multiple-entry visas with maximum validity. As of 6th Nov 2024, officers need to consider the applicant’s financial status, connections to their homeland, medical history and purpose of visit to decide the type and duration of their visa. This blog discusses all the new guidelines applicants must follow to apply for a visitor visa in Canada.

Determining Single-Entry Visa or Multiple-Entry Visa

Before the update, immigration officers would commonly issue multiple-entry visas. Now they need to evaluate each application based on specific factors to determine the best type of visa for the applicant.

Updated guidelines to decide the right type of Canadian visa

Here are the key factors that IRCC considers while issuing single-entry or multiple-entry visitor visas to applicants.

Purpose of Visit

Immigration officers may issue a specific type of visitor visa based on your purpose of visiting the country.

Examples

For specific events that may last one day- A single-entry visa is commonly issued if you want to visit the country to attend specific events whether it's a conference, tourism or a training session.

Regular visits to Canada- A multiple-entry visa is issued for applicants who want to visit the country regularly.

Special situations- The officer may issue a single or multiple-entry visa for coming to the country for compassionate reasons. It depends on the applicant’s needs and the expected number of visits.

Financial Status

The Canadian government is most likely to issue a multiple-entry visa to applicants with stable finances. They may evaluate your financial capability to sustain multiple trips to Canada before issuing the visa.

Do you have a Canadian host who can cover your expenses? In that case, you need to submit proof of your relationship with the host and their financial stability before the visa is issued.

If you have an employer who is funding your work-related visits in Canada, you need to submit proof related to the financial support.

Medical Conditions

Officers may issue a single-entry visa or reduce the validity of the visa if the applicant has an ongoing progressive medical condition.

Are you coming to Canada for medical treatments?

In that case, the officers may ask for documents that prove your ability to cover all healthcare expenses in the country.

Ties to Home Country

Immigration officers would like to know if you have strong ties to your home country. This is like an assurance that you are going to return when the time comes.

Travel History

Applicants’ travel history can also influence an officer’s decision on issuing you a single-entry or multiple-entry visa. For example, applicants with a history of travelling abroad may be issued a multiple-entry visa.

Similarly, officers may issue a single-entry visa if you have a history of getting your visa refused for any country including Canada.

Deciding Canadian Visitor Visa Validity Period

Multiple-entry visas no longer are automatically valid for up to 10 years.

The validity period of Canadian visitor visas depends on the circumstances of each applicant. Here are the factors that influence the decision on the validity of a Canadian visitor visa.

Visit’s purpose and duration

The validity period of your visa is decided based on the purpose and duration of your visit. Single-entry visas are most likely to be issued if your purpose of visiting the country is short-term.

Economic status in the applicant’s home country

Officers evaluate the status and financial stability of the applicant in their home country. A shorter validity period of visas is determined if the political or economic conditions in the home country of the applicant is unstable.

Evolving ties between Canada and the applicant’s home country

The officers also take the connections between Canada and the applicant’s home country into account while determining the validity period of their visas. A shorter validity period is issued if the ties are weak or have weakened over time.

What Should New Visitor Visa Applicants Expect?

You may have several queries if you are applying for a Canadian visitor visa after 6th November 2024. There are licensed immigration consultants who can guide you through the recent changes and prepare you for a successful visa application process.

However, here are the key changes you must expect while applying for a visitor visa in Canada in and after 2025.

• The purpose of your visit to Canada will decide the validity and type of your visa. Whether you are issued a single-visit or multiple-entry visa, depends on your travel intentions.
• You may have to submit a wide range of documentation to be eligible for a multiple-entry visa. Most common documents include proof of finances,  reasons for multiple trips and ties to the home country or family in the home country.
• Multiple-entry visas are most likely to have shorter validity periods from now on.

The visa officers issue visitor visas based on the individual circumstances of every applicant. They will adopt a more personalized approach to issuing visitor visas.

How to Submit a Canada Visitor Visa Application?

You must abide by all the new changes made to the visitor visa. Follow these easy tips to get through the application process successfully.

Proper documentation

Submit clear documentation of every proof that you are asked to submit in the process. Common documents include proofs that reflect the purpose of your visit, financial status and ties to your home country.

Strong ties to home country

Show your strong connections to your homeland through property, employment or family. This ensures that you will return once your purpose of visiting is served.

Financial proof

Whether you are handling finances on your own or a Canadian host is funding you, submit the right documents for a smooth issuance of a visitor visa.

Health insurance

You should make sure that your health insurance covers your stay if you are visiting for medical reasons.

The processing time for visitor visas differs based on country. India, for instance, has a processing time of 113 days whereas USA applicants get their visas processed in 26 days. You can increase your chances of getting the visa approved if you follow the recent changes and submit all necessary documents. You can get stepwise guidance through every step of visa application from trained professionals in a reputed immigration firm like Onkar Immigration in Alberta.