Canada Tourist Visa For Indians: Tips
and Requirements.
written by Shivya Nath (http://the-shooting-star.com/2013/05/13/canada-visa-indians/)
In an effort to keep costs low, I always prefer to apply for international visas myself,
torturous as that can sometimes be. After three painful Schengen visa applications,
applying for a visa to Canada, even with my Indian passport, was almost a breeze!
The visa requirements for Indians applying for a Canadian tourist visa are simple,
and the process, facilitated by VFS in most of India, is efficient. I scored a multiple
entry 7-year visa for Canada, and here are my tips to get you entry into the maple leaf
country:
1) The Canadian Visa Forms and Fee
Download the forms and document checklist from the VFS Canada website. Unlike
most visa applications, the forms for a tourist visa to Canada are relatively short and
few in number. The Canada visa fee for Indians is INR 4,000 for a single entry visa
and INR 8,000 for a multiple entry visa.
However, the visitor form must be filled while you are connected to the Internet. It
needs the latest version (11.0) of Adobe reader to be viewed and filled. The form can’t
be signed electronically. Once you’ve completed the form, press Validate at the top of
the form, which will generate barcodes at the end of the page. If you make
any changes to the form before printing, make sure you validate it again. Print two
copies of the form, and date and sign them.
2) Flight and Accommodation Bookings
As while applying for a Schengen visa, you need to show your confirmed flight and
accommodation bookings. Making these in advance of the visa is always a bit of risk
– so you’re better off making fully refundable bookings. Most full-fledged carriers
and hotels on booking.com offer full refund upon cancellation. Once you receive
your visa, you can cancel these and make your actual bookings. The idea is to show
that you have enough money or credit limit to book your flight and stay.
3) Cover Letter and Support Documents
After ensuring that all your documents are in order as per the document checklist on
the VFS Canada website, you should write a brief cover letter summarizing your
application – why are you visiting Canada, how do you intend to cover your expenses,
do you have an invitation letter, which countries have you obtained visas for in
the past (having Europe, the UK or the US on the list tends to add to your credibility).
As a freelancer, I don’t have salary slips or a letter from an employer to show. To
make up for this, I usually attach my resume, and copies of my past visas.
My cover letter for my Canada visa application.
4) Choose The Multiple Entry Visa Option
I’ve always found Schengen visas to be stingy when it comes to multiple entry and
validity. But I got a multiple entry visa to Canada, valid for 7 years! The best 4,000
bucks ever spent. Whether or not Canada seems to be part of your plans again, having
a valid multiple entry tourist visa to Canada as an Indian, has its advantages – you
get Visa on Arrival in a handful of other countries, and it adds to your credibility
while applying for other visas.
4) Applying For The Visa at VFS
VFS has nine visa centers for Canada, across India. If your city or town doesn’t have
one, your options might be to go via a travel agent or courier your documents. You
can reach the VFS Canada helpline to confirm.
The passport submission timings at VFS are between 8 am-12 noon and 1 pm – 3 pm,
and no appointment is needed. You’ll be given a token number when you reach, and if
you have all your documents in order, the process is quite straightforward.
5. Passport Collection
The official processing time is between 10 – 14 working days, but my visa was
approved within 2 working days! You can sign up for the free SMS / email alerts at
the time of submitting your passport, or track your application online.
