Canada Visitor Visa Requirements for Nigerians

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Canada Visitor Visa: Eligibility

Millions of people visit Canada each year for tourism, holiday, or visitation. The Canada Visitor visa is also known as the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).

The Canadian government issues the Canada Visitor visa to applicants who meet the Canada Visitor visa eligibility criteria and want to come to Canada for tourism, visitation of a family member, study, or holiday.

The Canada Visitor visa is attached to your passport in order to prove that you have met the requirements to travel to Canada as a temporary resident. The amount of time you intend to spend in Canada will determine the type of visa that will be given to you.

You will be granted a single entry visa for a period of up to 6 months. While you will be granted the multiple entry visa if you want to stay in Canada for up to 10 years or one month before the expiry date on your passport or re-entry visa (depending on which date comes first). However, you need to meet the Canada 10-year multiple entry visa documents requirements to qualify for it.

Who Can Apply for a Visitor Visa?

Before starting the application process for your Canada Visitor visa, you should know if you qualify to apply for the visa. Therefore, you need to meet the Canada Visitor visa requirements in order to apply for the Canada Visitor visa. These requirements include:

• Have a valid passport
• Evidence of good health
• Have no immigration related or criminal convictions
• Prove that you have enough funds to cover your expenses while in Canada
• Provide your expected duration of stay and temporary residence
• Show that you will return to Nigeria after your visit by providing your ties such as family, financial assets, job, or home.

However, there are several reasons that could make some people not be allowed into Canada. They include:

• Human rights violations
• Organised crime
• Criminal activity
• Health issues
• Lack financial support
• Security issues

What Documents Are Required for a Visitor Visa to Canada?

You have to provide some documents in order to be eligible for the Canada Visitor visa. Provide the following documents:

Passport

Your passport and other travel documents need to be valid. Also, you need to provide your passport’s information page’s photocopies when applying for a Canadian visa.

The information page should contain:

• The number of your passport
• Your personal details such as name, date of birth, photo and place of birth.

Photographs

You must provide at least 2 passport photographs that conform to the requirements of the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It should be noted that your application could be rejected if your passport photographs do not meet the requirements set by the IRCC.

Civil Status and Identity Documents

You need to add your civil status and Identity documents to your Canadian visa application. This document includes your marriage certificate (if married), birth certificate, or annulment/divorce certificate (if divorced).

On other occasions, you may be required to bring your family or household registries or your National IDs. Therefore, you may need to contact an immigration adviser at IAS in Nigeria for more information and guidance regarding civil status and identity documents.

Proof of Funds

You must show that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses and that of your family members that may be accompanying you during your stay in Canada. You may do this through:

• Bank statements.
• Show your annual earnings through your letter of employment
• Prove that your family and friends will help you cover your financial expenses during your stay in Canada
• Proof of your Canadian host’s income
• Your other financial proofs such as shares, FDs, property or PPFs.

It should be noted that these are just some ways you can prove that you have enough funds.

Documents of Proof of Return

You must convince the visa officers that you will go back to Nigeria once your visa expires. Several ways you can prove your return include:

• Provide evidence that you own a property in Nigeria if you do. You can get lease agreements and title deeds for it.
• Get the evidence of responsibility if you have family ties in Nigeria. These family ties could be in the form of having children or elderly family members you need to take care of.
• If you’re employed in Nigeria, you need to get copies of your employment contract. Also, bring a letter of employment identifying you as a permanent employee and also stating your role in the company and the expected time of your return.

Application Forms and Other Documents 

You will need to download an Application Package from the IRCC website in order to submit your visa application. There are all the forms you need to fill out and submit, as well as an instruction manual and a document checklist.

You must submit all the forms and documents on the checklist. These papers can be copies of your passport, photos, receipts for your fees, and other identification documents.

If more documentation is required alongside the documents on the IRCC’s checklist, you must inquire at the local visa office.

Cover Letter

You need to write a declaration or cover letter to the Government of Canada. In this letter, you need to explain why they should provide you with a Canada Visitor visa.

Letter of Support/Invitation

You could occasionally be required to submit an invitation letter from a Canadian. That person must be a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada.

The letter’s author (Canadian permanent resident or citizen) is not legally obligated to represent you. That letter must be provided to you by him or her, and you must submit it with your application.

This letter has to contain your details, such as date of birth, name, phone number, and address. Your intended duration of stay, your relationship with the Canadian resident, and how you plan to financially support yourself must also be included in the letter.

The author’s information to be included in this letter is full name, date of birth, Canadian residence status (and a photocopy of evidence), job title, family details, and household number.

Police Clearances

You must prove that you have no previous criminal record and that you pose no threat to Canadian society. You can accomplish this by obtaining a police clearance or certificate in Nigeria.

In some circumstances, you might be required to present your police clearances from Nigeria for more than 6 months.

Medical Exam Results

You may be required to take some medical examinations to prove that you’re in good health condition to travel to Canada. However, medical examinations are not usually necessary if you won’t be working closely with people or if your intended stay is less than 6 months.

It should be noted that a doctor will be recommended to carry out your medical examination. You can find the recommended Panel Physicians for Nigerians on the IRCC’s website.

Travel Itinerary 

You need to provide the plans regarding your going to and coming from Canada. This includes your to and fro flight tickets and the complete plan of your trip. You also have to mention the places you intend to visit when you get to Canada and a detailed description of the routes you’ll take during your trip.

Canada Visitor Visa Requirements for Minors

Children need to meet specific requirements, just like every other visitor in Canada. But there are additional required documents for minors which depend on how they’re travelling.

All visiting children must have their passports and copy of birth certificates. Besides that, they also need to provide additional documents which depend on whether they’re accompanied or travelling alone.

If accompanied by parents, then they should have a letter of authorisation signed by the accompanying parent. It has to include a passport photocopy of the parent not travelling, and the address and phone number of the parent not travelling.

In a situation where both parents are divorced but share custody, the accompanying parent has to provide a letter of authorisation from the other parent and copies of the legal custody documents.

If the child is under the custody of only one parent, then the parent has to provide a copy of the custody decree.

In a situation where one parent is dead, the other parent has to present a copy of the death certificate.

If the child is travelling with legal adoptive parents or guardians, they’d need to provide a copy of the guardianship or adoption papers.

In a situation where someone who is neither the child’s parent nor legal guardian is travelling with the child, the person has to provide the phone numbers and addresses of the legal guardians or parents of the child.

However, if the child is travelling alone, the parents or legal guardians of the child have to sign a letter of authorisation which must be in either English or French. It must have the parents’ or legal guardians’ phone numbers, addresses and also the name, address, and phone number of the person that will look after the child in Canada.

Canada Visitor Visa Rejection and Eligibility Requirements

Failure to persuade the immigration officer that you intend to leave Canada at the end of your stay is one of the most frequent Canada Visitor visa refusal reasons. An immigration officer will almost certainly reject a visa application if they have cause to believe that the applicant would remain in Canada after their visa has expired.

You must provide proof that you have already paid for your return travel or that you have funds for such travel when submitting a tourist visa application. Additionally, there is a high probability that your application would be rejected if you cannot show that you will be able to afford your stay in Canada.

When assessing your Canada Visitor visa, your country of residency is usually considered. Because of higher rates of refusals from some countries, you must ensure that every other aspect of your visa application is complete to avoid refusal if you’re a citizen of such a country.

How Can IAS Help

Many people apply for the Canada Visitor visa every single year. Most of the rejected applications are a result of the inability of the applicants to meet the requirements and eligibility criteria for the Canada Visitor visa. Because of this, the applicants are naturally susceptible to anxiety, stress, and loss of money in the process.

Once you’re informed to attend the Canada Visitor visa, you must understand how important the interview stage is before you embark upon it. This is because you’ll be expected to clear the doubts the consular officers have about your visa application.

Therefore, you need expert guidance in preparing and answering all the interview questions you’ll be asked. You also need to persuade them with your complete supporting documents and maintain your stance on being eligible for the visa.

We are professional, experienced, and sympathetic immigration advisers with a track record of working with applicants to help them meet their eligibility criteria for the Canada Tourist visa. We also help them gather and arrange all the required documents for their visa application.

We can also work with you to ensure that you have the best chance of having your visa granted. We can also help you to format and draft your cover letter, letter of invitation/support and even help you throughout your visa application stages. We recommend you get in touch with one of our immigration advisers at IAS for expert guidance.

For more information about Canada Visitor Visa Requirements for Nigerians visa, Canada Tourist visa 10 years, or any of our services, reach out to us on +2342013438882 or on +44 (0) 3316300929, or contact us online today.