Verified against official sources — 30 Oct 2026

How to Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa Online and Give Biometrics

NEW Published 30 October 2026

Illustration of a traveller giving fingerprints at a biometrics kiosk

The IRCC account, eligibility questionnaire and personalised checklist, the CAD fees, and the 30-day biometrics step — in order.

Canada's visitor visa is applied for online, and the process surprises applicants used to other systems: you answer an eligibility questionnaire first, and only then does the system tell you which documents you must upload. After you submit and pay, a second clock starts — if you must give biometrics, an instruction letter arrives in your account and you have 30 days from receiving it to give your fingerprints and photo in person. This guide follows that sequence exactly as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) describes it, and states no processing times.

Quick answer

Most people must apply online. You sign in to — or create — an IRCC account, answer the eligibility questionnaire, receive a personalised document checklist, upload your forms and documents, and pay online: CAD 100 per person for the visa, plus CAD 85 per person for biometrics if you must give them. Then wait for your biometric instruction letter (BIL), book a free appointment as soon as it arrives, and give biometrics in person within 30 days. They are valid for 10 years. If IRCC approves your application, a letter in your account will tell you how to submit your passport.

SECTION 01Before You Start: Online Is the Rule, and You Need Two Things

IRCC's instruction guide, Guide 5256, states that most people must apply online. You can only apply on paper if you cannot apply online, including for reasons of a disability, or if you are travelling with an identity or travel document issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen. Everything below assumes the online route.

IRCC's application page states what you need: a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents, and a valid credit or debit card. Read the instruction guide before you apply — as an online applicant, IRCC notes, you can ignore its steps on paying and submitting, because the system handles both.

Which account will you use?

IRCC's application page offers the IRCC Portal, a newer Portal version for some applicants — aged 18 or older, applying alone, who have never applied with IRCC before and are not using a representative — and the IRCC secure account. IRCC's own step-by-step page works through the secure account, so the steps below follow that walkthrough. Whichever route you use, the logic is the same: questionnaire first, personalised checklist second, upload, pay, submit.

SECTION 02The Application, Step by Step

Step 1

Gather your documents first. IRCC's final-steps page lists what to collect: a colour copy of your passport — the page showing your photo, date of birth and country of origin, and any pages with stamps, visas or markings; proof of funds or support, which may be an employer letter or an account statement; a digital photo to IRCC's specifications; purpose-of-travel documents such as flight details, an itinerary, hotel reservations or event registration; and the family information form your checklist names. Documents must be in electronic format — tiff, jpg, png, doc, docx or pdf.

Step 2

Sign in to, or create, your IRCC secure account. If you already have an account, simply sign in. If not, follow IRCC's instructions to register first.

Step 3

Start an application and answer the eligibility questionnaire. On the main account screen, go to "Start an application," select "Apply to come to Canada," and then "Visitor visa, study or work permit." If you already have a personal reference code, enter it and continue. If not, complete the questionnaire "Find out if you're eligible to apply" — the system will then show you a personal reference code. Enter it on the personal checklist screen to continue.

Step 4

Review your answers before you go further. The review screen shows a summary of the details you entered. Your answers determine what documents you need to submit, so check them carefully: make any changes or corrections on the review screen, then continue.

Step 5

Upload your form and documents to your personal document checklist. The next screen lists the documents you need to submit. Upload your completed application form PDF and each supporting document in its slot. If an additional client information file was created for you, upload it under "Client information" in the optional documents table. Note IRCC's warning on Schedule 1: it may sit under optional documents, but with a travel history, or a military or government background, you must upload it.

Step 6

Pay your fees and submit. IRCC's final-steps page gives the fees as CAN $100 for the visa application and CAN $85 for biometrics, if required, and states that you must pay with a credit card; its application page adds that fees are paid at the end of the application. After you pay, you should see a message confirming that your application has been submitted.

Step 7

Wait for your biometric instruction letter — do not go before it arrives. IRCC instructs you to wait for the letter, then book your appointment as soon as possible to avoid delays. The letter confirms you need biometrics and tells you how to book. Use the letter issued for this application: IRCC warns that a previous application's letter may delay or refuse your current one.

Step 8

Give your biometrics in person, within 30 days. Book as soon as you receive the letter — booking is free — and attend in person at an official collection site, bringing both your biometric instruction letter and your valid passport. You have 30 days from the time you get the letter. Section 04 covers where to go and who must attend.

Step 9

Watch your account for the decision. IRCC checks your application is complete — an incomplete one may be refused — and may ask for more information. If approved, a letter in your account will explain how to submit your passport. If refused, the decision will explain why. Section 05 covers both.

SECTION 03What Will You Pay? The Fees, in Canadian Dollars

The amounts below are from IRCC's official fee list, checked fresh on 30 October 2026. Fees change — confirm them on the fee list before you pay.

Visitor visa — CAD 100 per person. The fee list gives the same fee for a single or multiple entry visa; IRCC decides which type to issue. A family of five or more applying together pays a maximum of CAD 500.
Biometrics — CAD 85 per person, if you must give them. The maximum for an eligible family of two or more applying together is CAD 170. The fee covers collecting fingerprints and a digital photo, and moving your documents between the visa office and the VAC.
Pay the biometrics fee with your application. IRCC states that a first-time applicant must pay it when submitting, unless exempt — otherwise you may experience delays. Paying later through your account is the slower path.
Payment happens inside the application. IRCC's fees guidance states that you pay directly within the online application, by credit or debit card — the only way to pay when applying online.

A first-time applicant who must give biometrics therefore pays CAD 185 in total — simply the two fee-list amounts added together, not a separate combined fee. An applicant whose biometrics are still valid, or who is exempt, does not pay the biometrics part again.

SECTION 04Biometrics in Detail: Who, Where, and How Long They Last

Who must give biometrics?

IRCC states that you must give your biometrics when you apply for a visitor visa, unless you are exempt. Its exemption list includes a child under 14 and an applicant over 79 — why the requirement is commonly described as applying between the ages of 14 and 79 — along with Canadian citizens, existing permanent residents, eTA-only visitors, and heads of state and heads of government.

Where do you give them?

You must give your biometrics in person, at an official collection location, and you need an appointment:

Outside Canada (except the United States): at a visa application centre (VAC), by appointment. Appointments are free — do not pay anyone for one. If there is no VAC in the country or territory you are applying from, you can go to any other VAC.
In the United States: at an application support centre (ASC) or a VAC. You must already be legally in the United States to use one, and an appointment is required at an ASC.
In Canada: at a designated Service Canada office, booked through the eServiceCanada appointment booking tool. Do not go to a Service Canada office unless you have a scheduled appointment.

IRCC's fraud warning belongs here: use IRCC's official website to find your local VAC, Service Canada or ASC location. An appointment sold by an intermediary is not an official appointment.

The 30-day deadline — and what to do if you cannot meet it

Book as soon as you receive your letter: you have 30 days from the time you get it to give your biometrics. If you cannot give them before the letter expires, use IRCC's web form to explain why you need more time — for example, give the date of the appointment you booked and upload a screenshot of the confirmation. Do not let the deadline pass in silence.

At the appointment, IRCC's tips are practical: glasses are acceptable if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare, but sunglasses or tinted glasses are not; your hair must be off your face; religious or medical head coverings are acceptable if your full face is clearly visible; and your hands must be henna-free, with finger cuts or cracks healed first. If IRCC cannot get high-quality fingerprints, you may need to give biometrics again later.

How long do biometrics last?

Your biometrics are valid for 10 years. If you gave them within the last 10 years, they will be automatically attached to your new application, and you do not need to give them every time you apply. Two qualifications matter. First, IRCC cannot issue your visa beyond the expiry date of your biometrics: a visa can be issued for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expires, whichever comes first, and an officer may set a different expiry. Second, you may choose to give biometrics again when you apply, even if they are still valid: pay the fee when you apply, wait for the new instruction letter — the one issued for this application — and follow it to book. IRCC's check status tool shows your biometrics' validity and expiry.

Finally, a closed file stays closed: if an earlier application was refused because you did not give biometrics, do not try to give them for that file. Give them only if you reapply, pay the fees including the biometrics fee, and receive a new letter.

SECTION 05After the Decision: Passport Request, or Reasons

Canada decides most visitor applications on the documents submitted. IRCC's after-you-apply page says it checks your application for completeness, and lists further steps it may ask for — an interview with officials in your country, more information, a medical exam, or a police certificate. An interview is therefore a possible additional step, not a standard stage every applicant passes through.

If your application is approved

You will get a letter in your IRCC account with instructions to submit your passport. IRCC's warning is unambiguous: you cannot travel to Canada until IRCC puts the visa in the passport you submit. Submit the same passport you provided in your application — a newer one may delay processing and does not mean longer validity. And do not send it early: IRCC states that you should not submit your passport until it sends a passport request letter or email, that sending one without a copy of the request will cause a delay, and that you have 30 days from the request to submit it.

If your application is refused

The decision in your account will explain why you were refused. Read those reasons against your own file first — they are the only official account of what the officer found missing or unpersuasive, and any future application must answer them. Our companion guide on refusals and reapplying, linked below, works through that step.

FAQFrequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for a Canada visitor visa on paper instead?

Only in specific situations. Guide 5256 states that most people must apply online, and that paper is possible only if you cannot apply online, including for reasons of a disability, or if you travel with an identity or travel document issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen.

What exactly is a personalised document checklist?

It is the document list the online system generates from your own answers. IRCC states that online applicants get a personalised checklist in the portal and should provide everything on it. In the secure account it is the "Personal document checklist" screen, where you upload your form and documents.

How much will I pay in total?

From IRCC's fee list, checked on 30 October 2026: CAD 100 per person for the visa, plus CAD 85 per person for biometrics if you must give them — CAD 185 in total for a first-time applicant who needs biometrics. A family of five or more pays at most CAD 500 in visa fees, and an eligible family at most CAD 170 for biometrics. Confirm the figures on the fee list before paying.

I gave biometrics for Canada two years ago. Must I give them again?

No. Biometrics are valid for 10 years, and if you gave them within the last 10 years they will be automatically attached to your new application. One caution: IRCC cannot issue your visa beyond your biometrics' expiry date, so for the longest possible validity you may choose to give them again — pay the fee when you apply and use the new instruction letter.

What happens if I miss the 30-day biometrics deadline?

Do not stay silent. IRCC instructs applicants who cannot give biometrics before their letter expires to use its web form to explain why they need more time, with details of their situation — for example, the date of the appointment they booked, with a screenshot of the appointment confirmation as evidence.

My application was approved. Can I travel straight away?

No. You will first receive a letter in your account with instructions to submit your passport, and IRCC states you cannot travel until it puts the visa in the passport you submit. Wait for the request, submit the same passport used in your application — you have 30 days — and travel only once the visa is in it.

Editorial note: This AllVisaUpdates guide is general educational information about applying online for a Canada visitor visa and giving biometrics — not legal advice, and it does not predict any decision, which IRCC makes on your application. Every procedural step, fee and deadline above comes from the official sources below, checked on 30 October 2026. This guide deliberately states no processing times: IRCC's timing varies by visa office and by the extra steps a file needs, and no honest guide can convert that into a promise for an individual application.

Official references and verification status

These official references were accessed and checked on 30 October 2026, and this guide's claims were verified claim-by-claim against them (record in the accompanying sources file). Two honest limits: IRCC offers more than one online route — the Portal, its newer version for some applicants, and the secure account — and this guide follows the secure-account walkthrough IRCC documents in full; and it states no processing times, because IRCC ties timing to the visa office and any extra steps a file requires.

General educational information, not individualized legal advice. Follow official instructions and consult a qualified Canadian immigration lawyer or licensed consultant for case-specific questions.

General information only. This guide is based on official sources publicly available and checked on the date shown on this page. Visa rules change, and consular and USCIS officers decide every case on its own facts — nothing here is a confirmation or a guarantee for your individual case, and this is not legal advice. Always confirm the current requirement on the official page linked in this guide before you act, and consider a qualified immigration attorney for your specific situation.