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Canada visa

Americas · Northern America

In Canada, immigration falls under Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), whose pages appear on the official canada.ca portal. For a visit, the portal names the visitor visa (temporary resident visa), the electronic travel authorization (eTA), the transit visa, the super visa and the visitor record. A visitor visa application is filed online through the IRCC portal, with payment of the fees and, where applicable, collection of biometrics.

Updated on 13 October 2026 · Official sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Submission channel
IRCC online account and portal ("IRCC Portal"), with biometrics after filing where applicable
Electronic visa
The portal names the electronic travel authorization (eTA), which is distinct from the visitor visa

Do you need a visa?

Nationality Costa Rica

For a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport. To work, study or stay longer, the rules are different: check your situation.

Good to know

Visitor visa required; eTA possible by air if the traveller has held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or holds a valid US non-immigrant visa (temporary stay, normally up to 6 months). By land or sea: visa. IRCC, 27/07/2026.

Official source: IRCC (Canada.ca) — What you need to enter Canada: entry requirements by country or territoryIRCC (Canada.ca) — What you need to enter Canada : exigences d’entrée par pays ou territoire (new tab) Verified on 24 September 2026

All destinations for this nationality

VisaGuideline helps you prepare your application. The decision belongs to the country’s authority: check the official page before paying or applying.

Canada visa: who needs one?

Based on the verified entry rules, for a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport.

Visa exemption 1

List of nationalities

Electronic travel authorization 53

List of nationalities

Visa required 126

List of nationalities

Information not available 17

List of nationalities

A nationality missing from this list does not establish a visa exemption. Consult the official authority.

Documented visa types

Visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
The portal describes it as "an official document that we stick in your passport". Length of stay not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
Official page (new tab)
Transit visa
Official page (new tab)
Super visa
Official page (new tab)
Visitor record
Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The "Immigration and citizenship" section of canada.ca, maintained by IRCC, brings together online accounts (including GCKey), fee payment, forms and application tracking.

For a visitor visa, the page "How to apply for a visitor visa" states that the application is filed online through the IRCC portal, in its current version or its new version, after payment of the fees. Biometrics are collected after filing where applicable.

Steps in the procedure

  1. Gather the documents needed for the application ("Gather the rest of the documents you might need").
  2. Pay the fees ("Pay your fees").
  3. Submit the application through the IRCC portal ("Submit your application").
  4. Give your biometrics after filing where applicable ("Give your biometrics after you apply (if applicable)").

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 17 September 2026, processing of a visitor visa is stated at CAN$100 per person and CAN$500 for a family of five or more; biometrics are stated at CAN$85 per person and up to CAN$170 for a family. The visitor visa page mentions a price "Starting from: $CAN 100".

The portal states that the processing time varies by country and does not include the time needed to give biometrics; it refers to a tool for checking processing times.

After the decision

The portal publishes pages for checking application status and for consulting processing times. The "Visit Canada" page also names the visitor record in connection with extending the stay.

The authority decides whether to grant or refuse.

Prepare your application

Frequently asked questions

Where is the application filed?

Online, through the IRCC portal, after payment of the fees; biometrics are collected after filing where applicable.

Is there an electronic visa?

The portal names the electronic travel authorization (eTA), which is distinct from the visitor visa.

How much does a visitor visa cost?

According to the page consulted on 17 September 2026, processing is stated at CAN$100 per person and CAN$500 for a family of five or more, to which the biometrics fee is added.

What is the processing time?

The portal states that the processing time varies by country and does not include the time needed to give biometrics; it refers to a tool for checking processing times.

Points to check with the authority

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