Canada Tourist Visa Appointment from India: Booking Guide

Many Indian applicants look for a 'Canada visa appointment' before they have applied, and get stuck. Canada works the other way round from most embassies: the application and payment come first, and the appointment is the result. This booking guide follows the order Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and VFS Global use, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For fees, documents and validity, see our Canada visa guide for Indians.

When can you book a Canada visa appointment?

Only after IRCC asks you to give biometrics. The sequence is:

1. Apply online through the IRCC Portal. Paper applications are only for people who cannot apply online, for example for disability reasons.
2. Pay the visitor visa fee of CAN$100 and the biometrics fee of CAN$85 online.
3. Wait for IRCC's Biometric Instruction Letter.
4. Book the biometrics appointment with VFS Global, uploading that letter.

Applications from India are handled by IRCC's visa office in New Delhi. VFS Global is the Government of Canada's exclusive service provider for the Visa Application Centres (VACs) in India.

What should your online file contain before you book?

The appointment only collects biometrics, so the evidence must already be in your IRCC application. The IRCC Portal generates a personalized document checklist. For a visitor visa it starts with a digital copy of your passport, valid for at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel, and a letter authorizing a minor child to travel, if that applies. IRCC also recommends:

• your travel history
• an itinerary
• bank statements showing you have enough money to support yourself during the stay
• an employer letter confirming a stable job you will return to
• a letter of invitation, if someone in Canada is inviting you

Check whether the New Delhi visa office asks for anything extra before you submit. Make sure your employer letter and bank statements match what you state in the form. Fixing a gap before you pay is easier than answering a request for more information later, which IRCC says makes processing take longer.

Which Visa Application Centres can you choose?

IRCC lists ten VACs in India, with the India VAC website on VFS Global:

VFS lists opening hours of Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00, with Pune open 08:00-16:00. Street addresses are on the VFS centre page.

How does the VFS Appointment Management System work?

VFS India moved Canada biometrics bookings to its Appointment Management System from 21 February 2026. For appointments from 24 February 2026, you must upload your IRCC Biometric Instruction Letter while booking. The booking itself is free. Check the VFS Canada India booking page for current slots.

What happens at the biometrics appointment?

At the VAC your fingerprints and a digital photo are taken. The CAN$85 IRCC fee already covers this, plus one package transmission of your documents between IRCC and that VAC. There is no separate VFS charge for giving biometrics. Take the Biometric Instruction Letter you uploaded and the passport you applied with, and check the appointment confirmation for anything else VFS asks you to bring.

Families save on this step: the biometrics fee is capped at CAN$170 for a family of two or more applying at the same time.

Do you need a second appointment for your passport?

Often, yes. The Canadian visitor visa is not electronic. If IRCC approves your application, you submit your passport so that the visa can be placed in it, and you cannot travel until that is done. The passport can be sent through a VAC, and passport submission at a VAC needs a prior appointment.

These charges are paid at the VAC in rupees by cash or UPI and are non-refundable. VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026; the new amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026. Decision envelopes can be collected at the VAC on a walk-in basis, Monday to Friday 9:00-17:00, or couriered for a fee.

How long after the appointment will you hear back?

IRCC's processing-times data for visitor visas applied for from India showed 29 days, last updated 14 October 2026. IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted times look backwards and do not reflect actual processing times, and applications that need more information take longer. Do not book non-refundable flights until the visa is in your passport; a verifiable flight reservation can support the itinerary IRCC recommends without committing you to a fare.

Booking mistakes to avoid

• Booking before applying: VFS requires the Biometric Instruction Letter for the booking, and IRCC only issues it after you apply.
• Splitting centres without planning: giving biometrics at one VAC and submitting documents at another triggers a package transmission charge of INR 604.
• Walking in to submit a passport: passport submission needs a prior appointment; only collection is walk-in.
• Paying for extras you do not need: the Premium Lounge and SMS alerts are optional.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa applications. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp us at +91 95230 91018 or write through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I walk in to a Canada Visa Application Centre in India without an appointment?

Only to collect a decision envelope, which is walk-in from Monday to Friday, 9:00-17:00. Biometrics and passport submission both need a booked appointment.

Does my whole family need separate appointments?

Each person gives their own biometrics, but the IRCC biometrics fee is capped at CAN$170 for a family of two or more applying at the same time. The visitor visa fee is capped at CAN$500 for a family of five or more applying at the same time and place.

How long is a Canadian visitor visa valid once issued?

IRCC decides the validity: generally up to a maximum of 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first. Most visitors can stay up to 6 months per entry, though the border officer may set a different date.

Can I pay the IRCC visa fee in rupees at the VAC?

No. IRCC fees are published and paid in Canadian dollars online: CAN$100 for the visitor visa and CAN$85 for biometrics. Only optional VFS charges are paid at the VAC in rupees, by cash or UPI.