Canada Tourist Visa Processing Time from India (2026)

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decides visitor visas, also called temporary resident visas, and applications from India are handled by its visa office in New Delhi. VFS Global runs the ten Visa Application Centres (VACs) in India for biometrics and passports. Everything below is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026.

What does the 29-day figure actually tell you?

IRCC publishes a processing time per country of application. For visitor visas from India the current figure is 29 days. Read it with three caveats:

• It describes how long recent applications took. In its April 2026 note to a parliamentary committee, IRCC said posted times are backward-looking and do not reflect actual processing times.
• It is not a deadline for your file. Applications that need more information take longer.
• The number changes as IRCC updates its data, so check the IRCC visitor visa page again just before you apply.

Which steps sit between applying and holding your visa?

1. Apply online in the IRCC Portal and pay CAN$100 for the visa plus CAN$85 for biometrics. The portal gives you a personalised document checklist. Paper applications are only for people who cannot apply online.
2. Wait for the biometric instruction letter (BIL) from IRCC.
3. Book a biometrics appointment with VFS. Booking is free, and since 24 February 2026 you must upload the BIL when you book.
4. Give fingerprints and a photo at one of the ten VACs: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune.
5. IRCC's New Delhi office processes the application.
6. If approved, submit your passport at a VAC by prior appointment. Canada's visitor visa is not electronic, so you cannot travel until IRCC places the visa in your passport.
7. Collect the passport at the VAC (walk-in, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00) or pay for courier return (one-way INR 858).

Budget separately for steps 3, 6 and 7, which depend on VAC appointment availability and, if you choose it, courier time.

How do other Canadian visa times from India compare?

All four figures carry the same IRCC update date of 14 October 2026. Parents planning a long stay should note that the super visa takes well over twice as long as a regular visitor visa and also needs a medical exam and private health insurance of at least CAN$100,000.

What makes an Indian application take longer?

IRCC's only stated cause of delay is an application that needs more information. You reduce that risk by sending what IRCC lists the first time:

• A digital copy of a passport valid at least 6 months from your travel date.
• Every item on your personalised checklist, plus anything the local visa office requires.
• The documents IRCC recommends: travel history, itinerary, bank statements showing you can support yourself, an employer letter confirming a job you will return to, and an invitation letter if someone is hosting you.

Logistics can add days too. If you give biometrics at one VAC and submit documents at another, VFS charges INR 604 per package for transmission between centres. VFS has also announced new VAC service charges from 1 November 2026, not yet published on 15 October 2026.

When should you apply for a 2026 or 2027 trip?

Work backwards from your departure date. Add the time to receive the BIL and get a biometrics slot, the 29-day processing figure, and the time to submit and get back your passport. Then add a buffer for a request for more information.

Do not buy non-refundable flights before the decision; embassies generally advise against it, and IRCC lists an itinerary, not a paid ticket, among recommended documents. Plan for the possibility of a refusal as well: IRCC reported a global visitor visa refusal rate of 51% in 2025 (54% in 2024 and 39% in 2023), counting all nationalities, not India alone.

Is there a way to make the wait worthwhile?

A single application can cover many trips. IRCC charges the same CAN$100 for single and multiple entry and decides which to issue. A visitor visa can be valid for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first, and most visitors can stay up to 6 months per entry. A family of five or more applying together at the same time and place pays a maximum of CAN$500 in visa fees and CAN$170 in biometrics.

Indians who hold a US green card skip the wait entirely: they have been exempt from the eTA since April 26, 2022 and fly with a valid passport and green card. For fees, document lists and study and work routes, read our Canada visa guide for Indians.

While IRCC processes your file, a flight reservation and day-by-day itinerary let you show your plan without paying for tickets. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, priced from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). Contact us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Canada visitor visa valid once it is issued?

IRCC decides the validity. It can be up to 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.

Do Indian green card holders need to wait for a Canada visitor visa?

No. Indian citizens who are US lawful permanent residents can fly to Canada with a valid passport and valid green card; they have been exempt from the eTA since April 26, 2022.

Where can I give biometrics for a Canada visa in India?

At any of the ten VFS-run Visa Application Centres: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. Booking the biometrics appointment is free, and you need IRCC's biometric instruction letter to book.

Can I travel to Canada on the approval letter alone?

No. The Canadian visitor visa is not electronic. After approval you submit your passport, and you cannot travel until IRCC places the visa in it.