Canada Tourist Visa Validity: How Long Indians Can Stay

The rules below come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. India is on IRCC's list of visa-required countries, so Indian citizens need a valid visitor visa even to transit through Canada.

How long is a Canada visitor visa valid for Indians?

There is no fixed validity that you choose on the form. IRCC decides which visa to issue (single or multiple entry) and how long it is valid. Its visitor visa guidance gives three limits, and the earliest one wins:

• a maximum of 10 years, in general;
• the expiry date of your passport;
• the expiry of your biometrics.

The fee does not change with validity. A visitor visa costs CAN$100.00 per person whether IRCC issues a single-entry or multiple-entry visa, and a family of 5 or more applying together pays a maximum of CAN$500.00.

What is the difference between visa validity and length of stay?

This distinction is easy to miss. The validity on the counterfoil tells you the period in which you can use the visa to travel to Canada. It does not tell you how long each visit may last.

In short: a 10-year visa means you can travel many times over 10 years, with each visit normally capped at 6 months or the date the officer writes for you.

What happens if your passport expires before the visa would?

The visa cannot outlast your passport. If your passport expires before the 10-year mark, the visa generally ends with it, even though IRCC could otherwise have issued a longer one. IRCC asks for a passport valid at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel, but if you want the longest possible validity, apply with a passport that has plenty of years left.

Biometrics work the same way: the visa cannot run past their expiry. The biometrics fee is CAN$85.00 per person (CAN$170.00 maximum for a family of 2 or more applying together), paid online to IRCC; it covers fingerprints and a photo at the Visa Application Centre.

Can parents or grandparents stay longer than 6 months?

Yes, through the super visa. It is for Indian parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians. It allows multiple entries and stays of up to 5 years at a time, and it is valid for up to 10 years.

The conditions are stricter than for a normal visitor visa:

• The host must be your child or grandchild, aged 18 or over, living in Canada, and must send a signed letter of invitation with proof of meeting the minimum necessary income.
• You need private health insurance from a Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer, valid for at least 1 year from entry, with at least CAN$100,000 emergency coverage, paid in full or by instalments.
• An immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician is required.

The fee is the same CAN$100 as a visitor visa, plus CAN$85 for biometrics. IRCC's posted processing time for super visa applications from India was 77 days.

How long does it take to get the visa?

IRCC's processing-times data for India showed 29 days for visitor visas (last updated October 14, 2026). IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted times are backward-looking, and applications needing more information take longer.

The process runs online. You apply through the IRCC Portal, wait for the biometrics instruction letter, and book a biometrics appointment at one of ten VFS-run Visa Application Centres: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. Since 24 February 2026, booking requires uploading the Biometric Instruction Letter. The visa is not electronic: if approved, you submit your passport and cannot travel until IRCC places the visa in it.

Which mistakes do long-validity visa holders make?

• Treating validity as residence. A 10-year visa is a travel window, not permission to live in Canada.
• Ignoring the date set at the border. The officer may give you less than 6 months; that date, not the visa expiry, governs your stay.
• Applying with a near-expiry passport. It caps your visa validity.
• Misreading refusal figures. IRCC reports a global visitor visa refusal rate of 51% for 2025, across all nationalities. It is not an India-specific figure and says nothing about an individual file.

For fees, documents and VAC details, see our Canada visa guide for Indians.

IRCC lists an itinerary as a recommended document. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares travel itineraries, verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings and cover letters for visa files. Packages start at INR 1,000 for a flight reservation and go up to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018, or reach us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Canada visitor visa fee different for single and multiple entry?

No. IRCC charges CAN$100.00 per person for both types. IRCC, not the applicant, decides whether to issue a single-entry or multiple-entry visa and how long it is valid. Biometrics cost a further CAN$85.00 per person.

Do Indians need a visa to transit through a Canadian airport?

Yes. India is on IRCC's visa-required list, so a visitor visa is needed even for transit. The exception is Indians who are US lawful permanent residents: they can fly to Canada with a valid passport and valid US green card.

Is travel insurance mandatory for a Canada visitor visa?

IRCC's visitor visa pages do not list travel insurance as a requirement for a regular visitor visa. Super visa applicants must show private health insurance valid for at least 1 year from entry with at least CAN$100,000 emergency coverage.

Is the Canada visitor visa issued as an eVisa?

No. You apply online through the IRCC Portal, but the visa is placed in your passport. If approved, you submit your passport to IRCC, which can be done through a Visa Application Centre, and you cannot travel until the visa is in it.