# How to Book a Canada Visa Appointment at VFS in India

> The Canada visa appointment in India is a biometrics slot you book only after applying online and receiving IRCC's instruction letter. The ten VAC cities, fees and booking steps.

_Published: 2026-10-17 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1169_

## TL;DR

Indian applicants apply for a Canadian visitor visa online through the IRCC Portal, then book a biometrics appointment at one of ten visa application centres after the biometrics instruction letter arrives. IRCC charges CAN$100 for the visa and CAN$85 for biometrics per person, with family caps. Booking the biometrics slot is free, and the VAC charges in INR only for optional services.

## Key takeaways

- The appointment is for biometrics and comes after the online application in the IRCC Portal.
- Book only once the biometrics instruction letter arrives.
- IRCC lists ten VACs in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.
- Biometrics cost CAN$85 per person, capped at CAN$170 for a family of two or more applying together.
- Applications from India are handled by the visa office in New Delhi.

**Indians don't book a Canada visa appointment first. You apply online through the IRCC Portal, wait for the biometrics instruction letter, then book a biometrics slot at one of ten visa application centres IRCC lists in India, via the India VAC website on vfsglobal.ca. IRCC's fees are CAN$100 for the visa and CAN$85 for biometrics per person.**

## Article

Keep that sequence in mind: the appointment exists to collect your fingerprints and digital photo, not to hand over a paper file. Fees below are as published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked on 10 October 2026. For document lists and other visa types, see our Canada visa guide for Indian citizens.

### Why the online application comes before the appointment
IRCC requires visitor visa applications to be made online through the IRCC Portal. Paper is allowed only if you cannot apply online, for example for disability reasons, or if you travel on a refugee, stateless or non-citizen travel document. Inside the portal you receive a personalised document checklist for your situation, and you should also check whether the local visa office wants additional documents. Applications from India are handled by the visa office in New Delhi.

#### Documents to have ready before you apply
The online form goes faster if these are scanned in advance. IRCC lists the first two as required where they apply and the rest as recommended:

- A digital copy of your passport, valid at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel.
- A letter authorising a minor child to travel, if a child is applying.
- Your travel history, such as earlier visas and entry stamps.
- A trip 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, such as an HR letter stating your designation and approved leave.
- A letter of invitation, if someone in Canada is hosting you.
After you submit, IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter. That letter is your cue to book. Trying to reserve a VAC slot before it arrives puts the steps in the wrong order.

### The ten Canada visa application centres in India
IRCC's centre finder lists ten VACs in India and links the India VAC website on vfsglobal.ca.

RegionVAC citiesNorthNew Delhi, Chandigarh, JalandharWestMumbai, Pune, AhmedabadSouthBengaluru, Chennai, HyderabadEastKolkataThe IRCC list gives cities only, with no state-wise jurisdiction, so the practical choice is the city you can reach most easily on the appointment day. Before you commit, check the India VAC website for any booking conditions at that centre, since we could not load that site when we checked.

### Booking the biometrics appointment, step by step
- Submit your application in the IRCC Portal, with the documents on your personalised checklist and the fees paid.
- Wait for the biometrics instruction letter. Download it and keep it handy, along with your application number.
- Open the India VAC website linked from IRCC's find a visa application centre page, rather than a search result.
- Choose your city from the ten VACs and pick an available date and time.
- Enter your name and date of birth exactly as on your passport and upload the biometrics instruction letter, which VFS has required for booking since 24 February 2026.
- Save the confirmation and attend on the day with your letter and passport.
If several family members applied together, book slots for each person who received a letter, ideally on the same visit.

### What to carry on appointment day
The basics are the biometrics instruction letter, the passport you used for the application and your appointment confirmation. Your passport should be valid at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel, which is the validity IRCC asks for on the application. Check the VAC website for any additional requirements before you leave home.

Once your fingerprints and photo are taken, the file goes back to the visa office in New Delhi for a decision. The VAC does not decide anything; its role, which the biometrics fee covers, is collecting biometrics and moving documents between you and the visa office.

### IRCC fees versus centre charges
These are IRCC's government fees, paid online. There is no separate VAC charge for booking or giving biometrics: the biometrics fee covers collection at the VAC and sending your passport between IRCC and that VAC.

FeeAmountNotesVisitor visa, per personCAN$100Same for single and multiple entry; IRCC decides which visa to issueVisitor visa, family of 5 or moreCAN$500Maximum fee; family members must apply at the same time and placeBiometrics, per personCAN$85Covers fingerprints and digital photo, and moving documents between the visa office and the VACBiometrics, family of 2 or moreCAN$170Maximum fee for a family applying at the same timeStudy permit, per personCAN$150Including extensionsWork permit, per personCAN$155Including extensionsOptional VAC services, such as courier return of your passport, are charged in INR at the centre by cash or UPI. VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, so check the current table on the VAC website before your visit.

### Slips that delay a Canada appointment
- Booking before the letter. Without the biometrics instruction letter, there is nothing for the VAC to match your booking to.
- Family members applying on different days. The CAN$170 biometrics cap applies only to a family applying at the same time, and the CAN$500 visa cap needs the same time and place.
- A passport close to expiry. Keep at least 6 months of validity from your planned travel date.
- Fixed travel plans. IRCC's processing-times tool showed 29 days for visitor visa applications from India (updated 14 October 2026), and applications that need more information take longer. Embassies generally advise against buying non-refundable tickets before the decision; a verifiable flight reservation can support your itinerary instead, though requirements vary, so check the official checklist.
Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa applications, priced from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for the full set with hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us via the contact page.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Is travel insurance required for a Canadian visitor visa?
IRCC's visitor visa page that we checked does not list travel insurance as a requirement. Your personalised document checklist in the IRCC Portal is the authority for your file, so follow it if it asks for anything extra.

#### How long does a Canada visitor visa take after biometrics?
IRCC does not state a fixed timeframe on its visitor visa page, and applications that need more information take longer. Eligible spousal applicants automatically receive faster processing. Check IRCC's processing-times tool for a current estimate.

#### Will I get a single or multiple entry Canadian visa?
You pay the same CAN$100 either way, and IRCC decides which type of visitor visa to issue. You do not choose it at the appointment.

#### Which documents does IRCC recommend for a visitor visa?
Beyond a passport valid at least 6 months from your travel date, IRCC recommends your travel history, an itinerary, bank statements, an employer letter and a letter of invitation. Your personalised checklist in the IRCC Portal is the final word for your file.

## Steps

1. **Apply online in the IRCC Portal** — Fill the visitor visa application, upload the documents on your personalised checklist and pay the IRCC fees.
2. **Wait for the biometrics instruction letter** — IRCC sends the letter after you submit; download it and note your application number.
3. **Open the India VAC website** — Use the India VAC link on IRCC's find a visa application centre page to reach the booking site on vfsglobal.ca.
4. **Choose a centre and slot** — Pick one of the ten VACs (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune) and an available date.
5. **Enter details and confirm** — Enter your name and date of birth exactly as on your passport, upload the biometrics instruction letter (required since 24 February 2026) and save the appointment confirmation.
6. **Attend and give biometrics** — Carry the letter, your passport and the confirmation; your fingerprints and digital photo are collected at the VAC.

## FAQ

### Is travel insurance required for a Canadian visitor visa?

IRCC's visitor visa page that we checked does not list travel insurance as a requirement. Your personalised document checklist in the IRCC Portal is the authority for your file, so follow it if it asks for anything extra.

### How long does a Canada visitor visa take after biometrics?

IRCC does not state a fixed timeframe on its visitor visa page, and applications that need more information take longer. Eligible spousal applicants automatically receive faster processing. Check IRCC's processing-times tool for a current estimate.

### Will I get a single or multiple entry Canadian visa?

You pay the same CAN$100 either way, and IRCC decides which type of visitor visa to issue. You do not choose it at the appointment.

### Which documents does IRCC recommend for a visitor visa?

Beyond a passport valid at least 6 months from your travel date, IRCC recommends your travel history, an itinerary, bank statements, an employer letter and a letter of invitation. Your personalised checklist in the IRCC Portal is the final word for your file.

## Sources

1. [Apply for a visitor visa](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
2. [Fee list](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
3. [Find a visa application centre](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-visa-application-centre) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada