Temporary Resident Visa
Outside of Canada, visas can be acquired through your Canadian consulate, Embassy or High Commission. The processing time for your visa application can vary by country. It is advisable to allow at least one to two months but be aware that processing may take even longer in some countries.
If you currently have or are applying for a study permit, and you wish to travel in and out of Canada, a temporary resident visa (TRV) or 'Visitor's Visa' may be required, as a study permit alone will not be enough to enter Canada. Holders of a study permit may apply from within Canada for a new temporary resident visa.
If your temporary resident visa is about to or has expired, you can apply for a new temporary resident visa from within Canada as long as you have a valid study permit.
Note
Please Note
If you currently have a Visitor's Visa, and you plan to study in Canada in a program that is longer than 6 months, you will require a study permit.
Application Process
If you are from a visa-required country, you will require a temporary resident visa to re-enter Canada as your study or work permit does not authorize re-entry.
Applying
If you have a valid study permit and you are inside Canada, you can submit a temporary resident visa application online. If you cannot submit an online application due to disabilities or any other reason, you can submit a paper application. For more information, please check the IRCC website. If you have any questions, please contact an International Student Advisor and Immigration Specialist.
There is often confusion between a Temporary Resident Visa [TRV] and Temporary Resident Permit [TRP]. A TRV is a travel document used to enter Canada, whereas a TRP allows an applicant to overcome a ground of inadmissibility to Canada. In most cases, you will be applying for the Temporary Resident Visa.
When to Apply
You should apply to extend your temporary resident visa well in advance of any anticipated travel outside of Canada. Otherwise, your application may not be finalized in time, and you may be unable to re-enter Canada. You can check current processing times to assist you in determining when to apply.
Online Application Procedure
The TRV application process can be summarized in the following 4 steps:
Step 1: Initiate your application.
- Log into your IRCC secure account. If you do not have an IRCC secure account, you can follow the link to create one.
- Once logged in, scroll down, and click on “Apply to Come to Canada”
- Under “I do not have a Personal Reference Code”, click on “Determine your eligibility and apply online”, then click on “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit”
Passport Request Procedure
After receiving the passport request letter, you should:
- Buy two prepaid 24x32 cm Xpresspost-national envelopes at any Canada Post retail outlet.
- Put one envelope in the other envelope. IRCC will use the second envelope to return your passport and other documents to you.
- Add the documents you are sending that support your application (e.g. passport request letter).
- Put your full mailing address in the “Deliver To” field and the Case Processing centre – Ottawa post office box address below in the “Return Address” field.
- Temporary Resident Visa Section
Case Processing Centre – Ottawa
P.O. Box 8780 STN T CSC
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5A9
- Temporary Resident Visa Section
- Note the tracking number for each envelope.
- If you do not send a second prepaid Xpresspost envelope, IRCC will return your passport by regular mail. Their office is not responsible for items lost in the mail.
- IRCC will only return your passport through regular mail or a prepaid Xpresspost envelope. Prepaid envelopes from a private courier company will not be accepted.
To start the Eligibility Questionnaire:
- Log into your IRCC secure account.
- On the main account page, scroll down and click on “Apply to Come to Canada”
- Under “I do not have a Personal Reference Code”, click on “Determine your eligibility and apply online” then click on “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit”
This will initiate the following Eligibility Questionnaire. Answer the questions according to your situation. Some areas that might be confusing are:
- What would you like to do in Canada? Study
- How long are you planning to stay in Canada? Temporarily – more than 6 months
- What is your current country/territory of residence? If you are presently in Canada, you should select Canada.
- Do you have a Provincial Attestation Letter? No
- Do you qualify for an exception? Yes
- Which exception do you qualify for? I am an applicant who meets another exception listed on the IRCC website
- Family Member questions Click on hyperlink for definition of a family member and answer basing on your situation
- On the “Your results” page select “Temporary Resident Visa”
- Review your answers to modify responses click on the “pencil & eraser” icon
If you want to learn in detail, attend the live webinar we host every semester or request to access a webinar recording from an International Student Advisor and Immigration Specialist.
Click on the “Documents” tab to read about the next steps of your application.
After you have completed the Eligibility Questionnaire (see previous tab), your application page will be created on your IRCC secure account. You can access this application at any time within the next 60 days.
Please upload all the required documents listed below before you pay and submit the application.
Application form:
Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) (IMM 5257). This is the form you need to fill out, even when you apply from inside Canada.
From Humber:
- Confirmation of enrolment letter (use the letter from your current or the most recent semester); verify that the expected graduation date is correct. If the expected graduation date shows N/A or is incorrect, please contact us through the International Contact Form for North and Lakeshore students, and MyIGS portal for IGS (International Graduate School) students
- Official transcript (available only if you have completed at least one semester). Students have the option to request the transcript by mail or by MyCreds.
IRCC requirement: additional documents may be required
- Passport - Current Passport (personal information page and any pages with stamps and visas), study permit and your current co-op work permit if you have one
- Family Information Form (IMM5707) if it appears on document checklist
- Proof of Finances
- Bank Statements, proof of education loans, proof of tuition payment, pay stubs from your part-time employer. All documents - merged in 1 PDF file
- *Note: If the bank statement is not under your name, you also need to provide a Letter of Support from the account holder to specify their intention to support you financially while you are in Canada as a student. The letter must be written by them, dated, and signed. Please ensure they include your full name, Humber N#, college name, program name and study dates.
- Humber College Receipt (found on MyHumber > Student > Student Account & Fees > Account Detail for Term/Humber College Receipt)
- Digital Photo - A scan or digital version of a passport size photo. See the government of Canada website for photo specifications.
Completing Form IMM 5257: Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)
- When completing the application, you will need to have your passport and current study permit handy.
- The form is a fillable PDF form which means you can type your answers; do not fill it by hand.
- There are a series of drop-down boxes throughout the form; use those boxes rather than creating your own answers.
- Please ensure that the form you are filling out is the most up-to-date version.
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| UCI | Unique Client Identifier” or “Client ID” is an 8- or 10-digit number found near the top of your study permit. |
| Visa requested | Visitor Visa |
| Family name | If you do not have a family name on your passport enter your given name(s) in this box and leave the given name box blank. |
| Current country of residence “from” and “to” date | From” is the date you entered Canada as a student; “To” is the date of your study permit expires |
| Native language | Your first language |
| Document number | Appears in the upper right-hand corner of your study permit, usually starts with "F" followed by numbers. |
| Purpose of my visit | Returning Student |
| Name, address and relationship of any person(s) or institution(s) I will visit | Humber and full address of Humber. Your relationship is student. |
| Education | Answer “yes”; type in Humber’s information unless you already have a degree or diploma; under “field and level of study” answer both portions of this question. |
| Employment | If you have never been employed, type in that you are a student and include Humber’s information; if you are, or have been employed in the past 10 years, include that information here including any employment in your home country. |
| Background Information | You must respond to ALL these questions truthfully. If you answer "yes" to any questions, you need to provide an explanation. |
| Validate | Validate and save the form. Another page with barcodes will appear, which is part of your application and needs to be submitted. If a series of red boxes appears, it means you have either neglected to complete a field or the formatting of the answer is incorrect. Make the correction(s), validate again, and save the document. |
More Info
Disclaimer
There are several temporary measures in place that may impact application policies and processes. The information on our website is based on normal situations and for applications made from inside Canada. For the most recent updates, please visit the IRCC website.
The information on this website was prepared by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in compliance with the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration laws and procedures change frequently, so the requirements and procedure for Temporary Resident Visa may have changed. This page was updated on July 25, 2024. It is intended for students of Humber ; the information contained herein may not be applicable to students at other academic institutions.