Visas

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.

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.

Apply for Study Permit

Application Process

Overview

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.

Procedures

Eligibility Questionnaire

Documents

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.

IMM 5257

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.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)

New entry requirement now in effect: visa-exempt foreign nationals who fly to or transit through Canada need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travelers with a valid Canadian visa. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA.

Entry requirements for other methods of travel (land, sea) have not changed.

Customs Information

Customs information is available from any Canadian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. Upon arriving in Canada, you are permitted to bring a reasonable quantity of books, clothing, and other items for personal use. If you are bringing more than $10,000 CAD into the country, you must report the money to Canada Border Services Agency.

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.