Most travellers waste a week researching whether they need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) sticker, an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or nothing at all — and a percentage end up paying for the wrong one. This Standard kit sorts the requirement by passport country and entry mode, walks both the standard visitor-visa application and the parent/grandparent Super Visa, and flags the small mistakes (wrong photo specs, missing dual intent, expired host invitation, insufficient income proof for the Super Visa LICO test) that turn a 14-day visa decision into a refusal.
The TRV-vs-eTA-vs-visa-exempt sort, the Super Visa eligibility math (LICO income, 00,000 insurance, 1-year-per-entry validity), the supporting-documents pack that approves at a 9 tier, and the refusal-pattern card for the eight most common reasons visitor visas get denied. One kit covers the standard visitor visa AND the parent/grandparent Super Visa pathway.
What you'll be able to do after reading it
Know which authorization you need.
Country-by-country lookup table for TRV vs eTA vs visa-exempt-no-eTA, with the carrier-letter rules that catch transit travellers off guard.
Build a supporting-docs pack that approves.
Purpose-of-visit letter template, financial-proof checklist, ties-to-home-country evidence, host invitation format — what visa officers actually look for at this fee tier.
Pass the Super Visa LICO income test.
The MNI+30% formula plain-explained, with the family-size table and the $100,000 minimum-emergency-coverage insurance check.
Recover from a refusal.
The eight most common visitor-visa refusal patterns, what each looks like in the GCMS notes, and the rebuild template that turns a refusal into an approval on reapplication.
Visitor visa refusals rarely happen because the applicant was unsuited to visit Canada. They happen because the file did not show the visa officer enough about the applicant's ties to home, purpose of visit, or means to leave on time. — Editor's note, ehCanadaVisa
Why this saves you time
A licensed immigration consultant bills $150–$400 per hour for the kind of scope-setting, document-planning, and template work this kit captures on paper. This isn't a replacement for a lawyer on a genuinely complex case — it's a replacement for the three or four orientation consultations most people use just to get pointed in the right direction.
What you get
Free IRCC pages
This Action Kit
Decision tree across pathways
— scattered across many pages
✓ One workflow
Worked sample submission
— not provided
✓ Field-by-field
Prioritized document checklist
— partial lists per form
✓ Cross-pathway
Response templates (renewal, RFI)
— none
✓ Included
Updated when IRCC changes
— you have to track it
✓ Lifetime
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Canadian visitor visa cost?
CAD 100 per applicant for the visitor-visa application; family of 5+ caps at CAD 500. Biometrics is CAD 85 individual / CAD 170 family. eTA (visa-exempt travellers flying in) is CAD 7. Super Visa uses the same $100 visitor-visa fee.
How long does a TRV take to process?
IRCC publishes 8–16 weeks for outside-Canada TRV applications, varying by visa office and seasonal volume. Plan around the upper end of the band.
What is the income requirement for Super Visa?
The sponsor (and any co-signer) must demonstrate Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) + 30% for the most recent tax year, derived from Statistics Canada's LICO and adjusted for family size. The kit has the family-size table and shows what counts vs what doesn't.
Does my Super Visa insurance have to be from a Canadian company?
No — IRCC changed this rule in January 2025. Insurance from a foreign company also qualifies if the company is OSFI-authorized and on the federally-regulated financial-institutions list. The kit has the OSFI lookup steps.
My TRV was refused. Can I reapply?
Yes — there's no formal cooling-off period. But reapplying without addressing the refusal reason almost always produces another refusal. The kit's refusal-pattern card maps each common refusal reason to the specific documentation gap that caused it, with a rebuild template.
Can I extend my visitor status once I'm in Canada?
Yes — apply for a Visitor Record (not a new visa) at least 30 days before your authorized stay ends. The kit covers the inland extension flow as a side track.
What happens if IRCC changes the rules after I buy?
You have lifetime re-download access. When IRCC makes a material change, we update the kit (usually within a week) and you get the new version at no cost.
Is this legal advice?
No. ehCanadaVisa is an independent information resource. This guide provides information and templates, not legal advice, and we are not a law firm or licensed immigration practice. Always verify current requirements at
canada.ca and consult a licensed professional for your specific situation.
