Entry Visa & eTA

Whether you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) depends on your country of citizenship. The Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website can help you identify whether a visa is required for entry into Canada.

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

If you are visa-exempt (and not an American citizen), you will be required to have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when flying into Canada. Like with the visa, an eTA is granted automatically once a study or work permit application is approved. Unlike with the visa, this happens whether the eTA application is submitted within or outside Canada.

The eTA is valid for up to 5 years or until the expiry date of your passport (whichever comes first). If you need to apply for an eTA on its own, the application is submitted online, and is usually processed in minutes.

Mexican citizens

The option to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) is only available to Mexican citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or who have held a Canadian visa during the past 10 years and are travelling to Canada by air using their Mexican passport. Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa (TRV – see below).

All eTAs issued to Mexican passports before 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on February 29, 2024, are no longer valid — except for eTAs linked to Mexican passports with a valid Canadian study or work permit. Mexican citizens travelling to Canada without a valid work permit or study permit will need to apply for a TRV or reapply for a new eTA (if they are eligible).

Mexican citizens holding a valid study permit or work permit can still travel by air to Canada with their existing eTA as long as it remains valid, and they can continue to study or work in Canada based on the validity and conditions of their permit.

Details from IRCC.

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

PALs are not required for TRV or eTA applications.

To prove that you are exempt from the PAL requirement, include a very basic letter which explains that you are applying for a visa and not a study permit.

IRCC’s pre-application questionnaire will ask whether you have a PAL and/or the personal checklist may ask you for proof that you qualify for an exception to the PAL requirement. The ‘How to Apply’ section in the student tab below has been updated to provide instructions about how to respond.

Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for Students
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for PGWP-holders

The Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is a sticker placed in your passport by Canadian immigration officials. The TRV allows you to travel to Canada. It is also sometimes called a visitor visa or entry visa. The TRV is granted automatically when IRCC approves a study permit or work permit application that was submitted outside of Canada.

Expiry of the TRV

Your visa only needs to be valid when you enter Canada. After that, it is your study permit that authorizes you to remain in Canada.

If you plan to travel outside of Canada and your original TRV is going to expire before you plan to return, you will need to get a new TRV so that you can travel back to Canada.

Watch our Overview of Visa Renewal (requires log-in with UTORid)

If you will be studying at U of T for six months or less (and therefore exempt from the requirement to hold a study permit) you might need a TRV to authorize your travel to Canada (depends on your nationality). If you do need a TRV for that reason, you should apply as soon as you have your U of T letter of acceptance and any other required documents.

If you are a current student with an existing study permit, you can apply at any time since the TRV is not what gives you status in Canada.

Check the estimated Temporary Resident Visa processing times to help you plan the best time to submit your application. Please note that estimated processing times do not include the delivery of your passport to and from the visa office.

Visa Renewal Required Documents (requires log-in with UTORid)

Important:  Your answers on the online eligibility questionnaire determine which documents you must submit. These are standard requirements, but be prepared to provide other documents if requested by IRCC.

Application form for a Visitor Visa (IMM5257)
- Look for the title at the top of the application, or the code at the bottom-left corner of each page.
- This form is not required for applications through the IRCC Portal. It is only required when applying through the IRCC Secure Account.
Recent Education Transcript
- IRCC says that it can be an official transcript or one that is printed from the University’s website, but we recommend you order an e-transcript.
- Transcripts for immigration purposes can be issued to your own address, and then shared with IRCC.
Canadian work or study permit (if you have one)
Confirmation of enrollment stating that you will be enrolled in the next semester (for current students)
- Letter available on ACORN or from your Registrar’s Office.
  - Should include your:
    - Name,
    - student number,
    - enrollment status, and;
    - expected graduation date.
- Students returning from a leave of absence should have confirmation of eligibility to re-enrol.
Letter of acceptance (for new students)
- Should include your:
  - Name,
  - student number, and;
  - expected start and end dates of program.
Proof of financial support
- IRCC expects you to prove access to funds to cover a minimum of one year’s tuition plus $20,635 CAD (as of January 1, 2024) for living expenses. Additional funds are required if you are bringing a spouse/partner and/or children. Learn more on our Bring Your Dependants page.
- Details about more realistic living costs can be found on the U of T Financial Planning Calculator.
- Immigration officers expect you to show proof of enough funds to pay for at least one year tuition plus living expenses. How you prove access to funds depends on where they come from:
  - If funds are in your account, bank statement(s) with your name. Four to six months of bank statements are recommended.
  - If funds are coming from the University or other institutional source, a letter detailing funding.
  - If funds are coming from family or other individuals, a letter confirming their willingness to support you and documentation showing they have enough money to do so. This should include bank statements and income statements (or a letter of employment stating position and salary).
  - If you have already paid tuition, you can provide proof of payment from by accessing your invoice on ACORN.
Copies from your passport or travel document
- Including the biographical data page and all pages with visas, stamps or markings (your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expected date of your arrival to Canada).
- If you’ve got a brand new passport, you can provide copies from both your new and old passports, but put the new passport first, and mark it as ‘New Passport’ if possible.
Passport-style photograph
- Taken within the last six months following IRCC recommendations, noting that the frame size specifications do not apply for digital photos.
$100 CAD processing fee

You may need other documents, including (but not limited to):

Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)
- Required by most temporary resident applicants (excluding US citizens) unless they have already submitted them to IRCC in the past 10 years.
- If required, an $85 CAD collection fee must be paid.
- IRCC provides additional details about requirements and exemptions.
- If you have previously submitted biometrics, it is a good idea to confirm that they will not expire during your planned time period in Canada.
Immigration medical exam results
- Only required if you’ve been in a designated country for at least 6 out of the past 12 months or you intend to work in a field where protection of public health is required.
- IRCC provides detailed information.

IRCC webpage for sign-in to Secure Account for online applications.

NOTE: If you already hold a study permit, you should NOT use an IRCC Portal account for your TRV application. Students who already have a study permit must use an IRCC Secure account for all TRV applications.

Tips

Start by reviewing IRCC’s instruction guide for this application.
Review the step-by-step recordings below.
Current students also have access to live Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions hosted by CIE’s International Student Immigration Advisors.
TRV applications do not require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
- The sections below explain how to answer IRCC’s pre-application eligibility questionnaire to explain that, but proof of the exception will be requested.
- To prove that you are exempt from the PAL requirement, include a very basic letter that explains you are applying for a visa and not a study permit.

Applying from WITHIN Canada

IRCC provides additional instructions for in-Canada applicants.

If you already have a study permit and are applying for a TRV from INSIDE Canada, you must adjust your answers on the IRCC pre-application questionnaire:

Select “Study” when asked “What you would like to do in Canada?”.
If you select “Study” and then see questions about the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), answer them in this way:
- Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter?
  - Yes, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter
Answer the rest of the questions until it asks if you want to apply for a “Study Permit (in Canada)” or a “Temporary Resident Visa”.
- Choose “Temporary Resident Visa”
When you continue, the first question should be “Which of the following best describes your situation?”
- Answer either “I have a study permit” or “I have a study permit for a specific institution or level of education” (depending on your permit)
Answer the remaining questions.
- Make sure that your personal application checklist includes “Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Made Outside of Canada (IMM5257)”.
- This is the correct application form (pdf), even though you are applying from within Canada.

Applying from OUTSIDE Canada

If you already have a study permit or work permit and are applying for a TRV from OUTSIDE Canada:

Select “Study” when asked “What you would like to do in Canada?”.
If you select “Study” and then see questions about the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), answer them in this way:
- Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter?
  - Yes, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter
Continue until it asks “Do you have a valid work or study permit, and need a visa to return to Canada?”
- Choose “Yes, I have a study permit” if you have a study permit
Answer the rest of the questions until it asks if you want to apply for a “Study Permit” or a “Temporary Resident Visa”.
- Choose “Temporary Resident Visa”
When you continue, the first question should be “Which of the following best describes your situation?”
- Answer either “I have a study permit” or “I have a study permit for a specific institution or level of education” (depending on your permit)
Answer the remaining questions.
- Make sure that your personal application checklist includes “Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Made Outside of Canada (IMM5257)”.

How to create an IRCC Secure account to apply online (requires log-in with UTORid)

Answering the Online Eligibility Questionnaire for a Visa Application after renewing a study permit (requires log-in with UTORid. NOTE: this video only covers INSIDE CANADA visa applications.)

Completing the Visa Application Form IMM [5257] (requires log-in with UTORid)

If you are not an American citizen and have not provided biometrics as part of a Canadian immigration application in the past 10 years, you will be required to do so.

Immigration officers may ask you for additional documentation to make a decision about your application. If they ask you to attach the documents to your online application, you will login to your account where you must upload the documents and re-submit the application. IRCC provides specific details about how to do so. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application.

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form.

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

IRCC will notify you through your IRCC account that the application was approved. You will then be asked to send your passport to the appropriate visa office.

If you applied from within Canada, IRCC recommends that you send your passport to the Case Processing Centre in Ottawa using Canada Post’s Xpresspost service and that you include a second pre-addressed Xpresspost envelope for them to return the passport to you.

If you applied from outside Canada, the Visa Application Centre (VAC) may also offer secure passport delivery services. Please note that estimated processing times do not include the delivery of your passport to and from the visa office.

Approval of a visa renewal application and next steps (requires log-in with UTORid)

The Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is a sticker placed on your passport by Canadian immigration officials. It allows you to travel to Canada. It is also sometimes called a visitor visa or entry visa. The TRV is granted automatically when IRCC approves a study permit or work permit application that was submitted outside of Canada.

Expiry of the TRV

Your visa only needs to be valid when you enter Canada. After that, it is the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) – if you have already graduated and received one – that allows you to remain in Canada.

If you plan to travel outside of Canada and your original TRV is going to expire before you plan to return, you will need to get a new TRV so that you can travel back to Canada.

Watch our Overview of Visa Renewal (requires log-in with UTORid)

If you have recently graduated and applied for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), you can apply for the TRV once your PGWP is approved.

If the TRV you were issued during your studies has not expired, you can continue to use it until its expiry date (even if it says “student” or “visitor” on it).

Check the estimated Temporary Resident Visa processing times for guidance about planning the best time to apply. Please note that estimated processing times do not include the delivery of your passport to and from the visa office.

Required Documents (requires log-in with UTORid)

Important:  Your answers on the online eligibility questionnaire determine which documents you must submit. The standard requirements are described below, but please be prepared to provide other documents if requested by IRCC.

Application form for a Visitor Visa (IMM5257)
- Look for the title at the top of the application, or the code at the bottom-left corner of each page.
- This form is not required for applications through the IRCC Portal. It is only required when applying through the IRCC Secure Account.
Copy of your post-graduation work permit (or in-Canada approval letter if the permit has not yet arrived in the mail)
Proof of financial support
- IRCC expects you to prove access to approximately $20,635 CAD (as of January 1, 2024) for living expenses. Additional funds are required if you are bringing a spouse/partner and/or children. Learn more on our Bring Your Dependants page.
- Proof of employment, if applicable, could fulfill this requirement.
Copies from your passport or travel document
Passport-style photograph
- Taken within the last six months following IRCC recommendations, noting that the frame size specifications do not apply for digital photos.
$100 CAD processing fee

You may need other documents, including (but not limited to):

Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)
- Required by most temporary resident applicants (excluding US citizens) unless they have already submitted them to IRCC in the past 10 years.
- If required, an $85 CAD collection fee must be paid.
- IRCC provides additional details about requirements and exemptions.
- If you have previously submitted biometrics, it is a good idea to confirm that they will not expire during your planned time period in Canada.
Immigration medical exam results
- Only required if you’ve been in a designated country for at least 6 out of the past 12 months or you intend to work in a field where protection of public health is required.
- IRCC provides detailed information.

IRCC webpage for sign-in to Secure Account for online applications.

Tips

Start by reviewing IRCC’s instruction guide for this application.
Review the step-by-step recordings below.
Current students also have access to live Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions hosted by CIE’s International Student Immigration Advisors.
TRV applications do not require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
- The sections below explain how to answer IRCC’s pre-application eligibility questionnaire to explain that, but proof of the exception will be requested.
- To prove that you are exempt from the PAL requirement, include a very basic letter that explains you are applying for a visa and not a study permit.

Applying from WITHIN Canada

If you already have a work permit and are applying for a TRV from INSIDE Canada, you must adjust your answers on the IRCC pre-application questionnaire:

Select “Work” when asked “What you would like to do in Canada?”.
- You should not be asked about the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
Answer the rest of the questions until it asks if you want to apply for a “Work Permit (in Canada)” or a “Temporary Resident Visa”.
- Choose “Temporary Resident Visa”
Answer the remaining questions.
- Make sure that your personal application checklist includes “Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Made Outside of Canada (IMM5257)”.
- This is the correct application form (pdf), even though you are applying from within Canada.

IRCC also provides additional instructions.

Applying from OUTSIDE Canada

If you already have a work permit and are applying for a TRV from OUTSIDE Canada:

Select “Work” when asked “What you would like to do in Canada?”.
- You should not be asked about the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
Continue until it asks “Do you have a valid work or study permit, and need a visa to return to Canada?”
- Choose “Yes, I have a work permit” if you have a work permit
Answer the rest of the questions until it asks if you want to apply for a “Work Permit” or a “Temporary Resident Visa”.
- Choose “Temporary Resident Visa”
Answer the remaining questions.
- Make sure that your personal application checklist includes “Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Made Outside of Canada (IMM5257)”.

Visa Renewal: How to create an IRCC Secure account to apply online (requires log-in with UTORid)

Answering the Online Eligibility Questionnaire for a Visa Application after PGWP approval (requires log-in with UTORid. NOTE: this video only covers INSIDE CANADA visa applications.)

Visa Renewal Part III: Completing a Visa Application Form IMM [5257] (requires log-in with UTORid)

If you are not an American citizen and have not provided biometrics as part of a Canadian immigration application in the past 10 years, you will be required to do so.

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form.

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

IRCC will notify you through your IRCC account that the application was approved. You will then be asked to send your passport to the appropriate visa office.

Approval of a visa renewal application and next steps (requires log-in with UTORid)

Register for a live Question and Answer session (requires log-in with JOINid/UTORid)

Frequently Asked Questions

The status noted on my TRV (eg. Worker [W-1], Student [S-1 or SX-1]) doesn’t match my permit. What can I do?

The notation on your TRV does not need to match your permit. It is valid, regardless. You can continue to use your TRV until it expires.

If your TRV was issued as part of a study or work permit application made outside of Canada and the notation on the visa doesn’t match, it will be important to confirm with IRCC that the correct permit was approved.

My TRV is expiring but my study permit is still valid. Do I need to do anything?

Because the TRV is used only for entry into Canada, it is allowed to expire after you have arrived. It only must be valid when you enter Canada. As the study permit is what grants you status in Canada, it is the document that must be extended before its expiry date.

My visa is expiring and I have planned a trip to the United States. What do I do?

International students who hold an expired TRV may be allowed back into Canada if they travel only to the United States. You may be allowed to re-enter Canada with an expired visa if you meet the following conditions:

you hold a valid study permit; and,
you return directly to Canada from the USA without having travelled to any other country during that trip.

Where possible, we recommend all students that require a TRV to enter Canada, to have one despite these rules.

Find more information about What to Expect When Entering Canada.

My TRV application was refused. What can I do?

Every refusal is accompanied by a letter that gives some information about the reason for the decision. If you need help understanding it, and your next steps, you can book an appointment with an International Student Immigration Advisor.

I still have questions, where do I get more help?

Check out our Resources page for more support.