Canada Visit Visa for Pakistanis (2026): Fee, Documents, Biometrics & Processing Time

Yes. Pakistani passport holders can apply for a Canadian visitor visa (officially a temporary resident visa, or TRV) in 2026. You apply online to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and give biometrics at a VFS Global visa application centre (IRCC).

• No eTA or visa-free entry. Pakistan is not eligible for Canada's electronic travel authorization (eTA). A visa counterfoil in your passport is required. The "Canada e-visa" people search for is simply the online application.
• No interview in most cases. Unlike the US, Canada usually decides from the file. That makes a clear, well-documented file more important.
• Who it is for: tourism, visiting family or friends, attending a wedding or convocation, and short business visits (meetings, conferences, trade fairs) where you will not enter the Canadian labour market (IRCC).

Is Canada right for you now? Canadian officers refuse applications that do not clearly show ties to Pakistan, and the fee is not refunded. If you have no travel history, unstable income, or are young and single with few ties, consider building travel history first. Our eligibility checker gives an honest first view.

Working on a visit visa is illegal in Canada and in Pakistan can lead to prosecution under the Emigration Ordinance. We only assist genuine visitors.

IRCC publishes no minimum bank balance for visitor visas. It says you must "have enough money for your stay", and that the amount depends on how long you stay and whether you stay in a hotel or with family (IRCC eligibility). IRCC recommends bank statements covering at least 6 months, with the bank's contact details and proof the account is yours (IRCC).

What officers look for in practice: funds that clearly cover flights, stay and spending, a history that matches your income, and no unexplained large deposits shortly before applying. If a host in Canada is paying, include their invitation letter, proof of status and their financial documents. More on this in our requirements guide.

A Canada visitor visa may be valid for up to 10 years or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first, and the visa officer decides whether to issue a single or multiple entry visa and its validity (IRCC). A visa valid for years does not mean you can stay for years. IRCC says most visitors can stay up to 6 months; the border services officer decides on arrival and may write a departure date in your passport.

Super visa, briefly: parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents can apply for a super visa, which allows stays of up to 5 years at a time and multiple entries for up to 10 years (IRCC). It has extra requirements (the child's minimum income and private medical insurance), so check IRCC's super visa pages if this is your case. Visiting a child for a few weeks or months? The regular visitor visa is normally the simpler choice.

You apply online in the same way and give biometrics at a VFS centre where you live: Abu Dhabi or Dubai in the UAE, or Riyadh, Jeddah or Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia (IRCC VAC list). IRCC's processing data on 7 October 2026 showed 56 days for the UAE and 52 days for Saudi Arabia. Show your residence visa or iqama with enough remaining validity, your Gulf employer letter and salary, Gulf bank statements, and your links to Pakistan.