Your passport

The passport of the applicant must be valid, and it must be accompanied by several passport-sized photographs. The number of photographs varies depending on the Visa Office and the country of citizenship.

The applicant must also provide proof that he has the appropriate airfare, or other transportation arrangements in order to leave Canada after the visit is over. Visa Officers generally reject "one-way tickets" , because they raised the suspicion that the applicant will not leave Canada when required. The person applying for the visa must also show that he has sufficient funds to support himself or herself during his or her visit. In general, proof may be by way of bank statements, letters of employment confirming earnings, travellers cheques, etc. In countries with currency restrictions, the officer may require proof that there are sufficient funds located outside that country that the visitor can have access to support himself during the visit. In essence, the funds shown to the Visa Officer must be sufficient for the person concerned and his dependants to support themselves at a reasonable standard while visiting. In some cases, the Visa Officer may also require a letter from the employer stating that he or she is aware of the applicant's intention to travel to Canada and that the position will continue to be available to the applicant after his return.

Applicants who are entering Canada to visit relatives or friends must provide a "letter" from them, indicating their immigration status, occupation, employer, salary and address in Canada. Sometimes, a letter of support from the local Member of Parliament or community association may be helpful.

In some cases, the Visa Officer may require that the person applying for the Visitor's Visa provide a "certificate of good conduct" from the local police indicating that he has no prior criminal record.

After all the documentation is submitted, the Visa Officer may decide to interview the applicant for the purposes of assessing the application.