Requirements for Filipinos Visiting Canada

Filipinos Visiting Canada

People from certain countries need a visa to come to Canada. Filipinos arriving in Canada for the purpose of visiting, working or studying must have a visa to enter the country. So whether you are a live-in caregiver, a temporary worker with a valid work permit, a student with a valid study permit, or simply coming to reconnect with family, you will be requested to show a visa upon arrival.

Individuals from the Filipines with diplomatic status, with service or official passports, are not exempt from the rule as they do require a special diplomatic – they also need a visa to enter Canada. However, they are exempt from paying the processing fees if prior approval has been granted by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

How to Apply for a Visa

The visa application process can be a lengthy affair. It is recommended that you start the procedure twoat least one month prior to your trip.

To apply for a visa as a Filipino visiting Canada, simply go to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website and download the following forms:

The application form itself
The instruction sheet for filling out the application
The personal information form
Specific instructions for Filipinos visiting Canada
Remember to include the processing fee when you mail in your application form.

Note: if you will be traveling with your spouse or common law partner, and/or any dependant children (under 22 years of age), you will need to submit a separate application form for each accompanying family member; however, the applications may be submitted together and processed under one payment receipt for the total fee amount.

Conditions for Approval

Filipinos visiting Canada must agree to certain terms and conditions before their application can be approved. Here are three important rules:

You must agree to respect the conditions that apply to temporary residents.
You must agree to leave voluntarily at the end of the authorized period of your stay.
During your stay, you must agree not to study or work without permission to do so.

Moreover, the assisting visa officer will take the following factors into consideration:

Your travel and identity documents
The reason for your visit to Canada
Any contacts that you may have in Canada
Whether you can afford the trip to Canada
Your status in your own country (i.e. family, employment, immigration status)
Your health condition

As of December 31st, 2018, a biometrics profile (photo and fingerprints) will be part of the application process for all Filipinos traveling to Canada. While a medical examination report is not mandatory with the visa application , a visa officer can require, at his discretion, that you undergo a medical exam. In such case, an agent would contact you to give you instructions on how to proceed.

Contact Information

The Embassy of Canada in Manila is a perhaps the best visa resource center for residents of the Filipines. There is also a Canadian visa application center (CVAC) in Cebu.

In Canada, the Filipine Embassy is located in Ottawa. However, there are consulates located in cities all across Canada, including St. John’s, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver.