Courtesy Visas to Canada
Under Canadian law, no person other than those listed in diplomatic visas or official visas above is entitled to diplomatic, consular, or official privileges and immunities. Therefore, all other persons travelling to Canada for the purpose of an official visit, for an international organization or on behalf of a foreign government, other than those situations listed above, may be issued courtesy visas.
Courtesy visas may be issued in any type of passport to persons who require visas or who are normally visa-exempt. The visa will alert BSOs to the fact that the visa office abroad considers the individual deserving of expeditious and courteous treatment.
Persons on courtesy visas are subject to normal documentation by the port of entry; officers should therefore ensure that a person who is normally subject to referral for a secondary examination understands that a courtesy visa does not exempt them from such procedures.
Documents to be submitted
An officer may issue a diplomatic or official visa only on receipt of one of the following:
- a written request, as above, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the state to which the head of mission or post is accredited, or for which the diplomatic mission or consular post has jurisdiction in visa matters;
- a written request, as above, from a diplomatic mission or a consular post of the state of the applicant’s citizenship;
- a written request, as above, by an international organization listed in Temporary Foreign Worker Guidelines in respect of its officials traveling to Canada to carry out official duties; or,
- in the case of persons entering Canada to take employment as officers of the Secretariat of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a letter to the individual concerned constituting an “offer of employment,” indicating their official level at the I.C.A.O. and signed by or on behalf of the Secretary-General.
Processing fees
There is no processing fee for diplomatic visas.
Canada Visa Types
- Temporary Resident Permits Visa to Canada
- Family sponsorship Visa Immigration to Canada
- Study Visa to Canada
- Work Visa to Canada
- Start-up Visa to Canada
- Skilled Worker Express Entry Immigration to Canada
- Self Employed Visa Immigration to Canada
- Investor Immigrant Visa to Canada
- Official Visas to Canada
- Diplomatic Visas to Canada
- U.S. government officials Visa to Canada
- Temporary Residents Visa to Canada
- Facilitation Visas to Canada
- Super Visa to Canada
- Diplomatic and Official Visas to Canada
- Resources: Immigration and citizenship to Canada Offical Website
