How to Apply for a Canada Visit Visa from Pakistan: Step by Step

To get a Canada visit visa from Pakistan, you apply online to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for a visitor visa, also called a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). After you submit and pay, you give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) at a Canada Visa Application Centre, and an IRCC officer decides on your documents — in most cases there is no interview. Your file must show a genuine purpose, enough money for the trip and strong reasons to return to Pakistan.

Based on official guidance from IRCC (Canada.ca). Last updated October 2026. Visa rules, fees and waiting times change, so always confirm on the official site before you apply, or ask us on WhatsApp for the latest checklist.

Related guides on our site: Canada Visitor Visa from Pakistan: Requirements and Tips (2026) and Canada Visitor Visa Refused? Common Reasons and How to Reapply from Pakistan.

• How to apply: online, through IRCC on canada.ca. Paper applications are only for special cases.
• Biometrics: most Pakistani applicants give them at a Canada Visa Application Centre (VAC), including the one in Islamabad.
• Family visits: a letter of invitation from your relative in Canada is strongly recommended.
• Parents and grandparents: the super visa allows longer visits, with extra conditions.
• Money: no fixed balance is published. Show steady funds that match your income and your trip.

In this guide, IVS – Islamabad Visa Services walks you through the full process — the forms, the documents and the invitation letter — based on the questions families from Islamabad and Rawalpindi ask us most.

Visitor visa, super visa or business visit?

Visitor visa (TRV)

This is the standard visa for tourism, visiting family or friends, attending a wedding, or short business meetings. The visa lets you travel to Canada; the border officer decides how long you can stay when you arrive, usually up to six months.

Super visa for parents and grandparents

If your child or grandchild is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may qualify for the parent and grandparent super visa. It allows much longer visits than a normal visitor visa. In return, there are extra conditions: a signed invitation letter from the host, a minimum income test, private medical insurance and an immigration medical exam. The income rules can change, so check the current requirement on canada.ca.

Business visitors and students

Business visitors use the same visitor visa, with an invitation from the Canadian company. If you plan to study in a full program, such as a college or university degree, you usually need a study permit instead — see our Canada study permit guide for Pakistani students.

How to apply for a Canada visitor visa: step by step

1. Read the official guide. Start with How to apply for a visitor visa on canada.ca and create your IRCC online account.
2. Answer the eligibility questions. The system then gives you a personal document checklist. Follow that list, not a list from a friend's file.
3. Fill in the forms. Depending on the account you use, you either answer the questions in an online form or complete the visitor visa application form (IMM 5257). If your checklist asks for it, also complete the Family Information form (IMM 5645). List every family member, even those not travelling.
4. Upload your documents. Use clear colour scans. Any document in Urdu needs a certified English translation along with a copy of the original.
5. Pay the fees online. You usually pay the visa fee and the biometrics fee at the same time. Check the current amounts on canada.ca before you pay.
6. Give biometrics. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 must give biometrics. You will receive a Biometric Instruction Letter, then book an appointment at a Canada visa application centre (VAC) in Pakistan. Our Canada biometrics appointment guide for Pakistan explains where the centres are, what to bring and how booking works. For visitor visas, biometrics are valid for 10 years, so if you gave them for an earlier Canadian application you may not need to give them again.
7. Wait for the decision. Track your application online. IRCC may ask for more documents, a medical exam or, rarely, an interview. Don't buy non-refundable tickets before you have a decision.
8. Submit your passport if approved. IRCC sends a passport request. You submit your passport through the VAC so the visa can be placed in it.

Documents checklist for a Canada visit visa from Pakistan

Identity and travel

• Valid passport, plus old passports showing previous visas and travel
• Digital photo that meets IRCC specifications
• CNIC and Family Registration Certificate (FRC) from NADRA
• Marriage certificate, if married

Purpose of visit

• Letter of invitation from your host (for family visits)
• Simple travel plan: dates, cities and where you will stay
• Hotel booking or the host's address
• For business: invitation from the Canadian company or event registration

Money and ties to Pakistan

• Personal bank statements for recent months and a bank maintenance letter
• Employment letter with your position, salary and approved leave, plus salary slips
• Business owners: business registration, NTN certificate and FBR tax returns
• Property documents, if you have them
• Proof of family who stay in Pakistan (for example, children's school letters)
• If your host is paying: the host's bank statements and proof of income

A short, honest letter of explanation (cover letter) is optional but useful. Use it to explain your purpose, who is paying, and why you will return — and anything unusual in your file, such as a large deposit or a past refusal.

The letter of invitation for family visits

A letter of invitation is written by your relative or friend in Canada and sent to you to upload with your application. IRCC says it should include:

• About you: full name, date of birth, address and phone number, your relationship to the host, purpose of the trip, how long you will stay, where you will stay, how you will pay, and when you will leave Canada.
• About the host: full name, date of birth, address and phone number in Canada, job title, whether they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and a copy of their status document.
• The host's family: names and dates of birth of their spouse and dependants, and the total number of people living in their household.

The host must write the letter themselves. Some visa offices may ask for it to be notarized, so follow your checklist.

Remember: an invitation letter supports your application, but it does not decide it. The officer still looks at your own situation in Pakistan.

Tips for parents visiting children in Canada

• Show what brings you back: a spouse, other children, a home, a pension or business in Pakistan.
• Make sure your dates, the invitation letter and your forms all say the same thing.
• If your child is paying, show their income clearly — not only a bank balance.

Common reasons Canada visitor visas are refused

• The officer is not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.
• Funds are unclear, too low for the plan, or have sudden deposits with no explanation.
• The purpose of the visit doesn't match your situation.
• Missing, unclear or inconsistent documents.
• A past refusal (from any country) that was not declared.

If you are refused, read the letter carefully, fix the weak points, and reapply only when you have something new or stronger to show.

How IVS helps

IVS has supported visa applicants in Islamabad since 2022 and has served 2,000+ clients. For a Canada visitor visa from Islamabad, we can help with:

• Reviewing your documents and your host's documents
• Explaining the official IRCC checklist and what a clear letter of explanation should cover
• Checking the invitation letter against IRCC's guidance
• Guidance on booking your biometrics appointment
• Preparing you in case IRCC asks for an interview or more information

Licensed RCICs on our panel

For Canada applications, IVS works with licensed Canadian immigration consultants (RCICs) on our panel, who work with us as part-time contractors. When your application needs an authorised representative, a licensed RCIC from our panel handles the representation with IRCC, and our Islamabad team helps you gather and organise your documents. IVS itself is not an RCIC. You can ask us for your consultant's name and licence number and check it on the CICC public register.

IVS is an independent consultancy. We are not linked to IRCC, VFS Global or any government, and only IRCC decides your visa. Visit our office in F-10 Markaz, Islamabad, or book a file review with IVS.

More visa guides from IVS

• UK Visit Visa Invitation Letter for Parents: What to Include (With Sample)
• Canada Visitor Visa Refused? Common Reasons and How to Reapply from Pakistan
• Which Schengen Country Should You Apply To from Pakistan?
• Turkey Visa for Pakistanis: e-Visa or Sticker Visa?
• UK Visit Visa Documents Checklist for Pakistanis (2026)
• US Visit Visa Interview Tips for Pakistanis (B1/B2, 2026)
• Canada Visitor Visa from Pakistan: Requirements and Tips (2026)
• Spain Visa Requirements for Pakistanis: 2026 Checklist
• Australia Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) from Pakistan: 2026 Guide
• New Zealand Visitor Visa for Pakistanis: 2026 Guide
• Thailand e-Visa for Pakistanis: How to Apply in 2026
• Malaysia Visit Visa for Pakistani Citizens: 2026 Guide
• Indonesia Tourist Visa for Pakistani Citizens (2026 Guide)
• Canada Biometrics Appointment in Pakistan: BIL, Booking and What to Bring
• Canada Study Permit from Pakistan: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
• How to Apply for an Australia Visit Visa from Pakistan: Step by Step
• Schengen Visit Visa from Pakistan: How to Apply, Step by Step
• How to Apply for a UK Visit Visa from Pakistan: Step by Step

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an interview for a Canada visit visa from Pakistan?

Usually not. IRCC normally decides on your online application and documents after you give biometrics, though an officer may sometimes ask for more information or an interview.

Is an invitation letter mandatory for a Canada visitor visa?

It is not always required, but it is strongly recommended when you are visiting family or friends in Canada. It supports your purpose of visit, but the IRCC officer still decides based on your whole application.

How much bank balance do I need for a Canada visit visa from Pakistan?

IRCC does not publish a fixed amount for visitors. You need to show enough money for your trip, with a steady account history that matches your income. If your host is paying, include their proof of income too.

What is the difference between a Canada visitor visa and a super visa?

A visitor visa (TRV) is for tourism, family visits and short business trips, and the border officer usually allows a stay of up to six months. The super visa is only for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents; it allows much longer visits but needs an invitation letter, a host who meets a minimum income test, private medical insurance and an immigration medical exam.

Can my son or daughter in Canada sponsor my visit visa?

A visitor visa is not formally sponsored, but your child in Canada can write a letter of invitation and show how they will support you. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can also look at the super visa for longer visits.

Does IVS work with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC)?

Yes. IVS has licensed RCICs on its panel who work with us as part-time contractors. When a Canada application needs an authorised representative, one of these licensed consultants handles it, and you can ask for their licence number to check on the CICC public register.

Can an agent guarantee my Canada visa?

No. Only IRCC decides, and no agent can guarantee a visa or a decision date. IVS helps you prepare a complete, consistent and honest application.