Canada is one of the biggest countries in the world and to explore the enchanting beauty of Canada, you would need a long time. Luckily, for Indians, Canada issues a long-term tourist visa. In fact, Canada has introduced an expedited and hassle-free visa process known as CAN+ for Indians, Mexicans and Chinese citizens residing in their respective countries.
What Is CAN+ programme?
In 2014, Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister (CIC) Chris Alexander, announced India’s inclusion to CAN+ with Mexico and China on the list of countries for which the CAN+ expedited visa processing is available.
CAN+ is a speedy and hassle-free Visa issuance programme where an Indian citizen who is residing in India and has visited Canada or the United States at least once in the past ten years is qualified for an expedited visa processing under CAN+. CAN+ requires fewer documents (no bank statements, flight tickets, hotel booking, etc.) in addition to the reduced wait times.
Documents Needed:
If you qualify to apply under CAN+ programme then you just need to submit the below documents online or at the VFS office.
- Passport copy.
- Two passport size photos.
- Proof of travel to US / Canada (Copy of Visa and Entry stamp).
- Visa fees of 100 CAD.
- Application Form.
- Family Information form.
Process:
You will have to fill the application form, validate it and submit it online and get a print out of the acknowledgement with the barcode. Once done, visit the nearest VFS Centre and submit the form with the barcode on it with the above-mentioned documents. The VFS agent would issue an acknowledgement slip upon acceptance. The acknowledgement slip comes with a tracking ID to track the process through their website.The process normally takes 5 working days but at times it can take up to 2-3 weeks depending on the number of applications to process by the embassy.
If you don’t qualify to apply under CAN+
If you don’t have a US Visa you can still apply online but would require to submit few more documents (flight ticket, hotel booking confirmation, bank statement and travel insurance). The process normally takes 15 business days.
I really didn’t know about this! This is super helpful for applying for a Visa. Thanks for this post!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Nikita.