If you are interested in migrating to or visiting Canada, one of the things you should know is how to apply for their visa. In this article, we will be showing you how to apply for a Canadian visa from Nigeria.
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. It is one of the most favorable countries to migrate to, especially from Nigeria.
The number of people migrating from Nigeria to Canada keeps increasing every year. It doesn’t look like it will be slowing down any time soon.
Moreover, Canada continues to welcome an annual average of more than 250,000 immigrants from across the world.
Applying for a Canadian visa is not so hard provided you follow the instructions that will be given in this guideline. We will also be telling you the price of a Canadian visa and many other facts.
Basically, to apply for a Canadian visa you need to:
- Do your research for the visa type you are eligible for.
- Apply for the visa and pay
- Visit a visa application center and collect your passport.
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Canadian embassy in Nigeria visa fee
A Canadian visa processing fee varies. The variation is determined by the method of payment you are employing. You can either apply online or pay in person.
Also, the embassy can change the processing fee whenever the need arises.
Basically, there are two fees you must pay; the biometric fee and the application processing fee.
Here is the estimated fee if you are paying at the designated centers
• Biometrics (per person) – ₦25,000 ($66)
• Processing fee – ₦29,000 (approximately $77).
If you are paying Online, in addition to the above fees, you will pay a service charge of approximately ₦18,000 (about $47).
(Note that: These approximations above is based on the official exchange rate as of the time this article was written).
Types of Visa
There are different types of Temporary Visas, they are:
- Work Permits
- Federal Skilled Worker Visa
- Business Class Immigration
- Provincial Nomination Programs
- Super Visas for Parents and Grandparents
- Visitor Visa
- Canadian Experience Class Visa
- Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
- Family-Sponsorship Program.
You can always get a permanent visa starting with the temporary visa.
How to apply for a Canadian Visa; Step by step guide
We will be giving out a detailed step by step guidelines on how to apply for a Canadian visa.
1. Carry out detailed research on the visa type you are eligible for
Just as we have listed above, there are different types of visas available. So it is important that you carry out thorough research on the type of visa for which you are eligible.
You will also have to make research on the documents you need to submit together with your application.
Moreover, you should know how long the application might take and the fees you’ll have to pay.
There are laid down guidelines that must be adhered to when making your application. For detailed guidelines, visit Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s website.
Canadian Visa Application Document Requirements
There are some documents that will be required of you when you are applying for a temporary visa. They include:
- Application for Temporary Resident Visa: Fill the form with a pdf reader, I recommend Adobe reader. For the form to be acceptable, a barcode should be generated.
- Family Information form.
- Passport Data page
- 2 passport photograph white background.
- Proof of Financial Support;
- 4 Months statement of account.
- Landed property documents and car proof of ownership documents, etc.
- Payslip
- A photocopy of your Marriage License/Certificate.
- Hotel Reservation: If no one is inviting you, then you have to provide proof that you have made arrangements for your accommodation e.g. a hotel booking. Your hotel booking should be valid and should be verifiable if the embassy calls the hotel.
2. Start your visa application
Download the visa application form, fill it in, print the completed form, and bring it with you to the Visa Application Centre (VAC) for submission.
Note that you cannot submit your application by mail to the Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Nigeria because you will have to give your biometrics before you submit your application.
3. Choose a Visa Application Centre and make an appointment
After applying for your visa, book an appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken at a VAC. This is known as ‘biometric information’.
Just visit a VAC with your passport, photographs, completed forms, the Government of Canada Fee, and all the other needed documents. Visit IRCC document checklist to see the full list of required documents.
4. Pay the necessary fee
Having completed your application, the next thing is to pay your visa application fee.
Moreover, you’ll have to pay the Government of Canada Fee and biometric fee (if needed). Follow the instructions on the IRCC website Pay your fees page.
5. Visit a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
Submit your application and biometrics (if applicable) at the Canada Visa Application Centre. Then pay the required VAC service charges and get a receipt.
This receipt contains your distinct tracking number. The tracking number will assist you to track the progress of your application online.
6. Follow the progress of your application
You will get an update from the Visa Application Centre. It could be through an email or SMS (if available) sent directly to your phone.
7. Get your passport from VAC
After the VAC has made their decision, you can collect your documents from there. You can either go in person, send a delegate or have it delivered to you through courier (if available).
To collect the decision envelope by yourself at the VAC, you must provide the following:
- A government identification form
- One copy of the stamped biographic page of your passport
- The original Visa Application Centre Services Receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre
Your delegate must tender the following:
- The delegate’s government identification form.
- The signed VAC services consent form with the delegate’s name and relationship to the applicant
- One copy of the stamped biographic page of the applicant’s passport
- Will also need the original Visa Application Centre Services Receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre.
Currently, due to COVID-19 outbreak, the VAC may be carrying out additional measures to ensure health and safety of applicants.
So in the light of this, collection of decision envelopes in-person at the VAC is suspended until further notice. Therefore, you have to apply for the services of a courier.
Endeavour to check the details of your visa to ensure that the date of proposed entry to Canada, the number of entries required, and for the purpose of the trip are all intact and correct.
Furthermore, some of the details are determined by the Visa Office and so they may vary from what you asked for in your application.
Canada Visa processing time in Nigeria
The exact number of days or hours it will take for your visa to be processed is not predictable due to a number of factors.
Also, the processing time is based on your visa type
Study Permit: 2-3 months
Business Visa: 2-3 months
Work Permit: 12 weeks
Conclusion
We hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions this article was not able to address, just drop it in the comment section below.
In our other article, we told you where the Canadian embassy in Nigeria is located.