How I Got My Canadian Visa

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Visa Application Process

6 min readFeb 9, 2025

Intro

Hi again, Sam here! After sharing how I discovered and applied for the exchange programme at Concordia University in Montreal, it’s time to move on to the next big step - getting a Canadian visa.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the visa application process, the essential documents you’ll need, and some tips to make the process easier.

Let’s get started!

Required Application Documents

To apply for your Canadian visa, you’ll need to complete three key steps: obtaining your Permanent Code, CAQ, and Study Permit. Each has its own processing time, so it’s best to start as soon as you receive your admission letter.

I’ve included official guides for each process, so you can check them for more detailed instructions. Good luck with these steps! 🙃

1. Permanent Code

The Permanent Code is a unique identifying number assigned by the Quebec education ministry to all students attending an educational institution in Québec.

Permanent Code Form: This is a simple online form in your student account, and the link to access it will be provided in the university welcome email

2. Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)

The CAQ is issued by the Quebec government and allows international students to study or work in Quebec. Below are the key resources to help you with the CAQ application process:

Official Website: Offers detailed guidelines for applying for the CAQ
Application Documents: Have your passport, admission letter, tuition fees, application fee, and sponsor contact information ready for the application
CAQ Application Guide Videos on YouTube: I recommend watching these to get an idea of how to complete the application before applying, as you can’t save and return to it
Application Website: Once you’re ready, submit your application, pay the fees (CAD $132 as of January 1, 2025), and you’ll receive a file number and personalized document checklist within 48 hours to submit the required documents
Arrima Platform: This is where you submit all the required documents (I submitted: admission letter, bank account balance letter, tuition exemption letter, passport, checklist, declarations, and sponsor documents (e.g., financial support letter))

Once you submit your required documents, it takes about 3 weeks to process and receive your CAQ. The CAQ is needed before you can apply for the Study Permit.

3. Study Permit/VISA

**Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada**

Depending on your situation, you may or may not need a visa to travel to Canada. In my case, I needed to apply for a Study Permit to study in Canada, and I was issued a visitor visa after my Study Permit application was approved.

Here’s a breakdown of the key documents required for the application:

General Documents: Letter of acceptance, passport copy, 2 recent passport-size photos, UK immigration status documents
Proof of Financial Support: In Quebec, you must show a minimum of CAD $15,508 (as of January 1, 2025) per year to cover living expenses for one person aged 18 and over. You can also include the following documents to prove that you can support yourself:

Bank Account Letter: I included my bank statements for the past 4 months and requested an additional Bank Account Letter from HSBC as proof of sufficient funds
Zero Tuition Fee Explanation Letter: I needed to include a letter explaining why my tuition fees were CAD $0. You can ask ChatGPT for a template, such as, “Write a letter to the visa office stating my tuition exemption under a university exchange program”
Sponsor Financial Support Letter: If another person is financially supporting you during the program, they can write a support letter. You can request a template from ChatGPT, such as, “Write a sponsor financial support letter to the Canadian visa officer for a UK student’s one-year exchange program in Canada.”

3. Medical Exam: If you plan to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you must see a doctor from the list of panel physicians (I did mine at Visa Medicals in London for £360)

4. Other Documents: You also need to fill out the following forms ⟶ Study Permit Application, Family Information Form, and Document Checklist

Here are more useful resources for your application:

Official Website: Provides detailed guidelines for applying
Instruction Guide: Explains how to complete each field on the form
Medical Exam: Shows if you need a medical exam
Biometrics: Provides general information and allows you to check if you need to give biometrics (biometrics fee: CAN $85)
VISA Application Centre: Helps you find nearby centres for biometrics

Once you submit everything, you need to wait for the decision. The average processing time in the UK is 7 weeks (as shown in the image below), and I received mine 3 weeks after giving biometrics.

Application Process Timeline

Let’s now review the approximate times for each step based on my experience, which will give you an idea of how long each process may take:

May 1, 2023: Received my admission letter from Concordia
May 13, 2023: Started the CAQ application and made the payment
May 14–29, 2023: Prepared the required documents for the CAQ
→ Entered CAN $0 for tuition fees in the CAQ application, and the system marked financial documents as not applicable
→ Took time to gather the required financial proof
• Solution 1: Included a letter explaining why my tuition fees are $0 and proof of sufficient funds for living and returning home
• Solution 2: Included Bank Account letter, Zero Tuition Fee Explanation letter, and sponsor documents (e.g. financial support letter)
May 30, 2023: Submitted all CAQ documents on the Arrima platform
June 13–19, 2023: Booked, submitted details, and attended medical appointment
June 20, 2023: Received the medical report and applied for the Study Permit
June 21–22, 2023: Scheduled and provided biometrics through VFS Global London
July 13–14, 2023: Received visa decision notification and collected it from VFS Global London
July 24, 2023: Purchased flight tickets from Tashkent to Montreal with a layover in Paris

Key Takeaways

Start Early: Each document takes weeks to process, so plan ahead.
Documents to Get: The Permanent Code, the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), and the Study Permit.
Stay Organized: Keep track of deadlines and document submissions to avoid any last-minute issues.
Prepare Financial Documents: Be ready to provide proof of financial support (e.g., bank account & tuition exemption letters, sponsor documents). You must show a minimum of CAD $15,508 per year (as of January 1, 2025) to cover living expenses for one person aged 18 and over.
Costs: Tuition (CAD $0), CAQ (CAD $132), Study Permit (CAD $150), Biometrics (CAD $85), Medical Exam (depends on your case, £360 for me).
Check Email Frequently: Stay alert for updates from the visa office and university, as they come via email.
Be Ready to Wait: CAQ takes about 3 weeks, and the Study Permit takes around 7 weeks, though it may be faster depending on your case.

Conclusion

I hope this guide makes the application process a bit easier for you. Stay tuned for more tips in the next part of this series!

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Thanks for reading :)

I look forward to sharing my journey in the next posts, where I will let you guys know where I am going next, so stay tuned! Feel free to explore my Linktree to easily find everything I create across my social media profiles.