Bringing your Family & Friends to Canada for Convocation

Determining what your family/friend will need to travel to Canada will depend on: 

• Where they are from
• How they are travelling (by air, land or sea)
• What documents they are travelling with

⇒ We recommend that they use the IRCC online tool to find out what they will need to apply for. 

Although in most cases, your family and friends will need a Visitor Visa or an eTA to travel to Canada, there are some exceptions. 

The following do not need a Visitor Visa or an eTA to travel to Canada: 

• US citizen or permanent resident
• have valid status in Canada (for example, visitor, student, worker) and are re-entering Canada after only visiting the US or Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• French citizen who lives in, and is flying directly from, Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• passenger destined to, or coming from, the US on a flight that stops in Canada just to refuel and
  • have proper documents to enter the US, or
  • were lawfully admitted to the US
• passenger on a flight that makes an unscheduled stop in Canada
• transiting through a Canadian airport under the Transit Without a Visa or China Transit programs
• flight crew, civil aviation inspector, accident investigator who is or will be working while in Canada
• member of the armed forces (not including the civilian component of the armed forces) of a country designated under the Visiting Forces Act coming to Canada to carry out official duties
• diplomat accredited by the Government of Canada

Your Friends/Family member(s) can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization/eTA if they are from a visa-exempt country and will be travelling to Canada by air. 

• An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is electronically linked to the applicant's passport and is valid for up to 5 years.
   
• The eTA application is a simple online process that takes a few minutes to complete and only costs $7 CAD. Most applicants get their eTA approval (via an email) within minutes. 

Important: Each family member/friend must submit a separate eTA application online - they will not be able to apply for multiple people in the same eTA application. 

• Applicants need their passport, a credit card, and an email address to complete the form and answer the required questions. 
   
• eTA applicants who only plan to visit Canada, are exempt from giving Biometrics (fingerprints and photo). 
  • Applicants can check if they need to give Biometrics on the IRCC website. 
     
• Applicants may receive an email from IRCC asking them to submit additional documents to continue processing their application. 
  • If this happens, follow these step-by-step instructions to submit documentation to IRCC. 
     

Tip: Review IRCC's eTA Application Help Guide for more information and step-by-step instructions. 

⇒ Start the eTA application using the IRCC online form. 

Your Friends/Family member(s) must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (also known as a Visitor Visa) if they are from a visa-required country and will be travelling to Canada by any method of travel (land, sea, air), unless they are eligible for an eTA OR are a United States citizen or permanent resident.  

• A Temporary Resident Visa is an official counterfoil document (special type of sticker) that is physically added to a passport.
   
• Temporary Resident Visa applications are submitted online through either an IRCC Secure Account or the IRCC Portal.
   
• IRCC Processing Times vary depending on the country your family applied from and the Visa Office that is processing their application. We recommend that they submit their TRV application well in advance of their travel. 
  • Processing times do not include the time it takes to mail their passport to the Visa Office and have their TRV added.
     
• Unless exempt, most Temporary Resident Visa applicants must give Biometrics (fingerprints and photo).   
  • Children under the age of 14 and applicants over the age of 79 do not require Biometrics
  • Applicants can check if they need to give Biometrics on the IRCC website. 

Tip: Review IRCC's Temporary Resident Visa application page for more information and step-by-step instructions. 

 ⇒ If applying through the IRCC Secure Account, start the application here. 

 ⇒ If applying through the IRCC Portal, start the application here. 

Family/Friends applying for a Temporary Resident Visa will be required to include their own supporting documents as well as documentation from the person they will visit in Canada (you, as the student). 

Providing supporting documentation for your friends/family application does not guarantee that they will be approved, but it is a vital component of their application. 

When inviting family members, it will be important to determine:

• How long they will be in Canada and where they will be staying
• If they have sufficient funds/financial support to cover all travel expenses/other costs for the duration of their stay in Canada
• The evidence they will include in the application to show proof of ties to their home country (things that require them to return home after their temporary stay in Canada) 

Supporting documents for your family/friend's application may include:
 

• Copy of your valid Study Permit or Work Permit
   

• Proof of Relationship: Such as a copy of your marriage certificate (for spouse/common-law partners) OR birth certificate (for parents)
   

• Copy of your valid Passport/Travel Document
   

• Letter of Invitation: Written by YOU and included in your family/friend's application to IRCC. 

  • Your letter should be clear, concise, and honest. We have included a sample letter below to help you with the structure and format. 

  • We recommend that you include all specific requirements listed on IRCC's Letter of Invitation page. 

    • ** Some visa offices require Letters of Invitation to be notarized by a notary public. ** 
       

• Graduation Invitation Letter from the International Centre

  • The Graduation Invitation Letter should be used in addition to your Letter of Invitation, not in place of it.

    ⇒ Request your Graduation Invitation Letter here. 
     

• Proof of Finances: Applicant must show proof of sufficient funds/financial support to cover all travel expenses and associated costs for the duration of their stay in Canada. 

  • If you are supporting your friends/family financially while they will be in Canada, you must provide proof of your own financial documents in their application to IRCC. 

  • On January 1, 2024, IRCC updated their financial requirements. We recommend that you review that information to ensure you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your friends/family.

(Address of Processing Embassy)

Dear Visa Officer,

RE: Letter of Invitation in Support of TRV Application of Damilola Awosoga

I am writing this letter of invitation in support of my sister, Damilola Awosoga, and her application for a temporary resident visa to Canada. She was born on December 14, 1986 and she lives at 10 Bode Thomas Street, Lagos, Nigeria. Her phone number is: +234 692-5643

I am currently a 3^rd year student at the University of Lethbridge in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. You can see my Confirmation of Enrolment letter attached. My date of birth is January 15, 1989 and I currently reside at 27 Berkeley Place West, Lethbridge, Alberta. My phone number is 403-587-2697 and I can also be reached at joseph.awosoga@uleth.ca.

My sister will be visiting me from September 15, 2025 (arrival date), to October 1, 2025 (departure date) to celebrate my recent engagement. She will be staying with me and I will be covering the cost of her room and board during that time. Damilola will be paying for her flight and ground transportation to Lethbridge.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have regarding my sister, Damilola Awosoga, or myself. I thank you for considering my sister’s application.

Sincerely,

Joseph Awosoga