How to Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa From Pakistan

Pakistani ordinary-passport holders generally need a visitor visa, officially a temporary resident visa (TRV), for a visit to Canada. Airport transit has separate visa rules; use IRCC's transit guidance rather than assuming a visitor visa is always the right document. Pakistan is a visa-required country on IRCC's list and is not one of the few visa-required countries whose citizens can use an electronic travel authorization (eTA) instead. For a new visitor visa application, the usual process is online submission, fees, biometrics if required, an IRCC decision and a passport request if approved. Existing valid Canadian visas and any status-based entry exemption must be checked separately.

What makes Pakistan different from many other countries is the paperwork layer on top of IRCC's general checklist. Applications from Pakistan are served by IRCC's own visa office in Islamabad, and that office publishes an additional document checklist, form IMM 5869, that asks for things the generic portal list does not stress: your National Identity Card, all old passports, 12 months of bank statements and certified translations of documents not in English or French. Getting this layer right is most of the work.

This guide is written for people applying from Pakistan. Use our pre-submission travel-proof consistency audit to compare your route, names and document dates before uploading. Facts come from IRCC pages on canada.ca, the IRCC fee list and the Islamabad checklist IMM 5869 (version 04-2026), checked on 9 November 2026. Confirm them on the official pages on the day you apply.

Do Pakistani Citizens Need a Visa to Visit Canada?

Yes. IRCC's entry requirements page places Pakistan among the countries whose citizens need a visitor visa to travel to Canada by any means, and Pakistan is not on the short list of visa-required countries whose citizens can apply for an eTA instead. For an airport connection, check IRCC's separate transit guidance: a transit visa or another exemption may apply, depending on your circumstances. This article covers visits, not transit-only applications.

The same visitor visa covers three common purposes: tourism, visiting family or friends, and business visits such as meetings, trade fairs and conferences. It does not allow you to work or study for long periods. The visa lets you travel to Canada; the border services officer at the airport still decides whether you enter and how long you may stay.

Visitor visa or super visa?

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents can choose between a regular visitor visa and the super visa, which allows much longer stays but has its own income, insurance and invitation rules. If your goal is a visit of a few weeks to a few months, the regular visitor visa described here is the usual route.

If you live in Pakistan but are not Pakistani

Foreign nationals living in Pakistan can also apply online and give biometrics at a Pakistani VAC. The IMM 5869 checklist says that if you do not reside in your country of citizenship, you must provide proof of your present immigration status, such as a residence permit or visa for Pakistan.

How Do You Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa From Pakistan?

You apply online. IRCC's application page says you must apply online unless you are unable to because of a disability, or you hold an identity or travel document for refugees, stateless people or non-citizens. Visitor visa files are not submitted over the counter at the High Commission of Canada in Islamabad, and the VAC is not the standard submission route for an online visitor application. If you qualify for a paper exception, follow IRCC's instructions for that exception.

There are two online channels. The IRCC Portal is the standard one; it handles families, representatives and repeat applicants. The newer version of the portal is limited to adults applying alone, without a representative, who have never applied to IRCC before. Whichever you use, you need scans or clear photos of your documents and a credit or debit card for payment. The card does not need to be in your own name.

Who does what

IRCC's visa office list names Islamabad as the office for Pakistan and asks applicants not to contact a visa office unless it reaches out first; questions go through IRCC's web form. IRCC also states that VACs play no part in decisions and are forbidden from giving visa advice, so treat anyone at a centre who offers to "improve" your file as a warning sign.

What Does the Islamabad Visa Office Checklist IMM 5869 Ask For?

The Islamabad visa office publishes an additional document checklist (IMM 5869) for temporary resident visas. It sits on top of IRCC's common checklist, and the form says that missing items can delay processing. Read it alongside your personalised portal checklist. Its main items and conditions are:

Then come the items that apply only to some people: an employer letter granting leave, business documents for owners, proof of studies for students, and an invitation letter if you are visiting family or friends. The checklist also says that documents in a language other than English or French must come with a certified translation, and it warns that false statements or fraudulent documents lead to refusal and a possible 5-year ban.

How to upload it

In the IRCC Portal, attach IMM 5869 and its supporting documents in the slots of your personalised checklist; anything without its own slot can go under client information or other documents. Put the checklist itself on top, as it instructs, and name files clearly (for example "Bank-statement-12-months" or "Old-passport-2014") so an officer can find each item quickly.

How Much Does a Canada Visitor Visa Cost From Pakistan?

IRCC's fee list sets the government fees in Canadian dollars, and you pay them by card at the end of the online application.

IRCC warns that first-time applicants who do not pay the biometrics fee at submission may face delays. Booking a biometrics appointment at a VAC is free, so never pay a third party for a "slot". The family biometrics maximum covers a spouse or common-law partner and dependent children, and the CAD 500 processing maximum only applies when the whole family applies together.

Budget for the costs IRCC does not charge, too: certified translations of Urdu documents, bank certificates and copies of old passports. None of these are government fees, but they are part of getting the IMM 5869 checklist complete. VFS may also charge for package transmission: its tariff effective 1 November 2026 lists CAD 23.07 / PKR 4,729 per package. This is conditional, not a fee everyone pays. One transmission is included in the biometrics fee; VFS describes a waiver when the passport goes to the same VAC used for biometrics and no documents or passport were previously sent for the application. A different VAC, additional transmission or a file without biometrics can attract the charge. Check the current tariff and your case before paying; VFS service fees are paid in person in PKR cash.

How Do You Show 12 Months of Funds From Pakistan?

IMM 5869 asks for bank statements covering the 12 months before your application, showing the balance of the account. Use this Pakistan-specific period when assembling your documents, and request the complete statements from your bank early.

What a strong statement looks like

• Twelve consecutive months, on bank letterhead or stamped, with your name, account number and running balance.
• Regular credits that match your job or business: salary on the same date each month, or business receipts that fit your declared income.
• No unexplained large deposits shortly before you apply. If a property sale, a committee payout or a gift explains a deposit, add the sale deed, a letter or other evidence.
• A balance that covers your flights, accommodation and daily costs, and still leaves money for your life in Pakistan.

If someone else is paying

The checklist says to show how the trip is funded if you are not paying yourself, with examples such as your parents' bank statements, a letter from an employer covering costs, or a host's financial documents in Canada such as an employment letter, pay slips, T4 or Notice of Assessment and bank statements. It also notes that a host who prefers not to share personal information with you can have that preference explained in a note in your file; the PDF warns this may slow processing. It does not specify a separate delivery channel, so ask IRCC how to provide the evidence securely.

Other assets

IMM 5869 lists recent pay slips, property titles, proof of pension and investments as useful extras. For many Pakistani applicants, tax records also help show that income is declared and stable; include them as supporting evidence of income where you have them.

What Documents Should Employees, Business Owners and Students Add?

The checklist splits the rest of the evidence by your situation. Upload the part that fits you, and make sure the numbers in these documents match your bank statements.

Employees

IMM 5869 asks for a letter from your employer granting leave of absence, with your name, position and current salary, and your employer's name, address, telephone and fax number. If you are travelling on business, the letter should also explain the purpose of the trip and give the names and addresses of the Canadian companies you will visit.

Company or business owners

Owners are asked for originals of the commercial registration, a tax certificate, corporate bank statements for at least the last 6 months, and as much evidence as possible of ongoing business activity. The checklist gives import and export examples: an import or export licence, shipment invoices or customs clearance documents. A self-employed person with a smaller business should still show registration, licence and financial documents.

Students

Students are asked for an official document confirming registration at an academic institution. Add a letter from the school confirming the leave dates if the trip falls during term, and include the parent's or sponsor's finances, since most students are funded by family.

Illustration created with AI; the person shown is fictional.

What Should a Letter of Invitation From Canada Include?

If you are visiting family or friends, IMM 5869 says you must provide a letter of invitation. IRCC's invitation letter guidance says the letter should include your full name, date of birth, address and phone number, your relationship to the host, the purpose and length of the trip, where you will stay, how you will pay, and when you plan to leave Canada.

About the host it should give their full name, date of birth, address and phone number, job title, whether they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and details of their household. The host should add a copy of their proof of status, such as a citizenship card or PR card. If the host is paying for anything, their financial documents support the letter.

Two points save many Pakistani family files from avoidable questions. First, prove the relationship with documents, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate (nikah nama with certified translation) or a family registration certificate. Second, keep the dates in the letter, the application form and any travel reservation identical.

How Do Translations and Pakistani Documents Work?

The Islamabad checklist states that documents in a language other than English or French must include a certified translation. Many Pakistani civil documents, such as nikah namas, some property papers and court or union council records, are in Urdu or are bilingual. Upload both the original scan and the certified English or French translation, together, for each such document.

• Keep names consistent: if your passport and CNIC spell a name differently from a school or property document, add a short explanation.
• Include all old passports, as the checklist requires, even if they are expired or invalidated; they show your travel history.
• If a document is bilingual and the English part is complete, you may not need a translation, but check that every required detail appears in English.

Where Do You Give Biometrics in Pakistan?

IRCC's VAC finder lists three Canadian visa application centres in Pakistan: Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. They are run by VFS Global under contract with the Government of Canada. You can use whichever centre is convenient; IRCC says you can go to any VAC.

Islamabad

Canada Visa Application Centre, Park Road, Chattha Bakhtawar, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan. Get directions.

Lahore

Canada Visa Application Centre, First Floor, MCT Madina Corporate Tower, 8 Queens Road, Lahore, Pakistan. Get directions.

Karachi

Canada Visa Application Centre, Bahria Complex IV, 4th Floor, Main Chaudhary Khaliq-uz-Zaman Road, Gizri, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan. Get directions.

Book through the VFS Global Canada Pakistan site and confirm the address and opening hours in your appointment letter before you travel, as centres can move or change hours. All three official city pages currently list business and passport-collection hours of Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00. These general hours do not mean biometrics are available without an appointment.

Timing and what to bring

Book only after you receive your biometric instruction letter (BIL) in your IRCC account. IRCC's where to give biometrics page says you have 30 days from the time you get your BIL to give your biometrics. VFS's March 2026 update requires the IRCC-issued BIL to be uploaded in its issued format in the Appointment Management System for biometric appointments from 9 March 2026. Bring the BIL from this application and your valid passport, and arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. Check the current booking instructions; live appointment availability has not been confirmed. If no appointment is available before the deadline, tell IRCC through its web form and keep proof of the booking you made.

Who can skip biometrics

IRCC's when to give page says biometrics given for a visitor visa, study or work permit are valid for 10 years. Children under 14 and applicants over 79 do not give biometrics for a visitor visa. A visa cannot be issued past the expiry of your biometrics, so if yours expire soon you can choose to give them again.

What Are the Steps From Application to Passport Stamp?

Apply online through IRCC, complete biometrics if required, and send your passport to a VAC only after IRCC requests it.

1. Confirm the purpose on IRCC's application page: tourism, family visit or business.
2. Collect the IMM 5869 items: IMM 5645, CNIC copy, current and old passports, 12 months of bank statements, and the documents for your situation.
3. Arrange certified translations for anything not in English or French.
4. Fill in the online form in the IRCC Portal and upload every checklist item.
5. Pay CAD 100 per person plus CAD 85 biometrics where required, and submit.
6. Book biometrics in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi after your BIL arrives, within 30 days.
7. Answer requests for extra documents, an interview or a medical exam by their deadlines.
8. Submit your passport to a VAC only after IRCC asks for it.
9. Collect the passport following the collection instructions for your application. Check any optional courier arrangements directly with VFS.
10. Check the visa: name, passport number, expiry date and entries, before you pay for flights.

AI-adapted illustration; the people shown are fictional. Reference: Night Panorama of Vancouver's Coal Harbour by Teamcoltra, Wikimedia Commons. Adapted illustration shared under CC BY-SA 3.0.

When Do You Hand Over Your Passport?

Only after IRCC sends a passport request letter (PPR). VFS lists your original passport, the IRCC request letter and a completed VFS consent form for a temporary-resident passport submission. Its currently displayed Pakistan instruction says passport submission needs no prior appointment and runs Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 15:00; recheck this before visiting. Biometrics still require an appointment. IRCC's VAC page says you can only submit your passport to a VAC once you have that request, and some VACs accept passports by mail or courier only, so check the VFS Pakistan site for how your chosen centre takes them.

The visa counterfoil placed in your passport shows its validity and the number of entries. Visa validity is not the length of each permitted stay, which is decided at entry. Likewise, ten-year biometric validity does not promise a ten-year visa. IRCC can issue a visitor visa for up to 10 years or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first, and an officer can set a shorter date. Check every detail when the passport comes back; a spelling error should be raised immediately through IRCC's web form.

How Long Does a Canada Visa Take From Pakistan?

There is no fixed number. IRCC's processing times tool shows a current estimate for visitor visas applied from outside Canada when you choose Pakistan. The figure is based on recent applications and changes regularly. It does not include the time you need to give biometrics or answer requests.

Avoidable document problems include: a missing IMM 5645, statements covering fewer than 12 months, untranslated documents or a late biometrics appointment. A complete file reduces avoidable omissions, but IRCC can still request more evidence or take longer for its checks. Track the application in your IRCC account and do not buy non-changeable flights until the visa is in your passport.

Do You Need a Flight Booking for a Canada Visa From Pakistan?

You need travel plans, not a paid fare. IMM 5869 asks you to explain the purpose of your trip with details such as an itinerary in Canada and provisional travel arrangements, naming an airline or hotel booking as an example. A reservation that matches your form shows the officer your dates without committing your money before a decision. If a hotel confirmation uses a different guest spelling or property-company name, our guide to resolving hotel guest and legal-name mismatches explains that document-identity issue; it does not set Pakistan's visa checklist.

What a BookForVisa reservation gives you:

• A flat $15 per person for a flight reservation, and $15 per person for a hotel reservation.
• The flight reservation carries a real PNR that can be checked with the airline; this is not a hotel booking reference.
• Both flight and hotel reservations stay valid for 48-72 hours; time each order close to your submission date.
• Flight date changes are free on the booking day only; after that day, a flight date change means a new $15 flight reservation.
• The flight reservation can be issued even while you are at the visa centre, if you need it there.

If you are offered a dummy ticket elsewhere, check it carefully: whatever you use, it should be a verifiable reservation whose dates and names match your application. For an overnight or connecting route, use our guide to checking airport-local arrival and return dates so each form field uses the date of the event it asks about. A reservation supports your file; it does not guarantee a visa.

What Mistakes Cause Problems for Pakistani Applicants?

Check the Pakistan-specific requirements rather than reusing a generic visitor checklist. These are avoidable mismatches, not a prediction that a complete file will be approved.

• Six months of statements instead of twelve. IMM 5869 asks for 12.
• Leaving out old passports. The checklist asks for all expired or invalidated passports.
• No CNIC copy. It is a listed item for every applicant.
• Untranslated Urdu documents. Certified translations are required.
• Unexplained deposits right before applying.
• Employer letters without salary or contact details, which the checklist names.
• Paying for appointment slots. Booking biometrics is free.
• Sending the passport before a request.
• Mismatched dates across the form, invitation letter and reservation.
• Using a visa consultant who invents documents. IRCC warns of refusal and a possible 5-year ban for false documents.

What Does a Realistic Timeline Look Like?

The preparation intervals below are a planning example, not IRCC processing targets. Start with the current processing estimate and keep the published BIL deadline separate from your travel plans.

Check the IRCC processing time for Pakistan at the start and plan your travel dates with margin, especially for weddings or graduations in Canada with fixed dates.

What Is the Final Checklist for a Canada Visa From Pakistan?

Before submitting, reconcile your portal checklist with IMM 5869 and check every required attachment. Use this summary as a final review, not a replacement for IRCC instructions.

1. Visitor visa is the right route for your purpose.
2. IMM 5869 placed on top of the upload.
3. IMM 5645 completed, dated and signed.
4. CNIC copy and all passports, current and old.
5. 12 months of bank statements with balances.
6. Employer, business or student documents for your situation.
7. Invitation letter and host documents, if visiting someone.
8. Certified translations of documents not in English or French.
9. Fees paid: CAD 100, plus CAD 85 biometrics if required.
10. Biometrics given within 30 days of the BIL.
11. Passport submitted only when asked.

Header image: AI-adapted illustration; the person shown is fictional. Reference: Chateau Frontenac and Terrasse Dufferin by Wilfredor, Wikimedia Commons. Adapted illustration shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.