Canadian Student Visa Filing (Paper Application Process)

Hello all,

I have spent a lot of time hunting for all the documents and details for filing a student visa and i know this can be a very painful task and needs a lot of time and preparation to gather all the documents . So i decided to write this blog post entirely on the VISA Application Process.

I hope this post will cover most of your VISA related queries. 

In any case, if i have left out any information then please bring it to my notice as it will help the other students who stumble upon this article.

In case you have any questions , then please use the comment section below. If i find the question will be beneficial to the students at large, then i will separately include the answers in the FAQ section of this post.

PART I  : Application Forms 

• Study Permit Application form IMM1294E

• After filling up the form, click on the validate button. 
• Once the form has been validated, you will notice that an extra page will be appended to the existing pdf consisting of 5 barcodes.
• IMPORTANT : Please print this form using a LASER PRINTER ONLY !! because there might be problems reading the barcode in the VAC office if the colour distribution is uneven. The person filing her visa just ahead of me in line, had this issue with the barcode and had to redo the entire application form and come back another day.
• Please donot leave any question/section blank . If that section does not apply to you, then consider writing N.A or Not Applicable

• Medical Examination form

• It is advisable to go for an upfront medical exam. This will considerably speed up your Visa Process.

• If you have received an admission letter from the university then you can schedule the medical exam even 10 months before.  I had scheduled my medical exam 45 days prior to my visa filing. 

• The medical test consists of some Basic tests like Blood Test, HIV , Chest X-Ray, and Urine test followed by a full body checkup by a physician.

• The names of the empaneled doctors of cic are mentioned on the website:  http://www.cic.gc.ca/pp-md/pp-list.aspx

• Family Information Form - IMM5645E

• Please don't leave any question/section blank . If that section does not apply to you, then consider writing N.A or Not Applicable

• Study Permit Questionnaire Form - IMM 5957E ( for university Students / Differs for others ) 

• Please don't leave any question/section blank . If that section does not apply to you, then consider writing N.A or Not Applicable

PART II  : Academic Documents

• Admission Confirmation Letter to the Canadian University.

• Photocopy of your TOEFL / IELTS Score

• Academic Transcripts & Passing Certificates along with Degree Conformation Certificates; from your 10th Standard to Current Level of Education.

• In some cases maybe you are awaiting results of your most recent degree or you haven't yet received the degree certificate from your current university. In such a situation, consider making a note of this on a Separate COVER LETTER(see the last Section)

PART III : Financials

These documents should make it clear to the VISA officer that your current financial standings are good enough and you can comfortably afford 2 years of Living Expenses(roughly 11000 CAD each year ) and your tuition fee mentioned in your college admission letter.

** if someone is sponsoring you then you need to provide his/her  ITR , PAYSLIPS , Statement of Support & Bank Statements in addition to the following documents **

• Scholarship Letter 
• Bank Statements - 6 months 
• Income Tax Return Receipt 
• Salary Slips of 3-4 Months 
• Total Declaration of Finances by Chattered Accountant
• Please Note that this is OPTIONAL , but getting all your financial documents certified by a chartered accountant speeds up your VISA processing time.
• Certification from the bank 
• Self Declaration of Gold / Ornaments - to be given to C.A for certification.
• If you have paid a part of the tuition fee, then include the receipts as well and write about it in the Cover Letter
• Affidavit of Support by yours sponsor/s on a 20 rupees Stamp Paper. 

Safe Amount to show = 2 years living expenses + Tuition Cost 

In All finance docuemtns , be it from bank or from your Chattered Accountant , request them to ALWAYS MENTION THE CAD EQUIVALENT of the amount you are showing.

PART IV : Other Documents

• 4 Passport size Photographs 
• Please refer to the following website to check the photo specifications : http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/photospecs.asp
• Photocopy of your Passport 
• Keep Sufficient Photocopies of your passport with you as you will need it while submitting your documents and for any other process regarding the application. 
• Original Passport 
• COVER LETTER : if there are any exceptions (like awaiting results / degree not yet conferred / etc )that you would like to bring to the notice of the VISA officer then draft a separate letter outlining the issues and attach it to your application.

FAQ Section :

When should you start filing your visa ?

If you have got multiple admission offers , then first zero down on the college which you want to attend. After you have the college finalised , start the visa process immediately.

Can we book flights before Visa?

Yes. We can.

AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT FORMAT :

AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT

I, <NAME OF SPONSOR>, F/o <NAME OF STUDENT>, R/o <ADDRESS>, do hereby solemnly affirm and sincerely state as follows:

1. I undertake that i am ready to spend the entire cost of education, for my son <STUDENT>, aged about 22 years , who is applying for his <DEGREE AND COURSE> commencing from September 2016 at <NAME OF UNIVERSITY> in Canada.
2. That the family has ample financial resources to provide necessary funds for the education and living expenses of my son till the completion of his studies in Canada.
3. I declare that what all are stated is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.