Canada Student Visa for Indians

However, getting admission in any of the Top Canadian Universities requires excellent academic score and a Study Permit that validates your permission to study in India. It works as a Canada student visa or Canada study visa for the duration of your stay.  If the duration of your course is less than six months then you do not need a Canada student visa or permit.

In order to take up any professional, academic, or vocational training at an educational institution /university/college in Canada you will also need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa Application Centers that you will get from the Canadian High Commission.

Why You Need a Canada Student Visa?

A study permit is not a visa but it is a document that the Canadian immigration authorities issue authorizing foreign students to study in Canada. It is mandatory for international students to have a valid study permit, without which it is not permissible to study at Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) in Canada. In addition to the study permit, you also need to get a valid visitor Canada visa. People call it as Canada student visa or Canada study visa if being used for study purposes.

How to Get the Canada Student Visa from India?

You need to furnish the Letter of Introduction along with all the other documents. You would need to meet with an Immigration Officer at the Airport. Present your Letter of Introduction and the Passport to the border control agency officer. Once he validates your documents your Study Permit to Canada will be issued.

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Eligibility Criteria for Canada Student Visa for Indians

Below are some of the criteria that the Canada study visa applicants need to be met when applying for a Canada Study visa:

• Letter of acceptance from the Designated Learning Institute (DLI)
• Bank balance proof that you can bear your tuition fee and living expenses
• A police certificate to prove that you have a clean background with no criminal record
• A medical certificate certifying that you are in good health condition
• Also, Travel Insurance documents

Also, during your Canada Visa interview, the visa officer should be convinced that you will return to your home country after completion of your studies.

Document Required for Canada Student Visa for Indians

Once you get the acceptance letter from your institute in Canada you can apply for a Canada Study Visa. Ideally, you should begin with your Canada Student Visa process six months before you plan to take up your course.

Below are some of the documents that are necessary when applying for a Canada Study Visa for Indians:

A Valid Indian Passport

Firstly, you need a valid Indian Passport to be able to apply for a Study Permit as well as a Canada Student Visa. As per the Canadian High Commission, your passport should be valid for an extended date to cover the intended duration of stay in Canada.

For instance, if you plan to visit Canada in August 2020 for a 2-year course, then your passport should be valid until at least August 2022.

Proof of Acceptance by a Designated Learning Institution

The University/Institute where you are planning to study would give you an acceptance letter.  The letter will be issued for the length of the course. In case you plan to extend your stay you would need to apply for extension. And if you are applying for Quebec, you would a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

Proof of Sufficient Funds

You also need to show your proof of funds while submitting your study permit application. As per the current standards, you also need to prove that you have sufficient funds to pay for your living expenses as well as tuition fees. Moreover, you need to prove that you have enough funds for return fair also. As per the Canadian Immigration, a student in Canada would require a minimum of 10,000 Canadian dollars to bear your yearly expenses.

Passport Size Photographs

You would need two passport size photographs if you are applying your application offline. However, if you are filling online application, you need to procure a digital copy of the photograph up to the size of 4MB.

Other standard requirements include plain background, neutral facial expression with no headgear (except for religious purposes).

• The photograph should not be older than 6 months
• The required image size is a minimum of 35 mm x 45 mm

Immigration Medical Examination (IME)

As per the Canadian Immigration, all the Indian students applying for Canada Study Visa also need to undergo an Immigration Medical Examination from the empanelled doctors. You will need to book an appointment and visit the listed doctors for medical screening.

It is advised that you book it a week before you start your Canada Student Visa/Visitor Visa Application.
This allows enough time to the doctor to validate and upload the required documents. The doctor will perform the medical tests and may refer you for laboratory tests and x-rays. On completion of the medical examination, the listed doctor will send the medical results to CIC.

Statement of Purpose of Visit

When applying for a Canada Student Visa for Indians, you also need to submit a statement mentioning the purpose of your visit to Canada and the reason for choosing a particular University/Institute. Even if it is not mandatory it is advised to submit the same.

Use Credit Card if Applying Online

If you are filling your Canada Student Visa application online you would need to use a credit card to pay the application fee. The Study Permit with extensions/ Canada Student Visa Application Fee is CAD $150.

The online system will only accept credit cards, so do not make the payment through debit cards. Moreover, you would need access to a digital scanner.

And if you are applying it online, you would need to furnish the actual copies of all the above-mentioned documents. Please note that for online applications, you would need to download some documents, fill them, take a print, sign and then upload online.

English Language Proficiency Test

It is not a mandatory step, however, it is recommended that you appear for it and get your English Language Proficiency Score before beginning your Canada Student Visa Application Process.  You would anyways need to submit your proficiency score for fluency in English language to confirm your admission to a University in Canada.  IELTS, TOEFL etc. are all acceptable.

Additional Documents

Some additional documents may be required during the personal interview as requested by the interviewer for academic or financial status proof.  Below are some of those documents:

• Scores from SAT, TOEFL,  GRE, or GMAT tests
• School Diplomas/Degrees/ Certificates
• Intention to depart from Canada upon completion of your study
• Proof that you can pay for your educational, travel, and living expenses

How to Apply Canada Student Visa from India?

There are several steps involved when applying for Canada Study Visa for Indians:

Check the Canada Student Visa Processing Time

The Canada student visa application cycle can take anywhere around 3 to 4 weeks. Before that, it is suggested that you go through the Canadian consulate website to know the estimated processing time for Canada student visa for Indians.

To give an idea we have listed the process below for both online and offline Canada Student Visa for Indians:

Apply Canada Student Visa Online

You can apply for the Canada student visa online but you will need access to a camera or scanner to create and upload digital copies of your documents. And a valid credit card for Canada Student Visa payment. However, you will still need to provide your finger scan at the regional/nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC).

Even for the online Canada student visa application, you will need to hand your passports, and provide the confirmation of Visa form and pay Canada Student Visa fee payment as well.

Apply Canada Student Visa on Paper

• Download the Canada Student Visa application kit. Go through the instruction guide for all the important information/instructions about Canada study permits to help you fill your application. Read the guide carefully to know where to submit the Canada Student Visa application.
• If any of your family members are accompanying you then you will need to apply for their visitor visa and pay appropriate visa fees for them as well.  
• One you know what all documents you need to provide, you can submit your visa application and supporting documents.
• You can track the progress of your visa application online.
• You will receive a notification from the Government of Canada requesting your passport if your Canada Student Visa application is approved. You can submit the passport in person. They will provide you with a letter of introduction and a Temporary Resident Visa.

Get your Biometrics for Canada Student Visa

As of December 3, 2019, all international students need to get fingerprints and photos for biometric when applying for Canada Student Visa (including extending the study permit). So, if you are between the age group of 14 years and 79 years then you probably need to give your photo and fingerprints (biometrics). Every 10 years you need to give your biometrics to visit Canada easily.

• To avoid delays, it is important to pay the biometrics fee while submitting your Canada Student Visa application
• Get your biometrics done as soon as you get the letter to give your biometrics
• You get 30 days period to get your biometric done from the date mentioned on the letter

Biometric fee:

• Individual Canada Study Visaapplicant: CAD $85

• Canada Visa fees for families applying at the same time: up to CAD $170

You can go to Visa application centers (VACs) worldwide to give your biometrics. But before that, you would need to make an appointment to give your biometrics. And if you are applying it from outside India you would need to check the specific website for its visa services and fees.

Canada Student Visa Fees

• As mentioned on the CIC website, the Canada study permit costs CAD$ 150, i.e. 7,845 Indian rupees as per the current exchange rate.
• You can apply for Canadian Visa Application is both online and offline. You can pay Canadian visa fee online through credit card and offline through cash at the Visa Application Centre or through demand draft if paying at the High Commission of Canada. The Visa fee needs to be paid after submitting the visa application or after receiving the fee receipt of online payment.
• The Demand Draft should be in Indian rupees and needs to be drawn out in favor of the High Commission of Canada. Visa Application Centers only accept Cash Payments. 

Please note that the visa fee does not include Value added and service charges. There might be additional service charges as applicable to your region. For every payment, you will receive a receipt and it is suggested that you keep the receipt as a proof of payment of the fee.

Canadian Embassy and Consulates Addresses