Canada Visitor Visa From Pakistan: CAD 185 Total Fee, Biometrics and Wait
Apply for a Canada visitor visa from Pakistan: the CAD 100 fee plus CAD 85 biometrics, documents, the 78-day IRCC wait for Pakistan and how much money you need.
A Canada visitor visa from Pakistan costs CAD 100, plus CAD 85 for biometrics, so a first-time applicant pays CAD 185. You apply online with IRCC and give fingerprints at a centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi. IRCC's tool showed 78 days for Pakistan.
The visitor visa is also called a temporary resident visa, or TRV. It is the stamp you need to visit Canada as a tourist, to see family or for a short business trip. It is not a study or work permit.
We read Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pages on canada.ca on 30 September 2026: the fee list, the visitor visa application page, the eligibility page, the biometrics pages and the list of visa application centres. We also read IRCC's processing time data for Pakistan.
Canada visitor visa fee from Pakistan in 2026
IRCC charges CAD 100 per person for a visitor visa, and CAD 85 per person for biometrics. A family of five or more pays at most CAD 500 in visa fees, and a family pays at most CAD 170 for biometrics. You pay online by card.
| Fee | Amount (Canadian dollars) |
|---|---|
| Visitor visa, per person | CAD 100 |
| Visitor visa, family of 5 or more | CAD 500 maximum |
| Biometrics, per person | CAD 85 |
| Biometrics, family of 2 or more | CAD 170 maximum |
The same CAD 100 covers a single or a multiple entry visa. IRCC decides which one you get. Payment is by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay or a Visa Debit or Debit MasterCard card, and the card does not have to be in your name.
That last point helps. A relative in Canada can pay with their own card, and their name will simply appear on the receipt. First-time applicants should pay the biometrics fee at the same time as the visa fee, or IRCC warns of delays.
Canada visitor visa processing time for Pakistan
IRCC's processing time data showed 78 days for a visitor visa applied for from Pakistan, in the file dated 22 September 2026. That figure includes the time to give biometrics. IRCC updates it weekly, so check again before you apply.
IRCC calculates it from how long it took to finish 80 per cent of similar applications in the past. So it is a look back, not a promise. One in five applications took longer than the figure shown.
| Application from Pakistan | IRCC processing time |
|---|---|
| Visitor visa, outside Canada | 78 days |
| Super visa for parents and grandparents | 92 days |
| Study permit | 7 weeks |
| Work permit | 8 weeks |
Seventy-eight days is more than two and a half months. For a wedding or a graduation in Canada, apply at least three months ahead. Students need a Canada study permit instead, which has its own rules and a shorter 7-week wait.
Documents for a Canada visitor visa from Pakistan
Every applicant uploads a colour copy of a valid passport. IRCC then asks for proof of purpose, money and ties to Pakistan, such as travel history, an itinerary, bank statements and an employer letter. The online portal gives each person a personal checklist.
- Passport copy: the page with your birth date and nationality, and every page with stamps, visas or marks. IRCC says the passport should be valid at least 6 months from your travel date.
- Travel history: old passports, visas, and entry and exit stamps from the last 10 years.
- Itinerary: flight details, hotel or host address, or an event registration.
- Bank statements showing at least 6 months of account details, your name and address, and the bank's contact details.
- Employer letter on letterhead, dated within 3 months of applying, with your start date, job, salary and your manager's contact details.
- Letter of invitation from family or a business in Canada, if you have one.
- For a minor child, a letter authorising the child to travel.
Fresh bank statements from your internet banking are fine, as long as they show the bank's name and contact details. IRCC wants to be able to call your bank with questions. It also says your local visa office may ask for more papers, so read the checklist the portal gives you.
How much money you need for a Canada visitor visa
IRCC does not set a fixed bank balance for visitors. It says you must have enough money for your stay, and the amount depends on how long you stay and whether you use a hotel or stay with friends or family.
So there is no magic figure. A three-week hotel trip needs more than a two-week stay with a brother in Mississauga. Your statements should show steady income, not a large deposit made a week before you apply. If a host is paying, add their invitation letter and proof of their funds.
IRCC's basic tests are simple to list and hard to fake. You must have a valid passport, be in good health, have no criminal or immigration convictions, and convince an officer that your job, home, assets or family will bring you back.
How to apply for a Canada visitor visa online from Pakistan
You apply online through the IRCC Portal or an IRCC secure account, pay by card, then wait for a biometrics letter. You give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi.
- Create an IRCC Portal account. Adults applying alone for the first time may use the new version of the portal.
- Answer the questions and upload your documents from the personal checklist.
- Pay the CAD 100 visa fee and the CAD 85 biometrics fee.
- Wait for the biometrics instruction letter, then book a slot at the centre.
- Give fingerprints and a photo, then track the application in your account.
IRCC lists visa application centres in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, run by VFS Global. Book as soon as the letter arrives, because the clock does not move much until your biometrics are in. Paper applications are allowed only if you cannot apply online, for example because of a disability.
Biometrics rules for Pakistani applicants
Pakistani applicants aged 14 to 79 must give biometrics for a visitor visa, unless another exemption applies. Children under 14 and people over 79 are exempt. Biometrics are reused while valid, but a visa cannot last longer than your biometrics.
IRCC says a visitor visa can be issued for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first. An officer can set a shorter date. A new passport with 10 years left does not stretch a visa past your biometrics.
Common questions
What is the Canada visit visa fee in Pakistan?
CAD 100 for the visa and CAD 85 for biometrics, so CAD 185 for one first-time applicant, paid online by card.
How long does a Canada visitor visa take from Pakistan?
IRCC's data showed 78 days in the file dated 22 September 2026, including biometrics. It changes weekly.
How much bank balance is needed for a Canada visit visa?
IRCC sets no fixed amount. You must show enough money for your stay, based on its length and where you will stay.
Where do I give biometrics for Canada in Pakistan?
At a visa application centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi, after you receive IRCC's biometrics instruction letter.
Can I apply for a Canada visitor visa without an agent?
Yes. You apply yourself online through the IRCC Portal, and the card used to pay does not need to be in your name.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 30 September 2026. Fees are read on IRCC's fee list, modified 21 September 2026. Documents, payment cards, portal options and the 10 year validity rule are read on IRCC's apply for a visitor visa page. Eligibility and funds wording is read on IRCC's eligibility page, and biometrics exemptions on its biometrics facts page. The Pakistan processing times are read in IRCC's processing time data file dated 22 September 2026, and the visa application centres on IRCC's centre list. We did not submit an application.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
