How Much Does a Canada Visa Cost from India? 2026 Fees Breakdown

Overview

Canada is a top destination for Indian travellers — visiting family, tourism across its national parks and cities, and business. But the true cost of a Canada visitor visa (a Temporary Resident Visa, or TRV) is more than the headline government fee, once you add biometrics, the VFS service charge, and supporting costs.

This guide breaks down exactly what an Indian applicant pays for a Canada visitor visa in 2026 so you can budget accurately. On VisitPlane, we verify every route against official sources.

Key takeaway: A Canada visitor visa (TRV) costs CAD 100, plus the CAD 85 biometrics fee — about CAD 185 (~₹11,500) in government charges. Add VFS service and supporting costs and most Indian applicants spend ₹13,000–₹16,000 all-in before flights and hotels.

The Headline Visa Fee (2026)

The Government of Canada charges:

• Visitor visa (TRV) application fee: CAD 100 per person.
• Biometrics fee: CAD 85 per person (or CAD 170 per family, capped).

Together that's CAD 185 per applicant, roughly ₹11,500 at 2026 exchange rates.

The Full Cost Breakdown

A realistic Indian applicant's budget includes:

• Visa fee: CAD 100 (~₹6,200).
• Biometrics fee: CAD 85 (~₹5,300).
• VFS Global service charge: a few hundred to ~₹1,800.
• Travel/medical insurance: ₹2,000–₹5,000 (recommended).
• Photographs and document prep: minimal.

Add these up and the all-in cost is typically ₹13,000–₹16,000 per adult for a visitor visa.

Family Applications

Biometrics has a family cap of CAD 170 when two or more family members apply together, which can save money for couples and families. Each person still pays the CAD 100 visa fee. Factor this in when budgeting for a group.

How to Pay

You pay the fees online through the official IRCC portal when you submit your application, then give biometrics at a VFS Global centre in India. Payment is by card. The fees are non-refundable even if your application is refused, so prepare your documents carefully before paying.

What the Whole Trip Costs

Beyond the visa, budget for the trip:

• Return flights (India–Canada): roughly ₹70,000–₹130,000 depending on season and city.
• Accommodation: ₹8,000–₹20,000 per night in Toronto or Vancouver (or stay with family).
• Daily spend (food, transport, attractions): ₹5,000–₹12,000 per person.
• Internal travel: Canada is vast, so budget for domestic flights or car rental.

A typical 2-week Canada trip can land around ₹3–6 lakh per person, with long-haul flights the biggest factor.

Ways to Keep the Cost Down

• Apply as a family to benefit from the biometrics cap.
• Stay with relatives where possible.
• Travel off-peak to cut flight and hotel costs.
• Book refundable flights/hotels until the visa is granted.

How Canada Compares

For Indian travellers, the Canada visitor visa is mid-priced — more than a Schengen visa (€90, ~₹8,500) once biometrics are added, but less than the US once its new Integrity Fee is included. Canada often issues multi-year, multiple-entry visitor visas (up to passport validity), so the cost spreads across many trips for those with family there.

Documents That Justify the Spend

Because the fees are non-refundable, build a strong application: a valid passport, proof of funds (bank statements over 3–6 months), evidence of ties to India (job, business, property, family), a clear travel purpose, and an invitation letter if visiting family. Use the VisitPlane Visa Wizard and Document Checklist to prepare.

What's Refundable — and What Isn't

The visa fee and biometrics fee are non-refundable once you apply, regardless of outcome. VFS service charges are also non-refundable. The smart order of operations is to secure refundable flights and hotels first, submit a strong application, and only convert to non-refundable bookings once the visa is granted — protecting the much larger trip budget.

Sample Budgets

To make the numbers concrete, here are two realistic all-in budgets for an Indian traveller (visa costs plus the trip):

• Family visit (2 weeks, staying with relatives): visa+biometrics ~₹15,000 + flights ~₹90,000 + daily spend and local travel ~₹70,000 = roughly ₹1.7–2 lakh per person.
• Tourist trip (2 weeks, hotels, Toronto + Rockies): visa ~₹15,000 + flights ~₹1 lakh + hotels ~₹1.8 lakh + internal flights and daily spend ~₹1.5 lakh = roughly ₹4.3–5 lakh per person.

Families benefit from the biometrics cap and shared accommodation, but each traveller still pays the CAD 100 visa fee, with reduced or no fees for young children in some cases.

Currency and Payment Tips

Pay the IRCC fees online in the portal — never through an "agent" promising guaranteed approvals. For the trip, Canada is largely card-based, so a low-foreign-fee card plus a forex card covers most needs, with some cash for tips and small purchases. Budget for tipping (15–20% at restaurants) and provincial sales taxes added at checkout. Watch the CAD/INR rate when you pay, since the rupee cost of the fees moves with it, and again when you load travel money.

How to Strengthen Your Canada Application

Whether your route is straightforward or strict, the same principles separate smooth approvals from frustrating delays — and they protect the money you spend. At VisitPlane, we've mapped these patterns across dozens of visa routes, and the advice below applies directly to Indian travellers heading to Canada.

Start with your finances, the single most scrutinised part of almost any application. Officers check that your funds are genuine and stable, not just present. A balance that has sat comfortably for three to six months tells a far more convincing story than a large sum that appeared just before you applied. If a relative in Canada is supporting your trip, document that relationship and their status clearly rather than leaving an unexplained deposit.

Next, ensure consistency across your documents. Your itinerary, invitation, accommodation, and statements should tell one coherent story. Mismatches invite questions and slow the decision. Because the visitor visa assesses intent, ties to India matter enormously — stable employment, a business, property, or dependents reassure the officer you'll return.

Finally, be honest and complete — a clear, well-written purpose-of-travel letter helps a lot, and declaring any previous refusal truthfully is always better than hiding it. Prepare with the VisitPlane Visa Wizard, the VisitPlane document checklist, and our destination guides. VisitPlane verifies every route against official government and embassy sources, so you can prepare with confidence.

Processing Time and How It Affects Planning

Budgeting isn't only about money — timing matters too, because a delayed visa can force expensive last-minute bookings. Canada visitor visa processing for Indian applicants varies with season and demand, often running from a few weeks to a couple of months, and it can be longer during peak periods. The practical implication for your wallet: apply early and keep travel bookings refundable until the visa is granted, so a slow decision never pushes you into pricey, non-refundable rebookings.

There's no general paid "priority" service for visitor visas, so the best way to avoid delay-driven costs is a complete, well-documented application that doesn't trigger requests for more information. Submit clear proof of funds, a clean purpose-of-travel letter, and consistent supporting documents the first time. If you're visiting for a specific event — a wedding, graduation, or family occasion — build in a generous buffer and avoid committing to non-refundable flights until your passport is back with the visa inside. This single habit protects far more money than any saving on the visa fee itself.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Budgeting only for the CAD 100 fee and forgetting biometrics.
• Weak or unexplained funds.
• A thin purpose-of-travel letter.
• Booking non-refundable flights before approval.
• Missing the family biometrics cap when applying as a group.

A Note on Multi-Year Visas

One reason the Canada visitor visa is good value is that officers often grant multiple-entry visas valid up to the expiry of your passport (and up to 10 years). That means a single ₹11,500 outlay can cover years of trips to see family or travel, dropping the effective per-visit cost to a fraction of the headline price. When you apply, you don't request a specific validity — the officer decides based on the strength of your application, which is another reason to submit a clean, well-documented file.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQ section below for quick answers on the visa fee, biometrics, the family cap, and visa validity.

Sources

• IRCC — Visitor visa (TRV): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/visitor-visa.html
• IRCC — fees: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account/fees.html
• VFS Global Canada (India): https://visa.vfsglobal.com/

VisitPlane — visa requirements, decoded in seconds. Free, accurate, always updated. Fees and exchange rates change; always confirm the current amount on the official IRCC site before paying.