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Canada visa for UK residents, made simpler. Planning a trip to Toronto, Vancouver or Niagara Falls from London, Manchester or Birmingham? British citizens only need a quick eTA, but most non-British UK residents — including Indian, Pakistani and Nigerian passport holders — need a Canada visitor visa, also called a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), with biometrics in London.
IRCC, the Canadian government department that decides visa applications, looks closely at UK applicants' finances, source of funds and ties to the UK. GoSchengen gives you practical, hands-on support: the official document checklist, a completeness check of your file, your biometrics appointment at VFS Global London and passport return by courier. You stay in control and submit your own application — so a missing document does not cost you weeks.
Whether you need an eTA or a visitor visa depends on your passport. Your UK status matters because it lets you apply and give biometrics in the UK, and strong UK ties support your application.
| Traveller Category | Authorisation Required | Validity | Typical Processing | Application Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British passport holders | eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) — CAD 7 | Up to 5 years or until passport expiry | Usually minutes; sometimes up to 72 hours | Official eTA website (air travel only) |
| Filipino, Thai, Moroccan & other eligible nationalities | eTA, if you held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa | Up to 5 years | Usually minutes | Official eTA website (air travel only) |
| Indian, Pakistani, Nigerian, Bangladeshi, Turkish & other visa-required passports (BRP / UK eVisa) | Visitor visa (TRV) — CAD 100 + CAD 85 biometrics | Set by the officer, up to passport expiry | Weeks after biometrics; varies | IRCC online account + biometrics at VFS London |
You only need an eTA when flying to or transiting through Canada. It is linked electronically to your British passport, costs CAD 7, and is usually approved within minutes. You do not need an eTA if you arrive by land or sea.
If you hold a visa-required passport — such as Indian, Pakistani or Nigerian — and live in the UK, your BRP or UK eVisa does not make you eTA-eligible. You need a visitor visa before booking flights, with clear proof of your UK status in your file.
Canada's visitor visa application is submitted online through your own IRCC account, followed by a biometrics appointment at a Visa Application Centre. Incomplete uploads or missed biometric deadlines are among the most common causes of delay.
We share IRCC's document checklist for your situation, help you organise, scan and name your files in the formats the online form accepts, and check nothing is missing before you upload them to your own IRCC account.
After you submit, IRCC sends a Biometric Instruction Letter. You normally have 30 days to give biometrics, so we book your VFS Global London appointment quickly and confirm it falls within the deadline.
Once your application is submitted, IRCC issues a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL). You must give fingerprints and a digital photo in person. In the UK, Canada's Visa Application Centre is run by VFS Global in London.
66 Wilson Street, London EC2A 2BT, open Monday to Friday. It is the only Canada Visa Application Centre in the UK, so applicants from Manchester, Birmingham, Scotland and Wales also travel here.
Canadian biometrics are usually valid for 10 years. If you gave them for a Canadian application in the last 10 years, you may not need to give them again — we check your record before booking.
Slots can fill up in peak travel season. We track new appointment releases, and after approval we arrange your passport submission and courier return through VFS — so you do not need to travel to London twice. VFS service charges change from 1 November 2026, so we confirm current costs when booking.
IRCC officers need proof that you are a genuine visitor who will return to the UK. The visa's validity — single or multiple entry, and for how long — is decided by the officer.
Want a completeness check before you submit? See our document checking service.
Employment letters, payslips or business bank statements organised to show stable ties to your UK work.
Enrolment letters and term dates showing you will return to complete your studies in the UK.
Careful handling for Refugee Convention travel documents and the extra details they need.
Family applications organised together, with tenancy, mortgage and financial documents presented clearly.
We organise your documents around your exact reason for travelling to Canada.
For sightseeing in Toronto, Vancouver, Banff and Niagara Falls, or general holidays across Canada.
For meetings, trade exhibitions and business consultations across Canada — not paid work.
For visiting family or friends in Canada, with an invitation letter and proof of relationship.
IRCC officers look closely at your finances, ties to the UK and the purpose of your trip, using automated screening alongside officer review.
Most refusals for UK residents come down to three avoidable mistakes. Since late 2024, multiple-entry 10-year visas are no longer the default either — officers decide validity case by case, so a strong file matters more than ever.
Large deposits just before applying look artificial. Statements should show steady income, and any lump sums need a clear paper trail.
Not showing why you must return to your UK job, studies or home leads officers to doubt that your visit is temporary.
Differences between your IMM 5257 answers and your supporting documents are an immediate red flag.
Refused before? You can request your officer's notes to see the exact reasons. For advice on a refusal, speak to a licensed Canadian consultant (RCIC) or lawyer — we can still help with the practical side: documents, biometrics and passport return.
A clear process from first check to passport return.
We confirm whether you need an eTA or a visitor visa, based on your passport, UK status and travel history.
We share the official checklist, help you organise your documents and bookings, and check nothing is missing.
You submit from your own IRCC account and pay the official fees; we book your VFS Global London biometrics appointment.
When IRCC requests your passport, we arrange submission and courier return through VFS.
Already hold a US visa? A valid US non-immigrant visa can mean faster Canadian processing for some applicants — and for some nationalities, an eTA instead of a visa. Need one? See our USA visa for UK residents service.
We make sure your file is complete, clearly organised and correctly formatted before you upload it — avoiding the missing-document delays that most often stall an application.
Since BRPs were replaced by UK eVisas, we make sure your proof of UK status is clear and correctly presented. Rated 4.7 on Trustpilot.
We book your biometrics in London and arrange passport return by courier. Planning more travel? We also help with Dubai, Turkey, France and other non-Schengen visas.
Your passport details, financial records and personal documents are handled under UK GDPR data privacy standards.
British citizens only need an eTA when flying to Canada. Most non-British passport holders living in the UK with a BRP or UK eVisa — such as Indian, Pakistani and Nigerian nationals — need a visitor visa (TRV) before travelling.
Most eTAs are approved within minutes. If IRCC needs more information, it can take up to 72 hours or longer, so apply before booking flights.
The visitor visa fee is CAD 100 per person, plus CAD 85 for biometrics (capped at CAD 170 for families applying together). An eTA costs CAD 7. VFS courier and optional services cost extra, and our service fee is quoted separately.
Processing times are counted from when IRCC receives your biometrics and change weekly. Applications from the UK often take several weeks, and some nationalities wait longer. Check IRCC's processing time tool and apply well ahead of travel.
At the VFS Global Canada Visa Application Centre, 66 Wilson Street, London EC2A 2BT — the only Canada VAC in the UK. You need your Biometric Instruction Letter and an appointment, usually within 30 days of receiving the letter.
Usually not, if you gave biometrics for a Canadian application in the last 10 years and they are still valid. You can check your biometrics status online before booking.
Yes. Indian nationals living in the UK apply online and give biometrics in London. Strong evidence of UK employment, residence and finances is essential, as IRCC checks ties to the UK closely.
Yes. Pakistani and Nigerian passport holders with a BRP or UK eVisa can apply for a Canada visitor visa from the UK. Clear bank statements with no unexplained deposits and solid UK ties are key.
IRCC does not set a fixed minimum. You must show enough funds for your trip and your commitments at home, usually with 3–6 months of statements showing steady income rather than recent lump-sum deposits.
Not automatically. Since November 2024, IRCC officers decide case by case whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa and for how long, and it can never be valid beyond your passport's expiry.
Only for certain nationalities — including the Philippines, Thailand and Morocco — when flying to Canada with a valid US non-immigrant visa or a Canadian visa held in the last 10 years. Indian, Pakistani and Nigerian passport holders still need a visitor visa.
An eTA is an electronic authorisation for visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada. A visitor visa (TRV) is a sticker placed in your passport for visa-required nationals, after an online application and biometrics.
Your refusal letter lists the main reasons, and you can request the officer's notes for more detail. For advice on reapplying, speak to a licensed Canadian consultant (RCIC) or lawyer. GoSchengen can help with the practical side — organising documents, booking biometrics and passport return.
No. GoSchengen is an independent UK travel document and visa support service — not IRCC, VFS Global or a licensed Canadian consultant (RCIC). We help you prepare and check your documents, book biometrics and arrange passport return; you submit your application from your own IRCC account.
Don't let missing paperwork or a biometrics delay cost you your trip. Our team helps you organise your documents, books VFS London and handles your passport return — you submit your own application.
Need help fast? Message our team on WhatsApp to start your Canada visa for UK residents application today.
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