Quick answer
Yes. Indian passport holders need a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa); India is on Canada's visa-required list and cannot use an eTA. Fees are CAD 100 for the visa plus CAD 85 for biometrics, and most visitors can stay up to 6 months. Apply online on the IRCC Portal, then give fingerprints and photo at a VFS Global Canada centre — there is none in Kerala, the nearest are Chennai and Bengaluru. IRCC's processing time for applications from India was 32 days (22 Sep 2026), not counting biometrics.
Canada visa for Indians at a glance
| Visa needed for tourism? | Yes — visitor visa (temporary resident visa); no eTA for Indians1 |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | CAD 100 per person (CAD 500 max for a family of 5 or more)2 |
| Biometrics fee | CAD 85 per person (CAD 170 max for a family)2 |
| Maximum stay | Most visitors: up to 6 months3 |
| Visa validity | Up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire (whichever is first)4 |
| Processing time (India) | 32 days, excluding biometrics time (updated 22 Sep 2026)5 |
| How to apply | Online on the IRCC Portal4 |
| Biometrics near Kerala | VFS Canada VACs in Chennai or Bengaluru (no Kerala centre)6 |
Visa options for Indian passport holders
Visitor visa (temporary resident visa) — tourism or family visit4235
- Who can use it
- Indian passport holders
- Stay
- Usually up to 6 months per entry (date set by the border officer)
- Validity
- Up to 10 years or until passport/biometrics expiry, whichever comes first; the officer may set a shorter date
- Entries
- Single or multiple — IRCC decides
- Fee
- CAD 100 visa processing fee + CAD 85 biometrics fee (per person; family caps CAD 500 and CAD 170)
- Processing time
- 32 days for applications from India (IRCC tool, updated 22 Sep 2026); time to give biometrics is extra
- Where to apply
- IRCC Portal (online), https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.html
- Good to know
- You must apply online unless you cannot because of a disability or you hold a refugee/stateless travel document. First-time applicants must pay the biometrics fee when submitting.
Super visa (parents and grandparents)4
- Who can use it
- Parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Stay
- Up to 5 years at a time
- Validity
- Up to 10 years
- Entries
- Multiple
- Where to apply
- IRCC (online)
- Good to know
- A separate visa with its own requirements; see IRCC's Super Visa page.
Documents to prepare
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from your planned travel date, with copies of the bio page and any pages with stamps, visas or markings.4
- Recommended: travel history (previous visas and stamps from the last 10 years), itinerary (flights, accommodation), and bank statements showing at least 6 months of account details.4
- Employer letter on letterhead, dated within 3 months of applying, with your job, start date, salary and manager's contact details.4
- For a family visit: an invitation letter and proof of your relationship (for example a birth or marriage certificate).4
- A letter authorising a minor child to travel, if applicable. Follow the personalised checklist in the IRCC Portal and India's visa-office instructions (IMM 5881).4
Before you fly and on arrival
- If your passport is stamped at entry, you must leave by the stamped date. If it is not stamped, you can stay up to 6 months from entry or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.3
Applying from Kerala
- Apply online, then wait for your biometric instruction letter (BIL). You have 30 days from the BIL to give biometrics; book the appointment right away.47
- IRCC lists VFS Canada VACs in India at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. There is no centre in Kerala; Chennai and Bengaluru are the closest.76
- Biometrics appointments are free to book — do not pay anyone for an appointment. The CAD 85 biometrics fee is paid to IRCC with the application.72
- Children under 14 and applicants over 79 do not give biometrics. Biometrics stay valid for 10 years.8
- No visa interview is part of the standard process.4
Extending your stay
- To stay longer, apply for a visitor record before your status expires. Fee: CAD 100 per person.32
- A visitor record is not a visa and does not let you re-enter Canada; you need a valid visitor visa to return after travelling outside Canada or the US.3
What changed recently
- 22 September 2026: IRCC's processing-time data shows 32 days for visitor visa applications from India.5
How Albah Holidays can help
- We handle Canada visa applications from our office in Kozhikode — we check your case, give you the exact document checklist, fill in the application and book any appointment.
- Where fingerprints or an interview are needed, you attend in person — we prepare you for it and follow up until the decision.
- Flights from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, hotels and travel insurance — booked together with us.
- Send your passport copy and travel dates on WhatsApp, or visit our office in Eranhipalam, Kozhikode.
- Flights to Canada from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, booked with your visa so the dates line up and the name on the ticket matches the passport.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Canada?
Yes. India is on Canada's list of countries whose citizens need a visitor visa. Indians cannot use an eTA.1
How much does a Canada visitor visa cost for Indians?
CAD 100 for the visa plus CAD 85 for biometrics per person. A family of 5 or more pays at most CAD 500 for visas, and a family pays at most CAD 170 for biometrics.2
How long does a Canada visitor visa take from India?
IRCC showed 32 days on 22 September 2026. This does not include the time to give biometrics.5
Is there a Canada VFS centre in Kerala?
No. IRCC lists 10 VFS centres in India; the closest to Kerala are Chennai and Bengaluru.76
How long can I stay in Canada on a visitor visa?
Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The border officer may set a different date in your passport.3
Can I apply on paper?
No, you must apply online unless a disability stops you or you travel on a refugee or stateless travel document.4
Official sources
- Entry requirements by country or territory — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-07-31; checked 24 September 2026.
- Fee list — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Page updated 2026-09-21; checked 24 September 2026.
- Extend your stay in Canada: About the document — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-01-09; checked 24 September 2026.
- How to apply for a visitor visa — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-08-28; checked 24 September 2026.
- Check processing times (visitor visa, outside Canada — India) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-09-22; checked 24 September 2026.
- VFS Canada India — Attend a centre — VFS Global (IRCC's contracted VAC operator). checked 24 September 2026.
- Where to give your fingerprints and photo — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-08-24; checked 24 September 2026.
- Who needs to give their fingerprints and photo — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca). Page updated 2026-07-09; checked 24 September 2026.
Rules, fees and processing times can change without notice. Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources above on 24 September 2026. Confirm before you travel — we recheck the current rules for every application we handle.