International Students
Tips on communicating with IRCC
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), also referred to as a “visitor visa” or “entry visa”, is a travel document that is placed in your passport and used to enter or re-enter Canada.
It does not give you any status inside Canada and is usually issued for the same length of time as your study or work permit. A TRV allows you to travel to Canada (that is, to the border), while a study permit allows you to stay and study inside Canada. A study permit is the document showing your status inside Canada, but you must have a valid TRV in order to enter Canada if you are a citizen of a visa-required country.
Do I need a TRV?
If you’re a citizen of a visa-required country, you will need a TRV to travel to or re-enter Canada.
If you are from a visa-exempt country, you will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada by air.
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents of the U.S. do not require TRVs or eTAs.
Check entry requirements by country and the “Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada” tool for more information. Once you are in Canada, you are not required to have a valid TRV since it is only for entry. However, it is highly recommended to always have a valid TRV in the event of an unexpected trip abroad. Otherwise you must apply for a TRV from outside Canada and it may take a long time, and you may not be able to return to Canada in time.
Getting a TRV
If you apply for an initial study permit or Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) from outside of Canada
You do not need to apply separately for a TRV if you apply for an initial study permit or a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from outside Canada. When your initial study permit or PGWP is approved, you will automatically be issued a TRV along with your study or work permit, if required.
If you will study at UBC for less than six months and require a TRV, apply for it well in advance by reviewing the steps outlined on the IRCC’s website.
If you will study at UBC for more than six months, your TRV will be issued with your study permit (if approved), visit our tutorial on how to apply for an initial study permit.
If you are in Canada
When you apply to extend your study permit or apply for a PGWP from inside Canada, a new TRV is not automatically issued. You have to wait until you have received a new study permit or PGWP, then apply for a TRV from within Canada. Your TRV will normally be issued with the same expiry date as your new study or work permit.
It is best to receive your new TRV before leaving Canada. In general, processing times for applications outside of Canada are longer and you will need to provide more documents.
Apply for a TRV well in advance of travel. Be cautious about booking non-refundable travel plans before you receive your TRV. The published processing times do not include the time it takes to mail your passport to Ottawa – usually the process takes at least 1 month. If you must provide biometrics, apply for your TRV earlier to allow for this extra step.
TUTORIAL: APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA
Before submitting your application
Sign up for the Canvas application review course to go over your application with helpful videos and learn about common mistakes.
If your TRV expires before you return to Canada
You can apply for a TRV from outside of Canada with a digital copy of your study or work permit. Review our TRV tutorial, then review the TRV from outside of Canada guide since applications for TRVs from outside Canada are different. Be sure to include any additional documents required by your visa office.
To find the instructions for your visa office, go to IRCC’s TRV page, select your country in the “apply on paper” section, then see the visa office instructions PDF. Make sure to write a letter of explanation and make it clear that you are applying for a TRV to return to Canada to continue studying or working. Include any additional documents required from your visa office along with your letter of explanation in the “Client Information” section, under “Optional Documents” in your online application.
Important considerations
Exchange, VIRS, visiting and unclassified students
If you will study at UBC for less than six months and decide not to apply for a study permit, apply for a TRV well in advance by completing the steps provided by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Visitors
If you change to visitor status or your dependent family members are in Canada as visitors, you are not able to apply for a TRV in Canada. Visitors in Canada can only apply for a TRV through the Canadian visa office responsible for their country of citizenship.
Travelling outside of Canada during your studies
You must have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to re-enter Canada if you’re planning to travel outside of Canada during your studies. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents of the U.S. do not require TRVs or eTAs.
Before making any travel plans, check travelling outside of Canada and the Travelling to Canada Guide for your return.
If you get a new passport
If you have received a new passport or you will renew your passport while abroad and your TRV is in your previous passport, you can continue using your TRV until it expires. You will need to travel with both your old passport with the TRV and your new passport.
TRV validity and change of status
TRVs are valid until the expiry date listed on the document, unlike study permits which become automatically invalid 90 days after your letter of completion first becomes available.
You can also continue using your TRV if it says ‘visitor’ (V-1), ‘student’ (S-1) or ‘worker’ (W-1), even if that is not your status. For example if you previously had a study permit and now have a Post-Graduation Work Permit, your TRV is normally valid if it has not expired.
As of July 2021, you may be issued a TRV with a ‘V-1’ code, even if you applied for a study or work permit. This is not an error and you can use your TRV until the expiry date.
Travelling to the United States
You don’t need a valid TRV to re-enter Canada if you meet all of the following:
- Have a valid study permit or work permit, or hold valid visitor status in Canada
- Leave Canada to visit only the United States
- Return to Canada by the end of the authorized period of your stay in Canada
Please note that re-entry to Canada is always at the discretion of the officer at the border. You can reference the TRV exemptions from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations Section 190(3)(f).
In addition, be sure to meet US immigration requirements. Note that we cannot provide US immigration advice.
If your passport containing a TRV is lost or stolen
You must first replace your passport if your passport with a valid TRV is lost or stolen.
Once you have a new passport, you can apply for a new TRV. Include a letter of explanation that contains the police report number and a brief explanation about why you are applying.
International student resources
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
If you have questions
You can connect with International Student Advising for questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada.
The information on this page may change
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
