Application for a temporary resident visa (IMM 5257)

You must answer all the questions on this form unless instructed otherwise.

Download and fill out the form on a computer.

You also have the option to save your form and fill it out later.

Read and follow the questions below to help you fill out the form.

Question 1

Type your universal client identification number (UCI), if known. Otherwise, leave it blank. If this is your first time dealing with us you will not have a UCI.

Question 2

From the list, select the language (English or French) in which you would like to receive your service.

Question 3

From the list, select the type of visa you are applying for:

• Visitor visa: official document issued by a visa office that is placed in the passport which allows you to seek entry to Canada.
• Transit Visa: is required for persons travelling through Canada for less than 48 hours on their way to another country.

  Note: To obtain a transit visa you must provide specific evidence of your travel itinerary from your transportation company or travel agent.

Question 1

Full name

Type your family name (surname) exactly as shown on your passport or travel document (even if the name is misspelled). Do not use initials.

Note: If you do not have a family name on your passport or travel document, enter all your given names here and leave the given name field blank.

Type all of your given names (first, second, or more) exactly as shown on your passport or travel document (even if the name is misspelled). Do not use initials.

Note: If you do not have a given name on your passport or travel document, leave this field blank. Do not enter “*”, “Not applicable” or “NA”.

Question 2

Nick names or Alias

Check the box to tell us if you have ever used any other name. This could include your birth name, maiden name, married name, nick name, etc.

If you checked “Yes”, type any other family name that you have ever used.

If you checked “Yes”, type any other given name (first, second, or more) that you have ever used.

Question 3

Choose your gender (F-Female, M-Male, U-Unknown or X-Another gender).

Note: If you choose a gender identifier that is different than what you currently have or have had on your Canadian temporary resident document (visa, electronic travel authorization, work permit, study permit or visitor record), you need to complete the Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier (IRM 0002) (opens in a new tab) form and send it with your application. You also need to complete this form and send it with your application if you’ve never had a Canadian temporary resident document but you intend to apply for one and you identify with a gender that is different than what appears on your foreign travel document or passport. No supporting documents are required.

Question 4

Enter your date of birth. If your entire date of birth is unknown, please use ‘*’ (star sign or asterisk) to fill in the spaces for the year, month or day, where applicable.

Question 5

Note, if your city, town, country or territory of birth is indicated in your passport or your travel document, please record it as it appears in the document.

Question 6

Choose your country or territory of citizenship. To be a citizen of a country or territory means that you were either born in that country or territory (in most cases) or have been granted citizenship by that country or territory. If you are a citizen of more than one country or territory, choose the country or territory that issued the passport you will be using for this trip.

Question 7

Choose the correct information:

• The name of the country or territory you live in, if you have been lawfully admitted to that country or territory.
• Your immigration status in that country or territory (choose one of the following):
  • Citizen
  • Permanent resident
  • Visitor
  • Worker
  • Student
  • Other
  • Protected Person
  • Refugee Claimant
• Other: You must fill out this section if you chose “Other” as a status.
• The dates (From – To) you have been living in your country or territory of residence.

Question 8

Check the box to tell us if during the past five years, you have lived in any other country or territory other than your country of citizenship or your current country or territory of residence (indicated above) for more than six months.

If you checked “Yes”, choose the correct information:

• The name of the country or territory you lived in;
• Your immigration status for the time you were in that country or territory:
  • Citizen
  • Permanent resident
  • Visitor
  • Worker
  • Student
  • Other
  • Protected Person
  • Refugee Claimant
• Other: You must fill out this section if you chose “Other” as a status;
• The dates (From – To) you were living in that country or territory.

Question 9

Check the box to tell us if you are applying from the country or territory you live in.

If you checked “No”, choose the correct information:

• The name of the country or territory where you are applying from;
• Your immigration status in that country or territory by choosing one of the following:
  • Citizen
  • Permanent resident
  • Visitor
  • Worker
  • Student
  • Other
  • Protected Person
  • Refugee Claimant
• Other: You must fill out this section if you chose “Other” as a status;
• The dates (From – To) that you have been living in that country or territory.

If you are not a citizen of the country or territory where you are applying, you must send proof of your legal status in the country or territory you live in when you submit your application.

Question 10

1. Choose your current marital status from the list below:

   Annulled Marriage

   This is a marriage that is legally declared invalid. An annulment can also be a declaration by the Catholic Church that the marital union did not have a binding force.

   Common - Law

   This means that you have lived continuously with your partner in a marital-type relationship for a minimum of one year.

   Divorced

   This means that you are officially separated and have legally ended your marriage.

   Married

   This means that you and your spouse have had a ceremony that legally binds you to each other. Your marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it was performed and in Canada.

   Separated

   This means that you are married, but are no longer living with your spouse.

   Single

   This means that you have never been married and are not in a common-law relationship.

   Widowed

   This means that your spouse has died and that you have not re-married or entered into a common-law relationship.

2. Enter the date (year, month and day) you were married or you entered into your current common-law relationship.
3. Type the family names and given names of your current spouse or common-law partner.

If you are in a common-law union, you must also fill out the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union [IMM 5409] (PDF, 863 KB) form and include it with your application. If you are married, you must send a photocopy of your marriage licence or certificate with your application.

Question 11

Check the box to tell us if you have ever been married or in a common-law relationship. If you checked “Yes”, enter the following information:

• All family names,
• All given names,
• Date of birth,
• Type of relationship:
  • Common-law, or
  • Married,
• Dates (From – To) for which you were in the relationship with your former spouse or common-law partner.

Question 1

1. Choose your native language (mother tongue).
2. If your native language is not English or French, choose the language you would most likely use.
   • Both
   • English
   • French
   • Neither
3. Choose English, French or both as your language of communication:
   • English
   • French
   • Both
   • Neither
4. Check “Yes” or “No” to tell us if you have taken a test from a designated testing agency to test your abilities in English or French.

Question 1

Type your valid passport or travel document number exactly as shown on the document. Make sure there is no space between each number or letter.

Question 2

From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your passport or travel document.

Question 3

Enter the date your passport or travel document was issued.

Question 4

Enter the date your passport or travel document will expire.

Question 5

For this trip – Check “Yes” or “No” to tell us if you are using a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that shows your personal identification number.

Question 6

For this trip – Check “Yes” or “No” to tell us if you are using a National Israeli passport.

Question 1

Check “Yes” or “No” to tell us if you have a national identity document.

Question 2

Enter your national identity document number exactly as shown on the document.

Question 3

From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your national identity document.

Question 4

Enter the date your national identity document was issued.

Question 5

Enter the date your national identity document will expire.

Question 1

Check “Yes” or “No” to tell us if you are a lawful Permanent Resident of the United States with a valid alien registration card (green card).

Question 2

Enter your valid alien registration card (green card) document number exactly as shown on the document.

Question 3

Enter when your alien registration card (green card) document will expire.

Question 1

Type your current mailing address (where information should be mailed). Make sure you include the following information:

• Post Office Box (P.O. Box) number, if you have one. If you do not have a post office box number, you must type the street number,
• Apartment (Apt.) or Unit,
• Street number (No.). If you did not type in a P.O. Box number, you must type the street number,
• Street name. Do not abbreviate words (Street, Avenue, Boulevard, Drive, etc.) except for directions (NW, SE, W, etc.),
• City or Town,
• From the list, choose the country or territory of your current mailing address,
• Province or State,
• Postal code or zip code,
• District, if it applies to you.

All correspondence will go to this address unless you give us your e-mail address.

If you wish to have a representative who can conduct business on your behalf, you must give us their email and mailing addresses in this section and fill out the Use of a Representative IMM 5476 (opens in a new tab) form.

Question 2

Check the box to tell us if the address you live at is the same as your mailing address. If “No”, type the following information:

• Apartment (Apt.) or Unit, if it applies to you,
• Street Number (No.),
• Street Name. Do not abbreviate words (Street, Avenue, Boulevard, Drive etc.) except for directions (NW, SE, W, etc.),
• City or Town,
• Country or territory,
• Province or State,
• Postal Code or zip code,
• District, if it applies to you.

Question 3

Check the correct box to tell us if the telephone number is from Canada, the United States (US) or Other (any other country).

Choose the type of telephone:

• Residence (home)
• Cellular (cell or mobile)
• Business (work)

Type your telephone number including the country code, area or regional codes, etc.

If you have an extension number, write it after your phone number under “Ext.”

Question 4

Check the correct box to tell us if your other telephone number is from Canada, the United States or Other (any other country).

Choose the type of telephone:

• Residence (home)
• Cellular (cell or mobile)
• Business (work)

Type your telephone number including the country code, area or regional codes, etc.

If you have an extension number, write it after your phone number under “Ext.”

Question 5

Check the correct box to tell us if the facsimile (fax) number is from Canada, the United States or Other (any other country).

If you have one, type your facsimile (fax) number, including country code, area or regional codes, etc.

Question 6

If you have one, type your e-mail address using a format similar to the following: name@provider.net

Note: Make sure you check your email regularly. Any emails sent to you by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will end in:

• “@cic.gc.ca”,
• “@canada.ca”, or
• “@international.gc.ca”.

Please add these to your “safe senders” list in your email program and check the junk mail folder in case important emails get filtered. If we find that your email address does not work or no longer exists, we will communicate with you by mail. By giving us your e-mail address, you are hereby authorizing us to send your correspondence, including file and personal information electronically to this address.

Question 1

1. From the list, indicate the purpose of your visit to Canada:
   • Business
   • Tourism
   • Short-term studies (course or program of six months or less)
   • Returning student
   • Returning worker
   • Super visa — Parents and grandparents
   • Other (medical visit, transit, etc.)
   • Family Visit
   • Visit

   Note: If you selected “other” in question 1a), provide details in 1b)

2. Provide details.

Question 2

Enter the dates (From – To) that you plan to stay in Canada.

Question 3

Type the amount of funds (money) in Canadian dollars that you have available to you during your stay in Canada.

Question 4

Type the following information about the person(s) or institution(s), including schools you intend to visit during your stay in Canada:

• Name (includes the name of a person or a name of an institution)
• Relationship you have with this person or institution (friend, family, co-worker, etc.)
• Their address in Canada (street number, street name, city or town and postal code).

Check the box to tell us if you have any post-secondary education (including university, college or apprenticeship training).

Examples of post-secondary education:

Trade or Apprenticeship

Training completed in a specific trade, such as carpentry or auto mechanics.

Non-university certificate or diploma

Training in a profession that requires formal education but not at the university level (for example, dental technician or engineering technician).

Bachelor’s degree

Academic degree awarded by a college or university to those who finished an undergraduate curriculum; also called a baccalaureate. Examples include a Bachelor of Arts, Science or Education.

Master’s degree

Academic degree awarded by a graduate school of a college or university. You must have completed a Bachelor’s degree before a Master’s degree can be earned.

PhD

Highest university degree usually based on at least three years of graduate studies and a thesis. Normally, you must have finished a Master’s degree before a PhD can be earned.

If you checked “Yes”, give us full details of your highest level of post-secondary education:

• Enter the dates (year and month) you attended the institution
• Field(s) of study (mechanics, social sciences, medicine, etc.)
• School or Facility name
• City or Town
• Country or territory (choose from the list) and
• Province or State.

Enter the following information about your employment for the past 10 years. If you are retired, give information about the 10 years before your retirement.

Question 1

Current activity or job

Give details about your current activity or job:

• dates (year and month) you have been working at your current job,
• activity or job, or a brief description of your position. If you do not work, describe what you are currently doing (retired, not working, going to school, etc.),
• name of the company, employer or facility where you work,
• City or Town,
• Country or territory,
• Province or State, if it applies to you.

Question 2

Previous activity or job

Give details of your previous activity or job for the past 10 years. If you are retired, include the details about the 10 years before your retirement.

If you need more space, print out another page of the form, fill in this section and submit it with your application.

All questions in this section must be answered or the application will be considered incomplete and will be returned.

Question 1

Check the box to indicate if:

1. you or any of your family members have ever had tuberculosis of the lungs or been in close contact with a person with tuberculosis within the past two years.
2. you have any physical or mental disorder that would require social and/or health services other than medication during your stay in Canada.
3. If you checked “Yes” to any of the above questions, provide details and the name of the family member, if applicable.

Note: Refer to the Family Members definition in the guide.

Question 2

Check the box to indicate if you have ever:

1. remained beyond the validity of your status, attended school without authorization or worked without authorization in Canada.
2. been refused a visa or permit, denied entry or ordered to leave Canada or any other country or territory.
3. Applied previously to enter or remain in Canada.
4. If you checked “Yes” to one of the above questions, provide details.

Question 3

Check the box to indicate if you have ever:

• committed,
• been arrested for, or
• been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country or territory.

Question 4

1. Check the box to indicate if you have ever served in any military, militia, civil defence unit, served in a security organization or police force (including non-obligatory national service, reserve or voluntary units).
2. If you answered “Yes” to question 4a), please provide your dates of service and the countries or territories where you served.

Question 5

Check “Yes” or “No” to indicate if you have ever been a member or associated with any political party, or other group or organization which has engaged in or advocated violence as means to achieving a political or religious objective, or which has been associated with criminal activity at any time.

Question 6

Check “Yes” or “No” to indicate if you have ever witnessed or participated in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting or desecration of religious buildings.