Need to visit
Whether it’s for business or you simply want to visit friends or family, you might need a visa to come to Canada or the U.S. Not sure where to start? Exeo can help.
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Come to Canada as a visitor
Visitors are divided between those who are exempt from visas and those who are not.
With the exception of US citizens, visa-exempt visitors must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before traveling to Canada by air.
Visitors who require a visa must apply to the Canadian consular authorities to obtain a temporary resident visa before traveling to Canada. The application must be accompanied by convincing evidence of the applicant’s attachment to their country of origin and their intention to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay.
For most countries, the application for a temporary resident visa must be filed online or at a visa application center. Regardless of the validity of the visa, and for visa-exempt visitors as well, it is at the time of entry into Canada that the border services officer will decide on the admission of the visitor into Canada. The visa officer will also determine at the same time the period of stay allowed, usually a maximum of six months.
Visitor status can be extended from within Canada without the applicant having to leave the country. To do this, an application must be made before the expiry of the status.
Business visitors may be admitted to Canada for the purpose of promoting or selling goods or services of a foreign company, negotiating contracts or meeting with customers or suppliers. They should always have documentary evidence of the purpose of their visit and their professional ties abroad. This is even more true for those who make repeated trips to Canada.
U.S. Entry Waiver (Form I-192)
A U.S. entry waiver, filed as Form I-192 (Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant), can let a Canadian citizen who has been found inadmissible — most commonly because of a past criminal record — enter the United States temporarily. Because Canadian citizens are visa exempt, you file Form I-192 with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a designated port of entry or online through the Electronic Secured Adjudication Forms Environment (e-SAFE), rather than through a consular interview; the Admissibility Review Office then adjudicates it.
The waiver is granted at the discretion of the Admissibility Review Office: meeting the requirements does not guarantee approval, and certain grounds of inadmissibility cannot be waived at all. A filing fee applies in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s current fee schedule. Given the lengthy processing times, we recommend applying well in advance of any anticipated travel; see the timing question below. If you are inadmissible to Canada instead, we can assess whether a temporary resident permit or an application for criminal rehabilitation is the right route.
FAQs
How long does it take to get a U.S. entry waiver (Form I-192)?
Plan for a range rather than a single date. The Admissibility Review Office publishes a service standard for these applications, but application volumes have pushed real timelines well beyond it — commonly four to eight months from filing to decision, and longer for complex files, as of September 3, 2026. Because timing varies case by case, we cannot guarantee a date for your file, so start well ahead of any trip and do not book non-refundable travel around an expected approval date. Our team prepares a complete, well-documented I-192 waiver application to avoid unnecessary delays.
Can a Canadian citizen apply for a U.S. entry waiver at the border instead of a U.S. consulate?
Yes. Canadian citizens are visa exempt for travel to the United States, so the process works differently than it does for applicants who must visit a U.S. consulate. Instead of a consular interview, you file Form I-192 with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a designated port of entry, or online through e-SAFE. CBP receives the application, but the Admissibility Review Office is the sole adjudicator; the border officer does not decide the waiver. Note that Canadian permanent residents are not visa exempt and generally cannot use this route.
