How to apply for visas

Applications and Forms

Most of the applications you will need for immigration and citizenship services are available on this site. You can complete the majority of forms included in the application packages using an Adobe® Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free of charge. Most forms posted on this site can be completed in this way. You must then print your completed form and submit it to CIC.

We are making every effort to offer all of our forms in an Adobe® Acrobat on-screen fillable format. However, new or revised forms may not be available in this format initially. As soon as a fillable version of these forms becomes available, we will post it on this site.

If you cannot use Adobe® Acrobat, you may obtain applications for use outside Canada by contacting a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate abroad and applications for use in Canada by ordering them electronically on the application page or by contacting a CIC Call Centre.

Some applications used in Canada are only available by contacting a CIC Call Centre.

If you wish to apply to live, work temporarily, study, or sponsor family or refugees in the province of Quebec, you should contact the Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'immigration or one of the Quebec immigration offices abroad.

INFORMATION 24 HOURS A DAY

An automated telephone service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. You can listen to pre-recorded information on many Citizenship and Immigration programs. If you have a touch-tone phone, using the automated service is simple.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CALL CENTRE

If you are in the local calling area of:

Montreal
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (514) 496-1010
Toronto
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (416) 973-4444
Vancouver
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (604) 666-2171
From anywhere else in Canada
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. local time 1 888 242-2100
(toll-free)
For information on the Permanent Resident Card
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. local time
1 800 255-4541

If you are hearing impaired and use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time by calling 1 888 576-8502.

Effective Thursday, March 28, 2002, the International Call Centre will no longer be taking calls. The Regional Program Centre (RPC) in Buffalo (http://www.can-am.gc.ca/buffalo) will no longer be offering phone service to clients. If you require information about the status of your application, please send a fax to the Buffalo RPC at 716-852-2477.

More questions? Go to Frequently Asked Questions.
AT YOUR SERVICE: CALL CENTRE AGENTS

If you need more information, Call Centre agents are available during business hours to answer your questions. However, Call Centre agents cannot make decisions on applications that are being processed by Case Processing Centres or other CIC offices.

Adobe Acrobat Reader