Trip checklist: Canada

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Print this checklist

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply for a visa before travel to Canada.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 180 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

• Purpose of visit

  Tourism, visiting family/friends, business visitor activities. No work or study beyond permitted short courses.

• Passport validity

  IRCC advises the passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the planned travel date; the visa cannot be valid beyond passport expiry.

• How to apply

  Apply online via the IRCC portal (canada.ca) or IRCC Secure Account; paper only for disability or refugee/stateless documents. Fees: CAD 100 processing per person (CAD 500 family cap) plus CAD 85 biometrics (CAD 170 family cap). Biometrics given at a VFS centre after the instruction letter. Processing time for applications from South Africa: 117 days (IRCC data, updated 1 October 2026). Passport is then submitted for the visa counterfoil.

• Where South Africans apply

  Online to IRCC; biometrics and passport submission at Canada Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global in Pretoria and Cape Town (7th Floor, 2 Long Street). VFS appointment booking is free; optional VFS services (courier R305, premium lounge Pretoria R1,274, etc.) are extra. The High Commission of Canada in Pretoria does not accept applications directly.

• Return or onward ticket

  Applicant must satisfy the officer they will leave at the end of the stay; itinerary/return booking commonly supplied.

• Proof of funds

  Must show enough money for the stay; no fixed amount, it varies by length of stay and whether staying in a hotel or with friends/relatives.

• Accommodation or invitation

  A letter of invitation from someone in Canada may be required depending on circumstances.

• Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

  None required for visitors; a medical exam may be required in some cases. Canada is not a yellow fever risk country.

• Extending your stay and overstaying

  To stay longer, apply for a visitor record from inside Canada before status expires.

• Transit

  South Africans need a transit visa (free, up to 48 hours, 1 or 2 entries) to connect between international flights in Canada unless they already hold a valid Canadian visitor visa. The Transit Without Visa programme covers only certain nationals (China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan) and US citizens/LPRs, not South Africans.

• Travelling with children

  Children travelling alone or with one parent should carry a consent letter; each child needs own visa. South Africa's own exit rules for minors also apply.

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.html
• IRCC processing-times data https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/documents/json/data-ptime-en.json

Research sources

1. 1. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html
2. 2. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.html
3. 3. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eligibility.html
4. 4. IRCC processing-times data (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/documents/json/data-ptime-en.json
5. 5. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/extend-stay.html
6. 6. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Official, canada.ca) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit.html
7. 7. VFS Global (Canada VAC South Africa) (Commercial, visa.vfsglobal.com) https://visa.vfsglobal.com/zaf/en/can
8. 8. VFS Global (Canada VAC South Africa) (Commercial, visa.vfsglobal.com) https://visa.vfsglobal.com/zaf/en/can/attend-centre
9. 9. N4 / CTV News (News and guides, newcomernavigation.ca) https://www.newcomernavigation.ca/en/news/ctv-news-canada-cancels-automatic-10-year-multiple-entry-visas-tightens-rules.aspx

From doineedavisa.co.za/canada. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.