Schachnow Law

Visit Canada

Visitor visas: approval is not automatic.

Canada refuses many visitor visa applicants who assumed the process was routine. Approval is not automatic, and we build files that meet the criteria officers actually check.

Call, text, or message us on WhatsApp at (437) 800-1918

Request your visitor visa review

Overview

Approval is not automatic.

A visitor visa, formally a temporary resident visa, lets you come to Canada for tourism, family visits, or business. Officers refuse applicants they think might overstay, or who cannot show funds for the trip. A well documented application answers those doubts up front, before an officer has to ask.

What officers look for

What a strong visitor file shows.

  • Proof of funds for the trip and the stay
  • Ties to your home country: a job, property, and family
  • A clear purpose of travel, with an itinerary or invitation letter
  • Your travel history and current immigration status
  • Admissibility, including any past refusals addressed head on
  • Super visas for parents and grandparents, with stays of up to five years at a time

How we work

A lawyer-led process, with our own software doing the assembly.

01

Initial consultation

Tell Josh what you are dealing with. You get legal advice on your actual situation, written next steps, and a flat fee for the work, before you commit to anything. We quote after we diagnose, never before.

02

Application preparation

You work in our secure client portal to assemble your file. Our software handles the document assembly, extraction, and cross-checking, which is why a lawyer reviewing every page personally still fits inside a flat fee.

03

A licensed Canadian lawyer reviews and files

A licensed Canadian lawyer reviews every page before it is filed.

Flat fees. Once you are a client, a reply within one business day. No surprises.

What to know

Before you apply.

  1. 01

    The question officers are answering

    Will you leave when your stay ends? Everything in the file feeds that judgment. Officers read your ties to home, your funds, your travel history, and the logic of the trip, and refuse when the picture does not hold together.

  2. 02

    Which document you actually need

    Citizens of visa exempt countries only need an electronic travel authorization to fly to Canada. Everyone else needs a temporary resident visa. Which one applies depends on your passport, and the effort involved is very different.

  3. 03

    What goes in the file

    Beyond the forms: proof of funds, an itinerary or invitation letter, employment evidence, and often biometrics. Some applicants also need a medical exam. Complete files move faster and get refused less.

  4. 04

    Six months, usually

    Most visitors are admitted for up to six months. You can apply to extend from inside Canada before your status expires. Overstaying, even briefly, follows you into every future application.

  5. 05

    The better option for parents

    Parents and grandparents of citizens and permanent residents can get a super visa: multi entry, valid for up to 10 years, with stays of up to five years at a time. It requires an invitation, income proof from the child in Canada, and private medical insurance. For most families it beats a regular visitor visa.

Why us

Why work with us on your visit?

An honest risk assessment

We tell you how strong your file is before you pay a filing fee, and what would make it stronger.

Invitation letters that carry weight

If family in Canada is inviting you, we draft support letters that give the officer what they need to say yes.

The right visa for the visit

For parents and grandparents, a super visa often beats a regular visitor visa. We advise which fits your family.

Fast turnaround

Visits are time sensitive. Most visitor files start the day you retain us.

FAQ

Visitor visa questions, answered.

Do not see your question? Ask us directly. A member of our team will reach out almost instantly.

Ask a question
I was refused before. Should I just apply again?
Not blindly. We order the officer's notes, fix what caused the refusal, and refile. Repeat refusals get harder to overcome, so the second application should be the last one needed.
Do I need an invitation letter?
It is not mandatory, but a good one strengthens a family visit application considerably. It comes from your host in Canada and explains the visit, where you will stay, and who is paying.
How long can I stay?
Up to six months per entry in most cases, unless the officer sets a different date. Extensions are possible from inside Canada if you apply before your status expires.
Can I work or study as a visitor?
Work, no. Short courses of six months or less are allowed. Anything more needs the right permit, and in many cases we can arrange your status without you leaving Canada.
Do I need a visa or an eTA?
It depends on your citizenship. Visa exempt travellers need only an eTA to fly in. Everyone else needs a temporary resident visa before travelling.

Trusted by clients across Canada.

JS

Jess S.

I'm glad I met Josh. He helped me with my Canadian Work Permit Visa and my husband's OWP. I was apprehensive at first, and I had a lot of questions, but Josh was always accurate and willing to help. He is an excellent professional, and it's clear that he cares about every client.

LA

Lucas Arantes

Josh was incredibly helpful throughout two work permits and our overall immigration process, guiding all of us (including two different employers) every step of the way. He made complicated immigration topics easy to understand and helped us choose the best strategy for our family's needs. Now we're proud Canadian citizens raising our two kids in Montréal.

YZ

Yongjie Zhang

It was a pleasure working with Josh on my work permit application. He was very professional and timely with his communication and I am excited to finally be accepted to Canada.

Every matter is different. Results vary, and past outcomes do not predict future ones.

Joshua Schachnow, founding Canadian immigration lawyer at Schachnow Law

Meet our founder

Joshua Schachnow, B.Com., J.D.

Founder

Josh is a Toronto-based lawyer who has been practising immigration law for more than nine years. He has helped thousands of individuals and companies navigate Canadian immigration, from work permits to permanent residence, study permits, citizenship, LMIAs and more, and he built the software this firm runs on. Josh always puts his clients first, and believes quick and thoughtful communication is most important to making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Ready to get started

Start your visitor visa application.

Tell us who is visiting and why. A member of our team will reach out almost instantly to book your consultation, where a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer will assess the file, flag any risks, and quote a flat fee.

Flat fees. No obligation. We follow up fast.

Call, text, or message us on WhatsApp at (437) 800-1918

Request your visitor visa review