How to fill in IMM 5257 (Canada visitor visa application)

IMM 5257, “Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)”, is the form from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that asks who you are, what your passport says, why and for how long you want to visit Canada, and a set of background questions. Each person who applies for a visitor visa fills in one, and it is completed on a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Last checked against the official form: October 16, 2026

Form: IMM 5257
Edition: IMM 5257 (09-2023) E
Issued by: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Form language: English

Who receives it: IRCC; you upload it in your IRCC secure account or send it on paper. The IRCC Portal has its own online questions, so you do not need this form there
Who fills it in: Each person applying for a visitor visa or transit visa; a parent or legal guardian signs for a person under 18
How to open it: Download it to a computer and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher; it may not open on tablets or phones
Edition used here: IMM 5257 (09-2023) E
Cost: The form is free; the visa has a processing fee and most people also pay a biometrics fee. Check the official page for the current amounts

What this form is

IMM 5257 is the main application for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), the visa that lets many foreign nationals travel to Canada as visitors. It collects your personal details, passport, languages, contact information, plan for the visit, education, employment and a set of background questions. An officer uses it, together with your supporting documents, to decide on your application.

The form has twelve sections, from Application Details to Signature. You must answer every question unless the instructions say otherwise. Filling it in on a computer is easier and reduces mistakes that can slow down the application, and the Validate button flags what is missing before you print the barcode page.

Not everyone needs a visa. Many travellers from visa-exempt countries need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when flying to Canada instead, and you need one or the other, not both. Check on the IRCC site which one applies to your passport before you start.

Who has to fill it in

You fill it in if:

You are applying for a visitor visa or a transit visa in your IRCC secure account, or on paper.
You are travelling with family: each family member files their own forms, although you may submit them together.
You are helping a child: a parent or legal guardian completes and signs the form for a person under 18.

You use something else if:

You are applying in the IRCC Portal: you answer the questions online instead.
You are from a visa-exempt country and flying to Canada: you apply for an eTA.
You want to work or study for longer: those are separate permits with their own forms.
You are a Canadian permanent resident: you cannot receive a TRV.

Field-by-field instructions

Application Details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1UCI	Your Unique Client Identifier, the number IRCC gave you if you have dealt with it before.	Type it if you know it, from an earlier visa, permit or application. If this is your first time dealing with IRCC, leave it blank.
2I want service in	The official language you want IRCC to use when it serves you.	Pick English or French from the list.
3Visa requested	The kind of visa you are asking for.	Choose Visitor Visa for a visit, or Transit if you are only passing through Canada on your way to another country.

Personal Details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1Family name (as shown on your passport or travel document) / Given name(s) (as shown on your passport or travel document)	Your family name and given names, which must match your passport or travel document.	Type them exactly as shown in the passport, even if a name is misspelled there, and do not use initials. If your passport has no family name, put all your given names in the family name box and leave the given name box blank. Never write “*”, “Not applicable” or “NA” in a name box.
2Have you ever used any other name (e.g. Nickname, maiden name, alias, etc.) ?	Any other name you have used, such as a birth name, maiden name, married name or nickname.	Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter every other family name and given name you have used.
3Sex	The gender identifier on your application: F (Female), M (Male), U (Unknown) or X (Another gender).	Choose from the list. If your choice differs from what is on your Canadian temporary resident documents, or from your passport when you have never held one, IRCC says to complete the Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier (IRM 0002) and send it with your application.
4Date of birth	The day you were born.	Enter the year, month and day. If part of your date of birth is unknown, IRCC says to use “*” for that part.
5Place of birth: City/Town / Country or Territory	The city or town and the country or territory where you were born.	If your passport shows them, copy them as they appear in the document. Pick the country or territory from the list.
6Citizenship	The country or territory of which you are a citizen.	Choose it from the list. If you hold more than one citizenship, pick the country or territory that issued the passport you will use for this trip.
7Current country or territory of residence: Country or Territory / Status / Other / From / To	The country or territory where you live now, your immigration status there and since when.	Choose the country, then your status: Citizen, Permanent resident, Visitor, Worker, Student, Other or one of the protected-person options. If you choose Other, describe the status. Enter the dates (From and To) that you have lived there.
8During the past five years have you lived in any country or territory other than your country of citizenship or your current country or territory of residence (indicated above) for more than six months?	Whether, in the past five years, you lived for more than six months in a country or territory other than your country of citizenship and your current residence.	Check No or Yes. If Yes, add each country with your status there and the From and To dates.
9Country or Territory where applying: Same as current country or territory of residence?	Whether you are applying from the country or territory where you live.	Check Yes if so. If you check No, give the country you apply from, your status there and the dates. If you are not a citizen of that country, IRCC says to send proof of your legal status there with the application.
10a) Your current marital status / b) Date of marriage or common-law relationship / c) Current Spouse/Common-law partner	Your current marital status and, if you have a spouse or common-law partner, when the relationship began and who they are.	Choose the status that applies from the list: Annulled Marriage, Common-law, Divorced, Married, Separated, Single or Widowed. If you are married or common-law, enter the date and your partner’s family and given names. A common-law union needs the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409); a marriage needs a copy of the licence or certificate.
11a) Have you previously been married or in a common-law relationship? / b) Provide the following details for your previous Spouse/Common-law Partner	Whether you were married or in a common-law relationship before, and the details of that partner.	Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter their family and given names, date of birth, the type of relationship (Married or Common-law) and the From and To dates. Give every previous partner; print another page of the section if you need more space.

Passport

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1Passport number	The number of the passport or travel document you will travel with.	Copy it exactly as shown on the document, with no spaces between the letters and numbers.
2–4Country or territory of issue / Issue date / Expiry date	Which country or territory issued the passport, and when it was issued and expires.	Choose the issuing country from the list and enter the issue and expiry dates as printed in the passport. IRCC suggests the passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned travel date, and it needs at least one blank page other than the last.
5–6For this trip, will you use a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes your personal identification number? / For this trip, will you use a National Israeli passport?	Two questions for certain passports: a Taiwan passport that shows a personal identification number, and a National Israeli passport.	Check Yes or No for each, based on the passport you will use for this trip.

Language(s)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1aNative language/Mother Tongue	Your mother tongue.	Choose it from the list. If it is not English or French, pick the language you would most likely use.
1b–1dAre you able to communicate in English and/or French? / In which language are you most at ease? / Have you taken a test from a designated testing agency to assess your proficiency in English or French?	Whether you can communicate in English, French, both or neither, which one you are most at ease in, and whether you took an official language test.	Choose from the lists, then check Yes or No for the language test from a designated testing agency.

National Identity Document

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1–5Do you have a national identity document? / Document number / Country or territory of issue / Issue date / Expiry date	Whether you have a national identity document, and its details.	Check Yes or No. If Yes, enter the document number exactly as printed, the issuing country or territory, and the issue and expiry dates.

US PR Card

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1–3Are you a lawful Permanent Resident of the United States with a valid alien registration card (green card)? / Document number / Expiry date	Whether you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid green card.	Check Yes or No. If Yes, enter the document number exactly as shown and the expiry date.

Contact Information

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1Current mailing address	The address where IRCC should send mail to you.	Give a P.O. box number, or the apartment or unit, street number and street name. Add city, country or territory, province or state, postal code and district if they apply. Do not abbreviate Street, Avenue and similar words, except directions such as NW.
2Same as mailing address? / Residential address	Where you live, if different from the mailing address.	Check Yes if the address is the same. If No, fill in the apartment or unit, street number, street name, city, country or territory, province or state, postal code and district.
3–5Telephone no. / Alternate Telephone no. / Fax no.	Your telephone number, an alternate number and, if you have one, a fax number.	For each, check whether it is from Canada, the United States or Other, choose the type (home, cell or work) and enter the number with the country and area code. Write an extension, if any, under Ext.
6E-mail address	The address IRCC uses to contact you electronically.	Type it in a format like name@provider.net, if you have one. Giving it authorizes IRCC to send you correspondence, including file and personal information, by email. Check your inbox and junk folder often, and allow messages from @cic.gc.ca, @canada.ca and @international.gc.ca.

Details of Visit to Canada

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1a) Purpose of my visit / b) Other	Why you are going to Canada.	Choose one from the list: Business, Tourism, Short-term studies, Returning student, Returning worker, Super visa, Family Visit or Other. If you choose Other, give details in box b).
2Indicate how long you plan to stay: From / To	The dates you plan to be in Canada.	Enter the From and To dates as YYYY-MM-DD. Use dates that match your tickets, invitation and other documents.
3Funds available for my stay (CAD)	The money you have available for your stay.	Type the amount in Canadian dollars (CAD).
4Name, address and relationship of any person(s) or institution(s) I will visit	The people or institutions, such as a school, you intend to visit in Canada.	For each, write the name, your relationship (friend, family, co-worker and so on) and their address in Canada. There is room for two rows.

Education

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Have you had any post secondary education (including university, college or apprenticeship training)? / If you answered “yes”, give full details of your highest level of post secondary education.	Whether you have any education after secondary school, such as university, college or apprenticeship training.	Check Yes or No. If Yes, describe your highest level: the dates (year and month) you attended, the field of study, the school name, the city and the country or territory.

Employment

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1Current Activity/Occupation	What you are doing now: your job, studies, or retirement.	Enter the from date (year and month), your occupation, the employer or facility name, and the city, country and province. If you do not work, say what you are doing, for example retired or studying.
2–3Previous Activity/Occupation	What you did earlier, so the form covers the past 10 years without gaps.	Give the same details for each earlier job or activity, with From and To dates. If you are retired, cover the 10 years before you retired. Print another page of the section if you need more rows.

Background Information

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1a) Within the past two years, have you or a family member ever had tuberculosis of the lungs or been in close contact with a person with tuberculosis? / b) Do you have any physical or mental disorder that would require social and/or health services, other than medication, during a stay in Canada? / c) If you answered “yes” to question 1a) or 1b), please provide details	Questions about tuberculosis, in you or a family member in the past two years, and about any condition that would need social or health services (not just medication) during your stay.	Check No or Yes for each. If Yes to either, give details in the box and name the family member if it applies. Answer truthfully.
2a) Have you ever remained beyond the validity of your status, attended school without authorization or worked without authorization in Canada? / b) Have you ever been refused a visa or permit, denied entry or ordered to leave Canada or any other country or territory? / c) Have you previously applied to enter or remain in Canada? / d) If you answered “yes” to 2a), 2b) or 2c) please provide details	Questions about past immigration problems: staying beyond your status, studying or working without authorization, a refusal, denied entry or an order to leave Canada or another country, and earlier applications to Canada.	Check No or Yes for each question. If Yes to any of them, give the details in the box.
3a) Have you ever committed, been arrested for, been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country or territory? / b) If you answered “yes” to question 3a) above, please provide details	Whether you have ever committed, been arrested for, charged with or convicted of a criminal offence in any country or territory.	Check No or Yes. If Yes, give the details requested. Answer for every country, not only your own.
4a) Did you serve in any military, militia, or civil defence unit or serve in a security organization or police force (including non obligatory national service, reserve or volunteer units)? / b) If you answered yes to question 4a), please provide dates of service and countries or territories where you served	Whether you served in a military, militia or civil defence unit, a security organization or a police force, including national service, reserve or volunteer units.	Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter your dates of service and the countries or territories where you served.
5Are you, or have you ever been a member or associated with any political party, or other group or organization which has engaged in or advocated violence as a means to achieving a political or religious objective, or which has been associated with criminal activity at any time?	Whether you are or have been a member of, or associated with, a political party, group or organization that engaged in or advocated violence for a political or religious aim, or that was associated with criminal activity.	Check No or Yes. IRCC says to answer this question, like all the background questions, or the application is considered incomplete and returned.
6Have you ever witnessed or participated in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting or desecration of religious buildings?	Whether you have witnessed or taken part in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting, or desecration of religious buildings.	Check No or Yes. If you answer Yes to any of questions 3 to 6, or if a visa officer asks, you may also be asked to fill in IMM 5257 Schedule 1.

Signature

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Do you consent to be contacted by CIC, or an organization at CIC’s request, in the future? (Y/N)	Your choice about whether IRCC, or an organization acting for it, may contact you later about services you received, for research or evaluation.	Check Yes or No. Read the text printed above the question on the form before you choose.
Signature of Applicant or Parent/Legal Guardian’s for a person under 18 years of age. / Date	Your signature and the date, confirming that you have answered every question fully and truthfully and agreeing to the release of records about you for processing.	Sign and date it yourself. For a person under 18, a parent or legal guardian signs. Dates use YYYY-MM-DD. For a paper application, click Validate, print the barcode page and put it on top of your package.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
UCI (Unique Client Identifier)	A number IRCC gives each client when they first deal with it. If you already have one, it is on earlier IRCC letters and documents.
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)	The visa, placed in your passport, that lets you seek entry to Canada as a visitor. It must be obtained before you travel.
Transit Visa	A visa for people travelling through Canada by air for less than 48 hours on their way to another country. There is no processing fee for it.
Super visa	A visa for parents and grandparents who visit family in Canada; it appears in the list of purposes of visit.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)	An electronic authorization for visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada. You need an eTA or a visitor visa, not both.
Biometrics	Your fingerprints and photo, given at an official collection point after you apply. IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter; some people are exempt.
Document Checklist (IMM 5484)	IRCC’s checklist of the forms and documents to include with a visitor visa application. Online it is generated for you; on paper you put it on top.
Family Information (IMM 5645)	A separate form listing your spouse or partner, parents, children and siblings. Each applicant aged 18 or older completes one.
Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)	A form to name someone, such as a consultant or lawyer, who may act for you with IRCC. Use it only if you appoint a representative.
IMM 5257 Schedule 1	An extra form that IRCC may ask you to fill in if you answered Yes to any of the background questions 3 to 6, or when a visa officer requests it.
Status	Your legal standing in the country where you live: Citizen, Permanent resident, Visitor, Worker, Student, Other, Protected Person or Refugee Claimant.
Common-law	A partner you have lived with continuously in a marital-type relationship for at least one year. IRCC asks for the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409).
Alien registration card (green card)	The US permanent resident card. The form asks for its number and expiry date if you hold one.

Common mistakes

1
Changing the name from the passport
Type the family name and given names exactly as in the passport, even if misspelled, and without initials. A different spelling can cause delays or a mismatch with other documents.
2
Writing NA in a name box
If your passport has no family name, put your given names in the family name box and leave the given name box blank. Do not write “*”, “Not applicable” or “NA” in a name box.
3
Leaving background questions unanswered
IRCC says every question in that section must be answered, or the application is considered incomplete and returned. Check No or Yes for each one, and give details when Yes.
4
Dates and details that do not match
Visit dates, employment history, funds and addresses should agree with your tickets, letters and bank statements. Check each date in YYYY-MM-DD form before you validate.
5
Leaving gaps in the employment history
The form asks for the past 10 years, with no gaps. If you were studying, retired or not working, say so.
6
Using the wrong funds currency
The funds box is in Canadian dollars (CAD). Convert the amount first; do not type it in your own currency.
7
Forgetting the forms that go with it
Depending on your case you may also need IMM 5645 (family information) from each adult, IMM 5409 for a common-law partner, a marriage certificate copy, IMM 5476 for a representative or IRM 0002 for a gender identifier change.
8
Opening it in a browser or on a phone
IRCC says to use a computer and Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. The form may not open on tablets or phones.
9
Sending the form when the Portal asks the questions instead
If you apply in the IRCC Portal, you answer the questions online and do not upload IMM 5257. Check which route your application uses first.

Questions and answers

What is IMM 5257 used for?

IMM 5257 is the application form for a visitor visa (Temporary Resident Visa) to Canada. It is also used for a transit visa. You use it if you apply in an IRCC secure account or on paper.

Do I need IMM 5257 if I apply in the IRCC Portal?

No. IRCC says you do not need this form when you apply in the IRCC Portal, because the Portal asks the questions online and gives you a list of documents to upload.

Do I need a visa, or an eTA?

It depends on your passport and how you travel. Visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada need an eTA, and visa-required travellers need a visitor visa. You need one or the other, not both. Check the IRCC page before you apply.

What if I do not have a UCI?

Leave it blank. IRCC says that if this is your first time dealing with it, you will not have a UCI.

How do I open and save the form?

Download it to a computer, save it in a place you can find, and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. You can save it and finish later. Click Validate when you are done.

How much does it cost, and how long does it take?

The form is free. The visa has a processing fee and most applicants pay a biometrics fee, and processing times change. Check the IRCC fees page and processing times page for the current figures.

How long is a visitor visa valid?

IRCC says a visitor visa can be valid for up to 10 years or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first, and an officer may set a shorter date.

Do my family members fill in their own forms?

Yes. Each family member files their own forms, and you may submit them together and use one payment receipt. A parent or legal guardian completes and signs for a person under 18.

What do I do if a background answer is Yes?

Check Yes and give the details the form asks for in the box beside it. Answer truthfully: the form says you declare that you answered all questions fully and truthfully. The officer may ask for IMM 5257 Schedule 1.

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