How to get a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) via VFS Canada Manila

Parlez vous Anglais?.................

Canada is "The land of opportunity and hope" many people venture here instead of America because of their failed "American Dream". We should not let Canada be an option but should be a choice.  

I was supposed to get only a US NIV "but again" my sister insisted to me that I should get a Canadian TRV as well because she wants that we will cross to Niagra Falls from New York side to Ontario side. I was halfhearted at that time because this will be another payment. Since January 1st of 2019, the Canadian embassy already implemented a biometrics enrollment for Filipinos and it will be an additional 85$ CAD biometric fee to the existing 100$ CAD visa application fee. So, all in all, you will have to pay a whopping 185$ CAD to get a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa. But, moving forward I just go with the flow and just hope for the best. While I was reading and gathering the requirements for my Canadian visa application I read that it is inconvenient now for visa application online. It will cost you a lot of money because you will be asked to go to VFS twice (First - When you are asked to give your biometrics, Second - When you pass your passport [Hopefully you made up until this point because at this stage your visa is already approved!]). I am from Mindanao and the nearest VFS center is in Cebu but I still need to ride a ferry or plane to get there and it would cost me a lot as well. Since I am going on a vacation in Manila, I decided to just apply on paper on VFS Manila. After deciding that I will go through the paper application, I further read some blogs and forums and I noticed a promising program for valid US NIV holder which is CAN+ (CAN+ is a program by the Government of Canada run for Visitor Visa applicants. This program allows for expediting the processing for visitors, who have traveled to the USA or Canada in the last 10 years, or who have a valid unused US visa). I make sure to photocopy the US NIV so that it will be my main document for submission.  

Before I start the process I will share with you the perk of having a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) just like with my US Non-Immigrant Visa (click here). It will add a Visa-Free privilege to my passport if I possess a valid and unexpired ME Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (currently, we have 66 countries and territories Visa Free or Visa-on-Arrival):

• Mexico (180 Days) - Visa Free
• El Salvador (90 Days) - Visa-on-Arrival
• Guatemala (90 Days) - Visa-on-Arrival
• Honduras (90 Days) - Visa-on-Arrival
• Panama (90 Days) - Visa Free
• Cuba (30 Days) - Tourist Card (50 USD), You go to Cancun, Mexico then get a tourist card
• Macedonia (15 Days) - Visa Free
• Qatar (30 Days ) - Electronic Travel Authorisation

These countries as of the moment will be granted in addition to your current Philippine Visa Free Countries. It is less compared to the perk of having a  US Non-Immigrant Visa (click here) but still useful. Without further ado, this is the process of how I obtain my Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). These are the documents I prepared ( I will discuss the numbers one-by-one):

1. Cover Letter (I have already a Valid US NIV so I categorically stated it in my cover letter so that I will be legible for the CAN+ Program)
2. Philippine E-Passport
3. IMM 5877 Form, IMM 5484 Form, IMM 5257 Form, IMM 5707 Form, and VFS Consent Form (As much as possible use Adobe Acrobat reader so you can edit and view all the forms. Please check all the checkboxes that are applicable to you and sign all the signature areas) 
4. Application processing fee and biometrics fee receipt
5. Photocopy of my current Philippine E-Passport Bio Page
6. Photocopy of my United States ME Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) ( This is for the CAN+ program)
7. Photocopy of my previous visas and stamps
8. Original certificate of employment and photocopy of my approved leave of absence
9. Photocopy of my 2018 Income Tax Return (ITR)
10. Original bank certificate (You can omit this if you have a Valid US Visa but I still include it just to make sure)
11. US-Canada Travel Insurance for the whole trip (Canada will be a side trip from our main US Trip)
12. My confirmed roundtrip EVA Air plane ticket Cebu, Philippines to New York, USA  via Taipei, Taiwan ( I already book my US Ticket and included it here. We will be going on a land trip to Ottawa )
13. Photocopy of me and my sisters PSA birth certificate with her PSA marriage certificate (To show that my sister and I are siblings)
14. Photocopy of my sister and her husband Taiwanese passport with approved Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) (To show that they already have their own requirements completed)
15. Photocopy of my sister and her husband Confirmed Roundtrip EVA Air plane ticket Taipei to New York (My sister and her family bought their ticket already because they don't need a visa. This is to justify that I will be going with them)
16. Invitation letter to visit the United States from our family friend (Our family friend gave me a US Invitation because we will be staying in her place)
17. The complete itinerary for the whole US-Canada  trip (This is my sample Itinerary)

DISCUSSION:

1. Cover Letter ( Please click the hyperlink for the sample)

2. Philippine E-Passport (Your current passport)

3. Please see the different forms:

• IMM 5877 Form (The following screenshots are the only checkboxes I've ticked)

• IMM 5484 Form (The screenshot is the only checkboxes I've ticked)

• IMM 5257 Form ( The information here are basic but I highlighted on my screenshot which details or info you need to focus more )

• IMM 5707 Form ( The fields here are common if it's not applicable put N/A)

• VFS Consent Form (On the bottom most of the page fill in the details for the consent form that you will give your biometrics to VFS)

4. Application processing fee and biometrics fee receipt (This is how you pay online using a debit or credit card)

• You need to go to the CIC payment website (click here)
• Click Continue the choose Immigration

• Choose Temporary Residence

• Input quantity 1 for a visitor visa and 1 for biometrics then click submit

• After submit it will show the total payment needed and you need to login to your CIC account for payment. If you don't have a GCKey account (sign up here).

• Click proceed to checkout after signing in.

• Use your credit card here.

• After the successful payment, a receipt will be sent to your email and you need to print it and include in your application.

4. Photocopy of my current Philippine E-Passport Bio Page 

5. Photocopy of my United States ME Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) ( This is for the CAN+ application. When I submitted my documents on VFS, the lady who is filing my requirements made sure that the photocopy is on the very top of my application.)

6. Photocopy of my previous visas and stamps

7. Original certificate of employment and photocopy of my approved leave of absence

8. Photocopy of my 2018 Income Tax Return (ITR)  (As I've mentioned before I am already exempted for financial requirements because of my US Visa but I just want to make sure everything is good)

9.  Original bank certificate (As I've mentioned before I am already exempted for financial requirements because of my US Visa but I just want to make sure everything is good)

10. US-Canada Travel Insurance for the whole trip ( This is not really included in the requirements but because Insurance is very helpful especially when traveling I already got one and included it. The insurance is from Standard insurance and I got it online and it was cheap)

11. My confirmed roundtrip EVA Air plane ticket Cebu, Philippines to New York, USA  via Taipei, Taiwan ( If you have a confirmed ticket or a ticket reservation make sure to include it in your application)

12. Photocopy of me and my sisters PSA birth certificate with her PSA marriage certificate 

13. Photocopy of my sister and her husband Taiwanese passport with approved Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) (If you are traveling with someone who has already have a Canadian Visa it might be a help if you photocopy his/her visa then include it in your application)

14. Photocopy of my sister and her husband Confirmed Roundtrip EVA Air plane ticket Taipei to New York (If you are traveling with someone and she already has a plane ticket you can include it as well)

15. Invitation letter to visit the United States from our family friend (If you have an invitation letter include it as well. You can include his/her passport, visa, home address, phone number and anything that would make the consul convince that you really know him/her)

16. The complete itinerary for the whole US-Canada  trip (This is my sample Itinerary)

If all the needed requirements and the payment is already settled then you are ready to schedule an appointment [Note you need to sign up first to be able to set an appointment](Click Here) for your biometrics enrollment and visa application at the same time. After the successful registration and signing in you will be redirected to the appointment page and just follow the instruction. 

You can set an appointment and just choose the date you want. I advise you to choose the earliest time (7:00 - 7:15 AM) so that you will be finished early as much as possible. 

You will receive an appointment confirmation email that you need to print and bring it with you on the appointment day.

APPOINTMENT DAY!

I brought only a transparent long envelope with me on the appointment day and Inside the transparent envelope are:

• Printed VFS appointment form
• All the documents I stated in my cover letter
• My old passports
• A Ballpen
• Money

I always practice arriving a day before the appointment day and stay closer to the Embassy or Visa Application Center. VFS Canada Manila is located on:

Canada Visa Application Centre 

VFS Services Phils. Pvt. Inc.

29th Floor The World Center Bldg

330 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City

Philippines

Hours of Operation:

Application / Biometric Submission: 07:00 – 16:00

Passport Submission –: 07:00 – 16:00

Passport Collection: 07:00 – 16:00

I arrived at the VFS building at around 6:30 AM for my appointment. After entering into the building I inquired at the receptionist where is VFS Canada room and floor. The receptionist said that we need to wait outside the building because VFS is still not open above. The receptionist asked for 1 valid ID and gave me a temporary pass and I lined with the other people outside.

Around 6:45 AM the guard already allowed us to go to the 29th floor. When we were on the 29th floor there is another guard manning the people. He said that all the 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM biometrics appointment will line to the right of the entrance and the walk-in applicant's will line to the left. 

At exactly 7:00 AM, the guard already told us that all 7:00 AM appointment can go inside. They checked our belongings and some people brought with them bulky bags and the guard told them they must deposit it on their counter (Their counter charges 100 pesos, so better don't bring bulky things). For me, I directly lined at the receptionist area, there are already a number of people ahead of me. So when my turn came, the lady asks for my biometrics appointment. I gave the biometrics appointment and she told me where is your letter? I told her that I will be applying in a paper application at the same time. She then asked for my documents and passport. I gave it to her and she arranges it in her own order and then she stapled it with a queing number. She returned to me the documents and passport and she then told me to go to the waiting area. I was also given a form which you will fill up if you desire to enroll on SMS and email notifcation, courier and other services (Note it is important not to fill in the SMS because they enrolled me with me not noticing it ). I proceeded to the waiting area and my number is N6. There was an LCD monitor that flashes the number and when the number was already N6, I was instructed to go to room number 12. I knocked at the door and entered the room. There was a lady waiting and she asked for my documents. I handed her all the documents I have including the form I filled in before. She returned the following:

• My old passports
• The First Page of my IMM 5877 E Form
• My Cover Letter [ :( huhu ] (But the good thing the photocopy of my US Visa is attached to the first page of my application and I told her is it going to be a CAN+ application? and she said Yes!!)

She then asked for a photo for my application (see here) and I said I have no photo and she told me that I need to take a photo outside after my biometrics. ( I was thinking that there is no need because on the application it says that you don't need to pass a photo if you are doing a biometrics. Its so weird why they don't follow that GRRR).  Anyhow, I continue with the biometrics it was fingerprinting then a picture. She handed me a receipt with my biometrics.

 After that, she computed all the payment I needed to pay this was the breakdown:

• Assisted service charge = 344
• Courier Fee = 278.57 (This is important to me because I am from Mindanao and I just want to receive the passport directly)
• VAS - SMS Fee = 86 ( You can say NO to this or just don't fill the number details on the form they will give you)
• VAS - Photo services = 76 (You can avoid this if you already have a picture with you)

All the biometrics processes were finished and she just needs my photo. So, I went outside where there was a booth and took a photo then return to the same room and gave her the pictures. After that, she gave me a receipt and told me it is already finished. She told me to just wait for my passport and I could track my application (click here to track your application) using my application number.

I got out from VFS and returned to the accommodation with ease and happiness that the universe will conspire. 

After waiting for 5 working days since I pass my application. I check the status of my application on the VFS tracking website and finally!!  the status was already APPROVED!!! Then on the 7th working day, I got my passport with the Canadian Visa on my hand and it is a 10 YEAR MULTIPLE ENTRY!!! Thank God!!

Parting Word!! 

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” 

― John Lennon

In Life, there will be always ups and downs but that is part of life. We should always keep in mind that we will always move forward and not backward because there is always no turning back.