Fill and sign Form IMM 5257 online
The application form for a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa), used when applying through the IRCC secure account or on paper.
Form IMM 5257 at a glance
- Official name
- Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)
- Issued by
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- Country
- Canada
- Category
- Immigration and visas
- Language
- English and French
- Who uses it
- Visitors from visa-required countries applying through the IRCC secure account or, when allowed, on paper.
- Signature
Check with the recipient
The form page does not say how to sign. For online applications, IRCC says you sign electronically by typing your name when you submit, and not to print the form to sign it. Paper applicants sign the printed form.
Form IMM 5257 is the application form for a Canadian visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa. You need it if you apply in the IRCC secure account or on paper; applicants using the IRCC Portal answer the questions online instead. Download the official form from canada.ca and fill it in on a computer with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, as IRCC asks. It is a dynamic form that browser PDF tools, including BunnyDoc's Sign PDF, cannot open.
How to fill in and sign Form IMM 5257
Check which way you apply
IRCC says you must apply online unless you cannot apply online, for example because of a disability, or you travel on a refugee, stateless or non-citizen identity or travel document. The IRCC Portal does not use this form; the secure account and paper applications do.
Open the form on a computer
IRCC asks you to complete the form on a computer, in Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or later, not on a phone or tablet. You can save it and finish later.
Personal, passport and contact details
Fill in your personal details, marital status, languages, passport and identity documents and contact information exactly as they appear on your passport.
Details of your visit, education and employment
Describe the purpose and dates of your visit and who you will visit, then your education and your employment history.
Background questions and validation
Answer the background questions, then use the Validate button to find missing answers before you finish.
Submit with your documents and fees
Upload the form in your secure account, or send it with a paper application, together with supporting documents such as IMM 5409 for a common-law partner or IMM 5476 if you use a representative. Pay the $100 processing fee and, if needed, the $85 biometrics fee.
What you need before you start
- A valid passport.
- Details of your trip, the people you will visit and how you will pay for it.
- Your education and employment history.
- A credit or debit card for the fees.
- A scanner or camera to make electronic copies of documents, for an online application.
Fees
The IRCC visitor visa page lists a processing fee of $100 per person, or $500 for a family of five or more applying together, plus a biometrics fee of $85 per person, or up to $170 for a family, if biometrics are needed. Some applicants are exempt from some or all fees.
How do I sign IMM 5257?
The form page does not say. For online applications, IRCC's help centre says you sign electronically by typing your name when you submit, and tells you not to print your application form to sign it. If you are allowed to apply on paper, sign the printed form.
Common mistakes
- Using this form when applying through the IRCC Portal, which asks the questions online.
- Details that do not match your passport.
- Filling it in on a phone or tablet, where it may not open correctly.
- Leaving out the IMM 5409 or IMM 5476 when they apply to you.
Form IMM 5257: frequently asked questions
Do I need IMM 5257 if I apply online?
Only if you apply through the IRCC secure account. If you apply through the IRCC Portal, you answer the questions online and do not need the PDF.
How much is a Canadian visitor visa?
$100 per person or $500 for a family of five or more, plus $85 per person for biometrics (up to $170 per family) if needed.
Can I apply on paper?
Only if you cannot apply online, for example because of a disability, or if you travel on a refugee, stateless or non-citizen identity or travel document.
How long is a visitor visa valid?
Up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first.
Why won't the form open?
IRCC says to use a computer and Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or later. The form may not open on tablets or phones.
Is BunnyDoc connected to IRCC?
No. BunnyDoc is not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. We link to the official form on canada.ca and give you a free tool to fill and sign it in your browser.
BunnyDoc is not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Check that the recipient accepts electronic signatures.
Need someone else to sign? Send it for eSignature with BunnyDoc
Upload the filled-in form and send it to anyone for a legally binding eSignature, with an audit trail. 5 free signature requests every month.