Immigration information: Before you arrive

Passports and travel documents

To apply for a study permit, you will need to show proof of your identity. For most applicants, this will take the form of a valid passport from your country of citizenship or travel documents that guarantee that you can re-enter your country. Find out what you need to come to Canada.

Your passport or travel document must remain valid while you are in Canada. Typically, your study permit and temporary resident visa (if required) cannot be valid beyond the date that your passport or travel document expires.

It is your responsibility to ensure your passport or travel document does not expire while you are in Canada—you should apply for renewal at least six months before it expires. The consulate or embassy for your country can provide you with renewal information if you are in Canada.

Biometrics

Biometrics, which include fingerprinting and digital photographs, are a new entry requirement to Canada as of Dec. 31, 2018. For new international students intending to arrive in 2019, biometrics will need to be submitted in person at a designated location in their country of residence. Students cannot obtain their biometrics until they have applied for a study permit and received formal notice from the Government of Canada to do so.

Learn more about biometrics

Visa application centres (VACs) are managed by private companies and are approved to provide biometric services. Appointments must be scheduled in advance. Book your appointment for biometrics early, or your application for the study permit may be delayed!

Find a visa application centre

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Do you need travel authorization documents?

Your study permit is not a visa. It doesn’t allow you enter Canada. You may also require a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approves your study permit application they will issue one to you. Find out if you need travel authorization documents

Travel or status documents issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada cannot be valid beyond the expiry date of your passport. If your passport is due to expire, it is advised to renew your passport before you apply for any travel documents or study permits. It is very important that you travel with the same passport number you used when you applied for your travel documents or study permit, as these are checked when you enter Canada. If they do not match, the officer will not be able to issue you with a study permit and you may even be asked to leave Canada and return to your home country.

Temporary resident visas and Electronic Travel Authorization

The temporary resident visa (TRV) is a travel document that allows you to enter Canada, or re-enter if you travel during your studies. This is commonly known as a “visitor visa” and it does not grant you any legal status in Canada. If you are a citizen of a country that needs a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), IRCC will seal it into your passport. There is an expiry date on this visa ― you must enter Canada before this expiry date. The visa will also indicate if you can enter Canada only once (a single-entry visa) or if you can enter Canada multiple times (a multiple-entry visa).

An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries. If one is issued for you, it will be indicated in the letter of introduction you receive. The eTA will be linked to your passport, and is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

You do not need these documents to stay in Canada—to do that, you need a valid study permit―but if you have a TRV, it is a good idea to keep it valid while you are here so you can leave and re-enter Canada if needed. Learn how to extend your TRV from within Canada.

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The following information provides a list of helpful reminders of things to do and pack before you depart for Winnipeg. It is not an exhaustive list, and it is your responsibility to know and understand the guidelines, policies and laws relating to your travel and arrival in Canada.

Before you leave

As an international student at the University of Manitoba, you will be a part of our mandatory health coverage plan with our local provider, Blue Cross and Student Care.

• Please note that newly enrolled international students are covered on an emergency basis for up to one (1) calendar month prior to the start of their first academic term. During this period, medical treatment and testing for COVID-19 will only be covered if symptoms began after departure from your home country.
• We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance from your home country that provides coverage until the start of classes. We also recommend that you confirm with the insurance provider that your coverage includes any medical costs related to COVID-19. Not all insurance providers cover these costs.  
• It is important to know that your student health coverage will not be effective elsewhere in Canada, and cannot be used until you first arrive in Manitoba.  
• Review the Manitoba International Student Health Plan (MISHP) coverage and effective dates. 
• Make a photocopy of or scan your airline tickets and important documents in case the originals are lost or stolen. Keep the photocopies in a safe place, but not in the same place that you keep the originals (for example, save photos in your email account).
• Keep emergency phone numbers with you at all times. The following phone numbers are recommended: 
  • your country's embassy, consulate or high commission located in each country through which you travel 
  • Security Services at the UM (204-474-9341, collect) 
• Confirm the baggage restrictions for each airline you will use.
• Confirm the time that you should arrive at the airport and ensure to arrive in plenty of time to check in. Many international flights require passengers to arrive two to three hours before the scheduled departure time. 
• Pack your own baggage and never leave your bags unattended. 
• Label all luggage clearly. Try to use luggage tags with flaps to hide your name and deter theft. 
• Keep a small amount of local currency so you can pay departure taxes and purchase snacks during stop-overs. Contact the airline(s) or your travel agency in advance to find out how much the airport tax will be and how you can pay it at each airport you will use. 
• Carry a credit card or small amount of Canadian dollars so you can pay for a taxi, if necessary, upon your arrival in Winnipeg. 

Make sure you have all of your important documents in your carry-on bag (NOT your checked luggage, in case it gets lost or you require them after you have checked your luggage). Examples include:

• passport
• airline tickets
• credit cards and money
• documentation required at the port of entry 
• record of immunization 
• list of medications you require 
• driver’s license, if you have one

If you will arrive in Canada between October and April, bring an appropriate jacket to wear upon arrival. 

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Your “port of entry” is the first airport you land in, or first land border you cross, when you arrive in Canada. For example, if your flight lands in Toronto before continuing to Winnipeg, Toronto will be your port of entry.

An officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will meet you at your port of entry. The officer will issue your study permit after reviewing your documents. It is important that you show the correct documents to the CBSA.

Read more about the port of entry and documents you need to print and bring with you

When you receive your study permit, read it carefully and ask the officer to explain anything you do not understand. Although you will be tired from your trip to Canada, it is important to take the time to ensure you understand all of the information listed on your study permit. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with immigration regulations while you are in Canada.

You may have other questions about arriving in Canada that are not related to immigration. The International Centre has resources for you.

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