It is a lot of students dream to study or complete their education in Canada, and if you intend to study in Canada as a citizen from Nigeria, you’ll need a Canadian Student Visa for this purpose.
A visa is a permit that allows visitors to stay and study in Canada. Officially, it is called a student permit. To apply for a student permit in Nigeria you need to get all your facts right. If you want to get more information about the Canada student visa application in Nigeria, stay with us.
Canadian Visa Application Centre
The Canadian visa application centre (CVAC) is authorised to accept an application and process a Canada student visa in Nigeria. Although there are some cases you do not need a student permit to school in Canada, these are,
- If the course or program is less than six months
- If you are a family member or staff of the foreign representative of Nigeria
- If you are a member of a foreign armed force
Moreover, it is advisable to get a student permit before you head to Canada, because you may later decide to continue your studies in another program, and if you do not have a permit, you’ll have to leave Canada to apply for a visa again.
Once you have this permit, you can apply to renew it from within Canada if you decide to continue your studies. This makes life easier for you.
How long does it take to get a Canadian Visa
The Canadian visa processing time in Nigeria depends on the type of visa being processed. For a visitor visa, it takes 70days to get the visa fully processed. While for a Student Visa, it takes 4 months to get your visa processed.
The Canadian embassy will usually contact you for any eventualities and to notify you when your visa application has been accepted.
Canada Student Visa Requirements in Nigeria
In order to process your visa application easily, you need to have the following documents before starting the procedure for your Canadian visa application.
- You need to present an original and photocopy of your Nigerian passport, which must be valid for at least six months of your stay in Canada.
- You need two colour photographs that have been recently taken, the photograph should capture your full face.
- You need a proof of acceptance, the school you applied to will send you an acceptance letter as proof that you have been offered to study there.
- You must prove that you have enough money to cater to all your need during your stay in Canada. Apart from tuition, the Canadian authorities will expect you to keep aside $11,000 Canadian dollars for your upkeep.
- You will need to provide a medical statement, to prove that you are in good health.
- You also need to present a flight ticket reservation and present a confirmation for the hotel reservation if your school does not have any plans for accommodation.
- You will need to get all academic certificates from previous universities you have attended. This will serve as proof that you have attended another school before your application.
- You will have to provide a police certificate stating that you are a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record
- You must satisfy the immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.
Make sure you follow this Canadian visa checklist we have provided above.
How to Apply for Canada Student Visa
For easy and fast approval of your Canadian visa, these are the steps to apply for Canada student visa you’ll need to take.
- First, apply for admission into the Canadian institution of your choice
- Then fill the student permit form, after you have done this, you’ll need to gather all required documents as stated above. It is advised to make photocopies of each document.
- Submit at the VAC: after you have submitted your application and paid the required fees, you’ll be given a receipt that contains a tracking number. The tracking number can then be used to track the progress of your visa application, with this, you can get ready for an interview and also when you can collect your passport
- The very last step is to visit the visa application centre to collect your visa when it is ready, you will be sent notifications when it is ready for collections.
Organisations like the Nigerian student express help students to process their visa applications for easier and less stressful applications. But be sure to avoid scammers because there are many out there.
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Price of Canadian Student Visa in Nigeria
The fee for Canada student visa varies according to seasons, but at this time, the estimated fee for a study permit is about $150 CAD, the biometrics fee is $85 CAD. Service fee is about $45 CAD.
The Canadian embassy in Nigeria is located at Number 4, Aniifowoshe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos or Plot 110, Admiral Ayinla Way, Opposite Treasure Garden Estate, Third Roundabout, Lagos. You can also visit the centre at 13010G, Palm close, Diplomatic Drive, Central business, Abuja
You can download the Canada visa application form on the CIC (CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA) website
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