Study Permit Application Process - Online

This document is originally written by Abed Rahman, PhD Student in Computing Science (University of Alberta).

Year of Publication: 2019

©PBSCU Any unauthorized use of this article, including copying or editing is prohibited. If you want to use the article, you need to take permission from us: pbscuadm@gmail.com or from the author and you must mention the author's name and the group's name in all cases.

Disclaimer: This is a step by step guide for the Canadian study permit application online.There are links of other helpful PBSCU posts at some places. Links I post in here are not my own, they are authored by altruists in the aforementioned group. Also, every opinion expressed in this document is the writer's own and should not be taken as objective facts. It might have unintentional mistakes which are only due to the writer’s own shortcomings and the writer does not claim to be any sort of authority in this matter. Hence, READ AND FOLLOW AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Online vs VFS: Which should you go for?You should go for Online application if:

• Going multiple times to VFS is NOT a huge problem for you.

• You have a way to pay the fees online, i.e. a credit card that can do transaction in USD/CAD.

• You are confident that you do NOT need a VFS professional to double check your application package i.e. do not want to use their special paid service

• You are more comfortable scanning and uploading documents instead of printing them.

• You are NOT comfortable with submitting your passport before the VISA has been accepted.

• You do NOT like notarizing every document ever.

Since a lot of the aforementioned points might seem trivial for some and be a deal-breaker for others, applying through VFS is still a valid option.

If you have decided to apply online, let’s go step by step:

1. SignUp/ Login to online accountYou can login and start your application by logging in through one of the following:

a. GCKey: This is the option available for everyone. To make a GCKey go to this link and sign up. You need to choose a Username and password, some security questions. It is fairly easy.

b. Through Sign-In Partner: An option available only for those with a Canadian Bank Account. Basically, if you have a Canadian bank account and have online banking enabled for that bank account, you do not need to make a GCKey

The two processes are equivalent and has nothing to do with processing times.

2. Starting a new ApplicationOnce you have logged in, scroll down to find a link that says “Apply to come to Canada”. From the available options, choose ‘Visitor Visa, study/work permit’. This will take you to the wizard that will make you answer some questions. After you are done answering questions, it will generate a checklist for you. Checklists usually contain the same things with some changes here and there based on the individual.

Misc. tips:

a. If you want to do your medical Upfront {Highly Recommended}, in the wizard when asked ‘whether you have done a medical checkup by a IRCC approved physician in the last 12 months’, your answer should be yes.

i. While you might not have done your Medical at the time of answering the question, by the time you have submitted the application, this should be true. Thus, the answer should be yes.

b. If you are applying for your spouse/ family member who would accompany you to Canada, you can apply from the same account. Just select yes when you are asked regarding applying for anyone other than yourself.

i. Once you answer yes to the aforementioned question, you will have to answer similar questions as you did for yourself and this will generate another checklist for your family member/spouse.

3. Possible Checklist and working on your application

Once you have finished answering the questions asked by the wizard, you will get a checklist. You would be given the option to upload one PDF file for each item on the checklist. The checklist is based on your answers in the wizard and hence, would differ from person to person. Here, I am going to share my checklist and what I submitted against each item. Also, I will link previous PBSCU posts that would be helpful for you.

Your checklist should look something similar to the following:

a. Application for Study Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM1294):

http://www.pbscu.ca/study-permit.html

Just follow the link above, enough said!!!

b. Passport:

i. All passports [Bio page, all Visa/stamps] as one single PDF file.

ii. Start with your latest passport. Then add in the necessary pages of the previous passports in reverse order of their issue date, i.e. Newer passport pages first, then older ones.

c. Use of a Family Member Representative for Online Applications (IMM5713) [ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER/SPOUSE]

This form is to certify that you are indeed authorized to handle your family members application. You should print the document, fillup as directed below and Scan the PDF

How to fill up:

a. Section A: Family Member Representative

i. Subsection 1 and 2 asks for the name of the family representative. This would be the principal applicant, i.e. owner of the GCKey

ii. Subsection 3, Information of the family members

1. Add the name of all of your family members one by one.

b. Section B: Granting Permission to Family Member Representative

i. Signature of the family members listed in Subsection 3 of section A in the order they are listed.

d. Proof of financial support:

i. Financial Planning for 1 year [ Some people give it for two years but 1 year is enough]

1. If you are applying together, your financial planning should be together as well. Here is a snapshot of how a joint financial planning might look like 

ii. Possible supporting documents are [but not limited to] :

1. Offer letters mentioning guaranteed university fund for (at-least) 1/more year(s)

2. Sponsor’s affidavit declaring their intent to sponsor you/your family members

a. If the sponsor is a first blood relative, a letter would suffice

3. Sponsor’s CA Eval [ Optional in my opinion but I gave it anyway]

4. Proof of sponsor’s monthly income [ if any]

5. Sponsor’s bank statements/ solvency certificates, etc.

6. Tax Clearance Certificate of sponsor for the last two years [Mandatory]

e. Digital Photo:

i. Should follow these specifications

ii. Best option is to go to a studio and take your picture, tell them to format it for Canadian VISA application and ask for the jpg, upload that.

iii. A lot of free websites let you resize your photo, you can try those as well.

f. Family Information (IMM5645):

i. A simple way of preparing this form is to first fill in the PDF normally. Under each name, keep a single line blank [i.e. Write the name in English, hit Enter to create a blank line].

ii. Print the document, write the names in Bangla by hand, put necessary signatures and you are done.

iii. Some people prefer IMM 5707 over 5645. The online applications asks for 5645, so upload that. The two forms are not that different.

g. Letter of Acceptance:

i. Provide both the department and the university offer letter as one PDF.

h. Proof of upfront medical exam:

i. Got to an IRCC certified physician, tell them that you are there for an upfront medical for SP.

1. A post from PBSCU detailing IRCC certified physicians in BD.

2. After the tests, they will give you a single page [e-medical info sheet] which contains your picture along with other info. Scan and upload it.

i. Schedule 1 - Application for a Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside Canada (IMM 5257b)

i. Basically some declarations and travel history. Be honest and the rest is easy.

j. Client Information

Arguably the most tricky section. These are supposed to be “supplementary” documents that you submit to add extra information.

You ‘may’ submit a letter of explanation and necessary attachments [but not limited to these] as a single PDF:

Letter of explanation:

This is a letter you write to ‘Whom it may concern’ [i.e. Visa Officer] as explanation to some topics that you want to clarify; topics related to your SP application. Possible topics are:

● Relevance of the offered program with your educational and professional background

● Family Ties

● Travel History

● Financial Support available to you.

● Why you might not have added any Tax Clearance Certificates with your application

○ Even if your sponsor does not have a taxable income, tax filing is always a good idea. But if that is not possible, explaining here is a good alternative.

The letter should not be more than 2 pages {Put a signature at the end, digital sign is OK}. Attach the following documents to the Letter of explanation [ If Applicable]. These attachments are ‘proof’ of the claims you might have made on the letter itself.

a. Study Plan : Better to finish in a single page {Put a signature at the end, digital sign is OK} {Highly Recommended}. Your study plan should address the following questions:

i. Why do you wish to study in Canada in the program for which you have been accepted?

ii. What is your overall educational goal?

iii. Why are you not pursuing a similar program in your country of residence/citizenship?

iv. How will this program enhance your employment opportunities in your country of residence/citizenship?

v. What ties do you have to your country of residence/citizenship?

vi. If it has been more than 2 years since you have left full-time education, please provide your C.V. (résumé)

vii. In the case of a minor applicant, what are your reasons for wishing to study in Canada? What is your parents’/guardians’ immigration status in their current country of residence?

Yes, some of the things mentioned in the Study Plan and the Letter of explanation are redundant. Redundancy regarding a central theme is OK. But make sure you paraphrase the redundant sentences to the best of your abilities.

b. Recent CV {Highly Recommended}

c. All degree Transcripts and Certificates {Highly Recommended}

d. Recent TOEFL/IELTS score {Highly Recommended}

e. Proof that you can come back and join your current institution [ If possible].

This proof could be but not limited to:

i. A conditional study leave that becomes valid once you get the SP.

ii. OR, a letter from your department/office/boss highlighting your job security in BD and the option to come back and rejoin your previous duties.

f. All proofs of employment [Employment certificates and pay stubs] {If Any}

g. Scanned copy of the Police Clearance Certificate from Bangladesh. {Mandatory}

N.B. : . : All documents like Transcripts, Bank Statements, Police clearance certificates, etc. should be

scanned and uploaded. Unless the scanned document is a photocopy of the original, no need to

notarize it. Scan the original in 300 dpi and upload!!! Use online tools to merge and shrink PDFS.

Once you are done with uploading the documents, submit the application and pay the fees. The

application fee comes with 85 CAD biometric processing fees.

4. Next Steps

a. After the submission, you will get two letters confirming your online application. If there are any updates, you will get an email notification

i. Sometimes, you would get ghost updates, i.e. an email that says your application has been updated but you don't see anything new, this is usually them working on your application. Nothing to worry about.

b. Biometrics Collection Letter:

i. Usually, after 1-2 days, you will get a letter that will tell you to give your biometrics to a VAC. For BD, the VAC is VFS.

1. I know of a case where the ‘Biometrics Collection Letter’ came after 11 days. So no need to worry if the letter comes a little late.

ii. Make an appointment in VFS. To do so, make an account in VFS’s webpage. Book an appointment for ‘biometric enrolment’ {NOT emergency biometric enrolment}

iii. Bring the appointment confirmation, the Biometrics collection letter and your passport to VFS.

iv. Just go 10 minutes before the appointment. In my experience, going early will do you no good. Once you have arrived, just show the appointment confirmation at the entrance , get a token and the rest is simple.

v. You will be given a receipt at the end which you will have to bring along with other documents during the submission of your passport.

c. Correspondence Letter:

i. After an unknown (?!!!) amount of time, you will get a letter which is just called ‘Correspondence Letter’. In PBSCU, you might have heard the term ‘Biometric Correspondence Letter’. This is exactly that. This means, you are really close!!!

ii. This letter simply says your biometric is OK/valid.

d. Original Passport Request

i. Soon after the Correspondence Letter you will get the Original Passport Request .

ii. No need to book an appointment for this. Just take the Original Passport Request letter, receipt given during biometric collection and your passport. Wait in line and go inside VFS to submit your passport.

iii. You will have to pay a package transmission fee to VFS. For me and my wife, it was around 1K [ the detailed breakdown of the fee is in their website] . To be safe, take around 2-3K and you should do just fine.

iv. The VFS official will give you a page which will contain your money receipt, your personal details and a tracking ID. You can use the tracking ID to track your package.

v. You should get periodic updates through sms and/or emails as your passport goes from BD to Singapore and back to VFS. Sometimes due to a system glitch, you might not get said updates. Use the tracking ID to track the package manually at VFS’s website.

vi. Once you get an sms/email or manage to track your package back to VFS, take the page given to you in step iv. and go back to VFS to collect your passport. Like before, wait in line, take the token and go inside. The entire passport retrieval process should take about an hour.

e. e. Correspondence Letter {IMPORTANT}

No, this is not the same as item c. mentioned above. Once you get your passport back, in about a couple of days, you should get another update in your application. Once you login, you will see that the application status has now changed to ‘Approved’ instead of ‘Submitted’. You will also see a new letter which is called ‘Correspondence Letter’. You would need this letter at the port of entry. This letter contains a barcode and your study permit document number [Should look something like FXXXXXXXXX]

If you do not get this letter for some reason, send an email to IRCC. If you do not have this at the port of entry, it will lead to some hassle. You should still get your SP regardless.

This document attempts to combine a couple of PBSCU resources, various tips from altruists in PBSCU and personal experience as a singular guide. I am really grateful to this group and this document is a humble attempt to give something back to this platform. Thank you everyone and best of luck :)