Flight Itinerary for a Canada Visitor Visa: What to Submit
Updated October 2026
A Canada visitor visa (TRV) application asks about the purpose and dates of your trip, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada advises applicants not to buy tickets until the visa is approved. A purchased ticket is not required. A dated itinerary or held flight reservation with a verifiable booking reference supports your plan without risking a fare.
- $7 per leg per traveller, no airline fare
- Live PNR verifiable on the airline site
- About a minute to your inbox, or scheduled
- 12h or refunded: refund policy
Does Canada require a flight booking for a visitor visa?
Not as a mandatory document for most applicants. The officer assesses whether you are a genuine temporary visitor who will leave Canada at the end of the authorised stay, looking at the purpose of the trip, ties to your home country and your funds. Travel plans are part of that picture, and a travel itinerary is commonly listed as a supporting document in the application checklist.
Some visa offices and applicant situations come with a specific document checklist, so read the one generated for your application. Where it asks for an itinerary, a held flight reservation is the practical way to supply one before you have a decision.
A Canada visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa or TRV, does not generally require a purchased flight ticket. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada assesses whether the applicant is a genuine temporary visitor who will leave at the end of the authorised stay, weighing the purpose of travel, ties to the home country and available funds. IRCC advises applicants not to buy tickets until their application is approved. A travel itinerary is commonly listed as supporting evidence, and a held flight reservation provides one without financial risk: it is a genuine booking in the airline's reservation system with a booking reference that can be verified, for named passengers on specific flights, with no fare paid. The itinerary should agree with the dates and purpose stated in the application, with any invitation letter, and with accommodation arrangements, because consistency across documents is what makes a plan credible.
Why IRCC says not to buy tickets first
Processing times for visitor visas vary widely by country of application and season, from weeks to months. A ticket bought before approval can be lost to a refusal or overtaken by processing delays. IRCC's advice not to buy tickets before approval reflects that risk, and it is why a reservation, not a purchase, is the expected form of travel evidence.
Check the current processing time for your country on the IRCC website before you choose travel dates. Dates that are unrealistically soon compared with the published processing time make a plan look less considered.
What a good Canada visa itinerary shows
Because processing can be long, a reservation placed at submission may expire before the officer reads the file. That is expected for a held booking. What matters is that it was genuine and consistent when submitted. If an officer later asks for updated travel plans, a new reservation answers the request.
- Names exactly as in the passport, for each applicant on the trip.
- Arrival and departure dates consistent with the application and any invitation letter.
- Flight numbers, airports and times for the journey into and out of Canada.
- A booking reference and airline name that can be looked up.
- A departure that fits the purpose: a two week family visit should not show a six month stay.
Visitor visa, eTA and the check at the airport
At the border, an officer decides how long you may stay and can ask how and when you will leave. A return or onward booking answers that in seconds. If you enter Canada on a one way fare, carry evidence of the onward journey.
| Traveller | Document to enter Canada by air | Flight booking asked for? |
|---|---|---|
| Visa required nationals | Visitor visa (TRV) | Itinerary as supporting evidence; no purchased ticket required |
| Visa exempt nationals | Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) | Not on the eTA form; airlines and officers may ask about plans |
| Super visa applicants (parents, grandparents) | Super visa | Follow the specific super visa checklist |
How to get a verifiable itinerary for the application
- Pick a route and dates that match the application and the purpose of travel.
- Enter each traveller's name exactly as in the passport.
- Issue now for the submission, or schedule issuance for about a day before a biometrics or interview appointment.
- Pay $7 USD per leg per traveller; a return itinerary for one person is $14.
- Verify the booking reference on the airline's Manage Booking page before you upload the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a flight ticket to apply for a Canadian visitor visa?
No purchased ticket is required for most applicants, and IRCC advises against buying tickets before approval. A travel itinerary is commonly requested as supporting evidence, and a held reservation provides one.
Is a flight reservation enough for a Canada TRV?
A reservation is evidence of planned travel, which is what the itinerary line asks for. The decision rests on the whole application, especially the purpose of travel, ties to home and funds. No document guarantees approval.
What if processing takes longer than my reservation is valid?
Held reservations expire at the airline's deadline, and long processing is common. The reservation shows a genuine plan at the time of submission. If the officer asks for updated plans, place a new reservation.
Do eTA travellers need a return ticket?
The eTA application does not ask for one. Airlines and border officers can still ask how you will leave Canada, so carrying a return or onward booking is sensible when flying one way.
Should I include the itinerary with an invitation letter?
Yes, if you have both. Make sure the dates in the itinerary, the invitation letter and the application agree, because officers read them together.