Applying For Your Study Permit From Outside Canada

Step 1: Decide whether you want to apply for your study permit online or by paper application at a Visa Application Centre (VAC). If you have not provided biometrics to Immigration Canada within the past 10 years and:

• You apply online, you will have to go to a biometrics collection centre after you submit your application and receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter.
• You apply by paper application at a VAC, you can submit your application and do your biometrics at the same time.

Step 2: If you apply online, complete the “Check your eligibility” questionnaire after signing into your IRCC account.

• "How long are you planning to stay in Canada?” Select “Temporarily – more than 6 months” even if you have less than 6 months of studies remaining to complete your program.
• "What is your current country/territory of residence?” Select the country outside Canada from which you will be submitting your application. *Do not answer “Canada”, as this will result in the wrong form being generated for you in your Document Checklist.
• “Do you have a valid work permit or study permit, and need a visa to return to Canada?” If you want to obtain a new study permit, you must answer “No”. *If you only want to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV/Entry Visa), you must answer "Yes".
• “Is work an essential component of your studies?”. If you are required to complete a mandatory work component as part of your program of study, select “Yes”. *Most students at McGill are not eligible for a Co-Op Work Permit and should answer “No” to this question.
• "Have you had a medical exam performed by an IRCC authorized panel physician (doctor) within the last 12 months?" If you have had such an exam, answer “Yes”. Later, you will have to upload proof of the medical exam. *If you have lived in a designated country or territory for 6 consecutive months or more in the past year and/or you want to work in certain fields and/or your program includes a mandatory work component, you may require a medical exam. Not sure if you need to do a medical exam? For more information, see Immigration Canada’s webpage and the ISS webpage on the Medical Exam Requirement.
• "In the past 10 years, have you given your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) to Immigration Canada?" If you have not provided biometrics in the past 10 years, you must answer “No”. Your Document Checklist will include a biometrics fee in addition to the study permit processing fee. After you submit your application, you should receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter with information on how to have your biometrics collected. *If you can’t remember whether or not your biometrics are still valid, use the “Find out if your biometrics are still valid” tool.

Step 3: Complete the “Application For Study permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1294)” form and validate the form (bar codes will appear once the form is properly validated). If you cannot view the form, download the form and open it with Adobe or follow other troubleshooting tips offered by Immigration Canada.

Step 4: Upload all of the required documents listed on your personalized Document Checklist, including:

• A Proof of Enrolment letter confirming enrolment in a future term. Upload this in the “Letter of Acceptance” section. Since you are a returning student, do not upload your original Letter of Acceptance/Offer of Admission Letter to McGill. *If your study permit expires in the middle of a semester, you can include a Proof of Enrolment letter for your current semester.
• CAQ.The document must be valid past the date your current study permit expires. You can use your “CAQ Approval Letter” if you have recently renewed your CAQ. Important: If your CAQ expires on the same date as your study permit and you do not yet have your new CAQ, contact ISS right away.
• (Only if applicable) Co-Op Letter from your department or faculty confirming that you have a mandatory work component as part of your program. Upload the letter in the “Evidence of Work Requirement in Study” section.
• (Only if applicable) Proof of upfront medical exam. This is required if you have lived or travelled in a designated country or territory for more than 6 consecutive months  in the past year or if you want to be able to work in occupations that require a medical exam (e.g. some Co-Op placements, work as a babysitter, etc.). 
• (Only if applicable) An explanatory letter and other supporting documents. Upload this in the optional “Client Information” section. This is necessary if, for example:
  • You previously remained in Canada beyond your authorized stay; you previously studied and/or worked without authorization, etc.
  • You are applying for a study permit from a country where you are not a citizen or permanent resident. In this case, explain why you are currently in the country and include proof of your current activity and  valid immigration status in that country

Step 5: Take a screenshot of your Document Checklist, including the total fees. Keep this for your records.

Step 6: Pay the required fees and provide your electronic signature (by answering a security question). After you submit your payment, you will see a message confirming that your application has been successfully transmitted. Print a screenshot of this page as proof of having submitted your application. After you submit your application, you will receive a message in your online account confirming that your application was received.

Step 7: After your study permit application has been approved, you will receive a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction. You must present this letter to the border officer when you return to Canada.

• Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to re-enter Canada. Your TRV or eTA will be issued to you automatically once your study permit application has been approved – i.e., you do not have to apply for this document separately.
• As a returning student, you should travel to Canada with a Proof of Enrolment letter, which you can generate yourself on Minerva, as well as other required documents. If all of your documents are in order, you will be issued your actual study permit at your first Port of Entry in Canada – i.e., airport or land border.

Step 8: Obtain your actual study permit document at your Port of Entry (i.e., airport or land border) when you arrive in Canada. If you applied for a Co-Op Work Permit (CWP) within your study permit application, you should also receive the CWP at your Port of Entry.

Step 9: Submit a copy of your new study permit to McGill's Legal Documents.

Read the Instruction Guide before you complete the IMM 1294 form.

Top section of IMM 1294 form/Personal Details Section

Question 1: Your UCI is the 8 to 10 digit “Unique Client Identifier” number located on your Study permit. It looks like this: 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000.

Personal Details

National Identity Document

Details of Intended Studies in Canada

Employment

Include your current and all previous employment in every country you have worked in for the past 10 years. 

Background Information

Read each of the questions in this section carefully and reply to all questions accurately. If you do not have enough space you can upload a letter of explanation in the “Client Information” section of your Document Checklist.

Review and Validate the IMM 1294 form

After you have completed and reviewed the IMM 1294 form, you must validate the form by clicking on the “Validate” button. This should generate a bar code. Save and then upload the file to your Document Checklist. You do not need to print and sign this form by hand. After you upload all of your documents and pay the processing fee, you will have to submit your electronic signature.

If you make any additional changes to your form after validating, you must click “Validate” and save again.

If you have never done biometrics:

• All foreign nationals applying to extend their study permits from outside Canada must submit their biometrics unless you have previous provided biometrics (see section below). Only U.S. citizens are currently exempt from the biometrics requirement.
• If you have not provided biometrics to Immigration Canada within the past 10 years, you should receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter BIL after you submit your study permit extension application. Immigration Canada must receive your biometrics in order to continue processing your application. You can give your biometrics inside Canada at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
• Biometrics are valid for 10 years. If you can’t remember whether or not your biometrics are still valid, use the “Find out if your biometrics are still valid” tool.
• For more information, see Immigration Canada's "Facts about biometrics" webpage.

If you did biometrics previously but your biometrics will expire before the end of your program:

• Before renewing your study permit, be sure to check the expiry date of your biometrics.
• Your study permit may only be issued until the expiry date of your biometrics and not to the expected end date of your program or expiry date of your CAQ.
• You must answer No to the question “In the past 10 years, have you given your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) for an application to come to Canada?” in your eligibility questionnaire for the study permit renewal – even if you have done your biometrics within the past 10 years. This will allow you to pay for new biometrics, receive a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) and give your fingerprints and photo at the closest VAC. Once you have provided updated biometrics, your study permit should be issued until the end of your program or the expiry date of your CAQ.
• Include a cover letter in the “Client Information” section of your document checklist explaining why you answered No to the biometrics question in the eligibility questionnaire even though you provided biometrics to IRCC within the past 10 years and the reason you need to submit new biometrics with your study permit renewal application.

You can check the current estimated processing time for study permit applications made from outside Canada on Immigration Canada’s website.