any advice for an international exchange student applying for visitor visa?
I will be coming to Canada on September-December 2026 to become an international exchange student at University of British Columbia (Vancouver).
Since I will only be studying there for 4 months, I don’t need a study permit. A visitor visa is all I need.
I am required by the IRCC site to upload four files:
- letter of acceptance
- national identity document
- passport
- proof of funds
I have no problems submitting the first three requirements, but the 4th (proof of funds) requirement is what troubles me.
My whole exchange trip would be financed/sponsored by my biological aunt. So for proof of funds, we will be providing a letter from her confirming the sponsorship and some proof of our relationship (birth certificates and family pictures). We don’t plan on submitting any bank statements or what right now as we’re hoping that the letter would be enough.
OK so here are my actual questions:
1. Do you think the letter alone without the bank statements would be enough…? I know it probably wouldn’t, but it’s hard to request a bank statement from my aunt because I don’t think she’ll be comfortable with that. Additionally, she believes that the bank statements aren’t required since there’s a letter already. But if it turns out that the bank statements are necessary, I guess we’ll find a way to provide it.
If she’s not comfortable with showing her bank statements, could an alternative solution be for her to send the whole sponsorship money to my own bank account and I’ll just show that as my proof of funds?
Aside from the proof of funds issue, do you think I should submit additional files such as cover letters or the contract I signed with my home university about my exchange program? Or would these be over explaining and actually raise some flags?
Thank you to those who would be helping and I’m sorry if this is too confusing😭