Canada Visa Fees from Dubai: TRV, Super Visa & Biometrics Costs

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets the official government fees for all Canadian visa categories. These fees are mandatory, charged in Canadian dollars, and paid online through the IRCC Secure Account portal before your VFS appointment. For most Dubai residents applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), the two fees that apply are the TRV application fee and the biometrics enrolment fee.

A key detail that surprises many first-time applicants: the biometrics fee is entirely separate from the TRV application fee and is required for the vast majority of nationalities applying from Dubai. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, and Bangladeshi passport holders — among the largest groups applying in the UAE — are all required to pay biometrics unless they enrolled biometrics for a Canada visa within the last 10 years. If you applied for a Canadian visa before and gave biometrics within that window, log into your IRCC Secure Account to confirm your exemption before paying again.

Both single-entry and multiple-entry TRVs carry the identical IRCC government fee of CAD $100. Whether you receive a single-entry or multiple-entry visa is decided by the visa officer based on your travel history, ties to the UAE, employment stability, and supporting documentation — not by anything you select on the application form. First-time applicants with strong profiles and solid travel histories typically receive multiple-entry visas valid for up to 10 years or the passport expiry date, whichever comes first.

The Super Visa is a special multiple-entry visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to remain in Canada for up to five years per visit, with a total validity of up to 10 years. The IRCC government fee is identical to a standard TRV at CAD $100 (approximately AED 270). However, the Super Visa imposes unique additional mandatory costs that can substantially increase the total amount you pay.

The mandatory Canadian medical insurance for the Super Visa is by far the most significant additional cost. Premiums are calculated primarily on the applicant's age and declared health status. A 60-year-old applicant with no declared pre-existing conditions typically pays between CAD $1,200 and CAD $2,000 per year (approximately AED 3,240 to AED 5,400) for a qualifying policy. Applicants aged 70 or above or those with managed health conditions should expect substantially higher premiums.

When the intended stay exceeds six months, IRCC commonly requires a medical examination completed by an IRCC-approved panel physician. In Dubai, panel clinic fees for the immigration medical examination typically range from AED 500 to AED 800, covering the physical assessment, required blood tests, and chest X-ray. Medical results are uploaded directly to IRCC by the panel clinic — you do not need to handle or submit medical documents yourself.

VFS Global operates the Canada Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Dubai on behalf of IRCC. VFS charges its own set of fees that are entirely separate from the Canadian government fee. These VFS charges are paid in AED and are collected at or before your VFS appointment. The mandatory standard service fee applies to every applicant regardless of the visa type.

The mandatory VFS standard service fee applies per applicant. For a family of four each paying approximately AED 175, the combined VFS fee reaches approximately AED 700 before any optional add-ons. The passport courier return service is strongly recommended for Dubai residents. It eliminates the need to return to the VFS centre to collect your passport in person after the visa decision, which can take several weeks from the date biometrics are submitted.

The Premium Lounge upgrade provides a private, quieter waiting area with refreshments and a dedicated counter. It does not expedite your application or improve your approval odds in any way, but it meaningfully improves the experience on appointment day — particularly for families with young children or applicants whose appointments may run for one to two hours due to document volume.

Travel insurance is recommended but not mandatory for a standard TRV application. For the Super Visa, it is non-negotiable. A medical examination is also required under certain circumstances for both visa categories.

Travel Insurance for Standard TRV Applicants

Canada does not mandate travel insurance for standard Temporary Resident Visa applicants, but IRCC strongly encourages it. Healthcare in Canada is not subsidised for temporary visitors, and a single emergency hospital admission can cost between CAD $3,000 and CAD $15,000 (approximately AED 8,100 to AED 40,500). Comprehensive travel insurance for a two-week Canada trip typically costs between AED 200 and AED 500 depending on the applicant's age and the level of coverage selected.

Mandatory Insurance for Super Visa Applicants

Super Visa applicants must obtain medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company before filing their visa application. The policy must provide a minimum of CAD $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and must remain valid for at least one full year from the intended date of entry. The annual premium is the largest single additional cost in any Super Visa application. The table below shows estimated annual premiums by age bracket based on standard insurer rates.

Panel Physician Medical Exam Costs in Dubai

• Medical examination cost at an IRCC-approved panel clinic in Dubai: approximately AED 500 to AED 800
• The examination includes a physical assessment, HIV and syphilis blood tests, and a chest X-ray
• Results are transmitted directly to IRCC by the panel clinic — you do not handle or submit medical records
• Medical exam results are valid for 12 months from the date of examination
• A new exam is required if your visa has not been issued within 12 months of the exam date
• Children under 11 years of age are exempt from the chest X-ray but still require the physical examination

The total cost of a Canada visa from Dubai varies considerably depending on your family size, visa type, whether biometrics are already on file, and how many VFS optional services you use. The tables below present three representative scenarios to give you a realistic planning figure.

Canada visa fees are paid in two separate stages at two separate points in the process. Knowing this in advance prevents declined transactions and delays on your VFS appointment day.

• Stage 1 — IRCC online portal: The TRV government fee (CAD $100) and biometrics fee (CAD $85 per person or CAD $170 family cap) are paid online in Canadian dollars through your IRCC Secure Account before booking your VFS appointment. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are accepted. Prepaid cards may be declined.
• Stage 2 — VFS Dubai: The mandatory VFS standard service fee and any optional add-on services are paid at the VFS Global Canada Visa Application Centre in Dubai on the day of your appointment. Accepted payment methods include major credit cards, debit cards, and cash in AED.
• Foreign currency markup: When your UAE bank converts CAD to AED for the IRCC payment, it applies a foreign currency markup of typically 1.5 to 3 percent on top of the mid-market exchange rate. This can add AED 5 to AED 15 to the TRV fee and AED 3 to AED 7 to the biometrics fee. Using a no-markup multi-currency card eliminates this extra cost.
• IRCC portal payment failures: Some UAE bank-issued debit cards or cards without international online transaction capability may be declined on the IRCC portal. If this happens, check that your bank has enabled overseas online purchases, or use a credit card as an alternative.
• No cash or bank transfer for IRCC: The IRCC Secure Account portal does not accept cash payments, bank transfers, or cryptocurrency. Only card payments are valid for government fees.
• After paying online, you receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) confirmation. Keep this number — it is required when booking your VFS biometrics appointment.

OraVisa’s full-service package manages both payment stages on behalf of clients, providing a clear itemised invoice in AED covering all costs before any payment is made. This ensures there are no surprises on your VFS appointment day.

The IRCC government fees are fixed and cannot be negotiated. However, several practical steps can meaningfully reduce the total amount you spend on a Canada visa application from Dubai.

1. 1Submit biometrics as a family on the same day — the CAD $170 family biometrics cap applies when two or more family members submit at the same VFS appointment. A couple saves approximately AED 230 compared to submitting separately. A family of four saves approximately AED 460.
2. 2Check whether your biometrics are still valid — Canadian biometrics remain valid for 10 years from the date of enrolment. Log into your IRCC Secure Account to check. If you are exempt, you do not pay the CAD $85 fee and may not need to visit VFS at all.
3. 3Get passport photos from a studio outside VFS — bring Canada-compliant photos (45mm × 35mm, white background, taken within the last six months) to your appointment. Studio photos in Dubai cost AED 25–35, versus AED 40–60 at VFS.
4. 4Use a multi-currency card or no-markup card for the IRCC payment — cards that charge no foreign transaction fees on CAD purchases save 1.5 to 3 percent on all government fees paid online.
5. 5Print and organise your documents at home — VFS charges AED 50–100 for document scanning assistance. A well-prepared applicant who arrives with all documents printed and organised pays nothing for this.
6. 6Book a standard appointment instead of Prime Time — unless your work schedule genuinely prevents a standard appointment, the AED 250–350 Prime Time premium is avoidable with planning.
7. 7Apply and complete your form online rather than at VFS — the IRCC online application is straightforward. Doing it yourself saves AED 100–150 in VFS form-filling charges.
8. 8Apply at least six to eight weeks before your travel date — there is no expedited processing option for Canada visas from Dubai. Allowing adequate lead time means you will not be tempted by unnecessary Prime Time bookings or pressure to pay for services you do not need.
9. 9Submit a strong application the first time — a refused application forfeits all government fees. Professional review by OraVisa typically costs far less than reapplying after a refusal.

The most financially significant decision for many applicants is whether to use a professional visa consultancy. For applicants with a clean travel history, stable UAE employment, and straightforward finances, a self-prepared application is entirely achievable. For applicants with previous visa refusals, employment gaps, complex family situations, or limited experience with visa applications, the cost of OraVisa’s professional assistance is substantially lower than the cost of a second application after rejection.