Notice – Where to apply now if you're in the U.S.A. or Canada
Visa services previously offered at the Consulate General of Canada in Buffalo, New York, have been transferred across the North American processing network.
Most American citizens do not require a visa to enter Canada if they stay for less than six months. Some residents of the U.S. do require a visa if they are nationals from a country that is not visa exempt. Please consult the list below for information on where you should now apply for visa services.
If you are not an American or permanent resident of the U.S., but you live in the U.S., and are a national of a country whose citizens require a visa to enter Canada:
New visitor visa applications can be submitted to the visa offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, Detroit, Washington, D.C., or New York. Visitor visa applications that have already been submitted to the office in Buffalo will be processed to completion. Applicants are not required to re-apply and will be contacted once a final decision has been made on their application.
If you are an American or national of another country and are seeking a study or work permit:
New study and temporary work permit applications must be submitted to the visa offices in Los Angeles or New York. We encourage eligible students to continue to take advantage of the option to apply for their study permit online through MyCIC.
Study and temporary work permit applications that have already been submitted to the offices in Buffalo, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Detroit will be processed to completion at those offices. Applicants are not required to re-apply and will be contacted once a final decision has been made on their application.
If you are a temporary resident in Canada and need a new visa to return or want to extend your stay:
Visitor visa applications for students and temporary workers with valid status currently in Canada status must be submitted to the Case Processing Pilot in Ottawa (CPP-O).
If you are in Canada as a temporary resident (visitor, student or worker) and want to extend your status you can continue to apply online through MyCIC.
If you are an American or national of another country currently residing in the U.S. or Canada and want to submit a permanent resident application:
Economic Class applications must first be sent to the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada (CIO-S). Family Class applications must also first be mailed to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (CPC-M). Applications that have been screened for positive eligibility will be sent directly to CPP-O for further processing. Applicants should indicate “CPP-O” as the processing office where indicated in their application.
Economic and Family Class applications that have already been submitted to CIO-S or CPC-M and have been screened for positive eligibility have already been redirected to CPP-O. Applicants are not required to contact CPP-O to ensure their application was redirected. Applicants will be contacted once a final decision has been made.
Applications that are currently at the Buffalo visa office will be transferred to CPP-O for final processing. Applicants are not required to contact CPP-O to ensure their application has been transferred. Applicants will be contacted at the next stage of processing or once a final decision has been made.
