Canada student visa interview

At a glance

The position for this country

There is no routine visa interview for a Canadian study permit — unlike the US F-1, most Indian applicants are never called in. IRCC states only that after you apply "we may also ask you to go to an interview with our officials in your country or send us more information". What IS mandatory for Indian citizens is biometrics: fingerprints and a digital photo, fee CAN$85, given in person at a Visa Application Centre after IRCC emails you a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL). You have up to 30 days from the date on the BIL to attend; IRCC advises booking as soon as possible because delays here delay the whole application. Biometrics remain valid for 10 years, so if you gave them for any Canadian visa or permit in the last 10 years they are attached automatically and you do not repeat them — though IRCC cannot issue a permit that runs past your biometrics expiry, so long programs may warrant giving them again. A medical exam is also effectively mandatory for Indian students: India is on IRCC's list of designated countries (visa office New Delhi), so anyone coming for more than 6 months who has lived in India for 6+ consecutive months in the year before travel needs an immigration medical exam by an IRCC panel physician — your own doctor cannot do it. IRCC recommends getting an upfront medical exam before you apply. A police certificate may also be requested.

What is actually being assessed

Every student visa interview, whatever it is called, is testing one thing: whether you are a genuine student who intends to study, can afford it, and whose plan makes sense. The questions vary; that question does not.

• Why this course? An answer that could apply to any course is the most common weakness.
• Why this university, and why this country? Specific reasons, not rankings.
• Who is funding you, and how? Your answer must match your documents exactly.
• What will you do afterwards? Coherent with the course and with your background.

Preparing properly

1. Know your own application. Inconsistency with what you submitted is the fastest way to a refusal.
2. Be able to say what the course contains — modules, not just its title.
3. Know who is paying, how much, and where it came from.
4. Answer briefly and directly. Over-explaining reads as rehearsed.
5. Do not memorise answers. Credibility assessments are designed to detect exactly that.

Our mock visa interview tool at /mock-visa-interview runs these questions with feedback, which is a better use of preparation time than reading lists of questions.