Proof of Funds for a Canada Visitor Visa: What Counts?

There is no fixed amount of proof of funds for a Canada visitor visa. IRCC asks you to have enough money for your stay and to convince an officer you will leave at the end of it (IRPR s.179(b)). IRCC's recommended documents include a bank account statement with at least 6 months of account details and an employer letter. An officer decides whether your funds are enough.

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Last verified: November 2026

None
Required dollar figure IRCC publishes for visitors
6 months
Account details, including balances, IRCC asks for on a bank statement
3 months
The oldest date IRCC lists for an employer letter, before you apply

Does the law set a minimum amount for a visitor?

There is a common myth that the law sets a required bank balance for visitors. It does not. Under IRPA s.22(1), you become a temporary resident only if an officer is satisfied you meet the obligations in s.20(1)(b), which include holding the required document and leaving Canada by the end of your authorized stay.

IRCC's entry requirements ask you to have enough money for your stay, and IRPR s.183(2)(a) names your means of support in Canada as one basis on which an officer fixes the length of the stay. A visitor may not work unless authorized (IRPR s.183(1)(b)). IRCC publishes no required dollar figure for visitors, so be cautious of any source that presents one as official.

IRCC names two details the amount depends on. The other lines below are parts of a trip's cost, not factors IRCC lists:

How long you will stay (named by IRCC)
Whether you stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives (named by IRCC)
Part of the trip’s cost: what you plan to do
Part of the trip’s cost: prices in the region of Canada you visit
Part of the trip’s cost: your return transportation home

The rule

IRPR s.179 directs an officer to issue a temporary resident visa where they are satisfied you will leave at the end of your stay and otherwise qualify.

IRPR s.179Verify on justice.gc.ca

Which documents count as proof of funds?

IRCC's visitor visa application page lists recommended documents, including a bank account statement and a letter from your employer. Some other documents below are not on that list, and an applicant may add them.

Bank account statement (on IRCC’s list): IRCC says it "can help us understand if you have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Canada." IRCC asks for at least 6 months of account details, including balances, the bank’s name and contact, and your name and address on the statement to show that the account is yours.
Employer letter (on IRCC’s list): On official letterhead, with: a date no earlier than 3 months before you apply, confirmation that you have a job with the employer, your full name and date of birth, the date you started the job, a brief description of your job, your current salary, your manager's contact information, the employer's name and address, and a signature. IRCC says the letter can confirm that you have a stable job and will return to it.
Income tax returns (not on IRCC’s list): An applicant may add filed returns to show income. A self-employed applicant, who has no employer letter, may add returns with a business registration and recent business bank statements.
Savings, investment and retirement accounts (not on IRCC’s list): IRCC's list does not name term deposits, GICs, mutual funds, ETFs, retirement savings or other investment accounts. An applicant may add current statements that show the balance and the holder's name, and may explain whether money in a locked pension or restricted account can be withdrawn for the trip.
Credit cards (not on IRCC’s list): Available credit is borrowed money, not savings in an account. An applicant may add a statement.
Property records (ties to home country): IRCC's list does not name a title deed or a land registry certificate. IRCC's entry requirements do name ties, such as a job, a home, financial assets or family, that will take you back to your home country, and an applicant may add property records to show them.

How many months of bank statements does IRCC ask for?

IRCC's visitor visa application page asks for at least 6 months of account details, including balances, which it says "helps us understand your financial situation." It also names the bank's name and contact, so IRCC can contact your bank with questions, and your name and address on the statement, which show that the account is yours.

A printout showing only a current balance does not give 6 months of account details. A statement with these details hidden does not show them.

IRCC's 3-month line is about the employer's letter: dated no earlier than 3 months before you apply. Its page sets no 3-month limit for the bank statement, and no currency: an applicant may add a note with the approximate Canadian dollar equivalent.

Can a host in Canada cover part of the visit?

Yes, and IRCC's money line still applies: the amount you need can vary with whether you stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. IRCC's letter of invitation page sets out what the host's letter covers:

The letter says where the person will stay, and how he or she will pay for things
The host may add their own financial documents, such as bank statements or an employment letter. IRCC's page does not ask for them for an ordinary visitor visa
The applicant may add their own bank account statement as well: it is on IRCC's list of recommended documents
The host includes a photocopy of a document proving their status in Canada, such as a Canadian birth certificate, a citizenship card, a PR card or a status card

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What do people ask?

How much proof of funds do I need for a Canada visitor visa?

IRCC publishes no minimum amount for visitors. IRCC says the amount you'll need can vary with the details of your visit, such as how long you'll stay and whether you'll stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. An officer decides whether your funds are enough.

What documents count as proof of funds for a visitor visa?

IRCC's visitor visa page lists a bank account statement, with at least 6 months of account details including balances, and a letter from your employer that confirms your job, start date and current salary and can show that your employer supports your visit. Tax returns, savings, investment statements and property records are not on IRCC's list, and an applicant may add them.

How many months of bank statements do I need for a Canada visitor visa?

IRCC's visitor visa page asks for at least 6 months of account details, including balances, along with the bank's name and contact and your name and address on the statement. IRCC publishes no rule about large deposits, and an officer decides what a statement shows.

What should a proof of funds letter for a Canada visitor visa include?

It depends on who writes it. IRCC's list for an employer letter: official letterhead, a date no earlier than 3 months before you apply, confirmation of your job, your full name and date of birth, your start date, a brief description of your job, your current salary, your manager's contact information, the employer's name and address, and a signature. IRCC says it can also show that your employer supports your visit. A host's invitation letter says where you will stay and how you will pay for things, with a copy of a document proving the host's status in Canada. The Invitation Letter guide covers the host's letter in detail.

What proof of funds do parents need for a Canada visitor visa?

The same rules apply: the parents must convince an officer that they will leave at the end of the visit and have enough money for their stay. If their child in Canada hosts them, the child's invitation letter says where they will stay and how they will pay for things, with proof of the child's status. Parents may add their own bank statements, which are on IRCC's list. For a long stay, the Super Visa has a separate income test for the host, explained in the Super Visa guide.

Do I need to show funds in Canadian dollars specifically?

No. IRCC's page sets no currency for a visitor's bank statement. What matters is whether an officer is satisfied you have enough money for your stay. If your statements are in another currency, an applicant may add a note with the approximate Canadian dollar equivalent.

Can my application be refused only because of money, even if everything else is strong?

Yes. If an officer is not satisfied you can support yourself for the visit and return home, that alone can lead to a refusal, because it ties directly to whether you will leave at the end of your stay (IRPA s.22(1) and s.20(1)(b)). An officer weighs your funds even when your ties and travel history are strong. The Visitor Visa Refused guide explains the other refusal reasons.

Is proof of funds the same as the settlement funds for Express Entry?

No. Express Entry has a published settlement-funds table for permanent residence that is updated each year. A visitor visa has no official funds table, because a visitor is not settling in Canada. You need to convince an officer that you have enough money for your stay and will leave at the end of it. Do not use an Express Entry figure for a visitor application. The Proof of Funds for Express Entry guide covers the permanent-residence table.

Part of:Visiting Canada

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.