Canada TRV for Study Permit Holders: Nepali Student Guide

When a Nepali student’s Canada study permit is approved, you get two things: a port of entry (POE) letter of introduction, which is not the permit itself, and a visitor visa placed in your passport (the Canada TRV for study permit holders), because Nepal is a visa-required country. You do not get an eTA, and you do not apply or pay separately for the TRV. The actual study permit is printed and handed to you by a border officer when you land in Canada.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Rupee amounts use the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026 (CAD 1 = Rs 107.55).

Canada TRV for study permit holders: key facts

Why Nepali students get a TRV, not an eTA

Canada splits travellers into two groups. Citizens of visa-exempt countries get an eTA, which is electronic and linked to their passport. Citizens of visa-required countries get a visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa (TRV). IRCC’s entry requirements by country page lists both Nepal and India as visa-required.

The good news: you do not file a second application. The IRCC Help Centre says your eTA or visa “will be issued to you at the same time as your study permit” and that you do not need to apply separately or pay an additional fee. The study permit fee is CAD 150 (about Rs 16,132) and biometrics CAD 85 (about Rs 9,142), per IRCC’s fee list.

What happens after approval, step by step

1. Approval message in your IRCC account. Keep checking the account you applied through.
2. Passport request. Because you need a visitor visa, the visa office needs your passport to place it. IRCC says the visa office will give instructions on how and where to submit your passport and how to get your visa. Follow those instructions exactly.
3. Visa placed in your passport. IRCC says it shows whether you can enter Canada once or multiple times, and you must enter before it expires.
4. POE letter of introduction. Download and print it. It says you are allowed to study in Canada and has the reference number officers use to issue your permit.
5. Check everything. Your name, date of birth and passport number on the visa should match your passport. Travel with the same passport you used to apply.
6. Fly and arrive. The border officer checks your documents and, if satisfied, issues your study permit.

If you are still at the application stage, start with our Canada study permit application step by step and the biometrics and medical exam guide.

What to carry and what border officers check

IRCC’s prepare for arrival page lists what to have in your hand luggage, not in your checked bag:

• a valid passport (the one with your visitor visa);
• the port of entry letter of introduction;
• a copy of a valid letter of acceptance from your school;
• any letters of reference or other documents the visa office asked for;
• proof of funds for your stay;
• valid immigration medical exam results, if one was needed;
• if you deferred your start date, an updated letter of acceptance and a valid letter of introduction.

The officer then confirms you meet basic entry requirements: valid travel and entry documents, enough money for your stay, good health with no criminal or immigration-related convictions, ties to your home country and intent to leave at the end of your stay, and a medical result still valid on the day you enter. Bring everything on the list, because the officer can only check what you show.

If your school needs proof of when you entered, IRCC advises making sure a border officer stamps your passport before you leave customs. A Primary Inspection Kiosk can also be used for this.

Check your study permit before you leave the counter

Read the study permit the officer gives you: name, date of birth, expiry date, school and conditions, including whether you can work. If something is wrong because of an official’s error later, IRCC’s Guide 5218 says it will correct valid temporary resident documents free of charge using form IMM 1436. It is far easier to point out an error while you are still with the officer.

Re-entering Canada after a trip home

Going home to Nepal for Dashain or Tihar? Your study permit alone is not enough to fly back. IRCC’s page on travelling outside Canada says you may be able to re-enter as a student if you have a valid study permit (or approval of one or an extension), a valid passport, a valid visitor visa or eTA, and you attend a designated learning institution.

The catch for Nepali students: your visitor visa can expire, or be single-entry, while your study permit is still valid. IRCC lets students apply for a new visitor visa from inside Canada if they hold a valid study permit, plan to leave and return soon, and their visa has expired, is about to expire, or was single entry. IRCC’s advice:

• apply online through your IRCC account at least 2 months before you plan to leave, and do not leave until you have the visa;
• if you leave first, you must use the outside-Canada process, which can add biometrics or a medical exam, longer processing and a delayed return;
• the visitor visa fee is CAD 100 (about Rs 10,755).

One narrow exception: if your visa has expired but you only went to the United States or St-Pierre and Miquelon, IRCC says you may be allowed back if you return by the end of your authorized stay. A trip to Nepal is not covered. If your study permit is about to expire too, read our study permit extension guide first.

Nepal-specific tips

• Passport: IRCC says to travel with the passport you used when you applied, and the visa will be in it. If your passport is close to expiry, sort it out before you apply, not after approval. See our Nepal e-passport guide.
• Keep copies: carry printed and digital copies of the POE letter, letter of acceptance and proof of funds. IRCC says you can also show an electronic version of the POE letter.
• At TIA: keep your passport, visa and POE letter together in your hand luggage. Our TIA departure checklist covers the Nepal side.

Common mistakes

• Thinking the POE letter is the study permit. It is not.
• Packing the POE letter and proof of funds in checked baggage.
• Travelling on a new passport without the visa, when the visa is in the old one.
• Going home during studies with an expired or single-entry visa, then waiting weeks in Nepal for a new one.
• Paying an agent for a “TRV application” after approval, when IRCC issues it with the study permit at no extra fee.

Frequently asked questions

Do Nepali students need a TRV or eTA for Canada?
A visitor visa (TRV). Nepal is on IRCC’s visa-required list. It is issued at the same time as the study permit approval, with no separate application or extra fee.

Is the port of entry letter my study permit?
No. IRCC says the letter of introduction is not your study permit. You show it at the border and the officer issues the study permit there.

Can I visit Nepal and come back to Canada during my studies?
Yes, if you have a valid study permit, a valid passport and a valid visitor visa, and you attend a DLI. If your visa has expired, apply for a new one from inside Canada at least 2 months before you travel.

How much is a new visitor visa from inside Canada?
IRCC’s fee list shows CAD 100 per person for a visitor visa, about Rs 10,755 at the NRB selling rate on 17 Oct 2026.

What documents do I show at the Canadian border as a student?
Your passport with visa, POE letter, letter of acceptance, proof of funds, any documents the visa office requested, and medical results if one was required.

Related guides

• Canada Health Insurance for International Students by Province
• PGWP Application Step by Step: Fees, Documents, 180 Days
• Off-Campus Work Hours in Canada for Students: 24-Hour Rule (2026)
• Canada Study Permit Application from Nepal: 2026 Steps

Sources

• Entry requirements by country or territory – IRCC
• Do I need an eTA or visa to study in Canada? – IRCC Help Centre
• Study permit: After you apply – IRCC
• Study permit: Prepare for arrival – IRCC
• What is a port of entry (POE) letter? – IRCC Help Centre
• Submitting your passport for a visitor visa – IRCC Help Centre
• International students travelling outside Canada and re-entering – IRCC
• Visitor visas for workers and students: apply from inside Canada – IRCC
• Fee list – IRCC
• Guide 5218: Request to amend temporary resident documents – IRCC

Last checked: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.