Super Visa Application Form IMM 5257 Guide

Form IMM 5257 is the heart of the super visa application. It is the standard visitor visa form, and IRCC uses the answers to decide whether to issue the visa. Filling it in correctly the first time avoids refusals and rework.

What IMM 5257 is

IMM 5257 is the Application for a Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada. A super visa is a type of temporary resident visa, so the same form is used. You download it from IRCC, open it in Adobe Reader, and fill it in on your computer.

Field-by-field guidance

Work through the form section by section. Answer every field — if something does not apply, write 'N/A' rather than leaving it empty.

• Personal details: Enter the name exactly as it appears in the passport, including the order of given and family names.
• Purpose of visit: Choose 'visit' or 'family visit' and note the super visa in the details. State the length of the planned stay.
• Passport details: Match the passport number, issue date, and expiry date exactly.
• Contact information: Use an address and email the applicant checks often — IRCC sends requests there.
• Education and work: Give a short, honest history. Gaps are fine; just explain them.
• Travel history: List trips in the last 10 years. See our travel history guide for what to include.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most IMM 5257 problems are simple slips that are easy to prevent.

• Leaving fields blank instead of writing 'N/A'.
• A name spelled differently from the passport.
• Forgetting to list a previous visa refusal — always declare it honestly.
• Not validating the form, so no barcode page is generated.
• Uploading an old version of the form instead of the current one from IRCC.

How to validate and sign the form

When every field is filled in, click the Validate button at the top or bottom of the form. This checks for missing answers and adds a page of barcodes at the end. If the button reports errors, fix them and validate again.

Sign the form where required. You can type a signature if the form allows it, or print, sign by hand, and scan it back in. Then save the validated PDF and upload that exact file — do not edit it again after validating, or the barcode becomes invalid.