These instructions are for students who are recent graduates or graduating soon from a Northeastern Canadian campus, who are planning to invite their family members to attend their graduation ceremony.

INVITING FAMILY MEMBERS TO ATTEND YOUR GRADUATION CEREMONY

With the exception of US citizens and permanent residents, most visitors will require either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), also known as a visitor visa, or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. The type of document needed to enter Canada depends on the traveler’s country of citizenship and mode of travel. Visit this government of Canada’s page to learn more about whether a visa or eTA will be required.

If a TRV is required, click here to find out more about the process of applying for a visa. If an eTA is required, please visit this site for more information.

We also recommend reaching out to the local Visa Application Center within the country that your family members are in to apply for a visitor visa. Click here to view a full list.

Stating the purpose of the visit is an important part of applying for a visa. The University does not provide letters to graduates as a means for their guests to apply for a visa from their country to attend a graduation ceremony. The Office of Global Services recommends using copies of any of the following documents as proof of the date of a graduation ceremony:

  • Graduation application.
  • E-mail(s) directed to the graduate with ceremony information.
  • An official letter of enrollment from Northeastern (for current students). Please check the Expected Graduation Date on the Enrollment Letter and if it doesn’t accurately reflect the date that you will be completing your studies, you need to work with your Academic Advisor to have it updated, prior to submitting it to IRCC.
    The enrollment letter can be requested from the Registrar’s office by following the instructions below:

    • You can make the request by emailing [email protected] with this subject line: “Confirmation of Enrollment Toronto DLI O141550844262” if you are studying at the Toronto Campus.
    • You can make the request by emailing [email protected] with this subject line: “Confirmation of Enrollment Vancouver DLI O142031583162” if you are studying at the Vancouver Campus.
  • Letter of Invitation written by the person graduating including proof of date of graduation ceremony. You can see here for more information about writing a Letter of Invitation.

 

Other Supporting Documents Required

The following are some of the other supporting documents that may be required for a visa application. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, so please refer to this Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC) page for more information.

  • Copy of the Applicant’s (guest’s) passport
  • Copy of the Applicant’s proof of immigration or legal status if not residing in the Applicant’s country of citizenship such as a work permit or visa.
  • Copy of relevant documents proving the Applicant’s relationship to the person graduating such as a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or letter of explanation.
  • Copy of the status document of the person graduating including:
    • A study permit,
    • Post-graduation work permit,
    • Permanent resident card, or
    • Proof of Canadian citizenship.

It is advisable to ensure that the status document(s) will remain valid throughout the duration of the Applicant’s stay in Canada. If the person graduating has recently completed program requirements but is waiting for a post-graduation work permit, include a copy of the study permit along with the letter of completion and official transcripts. In the case where the person graduating has applied for a post-graduation work permit online but has not received the document yet, provide a copy of the Acknowledgment of Receipt sent by IRCC upon receiving the application.

  • If the person graduating has job or job offer, include a letter from the employer confirming the job or job offer.
  • Proof of Applicant’s past travel history including copies of past visas and entry/exit stamps in a passport.
  • Itinerary showing how long the Applicant will stay and the event the Applicant is planning to attend including proof of graduation, flight details, and hotel reservations if relevant.
  • Applicant’s bank account statement or other proof of funds available for the Applicant’s stay.
  • Proof of ties to the Applicant’s country of residence and citizenship including but not limited to family, financial, professional, and employment ties.

We have also put together a PDF document with the information included in this page, you can find it attached here: OGS – Inviting Family and Friends to Canada