What happens after my visa is approved?

After submitting your visa application, the next couple of days or weeks will be used by the authorities to go through your application thoroughly.

And, decide on it.

If after going through your application, the visa officers determine that you do not deserve to be issued a visa, your application will be denied.

Read also: Can I withdraw my Canada visa application and reapply?

However, if you have done your homework well and presented enough reasons to be granted a visa, your application will be approved.

When your application is approved, below is what happens next and what you should expect – plus, what to do.

What happens after visa is approved?

After your visa is approved, you’ll receive your passport and visa packet containing all the details and conditions of your visa with other documents you need to enter the issuing country.

If your visa is a physical sticker, it will be stamped in your passport.

The visa sticker is where you find all your visa conditions, the type and its validity.

If it’s an electronic or online visa, you’ll receive a visa approval notice via email or an online portal.

What to expect after your visa is approved

Once your visa is approved, the first thing that will come is a notification from the embassy or immigration office.

It can be an email, letter, or an update on your online visa application portal.

And, it’ll include:

A confirmation of the approval decision made on your application.

Plus, details about the visa, like the type of visa granted to you, its validity period, and its conditions or restrictions.

Read also: How do I know if my Canadian visa is approved

Expect more information and instructions in the notification- depending on the type of visa you applied for.

What comes after visa approval?

Upon approving your visa, the process isn’t entirely over yet.

1. Administrative processing

After your visa is approved, the consular officer will keep your passport and documents to complete the necessary administrative processing.

Already, you have been granted a visa, they just need to finalize your visa packet – this packet will contain all the documents you need to enter your destination country.

The thing about this stage is that; it is usually routine, however, it can take time depending on the consulate’s workload.

2. Passport and visa packet preparation

The consulate will prepare your passport and the visa packet.

Expect all this to take a few days or a week – some consulates or embassies are faster than others.

3. Notifice for collection

Once your passport and visa packet are ready, the consular officer or the embassy will notify you about how to collect them.

You’ll receive a call, an email, or a text message telling you that your documents are ready for pickup.

Read also: I made a mistake on my Canadian visa application, what should I do?

The notice will also come with instructions on how and where to collect your passport and visa packet.

The visa packet is important – keep it safe.

It’s a sealed envelope that contains important documents required for your entry into a destination country.

You can also call it visa package” or “immigrant visa packet.

4. Passport collection or delivery

Depending on the consulate, you’ll pick up your passport and visa packet in person, or they deliver it to you via a courier service.

Some consulates use courier delivery to avoid the hassle of coming back to the consulate and to ensure your documents are safe till they get to you.

Your passport will come with a physical visa sticker/vignette or an electronic visa that you can print out.

For example, if you’re travelling to a country that issues eVisas, you’ll receive a PDF document that you need to print and carry with you.

On the other hand, if you’re issued a physical visa, the embassy will attach a visa sticker to your passport.

Read also: What happens when you get deported back to your country?

You’ll choose how you want to receive your passport and visa packet during your interview or when you receive your notification.

What should you do after receiving your passport with the visa?

After you receive your passport, go through it and check the visa stamp for any errors.

Check that your name, date of birth, and passport number are correct.

Even a small typo will cause problems for you – it’s that serious.

Confirm that the visa type issued to you matches your intended purpose of travel (e.g., tourist, student, work).

Another important thing I always check is the visa validity period – this includes both the start and end date of your visa.

You’ll enter and leave the country within these dates.

If you notice any errors or have questions about your visa, contact the embassy or immigration office immediately to clarify or correct the issue.

If you didn’t see any issues, then you’re good to go!

Now that your visa is in hand (or on your passport), you can begin planning your trip.

Also, make sure you have all other necessary documents with you when travelling.

For example, if I’m travelling with a student visa, I’ll make sure I have my university acceptance letter, financial proof and other important documents.

Why do you need your documents when travelling abroad?

You need these documents because, upon arrival in your destination country, you’ll go through immigration control.

This is where the immigration officer will review your passport, visa, and other required documents.

They can ask you a few questions about your stay, like the purpose of your visit, where you’ll be staying, and how long you plan to stay.

Read also: What happens if I don’t use my Schengen visa?

If everything is in order, the immigration officer will stamp your passport with an entry date.

This stamp marks the official start of your visit and determines how long you can stay in the country.

What to do after my visa is approved?

After your visa is approved, wait to receive your passport and visa packet, then check the details and ensure they’re accurate.

Next, arrange for your trip, like booking flights and accommodation.

When leaving for your destination country, go with all the documents that you need upon entry.

While in your destination country, follow your visa conditions – do not work if your visa does not allow you to work.

What happens if you don’t travel after getting a visa?

As we explained in our previous content titled “What happens if you get a visa and don’t use it“, you can read it up here.

Suppose you don’t travel after getting a visa, nothing will happen – no one will be mad at you or get you arrested for not using your visa.

The only thing that will happen is that your visa will expire, and it won’t be valid anymore.

This means that if you want to enter the country later for the same purpose, you have to reapply for the same visa.

And, your new application will be treated as a fresh one.

No reference will be made to your previous application when judging the new one.

Your visa has an expiration date, after which it becomes invalid for entry into the country if you don’t use it.

If you don’t use the visa before it expires, you’ll apply for and get a new visa if you still wish to travel.

After visa approval when should I travel to Canada?

You can enter Canada at any moment within the validity of your visa, however, Consider arriving with enough time to settle in before your commitments in the country, like starting school or work, but avoid arriving too early.

Read also: What happens if you stay in the UK after your visa expires?

If your visa has been approved, congratulations. Now, wait for your passport and visa packet to be ready for pickup.

Upon receiving them from the immigration authorities, check their details properly to know if everything is in order.