Canada Visa For Intending Organ Donors

This visa allows organ donors to travel to Canada to donate to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This visa is called Intending Organ Donors Visa. It was created to help Canadians who needed donors but could not get one inside the country. 

This visa is a Temporary Resident Visa and it allows the person to go to Canada for a short time, usually 6 months or less. Also, the applicant is not allowed to try and get Canadian citizenship or get benefits such as social security or health insurance. 

The Intending Organ Donors Visa is only to visit Canada and donate an organ, stay in the hospital for your recovery, and then you must return home.

Requirements for the Intending Organ Donors Visa

  • Standard Canada Visa Requirements
  • Visa Specific Requirements

General Visa Requirements

  • Be at least 18 years old to apply
  • Have a valid passport issued by your government with at least one blank page that is not the last page of the passport
  • Clean criminal records
  • You must be ready to pay the necessary visa application fees and visa processing fees
  • You need to submit copies of your current immigration status in another country or in Canada
  • You must prove that you have enough funds to cover your stay in Canada 
  • You must be ready to attend an interview or give biometric information if necessary
  • Also, you need to be prepared to go through a medical examination
  • You must prove that your stay in Canada is temporary and that you will return to your home country once your visit is over
  • Finally, you must show that you do not plan to work or study in Canada
  • Visa Specific Requirements

Visa Specific Requirements

  • The organ that you are going to donate must be compatible with the patient, and you must show the documentation to prove it
  • All costs related to the donation must be covered either by the patient or by some other organization, and you must prove it with the necessary documentation
  • You need to have health insurance too
  • You must also show that you are not selling the organ and that you are not an organ trafficker

Applying for an Intending Organ Donors Visa

The application process for the Intending Organ Donors Visa has the following steps.

Eligibility

When you decide that you are going to donate an organ, the first thing to do is to initiate the application and confirm the eligibility. You do this on the official website of the Government of Canada. Here is what you need to do: 

  • Click on the Immigration tab
  • Then on Visit
  • Click on “Find out if you need a visa”

Answer the questions that appear in the questionnaire. Depending on what you answer, the system will tell you if you are eligible or not and will give you a reference code and instructions in case you qualify to apply.

Creating an account

The reference code that was given to you after completing the eligibility test will serve to open an account on the site. You can do it through your bank details or use a Canadian Government login (GCKey). After you have logged in, you can start your application.

Submitting the Application

Use your referral code to access your answers to the questionnaire and the forms you need to fill out. There are two main forms to complete when you apply for this visa:

  • Form IMM 5257, Application for Temporary Resident;
  • Form IMM 5707, Family Information Form;

Other forms that you might have to fill out if they are applicable for you are:

  • Form IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union;
  • Form IMM 5476, Use of a Representative;
  • Form IMM 5475, Authority to release personal information to a designated individual;

You will also have to submit the following supporting documents:

  • A valid passport and travel history 
  • Bank or other financial statements to prove you have enough funds for the trip to Canada
  • A travel itinerary 
  • A Declaration Letter from you to the Government of Canada where you explain why they should give you a visa
  • Two (2) photos that meet the Canada Photo Requirements
  • Your employment or education status through a resume or diplomas
  • Letter from your employer stating that you have contractual obligations to fulfill and you must return to your home country
  • Other documents which prove you will return to your home country such as a lease, property deed, etc.
  • Proof of organ compatibility between you and the organ recipient as follows:
  • A letter from a transplant specialist in Canada that is associated with a recognized transplant center. The letter must have the letterhead of the transplant center or the specialist and should confirm:

 

    • That there is a recipient for the organ you are donating
    • That your medical tests were completed and that they are compatible with that of the recipient
    • That the transplant center will perform the transplant surgery and will treat you to help you recover
    • That your medical costs are covered by the health insurance of the organ recipient
  • You must show that you have private health insurance in Canada
  • Also, you must show that there are enough medical facilities in your country of origin in case of medical complications. Since the government of Canada wants to prove that you are not going to stay in the country because there is better medical treatment.
  • Evidence that you and the recipient are related to each other, if applicable
  • You should also present the financial statements and bank statements of the recipient
  • The immigration status of the recipient in Canada, which proves that they are citizens or permanent residents
  • Since it will be checked if you are not an organ trader, you will also need documents and proofs of how you and the patient were matched
  • Evidence that the place where you are coming from is not a known place where organ trafficking occurs
  • Evidence that you will not receive any benefit (financial or otherwise) for the administration of your body 

All the documents need to be in English or French and verified by a certified translator. After you have all the documents, you can send your application, and you will have to pay the corresponding fee. You might be asked to wait for processing and responding to additional requests for information. 

After sending the application, it may take approximately 5 days to be processed; during that time, the Consulate or the Embassy will be able to communicate with you to schedule an interview and provide biometric information.

Sending your passport for stamping

If your visa is approved, the embassy will notify you via email or once the interview is over. The next step is to deliver the passport for processing and sealing.

You might have to send your passport by mail, in addition to paying the fees for mail expenses. If you are in the embassy, ​​then you only have to give your passport and pay the fee. The visa is usually delivered the same day.

After this, you can travel to Canada to donate your organs. If you don’t qualify to visit Canada on the visa for intending organ donors, it is possible that you will be granted a Temporary Resident Permit on the basis of humanitarian reasons. This will allow you to visit Canada, donate and recover and then return immediately even if that period is less than 6 months.

The fees for this visa

The application fee for the Intending Organ Donor Visa is:

  • CAD 100 
  • If you have to give biometric information, you will have to pay an additional CAD 85. 
  • When your visa is approved, you will also have to pay around CAD 45 for passport processing.

How long is the processing time for the Canada Organ Donors Visa?

To process this visa, the Canadian Consulate might take from 1 week to 5 or 6 weeks, and in that time they can ask for additional evidence. 

What is the validity of this visa?

The validity of this visa is 6 months or less. The government of Canada can give you a visa with extended time, but you are not allowed to stay for more than 6 months.

What if I need to stay more time? 

If you need to stay for more, you can extend it by submitting proof to the Consulate that you need to stay because your recovery is not yet completed.

Can I bring my dependents to Canada with this visa?

No, your common-law partner, spouse, and minor children must apply for a Visitor Visa if they want to accompany you; however, you can submit your applications together and be processed as a family rather than individuals.