The short answer
If you hold a Canadian passport and the trip needs a simple e-visa — or no visa at all — doing it yourself is usually fine, and a good visa office will tell you so. A visa service earns its fee when you travel on another passport, need a consulate application with supporting documents, are short on time, or can't afford a refusal.
- Usually fine on your own
- Simple e-visas, visa-free trips
- Worth getting help
- Consulate applications, non-Canadian passports, tight dates
- No one can
- Guarantee a visa or speed up government processing
- Our fee (China)
- From $200 + HST, quoted before you pay
Reviewed by the Markham Visa team · Last checked November 6, 2026
When can I safely apply for a visa myself?
- You don't need a visa at all. Many trips don't — check first, before paying anyone. Canadians can visit mainland China for up to 30 days without a visa until 31 December 2026, for example.
- It's a straightforward online e-visa on the official government website, you're comfortable copying your passport details exactly, and you have weeks to spare.
- Your passport, status in Canada and trip are all simple: no previous refusals, no name changes, no unusual purpose.
Use only the official government website. Unofficial sites often look official and charge for forms that are free on the real site.
When is a visa service worth paying for?
- You travel on a non-Canadian passport. Many people living in Canada on an Indian, Filipino, Pakistani or other passport need visas Canadians don't, and the rules about where you may apply from often depend on your status here.
- It's a consulate or visa-centre application: a long form, supporting documents (invitations, bookings, employment letters) and an in-person step.
- Your dates are tight. Errors are what cost time: a form sent back or a refused photo usually means starting again.
- A refusal would be expensive: a family event, a business trip, non-refundable bookings, or a refusal that you'd have to declare on future applications.
- You'd rather not spend the evenings. A long official form and its document list easily take several hours to get right the first time.
What actually goes wrong when people apply on their own?
- Details that don't exactly match the passport — a missing middle name, transposed digits in the passport number, the wrong issue date.
- The wrong visa category or number of entries for the actual trip.
- A photo that doesn't meet the specification, which some applications check at upload and others at the counter.
- Missing or weak supporting documents: an invitation letter without the required details, bookings that don't match the dates on the form.
- Applying at the wrong office for where you live, or booking an appointment that doesn't leave enough time before you fly.
- Paying an unofficial website for something that's free, or that it never actually submits.
What can a visa service do — and what can't it do?
| A good visa service will | No visa service can |
|---|---|
| Tell you honestly whether you need a visa at all | Guarantee that a visa will be issued |
| Prepare the application and check every field against your passport | Make the government process it faster than its own service levels |
| Check photos and supporting documents before submission | Influence the officer's decision |
| Book appointments, and hand in and collect where that's allowed | Attend your fingerprints or interview for you |
| Explain what happens next and what could move your date | Advise on Canadian status — that's for licensed consultants (RCICs) and lawyers |
How do I choose a trustworthy visa service?
Red flags:
- Promises of approval — no honest service can make them.
- Government fees marked up, or a price that grows after you've paid.
- Asking you to email your passport or send it through a messaging app.
- No physical address, no named business, or pressure to decide on the spot.
- Offering advice on Canadian permanent residence or permits without being a licensed consultant or lawyer.
Good signs: the full price before you pay, government fees shown at cost, a secure upload link for documents, a real office you can visit, and a clear refund policy.
How much does a visa service cost?
Prices vary by destination and how much work the application is. Ours start at $200 + HST for a China visa, and every quote shows our fee and the government or visa-centre fee separately before you pay — the government fee is passed through at cost, never marked up. Rush preparation and drop-off at the visa centre are optional extras, shown on the quote.
Doing it yourself vs. using a visa service
Doing it yourself
- No service fee.
- Several hours of forms, document lists and appointment booking.
- Mistakes surface late — at upload, at the counter, or as a refusal.
- Right choice for simple e-visas and visa-free trips.
With Markham Visa
- We tell you first whether you need a visa at all — free.
- Your application is prepared and checked against your passport by a person.
- Documents upload through an encrypted link and are stored in Canada.
- One price before you pay, government fees at cost, and updates by email at each step.
Do it yourself when it's simple and you have time. Use a service when the application is complex, your passport isn't Canadian, or your dates can't move.
Check if you need a visa
Answer a few questions and see whether you need a visa, what it costs and when it could be ready — before paying anything.
Check if you need a visa →Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to use a visa agent in Canada?
Yes, for visas to other countries. Paid advice or representation on Canadian matters — permanent residence, work or study permits, visitor visas to Canada — is restricted by law to licensed consultants (RCICs), lawyers and paralegals.
Can a visa service guarantee my visa?
No. The decision belongs to the issuing government alone. A service reduces the errors that cause refusals and delays; anyone promising approval isn't being honest.
Will a visa service get my visa faster?
It can't speed up government processing, but it removes the delays caused by mistakes and resubmissions, and can prepare your application quickly — our rush option prepares it in one business day once we have everything.
Do I still have to go to the visa centre in person?
Often, yes — many visa centres require applicants to give fingerprints in person. A service prepares everything so that visit is short, and hands in and collects the application where that's allowed.
Is it safe to give a visa service my passport details?
Only if they handle them properly: an encrypted upload link rather than email, storage you can find out about, and deletion after your order. Ours are stored encrypted in Canada and deleted 90 days after your order closes.
Official sources
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 91 — who may represent or advise for a fee — checked November 6, 2026
- Government of Ontario — Safe online shopping (your rights when buying online) — checked November 6, 2026
Rules change. This guide is general information, not legal advice — always check the official source before you travel, and ask us about your own situation.