Canada Embassy & Visa Application Centre in Dubai (2026)

Quick answer: The Embassy of Canada to the UAE is in Abu Dhabi, not Dubai, and it does not take visa applications at the counter. You apply for a Canadian visitor visa online with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), then book a free biometrics appointment at the VFS Global Canada visa application centre. There is one in Dubai at Wafi Mall and one in Abu Dhabi at The Mall, World Trade Centre. IRCC’s processing time tool shows an estimate for applications made from the UAE, and it says the estimate is not a maximum or a guarantee. Visa Doctor is not the embassy, IRCC or VFS Global, but we prepare your online application and documents and help you book your biometrics appointment.

Is there a Canadian embassy in Dubai?

No, the Embassy of Canada to the United Arab Emirates is in Abu Dhabi. The Government of Canada lists its address as Abu Dhabi Trade Towers (Abu Dhabi Mall), West Tower, 9th Floor, Abu Dhabi, with the telephone number +971 2 6940 300. The embassy page shows opening hours of 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:00 to 11:30 on Friday, all by appointment, and says it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. It also warns that hours may change during a large-scale emergency.

The embassy serves Canadian citizens in the UAE with passports, citizenship, notarial services and emergency help. For anyone who wants to visit, study or work in Canada, the embassy page simply points to the online application, the visa application centre finder and an IRCC web form for enquiries. That is the main reason searches for the “Canada embassy Dubai” end in confusion. The process is run online, and the embassy is not the place to start it.

What the embassy does not do for visa applicants

The embassy is not a walk-in counter for visas. Its public hours are by appointment, and for visas its own page sends you to three places: the online application, the visa application centre finder, and the IRCC web form for enquiries. It does not book your biometrics appointment for you, because that is arranged directly with the visa application centre. It is also not where you collect a decision.

IRCC’s own guidance says you must apply online for a visitor visa. You can apply on paper only if you cannot apply online, including because of a disability, or if you travel on an identity or travel document issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen. Questions about your file go to IRCC through its web form, not to the embassy reception.

Canada visa application centres in the UAE

IRCC lists visa application centres (VACs) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and names VFS Global as the operator. Both appear on the VFS Global Canada page for the UAE.

VFS Canada centre in Dubai

The VFS Global page for Dubai gives the address as Wafi Mall, Level 1, Phase 5, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai. VFS Global moved several of its Dubai centres within Wafi Mall in March 2025, so older addresses online may be out of date. The listed hours at the time we checked were Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00, with a midday break on Friday.

VFS Canada centre in Abu Dhabi

The VFS Canada UAE page lists one Abu Dhabi location at The Mall, World Trade Centre, with the same Monday to Friday hours and a Friday lunch break. VAC services and hours can change at short notice, as IRCC itself warns, so check the VFS page before you set off.

How to apply for a Canada visa from Dubai

• Check what you need. Your passport decides whether you need a visitor visa or an eTA. Indian and Pakistani passport holders, for example, need a visitor visa. IRCC’s tool tells you which applies to you.
• Apply online. You create an IRCC account, complete the forms, upload your documents and pay.
• Pay the fees. IRCC charges CAD 100 for a visitor visa and CAD 85 for biometrics per person. For families the visa fee is CAD 500 for five or more people, and biometrics are capped at CAD 170.
• Receive your biometrics instruction letter. IRCC sends it after your application is in.
• Book your biometrics appointment. IRCC says you have 30 days from the date of the letter to give your biometrics, and advises booking as soon as possible to avoid delays.
• Attend the VAC. You give your fingerprints and photo. VFS Global only collects them and does not make the decision.
• Follow your application online. IRCC may ask for your passport or for more documents later.

Biometrics appointments are free

IRCC says appointments are mandatory and free to book, and it adds, “Don’t pay anyone for an appointment.” VFS Global also says booking is free. VFS may offer optional paid extras, such as photography or courier services, which you do not need to use for your application. Be careful with sellers who charge for a slot you can book yourself.

Documents for a Canada visitor visa

IRCC asks for a digital copy of a valid passport and, depending on your trip, documents such as an invitation letter, proof of funds, an employment letter and a travel plan. IRCC adds that your visa office may ask for extra documents based on where you apply from. For UAE residents the file usually needs to show your job or business, your residence status, your funds and your ties to the UAE, with a cover letter that explains the trip clearly. Our guide to Canada visa documents and financial requirements from Dubai sets this out step by step.

Nationality changes the details. If you hold an Indian passport, read our guide to the Canada visitor visa for Indian citizens in the UAE. For Pakistani passport holders, we explain the same process in Canada visitor visa for Pakistani citizens in the UAE.

Canada visa processing time from the UAE

We do not quote a number of days, because IRCC does not promise one. IRCC’s official processing times tool asks where you are applying from and then shows an estimate. IRCC states that its projections are estimates based on current operating conditions and may change, and that your application may take longer than the times shown. They are not a maximum or a guarantee. Use the IRCC check processing times tool and choose the United Arab Emirates for the most accurate figure on the day you apply.

Biometrics is one stage that affects timing. IRCC advises booking the appointment promptly after you receive your letter, because a late biometrics step delays the whole file. Our Canada visa processing time and biometrics guide explains each stage and what you can control. Do not buy non-refundable flights before the decision.

How Visa Doctor helps with a Canada visa from Dubai

We are not the Embassy of Canada, IRCC or VFS Global, and we do not decide any visa. We check your documents against IRCC’s requirements, prepare your online application and forms, write a clear cover letter about your trip and your ties to the UAE, and help you book your biometrics appointment at the Dubai or Abu Dhabi centre. We never promise an approval, because IRCC makes every decision. Start with our Canada visa from Dubai service page.

Last checked: October 2026, against the Government of Canada embassy page for the UAE, IRCC (apply for a visitor visa, biometrics, find a visa application centre and processing times pages) and the VFS Global Canada pages for the UAE. Addresses, hours and fees change, so confirm on the official pages before you travel.

This guide is part of our embassies, consulates and visa centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi hub, which lists every country guide in one place.

Frequently asked questions