This study explores the student visa application experiences of Nigerian international graduate students at the University of Manitoba and addresses the research question: how do Nigerian international graduate students at the University of Manitoba perceive the Canadian student visa application process based on their experiences? The purpose of this research is to increase awareness of the visa application challenges and concerns of Nigerian international graduate students applying to study in Canada—with the intention of informing future policy and research. This study uses Giddens’ (1984) structuration theory to examine the effect of the bureaucratic structure (Canada’s visa system) on individual student agency, as evident in how individuals’ goals are modified to fit within the structural requirements. Critical race theory is also used to examine how racism and its various intersections affect student visa requirements and outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Nigerian international graduate students at the University of Manitoba, each of whom had applied for a Canadian student visa from Nigeria using a Nigerian passport. Three sub-themes related to the bureaucratic complexity of the visa application process emerged from the interview data: “life on hold” (the process was laborious with no definite timeline regarding how long the wait for a decision would be, which resulted in life delays, stress and emotional turmoil); “social networks and social capital” (students commented on the importance of peer groups and online sources in navigating the visa process); and “discrimination” (students discussed the influence of race and other intersecting forms of discrimination on visa outcomes). Several recommendations and future research directions are also discussed.