You must apply for a visitor visa to prolong your stay above six months after coming to Canada using a visitor visa. This permits you to proceed with your stay as a visitor for an extra six months. It is essential to apply for a visitor visa before your present stay of six months expires. As your application is still being processed, you can remain legally in Canada on implied status until a conclusion is made by Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada on your visitor visa application. Therefore, if you are unsure about the process, do not panic; we have your back. This article offers a thorough directory of everything you must understand when applying for a visitor visa to prolong your stay in Canada.
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People who can Apply For Extension of Visitor Visa
You are required to apply for a visitor visa if you desire to:
- Prolong your visit to Canada as a visitor
- Alter your permit kind from a study or work permit to a visitor visa
Note: It does not matter the way you formerly came to Canada, be it via a visitor visa, eTA, or using any other paper.
A visitor visa is compulsory for a prolonged visit. Hence, you cannot work or study with a visitor visa.
When to Apply
To proceed with your stay in Canada as a visitor or to modify your status from international student or employee to a visitor, for instance, you should present your application at least one month before the lapsing date of your present status. Hence, you can also submit an online application even one day before the lapse of your six-month visit; however, it is not suggested. The expiry date of your status can be found on:
- The stamp on your passport. This should not be complicated with the date stamped on your visitor visa. When no stamp is available in your passport, your visitor status lapses six months from the date you arrived in Canada.
- Tour study permit.
- Your visitor visa in situations where you have already prolonged your visit.
- Your work permit.
Steps to Apply for a Visitor visa
In several situations, you are required to make an application online to obtain a visitor visa. Making use of the online application form can possess different benefits:
- It allows Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada to get your application as soon as possible, bypassing any carrier payment or waiting duration for mail delivery. This may result in quicker processing durations for your application.
- Presenting your application online lets you ensure every vital detail is added before the presentation. If needed, more papers can be immediately presented online.
- Updates on the status of your application are offered directly via your online account.
If you have presented a paper application already, you will not be required to submit another of the same application online. To make an application for a visitor visa, you are required to observe the stages detailed below.
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Step 1: Make the following forms available
First, refer to the Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada instruction manual. This will assist you with case- – particular papers and directions. When you have done this, you will be required to complete the following forms:
- Applications to alter conditions, prolong your stay or stay in Canada as a visitor or temporary resident permit holder – Form IMM 5708
- Statutory Statement of Common-Law Union, if required – Form IMM 636:51
- Use of representative if required – Form IMM 5476.
You will not be fit to make available these forms by instantly pressing them. Download the forms and open them to complete them using a PDF editor.
Step 2: Ensure your answer for the Online Device is prepared
You must respond to a few questions before you upload these forms. This will assist you in obtaining a personalized paper checklist. The response you are required to offer when making the application for the visitor visa is as follows:
- The first question is, “What do you desire to do in Canada? “You must choose “visit.”
- The next question is, “What is your present nation or state of residence? “You must choose “Canada.”
Step 3: Develop or sign into your account
Another thing required to be done is to create your GCKey account. If you own one already, you will only need to sign in and :
- Make payment for your application charges
- Present your application
- Review your application status.
The application processing payment for a visitor visa is $100. You will need to own a debit or credit card to pay for the charges. If you can not make the application online, an offline application can be submitted. This is required on specific occasions such as:
- You can’t make an application online due to a disability.
- There is an issue with the online application.
Expectations After Application
Whenever you have made an application, you should schedule your biometrics pool meeting as soon as you can. This will bypass any processing hesitations. You can contact Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada using the web form when your processing duration has passed. The processing duration for a visitor visa for online requests is 151 days for online and 106 days for offline requests due to the new IRCC official update. Finally, remember that your visitor visa is not a permit. The date on your visitor visa is when you must exit Canada.