Recent changes to visitor visa requirements for some Mexican citizens may leave some foreign citizens wishing to visit Canada with questions about their own situation.
To help, Canadian News has compiled a list of frequently asked questions that may be helpful to review before spending the time, energy and money required to come to Canada.
How long can I stay in Canada as a visitor?
In most cases, visitors to Canada can stay in the country for six months from the day they enter Canada (or until their passport expires, whichever comes first). The visitor’s deadline for departure from Canada will be indicated by a stamp in their passport and/or a document provided by a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) official.
Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration
Visitors who wish to remain in Canada beyond their initially authorized stay can apply for an extension (more on this later).
What is the difference between a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa?
As the name of the visa indicates, single entry visas allow the holder to enter Canada only once, while a multiple entry visa allows repeated entry to Canada as long as the visa remains valid.
Note: All tourist visa Applicants are automatically considered for a multiple entry visa, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC) reviews each application separately and issues a visa to each visitor accordingly.
The IRCC clarifies that single-entry visa recipients will need a new visa to enter Canada once they have left, unless they are traveling directly to the United States or Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
Meanwhile, multiple-entry visas are valid for the lesser of the following two periods: 10 years or one month before the visa holder’s passport expires. Each entry to Canada with a multiple entry visa allows the visa holder to stay in Canada for up to six months at a time.
Can I complete a visa application for my entire family if we travel together?
No. While all visitor visa applications for a group of family members can be submitted in the same envelope (along with a payment receipt representing the total fee for all applications), everyone must complete and sign their own visitor visa application.
This rule also applies to any other required forms, excluding the Family Information form, which must only be completed by applicants over 18 years of age.
Note: Parents and guardians can help their children complete their forms, and any visitor visa applicant under the age of 18 must have their documents signed by a parent/guardian.
Is there a way to help a friend or family member visit Canada?
Although your friends and family must complete their own visa applications, a Letter of Invitation is a document you can send to help a loved one come to Canada.
It should be noted that this document, which details how you can help the visa applicant (for example, offering to pay for accommodation), may help, but does not guarantee that the applicant will be approved for their visitor visa.
Do I need a medical exam to obtain a visitor visa?
This depends of the length of the visitor’s stay in Canada.
In most cases, visitors to Canada for six months or less do not require a medical examination unless they are going to work in a job where “protection of public health is essential.” The list of jobs under this requirement is available. here.
The above public health protection condition also applies to visitors who will stay in Canada for more than six months. Additionally, visitors to Canada for six months or longer will need a medical exam if they meet either of the following two requirements:
*This applies to all visitors, including those who are citizens of visa-exempt countries, who have been to any of the eligible countries “in the year immediately preceding the date [the visitor] “He sought entry to Canada.”
Is a visitor visa the same as a visitor registration?
No. Foreign citizens wishing to travel and enter Canada as visitors require a visitor visa (in most cases, for up to six months).
Instead, CBSA officials provide a visitor registration to extend or restrict the recipient’s stay in Canada. This type of document can also be issued to foreign citizens, either by CBSA or IRCC, after their application to extend their stay or restore their status in Canada is approved.
Click here for additional details on the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor registration.
I got a new passport but I have a valid visa in the old one. Can I use the visa on my old passport?
The IRCC notes that it is possible to travel to Canada using a valid visitor visa placed in an old passport. However, travelers in this situation must bring the following documents to Canada:
- The old passport with the valid visa*
- The new passport or valid travel document.
*Travelers may need to explain to CBSA officials why their old passport is no longer valid.
Note: To avoid delays in processing at the Canadian border, IRCC recommends that all visitors to Canada obtain a new visitor visa in their new, valid passport.
How can I extend my stay as a visitor?
Extending your stay in Canada requires you to present biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) and request a visitor record. This document allows visitors to Canada three options to extend their stay in the country:
Steps to request a visitor registration online can be found at this IRCC website.
Can I file an appeal if I am denied a visitor visa?
There is no appeal process for an IRCC visitor visa application.
When an applicant is refused a visitor visa to enter Canada, they can reapply, but IRCC recommends that they only do so if their situation has changed or if they have new information to submit that could alter the outcome of their application. application.
Do I need a visa if I am only traveling through Canada on my way to another country?
Documentation for those transiting through Canada depends on each individual’s unique situation.
Generally, travelers can be divided into two categories: visa-requiring travelers (of a country that requires visa) and visa-exempt travelers (from a country that requires a Electronic travel authorizationeTA).
Some visa-required travelers need a visitor visa. This applies to travelers who:
- Visiting Canada (even if traveling by air and the traveler stays in Canada for less than 48 hours)
- Remaining in Canada for more than 48 hours while transiting through the country to another destination.
- Cross the Canadian border via any of the following five modes of transportation: bus, car, train, boat or cruise.
Other visa-required travelers may only require a transit visa. This applies to travelers who:
- Have an international flight that stops at a Canadian airport on the way to another country.
- You will connect between two international flights at a Canadian airport.
- It will be in transit through Canada in 48 hours or less.
- Not having a valid visitor visa
Visa-exempt travelers need an eTA to transit Canada by air. Travelers transiting Canada by train, bus, ship or cruise are not required to obtain an eTA, but must still bring the correct travel documents.
reference: www.cicnews.com