Visiting Canada
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by Rekha McNutt
Canada is a beautiful country to visit! But it can be a challenge to get here. You may want to visit for personal or business reasons. I will cover business visitors in another topic, and focus this post on personal reasons to visit Canada.
You will fall into one of three categories of visitors:
You are a US Citizen, traveling on your US Passport;
You come from a country that requires a visa to travel to Canada; or
You come from a country that is visa-exempt, but require an eTA (electronic travel authorization)
To determine whether you need a visa or eTA (assuming you are not a US Citizen), you can check here.
US Citizens
A US Citizen, traveling on a US passport does not require anything more to travel to Canada. The length of your stay is determined by the port-of-entry (POE) officer who you encounter, and can be up to 6 months.
Citizens of visa-required countries
If you come from a visa-required country, then you must first apply for an entry visa to Canada before departing. The Application is processed at the Canadian visa office/embassy responsible for your country of nationality. Most often, these applications are made online, and processed within days or weeks of filing. If approved, the visa is usually valid for 5 years, unless your passport is valid for a shorter period. Multiple entry visas are now the norm, meaning you need not re-apply for a new visa each time you wish to visit, during the validity period of the visa.
Beyond the basic application forms & supporting documents, visa applications can be complex. There are a number of factors that officers assess in determining whether to grant the visa. This involves a determination of whether you are a “genuine temporary resident”, meaning your intention is truly to visit Canada, and that you would depart at the end of your visit. It is important to provide proof of ties to your home country/country of legal residence, details of the purpose of your trip, and proof of financial means to visit.
Citizens of visa-exempt countries
If you come from a visa-exempt country, you will need to apply for an eTA if traveling by air. There is no requirement for an eTA if entering Canada at a land crossing. An eTA application is made online and the majority of applications are instantly approved.
Entry Visa vs. Duration of you Stay
An entry visa has a validity period, usually 5 years. This is not the amount of time you are allowed to remain in Canada if admitted. Simply put, the entry visa allows you to get on a plane and come to Canada during the validity dates. Once you arrive, the ultimate decision to let you into the country, and determine for how long you can stay, is up to the port-of-entry officer. Entry is granted for up to 6 months
Extending your status
Once admitted to Canada, it is possible to extend your stay without leaving. The application is decided by the Case Processing Centre in Edmonton.
I hope you found this information about visitor visas helpful!