Visitors Immigrants - RSS Canada Immigration

Navigate: RSS Canada Immigration Home > Canadian Immigration Categories

Visitor

A visitor is a temporary resident who has been approved by an immigration officer to visit Canada for a short duration. The maximum time allotted for visitors to Canada is 6 months. However most visas are issued for a shorter duration.

An application to visit or pass through Canada is required for citizens of most countries, however citizens of certain countries are exempt from obtaining a visitor visa. All visitor visas are approved at a visa office outside Canada, although you can be refused entry into Canada by the immigration border officer:

Visitors must meet certain requirements when applying for entry/transit visas. People wishing to visit must:

must be healthy. For a duration of stay less than 6 months, a medical exam is not usually required
must respect Canadian laws;
requires a valid passport or other travel documents;
proof of identity; and
will need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if you are from one of these countries.

Arrival in Canada

Upon arrival in Canada, an immigration officer from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will conduct a short interview about your visit at the point of entry. The immigration officer has the right to refuse your entry for the following reasons:

The officer believes that you will not leave at the end of the authorized period of stay.
You provide false information
You do not satisfy that you are suitable for entry into Canada

Several other points to note are:

You may be asked to provide a cash deposit for security if the officer believes you need extra motivation to respect the conditions of your temporary stay in Canada. The deposit will be returned after you leave Canada and if you have not broken the conditions imposed on you.
Children under the age of 16 should bring identification demonstrating who they are. If you are traveling with a minor child who is not under your guardianship, a letter from their parent will be required. If you are coming with your child and are the only guardian, carry documentation indicating the child has no other guardians. For example: a birth certificate that does not identify the father or custody documents. If you are not the only guardian of your minor child, than a letter from their other guardian will also need to be provided at the time of entry.
A visitor visa only allows your to visit Canada. You are not authorized to work or study in Canada without permission. You will be asked to leave if you work or study without permission.
Officers from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) have the right to take enforcement action against any person who does not respect the conditions of stay. Persons who are not allowed into Canada or who are asked to leave have the right to an impartial hearing to review the decision.

Change of status

Once entry has been granted, temporary residents generally may not change the conditions of their stay. However in certain cases, you can change the status of your stay. If you wish to do so, you must file the application at least three weeks before the visa expires.

VISITOR FREE ONLINE ASSESSMENT