In the recent Corona situation, almost every country has certain changes in their travel policies. So, as a traveller or immigrant, it may not be possible to leave or move the country in the current situation. If you recently travelled to Canada. Then you may need to face or deal with the same issue.
So, if you are a traveller or visit Canada with a visitor visa in this pandemic, you may have to deal with visa extension Canada as a traveller. In order to extend your stay in Canada. You need to follow certain procedures. In this writing, we are going to talk about how you can extend your stay in Canada. Keep reading for more.
Documents That You Need to Extend Your Stay
If you travel or visit Canada with your visitor visa. And if you want to extend your stay in Canada. You may need one document out of these two:
- An electronic travel authorization, also known as (ETA)
- Your temporary resident visa or visitor visa
If you have one of these two documents, you will be eligible to apply for the next step. In the next step, you have to apply for your visitor record to extend your stay in Canada.
What is a Visitor Record?
First and foremost, you need to keep in your mind that the visitor record is not a visa. It is just a legal document that will permit you to stay longer in Canada. But the visitor record will also have an expiry date.
So, when the expiry date is over, you must need to leave the country within that time period. Or else you can also apply again for an extension to stay in Canada. You also need to keep in mind that your visitor record will not help you if you want to re-enter Canada again.
When Do You Have to Apply for the Extension?
This is one of the most common questions among visitors of Canada. Most people get confused when do they have to apply for an extension of their stay. So, the answer is, it is always recommended to apply for an extension before expiring your current status in Canada.
Usually, Canada allows their visitor to stay in Canada for up to 6 months. So the status will expire 6 months after the entrance of Canada. Therefore, as a visitor, you should apply for the extension before expiring your current status.
Things That You Need to Do for the Extension
Regardless you are a temporary visitor, student, or worker. If you want to renew the status of your stay in Canada. You have to meet their requirements for an extension. And you will be eligible for the extensions only if you can follow and fulfill certain factors. Those factors may include the following:
- You have to apply for the extension before expiring your old status
- You have to meet the initial requirements of staying in Canada
- You have to abide by all the rules and regulations of Visiting Canada
- Finally, you need to meet all the requirements and conditions given by the Canadian government (i.e. immigration authority)
How Can You Apply?
In order to apply for the extension, you need to go through an application process. In the process, you need to provide all your personal information and some documents. And the application process should be through the online portal. You need to go to the official website of the government of Canada.
Then you just have to follow their procedures. If you are applying with your family members. You need to submit the application separately for each member. Individual member also includes the independent children and common-law partner and so on. After all that, you need to follow the following steps:
- You need to ensure that you have all the necessary documents and information for the application process
- Then you need to pay the fees for extending the staying status
- After that, you have to fill the application form with the correct information. And try to keep a copy of that application
- After completing the application form, you need to sign it up and submit it online
How Long Does It Take?
If you are applying online, it may take 103 days to process the status. On the other hand, applying through a paper form may take a longer time than online. On average, it will take 111 days to complete the process.
What’s Next?
If the immigration authority grants the extension application, you will get a notice from them. You will also get a new expiry date for your new stay in Canada. But if the immigration authority refuses the application. You only can stay in Canada till your previous resident status.
But if the application gets refused, the immigration authority will give you some time to apply for restoration. If the restoration application also gets refused. Then you cannot continue staying or living in Canada anymore.
In the Conclusion
If you are in Canada as a visitor or as a student for the first time. And if you need to extend the visa time or stay status in Canada. You have to go through a legal process. If you fail to do that, you may not be able to stay in Canada when the visa expiry date ends.
But when you are a first-timer, all those legal processes may seem very complex and confusing. You can seek professional help to guide you in this process. Hopefully, this writing will help you to Extend Your Stay in Canada.