applied for visitor visa while under W&H, now W&H over but still no answer

[ronypete]

Hi,

my partner and I applied for PR for me last year. I was under a W&H until a couple days ago. I applied for a visitor visa about 10 days ago. I still don't have an answer. I guess I'm now under implied status!?! When they approve it, do I just go down to the boarder and do a loop or is there anything other to do? Should I bring certain documents to the boarder just in case they ask me a lot of questions?

 

[steerpike]

Did you apply inland or outland? Outland applicants do the "flagpoling" boarder loop if they are in Canada when they "land" to get their PR. Inland applicants do not need to do that. I havent heard of it being done at all for visitor visa extensions, but i could be wrong.

For the visitor visa you should apply 30 days before your working holiday visa expires. I'm not sure how strict they are on that. If you do end up losing your status, your PR will still continue to be processed, you will just have to lay low and hope CBSA doesnt notice you until you get AIP (stage 2) then you can apply for OWP (which you should have included in your app, but no biggie if you didnt, just send it in when you get AIP).

Then bob's your uncle!

 

[ronypete]

Hi,

my partner and I applied for PR for me last year. I was under a W&H until a couple days ago. I applied for a visitor visa about 10 days ago. I still don't have an answer. I guess I'm now under implied status!?! When they approve it, do I just go down to the boarder and do a loop or is there anything other to do? Should I bring certain documents to the boarder just in case they ask me a lot of questions?

EDIT: I applied from outside, so I need to apply for a visa to stay in Canada

 

[Harju]

You have implied status as you filed a request for change of status before your WHV expired (I assume that's what "W&H" means). I do not think the 30 day thing is a requirement, only a recommendation. We certainly ignored it with no problems.
The only times to flagpole that I am aware of is when you are activating a new closed work permit or landing on an outland app. I am not aware of any other circumstances. Hopefully someone can confirm that.

 

[ronypete]

ok good. And as soon as they approve it I just go to the boarder and its fine?

 

[little_apple]

You will receive your tourist visa by mail. No need to drive to the border and "activate" it. You keep it together with your passport and you will be fine.

 

[ronypete]

oh really. that's convenient. I hope they give some information or guidelines with that letter/visa.

 

[Alurra71]

oh really. that's convenient. I hope they give some information or guidelines with that letter/visa.

If/When they approve it you will receive it in postal mail at the address you specified when you filled it out. You will not need to go to a border for any reason other than to cross into the US if that is what your intention is. It doesn't need to be 'activated' or otherwise acknowledged by CBSA. It is solely a document for you to keep with your passport if you are asked about your status in Canada. It is not a travel document and does not facilitate your return to Canada should you leave Canada. I think that just about covers what it is.

Good luck!

 

[little_apple]

If/When they approve it you will receive it in postal mail at the address you specified when you filled it out. You will not need to go to a border for any reason other than to cross into the US if that is what your intention is. It doesn't need to be 'activated' or otherwise acknowledged by CBSA. It is solely a document for you to keep with your passport if you are asked about your status in Canada. It is not a travel document and does not facilitate your return to Canada should you leave Canada. I think that just about covers what it is.

Good luck!

You are allowed to travel to the USA and come back to Canada. It's in the visitor record guidelines on the CIC website. I printed it out because I'm in the USA right now and fly back to Canada in a few days with my visitor record.

 

[Alurra71]

You are allowed to travel to the USA and come back to Canada. It's in the visitor record guidelines on the CIC website. I printed it out because I'm in the USA right now and fly back to Canada in a few days with my visitor record.

A visitor record will NOT facilitate your re-entry into Canada. If you encounter a CBSA agent with a bad attitude he/she can deny you re-entry. A visitor record is not a free pass or a travel document. It doesn't hurt to have one, but in no way should you leave Canada with the assumptions that because you have it you will definitely be allowed to return to Canada. As I said, it will help to grease the wheels, however, it's not a guaranteed route back into the country for any traveler.

I would be interested in what guidelines you are referring to here so I can look for myself.

 

[little_apple]

A visitor record will NOT facilitate your re-entry into Canada. If you encounter a CBSA agent with a bad attitude he/she can deny you re-entry. A visitor record is not a free pass or a travel document. It doesn't hurt to have one, but in no way should you leave Canada with the assumptions that because you have it you will definitely be allowed to return to Canada. As I said, it will help to grease the wheels, however, it's not a guaranteed route back into the country for any traveler.

I would be interested in what guidelines you are referring to here so I can look for myself.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=473&t=4


If you have a single-entry visa this allows you to enter Canada once. *If you leave Canada during your authorized stay, you must get a new visitor visa to re-enter Canada, unless you visit the United States* or St. Pierre and Miquelon. *If you visit those places, you can return to Canada without a new visa, as long as you:*
return within the period that the Canadian immigration officer initially authorized when you first entered Canada (on your visa, it is either a handwritten date or 6 months from the date of the entry stamp); *or
have a valid visitor record*, work permit, study permit or temporary resident permit (authorizing re-entry), *and return within the period that the officer initially authorized.*

 

[Alurra71]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=473&t=4


If you have a single-entry visa this allows you to enter Canada once. *If you leave Canada during your authorized stay, you must get a new visitor visa to re-enter Canada, unless you visit the United States* or St. Pierre and Miquelon. *If you visit those places, you can return to Canada without a new visa, as long as you:*
return within the period that the Canadian immigration officer initially authorized when you first entered Canada (on your visa, it is either a handwritten date or 6 months from the date of the entry stamp); *or
have a valid visitor record*, work permit, study permit or temporary resident permit (authorizing re-entry), *and return within the period that the officer initially authorized.*

The one thing that would give me pause would be that the entire statement is in direct relation to an initial entry visa being issued. Meaning you had a single entry visa but obtained a visitor record and are still in your original allowed entry time you can reenter.

It says nothing about being granted reentry based solely on having the visitor record not tied to an initial single entry visa.

I should clarify that this is my interpretation of what it says and not necessarily what it really means. CIC is so vague in a lot of areas and this, I feel, is one of them.

 

[little_apple]

It's hard to understand what CIC really means. I would have travelled to the USA anyways but I applied for a visitor record because the US airline wanted to see a valid visa for Canada. If I get a Canadian officer who doesn't like my face they don't grant me re-entry but I don't think about the worst now.

I will ask one of the officers what it really means ;-)