Exiting Canada into the US and returning to renew visit visa for 6 months

[anushaji2010]

Hi. My mom is in Canada on a visit visa since September 2019. Her six months are up in March 2020. We were planning to drive down to the US to meet my brother for about a week in such a way that, the timing coincides with my mother’s date to exit Canada. We all hold a valid US B2 visa. I have tried to ask around to consultants and lawyers about the possibility of a renewal of my mother’s Canadian visit visa for another 6 months, starting from Feb/March, but people say that it could be refused and she could get a ban too. She also has a return ticket to her home country for September 2020, by which she WILL leave Canada for sure. Would it suffice to show them her return ticket at the border and perhaps a letter from my brother in the US to let us drive down to the US? It’s not that she is going to be flagpoling, fyi. We intend to stay in the US for a week or two before driving back to Canada. Pls advice. TIA.

 

[scylla]

Hi. My mom is in Canada on a visit visa since September 2019. Her six months are up in March 2020. We were planning to drive down to the US to meet my brother for about a week in such a way that, the timing coincides with my mother’s date to exit Canada. We all hold a valid US B2 visa. I have tried to ask around to consultants and lawyers about the possibility of a renewal of my mother’s Canadian visit visa for another 6 months, starting from Feb/March, but people say that it could be refused and she could get a ban too. She also has a return ticket to her home country for September 2020, by which she WILL leave Canada for sure. Would it suffice to show them her return ticket at the border and perhaps a letter from my brother in the US to let us drive down to the US? It’s not that she is going to be flagpoling, fyi. We intend to stay in the US for a week or two before driving back to Canada. Pls advice. TIA.

There is no black and white answer to your question. Whether your mother is allowed back into Canada and for how long will be entirely up to the CBSA officer she speaks to at the border. Having the flight will help - but impossible for any of us to predict what will happen.

If there are any issues, it won't be when you are leaving Canada - it will be on the return. The letter from your brother isn't needed and won't help.

 

[Bs65]

Just to add assume you have prepared for questions from US CBP about when your mother will leave the US given she doesn’t have a ticket departing from the US but only a ticket for 9/ 2020 from Canada.