Extended Stay Visitor Visa Issue

[carsonb]

Hi All-

Short Story: I'm a US Citizen & my husband is Canadian. We're both living in Toronto and planning to submit our application within the next month for my PR (more than likely it will be Outbound since apparently it's significantly faster).

Problem: My visitor status is up on February 29th (I crossed via the Ambassador Bridge on August 29, 2015). It took longer than expected to get back my FBI form so now we need to submit a form to extend my stay as a visitor...but the website says I need to have submitted it at least 30 days prior to my status expiring. If I submit today, I'll only be 12 days away from the six month expiration. What do I do now?

Should I cross and come back?

 

[Owl29]

Hi All-

Short Story: I'm a US Citizen & my husband is Canadian. We're both living in Toronto and planning to submit our application within the next month for my PR (more than likely it will be Outbound since apparently it's significantly faster).

Problem: My visitor status is up on February 29th (I crossed via the Ambassador Bridge on August 29, 2015). It took longer than expected to get back my FBI form so now we need to submit a form to extend my stay as a visitor...but the website says I need to have submitted it at least 30 days prior to my status expiring. If I submit today, I'll only be 12 days away from the six month expiration. What do I do now?

Should I cross and come back?

They recommend you to submit at least 30 days before, but you can do it today or tomorrow. As long as it reaches them until Feb 29 you are ok.
The waiting time is super long now. I applied online on Oct 15 and still waiting, but as long as you wait for it you are on implied status.

 

[carsonb]

They recommend you to submit at least 30 days before, but you can do it today or tomorrow. As long as it reaches them until Feb 29 you are ok.
The waiting time is super long now. I applied online on Oct 15 and still waiting, but as long as you wait for it you are on implied status.

Thank you!

 

[Ponga]

CIC would like 30 days, but the truth is that you can apply online for a visitor extension even one day before your status expires. While you wait for a reply, you are covered under something called Implied Status, which allows you to legally remain in Canada.

Many people do what you're doing and the overwhelming majority of Americans have no problem being approved for the extension. Be sure to let them know that you wish to remain in Canada as a visitor while your sponsorship application is being processed. It would be good if you could at least pay the sponsorship fees and include a copy of the receipt with your request, but it's not a big deal if you cannot.

Outland for an American can be as quick as 4-6 months, while an Inland application takes ~ 2 years (+) for everyone.


Good luck!

 

[Owl29]

Thank you!

If you see CIC processing times, you will notice that paper applications are processed quicker now, but I still preferred to apply on-line, as I can log in to see status and I don't need to worry about package being lost. At least I know they have it

 

[JamesBox]

Visitor extension times are current 141 days for Online and 115 for paper. Online - they are working on applications received September 16 2015.

 

[Vixkingo]

I got mine visitor extension on Feb 16, applied on Sept 23.

 

[Aquakitty]

I got mine visitor extension on Feb 16, applied on Sept 23.

Holyyyy crap. That's taking longer than some people's actual PR.

 

[KelseyTVS]

I've got a similar question.

My American partner will be arriving on a 1 year work permit, and we will establish common-law during that year, apply for a visitor extension, and submit the PR application. The thing is, we will become common-law on the day her work permit expires. We'll have to submit the visitor extension application before that expiry date, without our common-law status.

Under "reason for extension" should we just select Other and put "establishing common-law, then applying for PR"? And in the section where it asks who she's staying with and the relationship, should we put "conjugal partner - will be common law on [date]"?

I'm worried the extension will get denied of we aren't common-law yet and she doesn't have a good reason to stay. The extension form doesn't allow much space to explain the situation, I hope I can get all the info across to the CIC agent in the space provided.