is it true that you reset visitors visa at border?

[parahsalin]

I'm an American citizen. I am staying in canada with my boyfriend under a visitors visa, currently. I was wondering if it is true that I can simply leave the country for a couple of days and re-enter and gain 6 more months on my visitors visa?

 

[Jalex23]

I'm an American citizen. I am staying in canada with my boyfriend under a visitors visa, currently. I was wondering if it is true that I can simply leave the country for a couple of days and re-enter and gain 6 more months on my visitors visa?

It is partially true. If you go back to your country of residence then your visitor status gets reset. When you try to come back the CBSA officer will revaluate your case and grant you a stay up to 6 months or refuse you entry. This is not true if you travel to the USA, but US citizens do not require Visas so that is not an issue for you. In this case if you try to go to the USA then the visitor status won't reset, this is the only exception.

In other words, you can travel to America, Europe, Asia, or any country but the only place you can't travel back to "reset" the clock is to the USA.

 

[mr-s]

Following on from this, I'm in Canada on a 6 month visitor visa entering on a UK passport. Can I enter the USA for 2 weeks then return for an additional 6 months?

I am a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia and hold 2 passports.

My wife who is Canadian will start to be assessed as a spouse sponsor outside Canada as of 17 th Nov with a waiting time of currently 85 days.

It's unlikely she will be approved until at least May. My Vistor visa expires June 8th. I applied for Spouse sponsprship via my AU Passport not the UK I'm currently in Canada on...

Do I need to go back to the UK or Australia to reset the visa or can I go to the USA for 2 weeks or Costa Rica for 2 weeks and specify that I'm taking a gap year at the border when I ask for the new 6 months heading back to Canada. I have proof of funds and proof of a job to go back to in the UK if required.

I'm sure my passports are linked at Canadian border services and wasn't sure whether to use my AU passport for the second 6 month period or my UK one again.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kriv]

Following on from this, I'm in Canada on a 6 month visitor visa entering on a UK passport. Can I enter the USA for 2 weeks then return for an additional 6 months?

I am a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia and hold 2 passports.

My wife who is Canadian will start to be assessed as a spouse sponsor outside Canada as of 17 th Nov with a waiting time of currently 85 days.

It's unlikely she will be approved until at least May. My Vistor visa expires June 8th. I applied for Spouse sponsprship via my AU Passport not the UK I'm currently in Canada on...

Do I need to go back to the UK or Australia to reset the visa or can I go to the USA for 2 weeks or Costa Rica for 2 weeks and specify that I'm taking a gap year at the border when I ask for the new 6 months heading back to Canada. I have proof of funds and proof of a job to go back to in the UK if required.

I'm sure my passports are linked at Canadian border services and wasn't sure whether to use my AU passport for the second 6 month period or my UK one again.

Thanks in advance.

In your case you do not need to leave canada to extend your stay in canada. You are in canada and if you want to stay longer (reason you want to spend more time with your spouse) and have already (or planning to) submit a sponsorship application, You can simply apply for "extension to stay in canada"
Extension to stay in canada application:
-it will cost you about 100 dollars
-you can get an extension for upto 1 year
- you can again apply for the next extension when previous one is about to expire.
- Very high approval rate (rarely denied in case of spouses)
- will help you to stay in canada legally through out your sponsorship application processing time.
- no hassle to risk yourself by crossing/leaving and re-entering canada.

How to apply:
-you can apply at-least 30 days before June 8th ( as you have to be with a valid status when you apply).
- you can choose to submit your application using online method (faster processing 2-4weeks) or submit a paper application( slow may take about 3 months).
- once you submit the application and your visitor status expires during this process you will still be allowed to stay in canada till cic decide on your extension application. (it is called implied status).
- you can request 1 year extension ( usually first time a 6 month extension is approved which can again be extended to one year when it is near to expire)

you can read more information about how to apply at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

Hope it helps.

 

[Jalex23]

Following on from this, I'm in Canada on a 6 month visitor visa entering on a UK passport. Can I enter the USA for 2 weeks then return for an additional 6 months?

I am a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia and hold 2 passports.

My wife who is Canadian will start to be assessed as a spouse sponsor outside Canada as of 17 th Nov with a waiting time of currently 85 days.

It's unlikely she will be approved until at least May. My Vistor visa expires June 8th. I applied for Spouse sponsprship via my AU Passport not the UK I'm currently in Canada on...

Do I need to go back to the UK or Australia to reset the visa or can I go to the USA for 2 weeks or Costa Rica for 2 weeks and specify that I'm taking a gap year at the border when I ask for the new 6 months heading back to Canada. I have proof of funds and proof of a job to go back to in the UK if required.

I'm sure my passports are linked at Canadian border services and wasn't sure whether to use my AU passport for the second 6 month period or my UK one again.

Thanks in advance.

I answered this in my previous post.

"In other words, you can travel to America, Europe, Asia, or any country but the only place you can't travel back to "reset" the clock is to the USA."

So the answer is, you con travel to Costa Rica, Argentina, Mexico, Haiti or anywhere in America BUT the USA to reset the clock.


BTW, you don't have a visitor visa if you are from AU or UK. You have a "visitor status". A Visitor Visa is a sticker in your passport. Using the correct terms is important for accurate advice.

 

[mr-s]

Thanks for the response.

I've been looking through the CIC website and saw that Online applications for extending "visitor status" CIC are working on Dec 2nd 2014 applications with 44 working days current processing.

I was considering going with a Paper application, this is because CIC are working on Oct 7th 2014 applications with 100 days processing. Obviously this would be if I was applying now, but I'm guessing the wait times will be similar 30 days before June 8th when I send the application.

I believe that I am then given implied status until the decision has been made.

This would mean if they confirmed receipt of a complete application 30 days before June 8th 2015 (which I doubt because I have a UPS docket saying my Spouse documents were delivered Oct 9th 2014 and CIC sent an email back Jan 27th 2015 saying they confirm reciept Nov 17th 2014 - don't know how that works) they would still be running at nearly a 4 month delay before they looked at my application. It would then take 100 days to process, during which time I would still be in a position of implied status with the right to remain in Canada.

After the 4 months delay and 100 days it would be over 7 months before they got back to me with a Yes or No.

Looks like it's within the rules. I only wanted to make sure it wasn't a no because it would be a pain having to fly back to the UK etc.

Just a way of delaying, the same way they leave Spouse sponsorship visas applicants waiting. I'll be approved April 2016 if I'm lucky.

 

[kriv]

Thanks for the response.

I've been looking through the CIC website and saw that Online applications for extending "visitor status" CIC are working on Dec 2nd 2014 applications with 44 working days current processing.

I was considering going with a Paper application, this is because CIC are working on Oct 7th 2014 applications with 100 days processing. Obviously this would be if I was applying now, but I'm guessing the wait times will be similar 30 days before June 8th when I send the application.

I believe that I am then given implied status until the decision has been made.

This would mean if they confirmed receipt of a complete application 30 days before June 8th 2015 (which I doubt because I have a UPS docket saying my Spouse documents were delivered Oct 9th 2014 and CIC sent an email back Jan 27th 2015 saying they confirm reciept Nov 17th 2014 - don't know how that works) they would still be running at nearly a 4 month delay before they looked at my application. It would then take 100 days to process, during which time I would still be in a position of implied status with the right to remain in Canada.

After the 4 months delay and 100 days it would be over 7 months before they got back to me with a Yes or No.

Looks like it's within the rules. I only wanted to make sure it wasn't a no because it would be a pain having to fly back to the UK etc.

Just a way of delaying, the same way they leave Spouse sponsorship visas applicants waiting. I'll be approved April 2016 if I'm lucky.

i would recommend you to choose the online method as it easy and faster processing. ( i applied my wife's extension just 2 days before her visitor status as due to expire). so the basic thing to understand is that cic should receive your application before your current status expires ( means you should be in status when you apply for extension). so if you choose to apply online (lets say 30 days before your status is due to expire) you will instantly get an email confirming your application submission. most likely you will get a response within 30 days. lets assume you don't get a response still you will be on the safer side as you are allowed to stay in canada. if approved you will receive an email that your extension is approved and cic will mail you a document called "visitor record" at your home address. your visitor record starting date will be date of your previous status expiry and valid for the next 6 months or 1 year. ( so you will remain in status all the time).
Now in-case of rejection they wont take all the time in saying NO (the processing time is for the complete process) as rejected/refused application need no further processing so they are usually notified earlier.( still all depends on the VO how much time they take to process the application).

i know it is frustrating but as it is the best option to extend your stay in canada. approval rates are very high (99.9%) so go for it and best of luck

 

[mr-s]

Hi Kriv,

My reference was to the difference in date for when UPS confirmed the delivery to CIC for my Spouse visa and the date CIC emailed me stating they received my documents. UPS says Oct 9th 2014 and CIC said Nov 17th 2014, so possibly my documents were waiting to be opened which is when they acknowledge actual receipt - 38 calender day difference.

They didn't inform my wife of this until January 27th 2015. So acknowledgment of documents received from us took from Nov 17th 2014 until Jan 27th 2015 - 72 days before we were emailed to say they have them.

With regards to the visitor status extension, I'm not sure how this would work with regards to CIC saying they didn't receive my vistor status extension in time, as the delivery would be tracked and traced to show it was same day delivery 30 days before June 8th - even if they opened it at a later date.

Sorry for going off topic.

Thank you to everyone who gave advice, I hope this helps any others out there who have questions!

 

[nifiction]

Hi all (on this thread),
I had a hard time finding the actual online application. For some reason it just sent me in circles and I could never find the actual place where I need to apply for the extensions. Did they change that and no longer allow for online extension applications?
Thank you