Travel

[Silver_Spirit]

Honestly i tried to avoid posting yet another thread ??? but you're all just so much more helpful than google or the visa people!

Im planning on flying april 24th, and have booked a one way ticket (cant really afford more than that and need to be there for cousins wedding), do i need to get a visitor visa? or will i be okay to just wait out the rest of the process in canada? not sure how that bit works when entering the country with no visa and no intent to return to my country!

 

[PMM]

HI

Honestly i tried to avoid posting yet another thread ??? but you're all just so much more helpful than google or the visa people!

Im planning on flying april 24th, and have booked a one way ticket (cant really afford more than that and need to be there for cousins wedding), do i need to get a visitor visa? or will i be okay to just wait out the rest of the process in canada? not sure how that bit works when entering the country with no visa and no intent to return to my country!

Your difficulty maybe in boarding the aircraft with a one-way ticket and no Canadian PR. The airline may not allow you to fly, as if you are refused, they have to pay for the return.

PMM

 

[fallenstar831]

not sure how that bit works when entering the country with no visa and no intent to return to my country!

95% chance it won't work. You will get turned away and will have to return home. Especially if you don't have any money in the bank.

 

[Silver_Spirit]

Boo someone on here told me i could do it and finish the visa process there?
Is there nothing i can do at this point?

 

[Siouxie]

I have travelled on a one way ticket when I missed a flight back to the UK because of illness and had to buy a return ticket as the airline I used wouldn't issue me with a single online, I then used the return part to fly from the UK back to Canada.

My problem wasn't with the airline leaving the UK to fly to Canada, it was with the Immigration Officer who wanted to see proof of my return ticket!

Luckily I had a copy of my last bank statement (and a Visa card) and could show that I had sufficient funds to buy a flight back to the UK and to support myself whilst here.

I think it really depends on the airline - your best bet is to contact the airline company that you have booked with and ask what their policy is.

You do need to have proof of sufficient funds (for your stay here and for a flight back) for Immigration though in case they ask.

As to your intent to remain here, when you come in as a visitor you are undertaking to leave and are confirming that you do not intend to stay. (You can apply for an extension to your visitor status online if necessary).

 

[BeShoo]

... do i need to get a visitor visa? or will i be okay to just wait out the rest of the process in canada? not sure how that bit works when entering the country with no visa and no intent to return to my country!

If you're a UK citizen, I believe you are visa-exempt. Either way, to come as a visitor, you have to be both willing and able to return when your visit time ends or if your PR application gets refused. If you can't afford to go back, they're not supposed to let you in. If you have no intent to return, you certainly will not be allowed to visit.

Some people have visited while they wait out the process (only Americans that I know of, but I don't think it's restricted to them), but the immigration officials have to be assured that you are able to return, that you have ties back home that will make you want/need to return, and that you have sufficient means of support while you are here that you won't be tempted to work in Canada illegally.

If your visitor status is refused when you arrive in Canada, and you don't have a return ticket, the airline will have to pay to fly you back, and most of them want to avoid that.

I just brought my American conjugal partner to Canada last week, but they were reluctant to let him in since we haven't quite sent the PR application yet, haven't paid for it, and he has no job or apartment back in the U.S. (just his father's place). Since his dad's place is only an 8 hour drive from here I can easily take him back, but they said he doesn't really have sufficient ties to the U.S. They gave him a 3-month visitor permit anyway, but we need to get the process going very fast, so he can apply for an extension in 2 months.

 

[BeShoo]

By the way, they asked him how long he wanted to stay and he said 6 months, but the secondary officer only gave him 3 because she was doubtful. She issued him a visitor record (standard in such a case for a visitor from a visa-exempt country). The visitor record has to be returned before the 3 months is up (unless an extension is in process).

 

[fallenstar831]

If your visitor status is refused when you arrive in Canada, and you don't have a return ticket, the airline will have to pay to fly you back, and most of them want to avoid that.

This isn't true, you have to live in the airport, just like Tom Hanks.

 

[Silver_Spirit]

Okay so if i contact thomas cook and they agree to let me fly. Should i have a copy of my husbands canadian bank funds to show we can afford to fly me back? I have paid for my visa, and it will hopefully be well on its way by that point (or to the point where ive had some contact), i have a copy of the reciept for it too. Should i get a letter from my mother saying if refused she will rent me the house next to hers that she owns (the place we are currently living)
Would that be enough for them to accept i would go back if refused my visa?

 

[Baloo]

no intent to return to my country!

This is the main point, if the POE thinks this is what you intend they will not let you in.

If you buy the right sort of return ticket, it is possible to either move the return date (for a fee) or get a refund for the unused part.
That is what I have done, because I have applied to extend my stay as a visitor.
Buy the ticket in advance and get a better price.

 

[Silver_Spirit]

So the easiest option here is to buy a return ticket n then use it if it all goes to hell with the visa stuff? lol

 

[Baloo]

So the easiest option here is to buy a return ticket n then use it if it all goes to hell with the visa stuff? lol

You knew that when you made the OP

 

[Silver_Spirit]

It would appear so, my heads just going around in circles atm XDD

 

[midwifemia]

I'm also applying via London (since I'm British) and I am currently in Canada on a visitor's visa while I wait out the process. When we flew out here from England, I had bought a cheap ticket from Air Transat (only £180!) for the return journey a couple of days short of my 6 months being up. I'm very glad I did, since it was inspected before I even checked into the flight to Canada! Plus then Immigration gave me a bit of a hard time coming in, but at least I felt confident that I had everything to back up my (completely genuine) story.

My intention is either to extend my flight date when I extend my visitor's visa or, if the application is approved by then I'll use it to fly home to collect a few things before I 'land', but if I end up just losing that flight for one reason or another I don't mind too much, since it's a fairly cheap ticket.

Anyway the upshot of that is that I think you should look into Air Transat flights, even if you have no real intention of using it, because it's just one more battle you don't have to face with immigration....