Hi, this is a question for a friend who holds a visa-exempt passport. She entered Canada last Nov with 6-month permitted stay. Now after 3 months she needs to go to USA by land and then return to Canada by land after a week in the US. She wants to know if, upon this second entry, she'll get another 6 month permitted stay. Thanks!
Visa-exempt entry into Canada
- Thread starter gacr
- Start date
There is no guarantee she will be given another six months stay. What she is given is entirely up to the immigration officer she encounters when she enters Canada. Any of the following could happen: granted the default six month stay, granted a stay shorter than six months, denied entry.
If she is spending a lot of time in Canada, immigration may think she is trying to live in Canada rather than just visit. In case she is questioned, she should bring proof that shows she has strong ties to the US (assuming the US is her home country) and is really only in Canada as a visitor. Strong ties to the US are things such as: property ownership, lease agreement, proof of employment, proof of school enrollment.
If she is spending a lot of time in Canada, immigration may think she is trying to live in Canada rather than just visit. In case she is questioned, she should bring proof that shows she has strong ties to the US (assuming the US is her home country) and is really only in Canada as a visitor. Strong ties to the US are things such as: property ownership, lease agreement, proof of employment, proof of school enrollment.
Thanks Scylla for your quick response. My friend is not a US citizen. She holds Latvian passport (which is also visa-exempt for the US). She came to Canada last Nov for the first time and has now been in Canada for 3 months but plans to cross into the US for 1-week sightseeing. She would like to know if upon re-entering Canada by land she could stay in Canada for another 6 months from Mar to Sept 2013 or if she still has to leave by the existing date of May 2013.
If anyone else has had similar experience please also feel free to comment. Thanks.
If anyone else has had similar experience please also feel free to comment. Thanks.
I spent in 2011 5Months in Alberta and i went a few times to the US to visit my Brother. With every return to Canada by Land or Air they gave my a new stamp in my Passport and a new Stamp gives you new 6 Months in Canada. Otherwise they can give you a number at the port of entry and then you have 6 Months from this day until you must leave. But with no number and with a normal immigration stamp it should not be a problem!
Hi Hellvetier (Swiss I presume? 
, thanks for sharing your experience. That's good to know ;-) Just don't quite understand your last sentence ("But with no number and with a normal immigration stamp it should not be a problem!"). I assume by "number" you mean a date (the date of entry)? So if no number given upon the second entry, then the 60 days are counted from the first/original date of entry rather than this second/current date, right?
, thanks for sharing your experience. That's good to know ;-) Just don't quite understand your last sentence ("But with no number and with a normal immigration stamp it should not be a problem!"). I assume by "number" you mean a date (the date of entry)? So if no number given upon the second entry, then the 60 days are counted from the first/original date of entry rather than this second/current date, right?
Yes i am Swiss
Sorry for my last sentence. Yes, when they give her a new stamp she has 6 more months!
Sorry for my last sentence. Yes, when they give her a new stamp she has 6 more months!