Visa-exempt visitors and multiple-entry.

[alcor]

Hi

I can't find the answer to this anywhere...

If a visa-exempt foreign national (Commonwealth citizen) enters Canada as a visitor and is given a passport stamp that's valid for, say, three months, can he/she then leave and re-enter Canada during that three-month period without needing to get another passport stamp?

For example, say he enters Canada and is given a stamp that's valid for three months, then after one month in Canada decides to visit friends in Peru for a week, with the intention of returning to Canada immediately afterwards...

When returning from Peru, would the original three-month passport stamp still be valid (hence behaving like a multiple-entry visa), or would it now be invalid, meaning that he would now need to request more time to visit Canada from a Canadian immigration officer?

In other words, would Canadian immigration stamp his passport when he left for Peru, effectively cancelling the original three-month validity period?

Thanks

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi

I can't find the answer to this anywhere...

If a visa-exempt foreign national (Commonwealth citizen) enters Canada as a visitor and is given a passport stamp that's valid for, say, three months, can he/she then leave and re-enter Canada during that three-month period without needing to get another passport stamp?

For example, say he enters Canada and is given a stamp that's valid for three months, then after one month in Canada decides to visit friends in Peru for a week, with the intention of returning to Canada immediately afterwards...

When returning from Peru, would the original three-month passport stamp still be valid (hence behaving like a multiple-entry visa), or would it now be invalid, meaning that he would now need to request more time to visit Canada from a Canadian immigration officer?

In other words, would Canadian immigration stamp his passport when he left for Peru, effectively cancelling the original three-month validity period?

Thanks

Soon as you leave (as a visitor) that ends your admission. Canada doesn't stamp passports on exit. When you return, you are applying for a new admission as a visitor.

PMM

 

[ghiaskhan]

PMM is right. passport holders of Visa Exempt countries are exempted from visa. Each time you enter cannada your passport will be stamped and it will be new visit. I have myself travelled between UK,USA ,Canada and Mexico several times. Each time I crossed between UK,USA & Canada immigration officers affixed a new stamp.

 

[nanapush]

If visiting for a maximum 6 months(visa exempt) does leaving the country for even a short period qualify a visa exempt visitor to re enter for another extended period ie. up to 6 months?

 

[Julie0430]

Americans are visa exempt when comming to Canada up to six months right? When their passport is stamped as they enter Canada, is there an expiry date on that stamp??? I had never noticed...

 

[ghiaskhan]

whether there is an expiry date or not, you have to leave before six months are expired from the date of your entry. The stamp would show the date of your entry into Canadian territory.

 

[NeedleArtist]

Soon as you leave (as a visitor) that ends your admission. Canada doesn't stamp passports on exit. When you return, you are applying for a new admission as a visitor.

PMM

Since Canada does not stamp passports on exit, how can they determine how long someone has been in country. I live in Washington state (U.S. Citizen) less than ten miles from the Blaine/White Rock crossing. Let's say I enter BC (via auto) to have dinner in Vancouver, or spend a weekend skiing, then drive back home to U.S. Seven or 8 months later I want to again spend a day in Canada. How do they know whether I was there for a day, a weekend, or a full six months?

 

[Leon]

They share info with the US border control.

 

[NeedleArtist]

They share info with the US border control.

I understand ... the problem is that each time I've re-entered the U.S. in the past (by auto or ferry) U.S. customs has NEVER stamped my passport, since I'm a U.S. citizen. I'm just trying to avoid a potential situation in the future (particulary during the 2010 Olympic games) where I might be refused entry because I've got stamps in passport more than 6-months old.