visa run

[marta cocchi]

I'm an Italian citizen on a tourist visa living in BC with my boyfriend who is supporting me.
My tourist visa runs out at the end of November. If I leave Canada for 3 days or so, maybe go to Seattle and come back, will I be able to get a new 6 months tourist visa? (I can prove I can support my stay).
If that is the case, can I come back before the end of November or I need to make sure that I'm gone on the day that my visa runs out?
I thought maybe they would not stamp me if I come back while this visa is still valid.
Thank you!

 

[scylla]

It's really impossible to say what will happen at the border since it's up to the individual immigration officer you encounter. You could be given another six months, you could be given less time (i.e. the immigration officer might let you in but only for another few weeks), you could be allowed in but only for the duration of your original stay and there's also always the possibility of being refused re-entry completely (although I think there's extremely little chance that would happen to you).

If you want to extend your stay, I would not try a border run. I would remain in Canada and apply for an extension to my visit from within Canada.

 

[marta cocchi]

Thank you for your thorough reply. I have been trying to browse the Canadian Immigration website to find a better visa that would allow me to stay in Canada as a long term visitor but it seems that either I work or I can't stay. Is that correct?

As an Italian citizen willing to spend the next few years in Canada (before let's say getting married, if my relationship keeps going well as it is now, fingers crossed) but not interested in starting a working career, what are my visa options?

Thank you

 

[scylla]

There is no "long term" visitor visa available to you. However you can apply to extend your visit by another six months:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

If you're looking to stay longer / more permanently, your boyfriend can sponsor you for permanent residency once you've lived together for at least 12 months.

 

[marta cocchi]

Would you be able to tell me what does my boyfriend need to do in order to sponsor me? As in what documents he needs to provide, how can we prove that we've been living together, or maybe records or employment or income?

Thank you for your great help!

 

[scylla]

Move over to the Family Sponsorship section of this forum and start by reading the very first post in the thread below.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/spousal-sponsorship-t46995.0.html