Visit Canada after applying for Study Permit in the US

[fahmede]

Hi,

I am in the US on a visa which will expire in July, so I must leave the country by then. I have applied for a Canadian Study Permit, but it seems unlikely that I'll get a decision on my Study Permit by the end of my legal stay in the US (although I have sent a few emails informing the Canadian consulate about the problem).

I do have a multi-entry Visitor visa to Canada. Can I use that and move to Canada and wait there for the decision to be made. Will it be okay if I send the passport from Canada to the Canadian visa consulate in LA?

Thanks!

 

[scylla]

You can't "move" to Canada on a visitor visa - all you can do is visit temporarily. If you want to wait out the processing of your application in Canada, you'll need to make sure it looks like you're just visiting when you arrive at the Canadian border - otherwise you could be refused entry (i.e. don't arrive with a car full of personal belongings or many large suitcases, don't bring belongings with you that a normal tourist wouldn't bring - like furniture).

Whether you can use a Canadian address for your US visa as a visitor in Canada is a question you should ask on a US immigration forum.

 

[scylla]

Sorry - I just realized that you may have applied for a Canadian study visa - rather than a US study visa (it's not completely clear from your post). If that's the case, I think you should be able to use a Canadian address for your visa. But again, when you enter Canada you'll need to make sure you look like a tourist since you won't have authorization to "move" here. If you're flying, you'll need to have a return ticket.

 

[fahmede]

Yes, I've updated the post to make that clear.

Yes, I see the issue. Also, someone just told me that mailing passports across country borders in illegal, so looks like this can't work anyway.

Thanks!

 

[scylla]

Yes, I've updated the post to make that clear.

Yes, I see the issue. Also, someone just told me that mailing passports across country borders in illegal, so looks like this can't work anyway.

Thanks!

Actually - it's only illegal in certain countries. For example, India does not allow Indian passports to be mailed in or out of the country. I would recommend that you contact the LA office to find out how this would work if you mailed your passport from Canada.

 

[fahmede]

Actually I am Indian (although I would not be mailing the passport out of India.)

But I just found out that I can stay on in the US for a grace period of one month after the expiry date on my US visa. So I can wait till the end of August (by which time I'll hopefully hear back from the consulate). I guess the most I can do in the meantime is to keep emailing them. There is another reason I would like to visit Canada early August -- there is a summer school that's going to be held at that time, and I got accepted to attend that with funding.

Thanks a lot for your responses!