Visitor Visa - Can you apply while in Canada? (US Spouse waiting for PR)

[tom_from_sk]

Hello Everyone!

My wife and I have submitted our Outland PR 3 months ago, received SA, and are now waiting for the Ottawa office to process and complete our application.

We came to Canada after we were married in the US (her as a visitor) in July and we were able to get her an Alberta Health Card with the stamp from the border. The health card is valid for 6 months and expires soon… in early January. We are trying to figure out how to get it extended as we really want her to have continued coverage as we are heading out on a vacation/honeymoon to Asia in January.

We tried to renew her health coverage the other day at a registry office with an “updated” and more recent stamp from October, but they called back and said the stamp was not enough to extend it. We called Alberta Health this morning and they said the stamp is only good the first time and we must have a Visitor Visa to extend it now, or proof of an application for an extension.

We believe we may have been able to get a visitor record/visa while coming through the border last time, but did not get this.

Now a few questions:

1. Can we just apply online for a visitor visa/record inside Canada? We would only have a stamp for previous entry and not another visitor visa that is expiring.
2. Will we have something to print off as proof of application to give to Alberta Health?
3. I have heard of people getting more than 6 month visa’s (1 year)… is this something you can ask for?
4. Once we have a visitor visa, I assume we can still travel back and forth to her parents in the US?
5. How long do the online visitor visa applications typically take to process?
6. Is the fee for the online visitor visa $100, regardless of how long of duration they give you?

At this point, I believe the only reason we need the visitor visa is to renew the health card, otherwise we plan to leave Canada (US/Asia honeymoon) every couple months and would be able to keep her visitor status valid that way.

I appreciate any feedback and help you can provide.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ponga]

She can certainly apply to extend her visitor status, but once she leaves Canada, her status leaves with her. She will be assessed by a CBSA the next time that she seeks re-entry into Canada.

For a U.S. citizen with an active Outland PR sponsorship application in-process, the chances of being granted re-entry would appear to be very good. She should familiarize herself with something called Dual Intent, and how the CBSA will use that in determining his/her decision.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/visa/dual.asp

 

[fruitball4u]

I live in British Columbia, so take this with a grain of salt:

1. Yes you can apply online for a visitor permit. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visitor.asp This is an online application. Make sure to provide proof that you have paid for your PR application, and be sure to let them know that you are waiting for approval still.
2. Once your application is in the system, you'll be able to access it online. Unfortunately, in BC at least, just proof that you've applied for a visitor extension was not enough. I had to be approved for a one year permit in order for them to extend my health coverage. I believe that they also required proof that my sponsor had been approved to sponsor me, so if that hasn't happened yet you may be out of luck. You CAN, however, apply even after your insurance has expired. Once approved it would just re-instate your insurance, but you would be without for the time frame between your expiry and new approval.
3. They ask directly on the application how long you're applying to stay. One year permits are generally fine for PR applicants. Just be sure to request the year and to explain that you'd like a year in order to cover the entire application process and that you believe you will be approved within that year timeframe.
4. Once you have a visitor permit, you are welcome to travel back and forth between the states. But keep in mind, a visitor permit is NOT a document that REQUIRES them to let you back into Canada. The border guard could be a jerk, could be having a bad day, or could just not like you and choose to not let her back in to Canada. That is a risk that you'll continuously take until you get that golden ticket of a PR card. Personally, I've chosen not to travel to the States until I get my PR, as much as I want to, simply because I don't want to risk it. I'm sure many others have and do travel back and forth with no issues though.
5. It was listed online that it would take about 60 days but took significantly longer. I applied in May and wasn't approved until mid-August. She'll have implied status while waiting for a decision though, so she is allowed to stay in the country and wait for a decision on that permit, even if her current permit has expired. But, if she leaves the country while waiting on a decision for the visitor permit, I believe that will void her implied status, so be sure not to leave until you get an answer on that front.
6. Yes, the fee is $100 no matter how long the permit is.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have other questions!

 

[tom_from_sk]

Thank you Ponga!

Do you have any idea on how long it takes for the visitor visa to be processed if you apply online?

The reason we need the visa is to extend health care coverage. She plans to leave Canada in 10 days to visit family for Christmas, but won't be coming back to Canada until it is too late to renew the health card, a few days before leaving for Asia.

Somehow I need to figure out how to extend her health coverage in the next 10 days and I am willing to pay the $100 fee if that is what is needed.

Any additional advice or guidance is appreciated.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Somehow I need to figure out how to extend her health coverage in the next 10 days and I am willing to pay the $100 fee if that is what is needed.

That's not going to happen. Visitor extension processing times are currently over 3 months, so she wouldn't even have a decision until March or even April. On her next re-entry into Canada, she can ask CBSA for a visitor record.

 

[tom_from_sk]

Hello fruitball4u!

Thank you for your answers and information.

I have received SA so I assume that I should send that along with our receipt of payment.

The issue is that we would apply now (or very soon) and be leaving Canada at least 2x before the 2 month timeline you indicated below… and I don’t really want to ‘void’ the $100 application.

If we had to we could likely drive to Montana this weekend and come back up and ask for a Visitor Visa/Record… is that something they will give us at the border?

Is that the same document as applying online? It would save us the 2 months of wait time and the $100.

Please advise as soon as possible

Thanks!

 

[tom_from_sk]

Thank you Canuck_in_UK.

So when you come to the Canadian border... you just ask for a visitor record? Does it matter if she will be leaving Canada again soon? I don't know much about these... so I am curious if the Border would say no she doesn't need one since she is leaving Canada again quite soon.

Thanks again for helping figure out my options with this small, but fortunate circumstance.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

So when you come to the Canadian border... you just ask for a visitor record? Does it matter if she will be leaving Canada again soon? I don't know much about these... so I am curious if the Border would say no she doesn't need one since she is leaving Canada again quite soon.

There is no point in asking for it when she will be leaving again. Ask upon her return to Canada in January.