Extend Visitor Visa
Canada welcomes over 35 million visitors each year. All visitors to Canada require either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRA) or an electronic Travel Authorization to enter. This includes international students, tourists, and temporary foreign workers.
This also applies to individuals who have status in Canada (such as under study visa) who have left the country and wish to return – even if their status is still valid. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, US Citizens are exempt from this requirement.
TRVs are valid for six months, while eTAs are valid for 5 years, or until your passport expires (whichever comes first). You may also apply to extend your visitor visa by applying for a visitor record. A visitor record is a document that allows you to extend your status as a visitor in Canada and includes a new date upon which you must leave Canada by. However, you must apply for a visitor record prior to the expiry of your current visitor visa.
Processing times for these applications can vary significantly, but you can obtain an estimate from the Government of Canada here. Some cases are more complex than others and need more time or information to process, especially if anything changes during your application, such as medical status, new dependants, or a marriage.
If you’re looking for more information on extending your visa, you can schedule a professional consultation with one of our licensed consultants here. They’ll be able to provide you with all of the information you need to get your application started.
