Canadian Temporary Visas & Extensions
Visitor (Temporary Resident) Visa & Extension
Extension (for those who are in Canada)
You can apply to change your current status to stay in Canada longer. To change or extend your status as a temporary resident/visitor, you will need enough funds to cover your expenses.
Visa Validity Date
When you arrive at the port of entry in Canada, the Officer will stamp your passport or travel document and record the expiration date which is the date you must leave Canada. The visa expiration date is shown on the passport or traveling document along with the date the visa was issued. The time between when the visa issuance and the visa expiration date is called your visa validity. The issued visa does not mean that you can entre Canada but permits you to travel to Canada.
Are visitors allowed to extend their stay in Canada?
Visitors are not allowed to stay in Canada more than their validity visa period. But visitors may apply for extension to stay longer. If you decide to stay longer, you must apply for your visa extension 30 days before your Temporary Resident Visa expires. If you stay longer than the period you are allowed, you may lose your temporary resident status and you could be asked to leave Canada.
Visitor (Temporary Resident) Visa
To visit or transit Canada, all citizens of the countries need to apply for a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) if they do not fall in the list of visitor visa exemption countries (as below).
Visitor (Temporary Resident) Visa
Citizens of the countries that do not fall within one of the visitor visa exemption countries need to apply for a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) to visit or transit Canada. Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Exemption Countries:
- Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa
- US green card holders (permanent residents)
- British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom
- Citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands
- Persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
- Persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See.
