How to extend your visitor visa in Canada

If you are in Canada and your visa is about to expire, you can apply to extend your stay.

You are in Canada, but did not have time to see all the sights or visit all the relatives living in this country? Then this article is for you!

If you are in Canada on a tourist visa or rather visitor visa, and it is about to expire, you can apply for an extension. Legally, this procedure is called a visitor record.

First of all, let's figure out who the visitors are and what status they have in Canada. Visitors are those temporary residents of Canada who are legally allowed to temporarily enter the country on a visitor visa for holidays, family visits, business, etc. They have a limited length of stay and are subject to various other conditions.

In this article, you will learn:

who is eligible to extend their stay in Canada;
what documents are needed;
what to do if your visa has expired and you are still in Canada;
how to apply online.

Extension of stay in Canada

If your Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) is still valid, you can apply to extend your stay. To do this, you must apply at least 30 days before your current visa expires. However, your original temporary visitor status will continue under the same conditions until your new application is processed and you are notified of the decision.

If your Canadian visa has already expired and you are still in Canada, you have committed an offense under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and you may be deported from Canada. In this case, you no longer have the right to apply to extend your stay in Canada, but you can apply for the restoration of your visa (temporary resident status). More on this later in the article!

All members of your family (spouse or partner, dependent children) who are in Canada on a valid visitor visa and also want to stay in the country longer must obtain permission to do so. If you are applying to extend your stay in Canada at the same time, each person must submit a separate application form, a separate application package, and pay fees.