Visitor Visa Inside Canada
Visitor Visa Inside Canada
Hopefully you are having a wonderful time in Canada and you wish to stay longer!
Canada is a popular destination for students, temporary workers, tourists, and much more. We offer a variety of food from all over the world plus diverse communities to connect you to others. Many people who first arrive in Canada with a temporary resident visa can stay for up to 6 months. For the ambitious travellers out there, we know that 6 months is not enough, and they crave for more experience. In this article, we will go over some steps for workers and students in Canada.
Firstly, we need to understand that a work/study permit is not a visa. When we apply to stay longer in Canada as a student or worker by getting a work/study permit, the CIC will not help us renew our current visa unless we submit a second application form. Therefore, it is important for us to plan ahead because applications take a few months to process! If you wish to extend your visitor visa in Canada, you must have a valid study/work permit. This application process can take 1.5 months. Your status at the time you submit your application will remain valid until you receive your permit result. I know some people are spontaneous and despise planning, however, trust me, it is worth it. Figuring out your interest and understanding the application process will be a lot less stressful than rushing your applications at the last minute.
Secondly, decide how you would like to apply. There are two options available. You can choose to apply online or by paper. I will go over both application processes, but if you can, I highly recommend applying online. This way, you can receive messages from CIC and check your application status whenever you’d like.
For online applications, you will need the following:
- CIC account
- Credit/debit card for online payment
- Camera/scanner to change your documents to digital copies
In order to create a CIC account, please go here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html
Once you have a CIC account, you must answer the questions correctly to receive a document list. One of the application forms is a little confusing as it is named “Application for visitor visa made outside of Canada”. I understand you are applying from inside Canada and please do not worry. Despite the name stating, “outside of Canada”, it is the same form for applicants inside of Canada.
After you have uploaded the necessary information, you will be directed to pay for your application. Remember to download your receipt for your own record. Thus, as you can see, the online application is rather simple and allows you to receive direct messages from CIC.
For people who prefer paper applications, you must download the application package which can be found here.
Visitor Visa Inside Canada
This application package comes with guides to teach you how to fill in each document as well as how to make your payment. Please read the instructions carefully. I recommend filling out the application forms with pencil first before going over with pen to avoid mistakes. To submit your paper application, you have to prepare two Xpresspost-National envelopes available at Canada Post. Now, you must be wondering why two envelopes? CIC will use the second envelope to return your passport, therefore remember to make a note of both envelopes’ tracking numbers. This way, you can be assured that your package was received/mailed safely. Please refer here for the mailing address:
Always double check that your full name and full return address is written clearly on your envelopes.
If you feel uneasy about preparing documents, please contact one of our licensed immigration consultants to help you with your application. We wish you good luck in your application process.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant (Visitor Visa Inside Canada)
