A visitor is a person who wants to come to Canada to work, study, business or visit. A visitor is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Every visitor, unless exempted, must obtain a visa before arriving. All visitors who require a visa must have the visa when they appear at a port of entry.
A visitor visa may be for single entry or multiple entry use. Single entry visas may be issued up to six months before the expected date of travel. The maximum validity date for multiple entry visitor visas is up to ten (10) years or one month prior to the expiry date on the passport/re-entry visa, whichever is earlier. POE officers will routinely grant entry for a period of six months to a person requesting entry as a visitor.
Parents / Grandparents Super Visa
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents intending to obtain temporary residence to visit their close relatives may apply for extended visitors’ visas known as Super Visas. The maximum validity date for the multiple entries Super Visa is ten years, or one month prior to the applicant’s passport’s expiry, whichever is earlier. Within that time, Super Visa holders can remain in Canada for periods of up to 2-years. In comparison, a regular visitor visa is usually valid for a maximum period of 6-months.
For individuals who are citizens of visa exempt countries, the Super Visa program can still be useful. Persons from visa exempt countries are ordinarily permitted to enter Canada for 6-months without obtaining a visitor visa. Under the new program, a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident from a visa exempt country can apply, from outside of Canada, for a Letter of Introduction, which they can then present to a border official upon arrival to Canada. When presented with a Letter of Introduction, the Canadian border official will normally allow the individual to enter Canada for a period of 2-years.
Another advantage of Parents and Grandparents Super Visa is its relatively short processing time of approximately 8-weeks
Did You Know?
Under Express Entry, individuals and families wishing to settle in Canada can become new permanent residents within just a few months.