Posted on: 16-05-07 09:03:06
Hello everyone, my parents, in India, just got a 3 month visitor visa to Canada. They were hoping for much longer, but they were only granted 3 months. Now they are not sure if it is even worth coming here for a visit.
1. Can this 3 month period be extended before or after they come here? If so, is it difficult to do that. And what is a realistic expectation?
2. or should they come here and I can sponser them when they are here. In this case can they remain here while the sponsership is in process?
Someone please comment on your experience as well as what we should do now.
Thank you
Quote:
Originally posted by ravisingh
Hello everyone, my parents, in India, just got a 3 month visitor visa to Canada. They were hoping for much longer, but they were only granted 3 months. Now they are not sure if it is even worth coming here for a visit.
1. Can this 3 month period be extended before or after they come here? If so, is it difficult to do that. And what is a realistic expectation?
2. or should they come here and I can sponser them when they are here. In this case can they remain here while the sponsership is in process?
Someone please comment on your experience as well as what we should do now.
Thank you
3 months visa means it is the window during which they can enter Canada. Once they enter, they can remain in Canada for 6 months from the date of their arrival (unless some other duration of stay is endorsed by the immigration officer at the POE). At the end of this 6 months period, you can apply to get an extension (typically for another six months).
further addition:
if you sponsor your parents then they have to stay here in Canada until a decision has been made on their application. I think thats the rule but chk with cic.gc.ca
Quote:
Originally posted by anand_va
further addition:
if you sponsor your parents then they have to stay here in Canada until a decision has been made on their application. I think thats the rule but chk with cic.gc.ca
No..this information is absolutely wrong.
The sponsorship process consists of two stages. You first send in your sponsorship application to CIC. It is currently taking them 27 months to approve the sponsorship. After the file is approved, it is sent to the consulate of the sponsored person's country of residence (In this case ,New Delhi) and it may take another 12-24 months for issue of PR visa. So you are looking at a time period of 4-5 years.
The application is processed independent of your parents presence in Canada. As long as they are legally in the country (on a visitors visa), there is no problem. However they HAVE to leave the country before their visitor visa expires. In case they have a multiple entry visa, they can keep on entering Canada as many times as the visa allows them. However, the sponsorship process will still be followed as outlined above and the once the file reaches New Delhi. they will be asked to provide Police clearance, appear for medicals etc from India itself.
In terms of your other query, I have not heard of a 3 month visitors visa, it is for 6 months. You can still apply for an extension if they want to stay beyond the 3 month(?)/6 month period, but make sure that you apply well in advance (atleast 45-60 days), so that they get the extension before the visa expires
'In terms of your other query, I have not heard of a 3 month visitors visa, it is for 6 months.'
It is upto the Consulate to decide the duration of a visa. It can be single entry with validity of a week, for example.
If a visa for 3 months has been issued, it means they possibly have some concerns about travellers intentions, or the documents provided are not strong on showing ties to home country(India).
If you are intending to sponsor your parents, it is advisable for them to travel and return as per the visa dates. The sponsorship can proceed independently.
Hi everyone, thanks to all those who have responed.
They are here now. and the validity of the visa (on visa sticker in the passport) is for 3months. At POE, the immigration guy just put a line over the visa sticker with no new date or duration stated. Thus the only date in the 3month window that was put on the sticker originally.
That's why we're asuming it is a 3 month visa
We'd like to have my parents stay for awhile. I will be applying to have there visa extended.
We need my monther's help in taking care of the kids. Is that a good enough reason for the extension?
Also my Father is 59 years old. Can we apply for a work permit for the duration of the extension?
Please advise.
Thank you,
Quote:As someone already mentioned above, the date on the sticker is simply the window during which you can enter Canada - it does not indicate how long you can stay.
Originally posted by ravisingh
They are here now. and the validity of the visa (on visa sticker in the passport) is for 3months.
Quote:This is standard procedure.
At POE, the immigration guy just put a line over the visa sticker with no new date or duration stated. Thus the only date in the 3month window that was put on the sticker originally.
That's why we're asuming it is a 3 month visa
It was probably a single entry visa, which is why the POE officer canceled it out.
Visitors can stay for 6 months by default.
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