Do you want to come to Canada for a vacation OR to visit a family member?
Most travelers need a Visa to enter Canada and Visitor Visa (aka Temporary Resident Visa) is one of the category that allows a foreign national to enter & remain temporarily in Canada. Travelers from visa exempt countries require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before they board a flight.
Duration of Stay
In most cases, Temporary resident visa allows a visitor to stay upto 6 months in Canada but Border services officer, at the port of entry, has a discretion to allow more than or less than 6 months stay. As long as CBSA officer doesn’t give you a visitor record or put a date stamp in your passport that shows the date you need to leave Canada, you can stay upto 6 months or until your passport expires (whichever comes first).
In certain cases, with a valid reason, foreign national may apply for the extension of their stay. An online or paper application can be submitted with supporting documents. Period of extension is on Visa officer’s discretion and based on the reason stated in the application. If approved then foreign national has to undergo immigration medical examination by panel physician.
How to Apply & processing times?
Applications for Temporary resident visa can be submitted online or by paper. Most foreign nationals need to give biometrics as a new measure of security. Once submitted, processing times may vary according to the volume of applications but it ranges between 15 days to 90 days.