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Visitor Visas
Citizenship and
Immigration Canada defines Visitors as people who wish to enter
Canada for a temporary purpose, such as tourists, temporary foreign
workers and international students. All Visitors to Canada must
apply for and be granted Visitor Visas by Immigration Canada, unless
they are citizens of visa exempt countries. In addition, Visitors
should not have a criminal record or pose a security risk, should be
in good health, and should have sufficient funds to support
themselves during their stay in Canada.
A Visitor Visa is a
document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which shows
that a foreign individual has satisfied the requirements for
admission as a Visitor. Possession of a valid Visitor Visa does not
necessarily mean that the Immigration Canada official at the port of
entry will admit the visitor into Canada. All Visitors must always
satisfy the immigration official at the port of entry that the
purpose of their visit into Canada is of a temporary nature.
Visitor Visas may be
for single entry, multiple entry, or transit purposes. If needed,
visitor visas must be applied for and obtained from an Immigration
Canada Visa Office outside Canada. Only Visitor Visa extensions may
be applied for within Canada. As a general rule, tourists are
admitted for a period of six months. Temporary foreign workers and
international students are admitted for varying periods of time, as
determined on a case-by-case basis.
Single Entry Visitor
Visas allow entry to Canada only once. However, Immigration Canada
allows holders of Single Entry Visitor Visas to leave and re-enter
Canada within the validity of their Visitor status if such travel is
to and from the USA.
Multiple Entry Visitor
Visas allow entry to Canada from any country on repeated occasions.
These entries may occur at any time prior to the expiry of Visitor
status.
Transit Visitor Visas
allow entry into Canada for a period of no more than 48 hours, and
apply to foreign individuals whose bus or flight stops in Canada on
route to another country.
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