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I have a girlfriend who is Canadian and lives in Vancouver, I want to be with her and I want to visit her in Canada. I heard I can get a visitors visa that lasts for 6 months, and then I must return to the US unless I marry her or something??
Basically I just need to know what I must do if I wanted to stay in Canada longer. I have a college degree, never been in any trouble with the law, and I'm just wanting to be with the person I love, immigration makes this hard, for both of us.
If I leave Canada after the 6 month period, how long until I can go back? Must I make steps to become a citizen? How hard is it to get one of these visitor visas? While I'm there how would I go about looking for a job as an American citizen? Any tips or advice would really be appreciated, thank you.
If you're an American citizen (or a US permanent resident / green card holder), you don't need a visa to VISIT Canada up to 6 months. You just need your US passport (or your green card, if applicable). Your can extend your stay in Canada while you're there for another 6 months. However, I'd rather leave Canada and re-enter again to be able to stay for another 6 months. As a visitor, you cannot study or work, and you won't be insured. However, you can buy private insurance, if you want.
You don't need to marry your girlfriend in order to immigrate to Canada. She can sponsor you for Canadian immigration as a common law partner. However, in this case, you'll need to show that you lived together for at least 1 year, I think. Basically, you'll need to show that you lived together like a married couple would, if you know what I mean.
If you're an American citizen (or a US permanent resident / green card holder), you don't need a visa to VISIT Canada up to 6 months. You just need your US passport (or your green card, if applicable). Your can extend your stay in Canada while you're there for another 6 months. However, I'd rather leave Canada and re-enter again to be able to stay for another 6 months. As a visitor, you cannot study or work, and you won't be insured. However, you can buy private insurance, if you want.
You don't need to marry your girlfriend in order to immigrate to Canada. She can sponsor you for Canadian immigration as a common law partner. However, in this case, you'll need to show that you lived together for at least 1 year, I think. Basically, you'll need to show that you lived together like a married couple would, if you know what I mean.
Incorrect, Canada can and usually requires applicants for entry to apply for a visitor record which is attached in their passport. A visitor record is usually acquired at a port of entry staffed by Canadian Immigration.
Dont waffle when talking to border guard, be direct and specific and dont break eye contact when telling him you are going to Canada for a two week vacation with your sister.Once in you may change your mind about how long you want to stay but you wont be able to legaly work or avail yourself of any of Canadas social programs, if the relationship is serious sooner or later you will have to make the decision as to which country you want to live in as long distance relationships are a real bummer
If you plan on immigrating to Canada get the ball rolling here Welcome to Citizenship and Immigration Canada
And allow at least 2 years for the process to finalize thats if you qualify..
Good luck eh!
Incorrect, Canada can and usually requires applicants for entry to apply for a visitor record which is attached in their passport. A visitor record is usually acquired at a port of entry staffed by Canadian Immigration.
I don't know what you're talking about. At least, not if you enter Canada by land. In this case, they don't even stamp your passport. And nothing is attached to your passport.
I don't know what you're talking about. At least, not if you enter Canada by land. In this case, they don't even stamp your passport. And nothing is attached to your passport.
The poster was confused. The TRV is valid for six months and is issued to citizens of non exempt countries. Since the OP is a US citizen and the US is an exempt country, he would not be required have a TRV and the information you previously gave was correct.
The poster was confused. The TRV is valid for six months and is issued to citizens of non exempt countries. Since the OP is a US citizen and the US is an exempt country, he would not be required have a TRV and the information you previously gave was correct.
I don't know what you're talking about. At least, not if you enter Canada by land. In this case, they don't even stamp your passport. And nothing is attached to your passport.
Wrong. Try crossing the border by car at a crossing staffed only by CBSA and say you want to visit for six months. They will spin you around and send you to a border crossing staffed by Canadian Immigration. Voice of experience speaking.
The poster was confused. The TRV is valid for six months and is issued to citizens of non exempt countries. Since the OP is a US citizen and the US is an exempt country, he would not be required have a TRV and the information you previously gave was correct.
Exempt or non-exempt is moot. If the CBSA officer thinks you are intending to immigrate yourself, they can refer you to Canadian Immigration and I have personally seen US citizens get a visitor permit stapled into their passport.
I am not confused.
Canadian Immigration are not staffed at all land ports. Frequently the CBSA officer faced with an immigration question will just send the car through the US to a port staffed by Canadian Immigration. Try crossing at a small port in the middle of nowhere and say you are visiting for six months or want to stay with an internet girlfriend and see what happens.
Wrong. Try crossing the border by car at a crossing staffed only by CBSA and say you want to visit for six months. They will spin you around and send you to a border crossing staffed by Canadian Immigration. Voice of experience speaking.
All you are saying is "wrong". You just confusing the hell out of the OP.
What exactly was wrong in my post? That I said that a US citizen doesn't need a visa to visit Canada up to six months? What is wrong about this?!
Yes, as a foreign national, a US ctizen has no right to enter Canada. It's not a right but a priviledge, there is no question about it. However, when I say, an American doesn't need a visa to enter Canada up to 6 months to visit Canada, I mean that an American does not need to make an appointment with a Canadian consulate outside of Canada to apply for a visitor visa to Canada. This is why there are countries that are called "visa exempt" countries, and the US is among these countries. What is here so hard to understand? The same thing is for Canadians who want to visit the US: They don't need a visa up to 6 months. THEY ARE VISA EXEMPT IN THIS CASE.
I'll give another example, so you see the difference between needing a visa or not: Most of the European Union countries don't need a visa to visit the US UP TO 3 MONTHS. They are considered to be visa-exempt countries. HOWEVER, the same countries have to go to an interview with a US embassy or consulates in their countries TO APPLY FOR A VISA TO VISIT THE US IF THEY WANT TO STAY LONGER THAN 3 MONTHS. In this case, a visa will be attached in their passports. Do you see the difference now? The same countries who are visa-exempt DON'T NEED A VISA to visit the US for up to 3 months, however, NEED A VISA if they want to stay in the US for a longer period of time.
Another example: A US citizen doesn't need a visa to visit Canada, however needs a visa to study or work in Canada. Do you see the difference?
Now, of course if you say at a Canadian border that you want to stay for 6 months, there will be more scrutiny, but so what? They just doing their jobs. In some occasions, they may give you a hard time even if you say you want to visit for a day. And if they, so some reason, stamp some people's passports, so what? The stamp just shows a status you have in Canada (for example "V" for a visitor) and maybe a date you're allowed to stay in the country or an entry date. If only 1 of 100 people's passports crossing the border got their passport stamped showing a date or something similar, would you seriously argue the guy got a visa? In any case, if you're allowed the entry, it doesn't mean that you got a visa. Otherwise, the expression "visa-exempt" wouldn't make any sense. And because, as I mentioned before, a US citizen has no right to enter Canada, but it's a privilege if he / she granted the entry, at a port of entry, you're not applying for a visa, you're applying for an entry, either you have a visa stamp in your passport or not. You can have a visa, but still denied an entry. Theoretically, at least.
So, before you repeat "wrong", "wrong", like a parrot and correct other people, stop and think about it for a minute.
At the end, I think, the other poster was right saying that you're confused.
Last edited by movingwiththewind; 10-13-2011 at 12:55 AM..
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