Can I arrive before visa begins? (from UK)

[albini]

I'm a British citizen, studying in Canada in the Fall. I've applied for my student visa and put the required start date as 1st September. However, I've now found out I need to arrive on 24th August in order to find accommodation as the Halls of Residence I applied for was overbooked. The Canadian High Commission is impossible to get intouch with here so I can't really change my application now.

Thus, does anyone know if I can still be allowed into Canada, even if I arrive a week before the visa begins? I know that if I was just visiting I wouldn't need a visa, so technically if I'm visiting and not studying for that first week, it should be okay? (I hope). Anyone know?

[mariogarza]

Its not recommended to arrive to Canada if you have an application in process. If the officer finds out you have an application on process, he might refuse you enter to Canada... I read that on the Canadian Embassy at Mexico website... My advice is to wait for an approval. If you send an email to them, the will tell you to wait.

Hope this informations works
Good Luck!

[albini]

Thanks for the reply. That's not quite what I meant though (sorry). I had to send my passport off with my application so that it can be endorsed with the visa when the application is done (I expect to get it back - hopefully! - before I go on 24 August). Thus, what I'm wondering is, if I arrive in Canada on 24th August with a visa that starts on 1 September in my passport, will that be okay, or will I be told I should have waited until 1 September?

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. That's not quite what I meant though (sorry). I had to send my passport off with my application so that it can be endorsed with the visa when the application is done (I expect to get it back - hopefully! - before I go on 24 August). Thus, what I'm wondering is, if I arrive in Canada on 24th August with a visa that starts on 1 September in my passport, will that be okay, or will I be told I should have waited until 1 September?

You can go 5 minutes after you receive study permit approval, most students arrive a month or so before classes start so they can get settled.\

PMM

[poco]

Hi, I have more or less same question. As soon as I get my student visa,how early can I arrive in Canada? how many months allowable to be able to settle earlier? thanks

[Dr. House]

Same situation here. I wish to go to Canada prior receiving my visa so I can get settled there. So I spoke with an agent of the Canadian Border Agency Services and he told me that if you have your passport in possession (not send to the embassy) you can enter Canada, as long as you are living in those countries that do not require a visa to enter as a tourist. He told me that I should show the agent my invitation from the hospital so they can call them and double check.

The embassy however doesn't advice to enter Canada without receiving your visa. I mean why? I just want to enter so I can get settled, I will not be studying during that time.

So therefore I am leaving this week without my visa. My parents will send me the visa later to Canada.

Good look guys, cya in Canada!

[Dr. House]

Thanks for the reply. That's not quite what I meant though (sorry). I had to send my passport off with my application so that it can be endorsed with the visa when the application is done (I expect to get it back - hopefully! - before I go on 24 August). Thus, what I'm wondering is, if I arrive in Canada on 24th August with a visa that starts on 1 September in my passport, will that be okay, or will I be told I should have waited until 1 September?

I am a Dutch citizen (same as British I guess) but I didn't send my passport to the Embassy. I applied for a health student visa. Could you please tell me why you needed to send your passport?