visitor's visa

[malcesine]

Hello!

I have another question.  If someone comes to Canada for a visit from a visa-exempt country, and plans on extending their visit for either "visitor" reasons or to apply for a student visa, would they not need a tourist visa to begin with??   What is the likelyhood of being denied a student visa a month or two after being here as a visitor?


thanks!

[Leon]

The reasons for getting denied for a temporary visa are usually because they are suspicious that you wont return at the end of it or in the case of not having funds to support yourself while on a student visa.  If somebody got a visitor visa and they believed at that time that he would return from his trip, the same reasons for returning should apply to his student visa.

[malcesine]

If you are planning a trip to Canada, is it not wise to obtain a "visitor's visa" even from a visa-exempt country?  And if you do have the visitor's visa (or not have one) and want to apply for a student visa, do you have to leave the country to get the student visa or is it possible (as a visitor) to apply from within.  I've read about "temporary resident visa" and am not sure if that applies to a visitor or is it a special visa that one has to obtain?  Not sure if my question is clear.

thanks

[Leon]

There is no reason to get a visit visa if you are from a visa exempt country unless you are worried because you had overstayed in Canada in the past, been deported from Canada at some point, committed a crime etc.  I believe you can apply for a student visa from within but you may have to go to the border to do it.  I am not sure about this.  A temporary resident visa is the same as a visitor visa.

[malcesine]

Thanks Leon!

Could someone activate the student visa at the airport (port of entry) rather than at the border?   Another question, how long must you stay out of Canada before returning?  Here's a hypothetical situation:  Someone comes to visit or travel (from a visa-exempt country) for one month.  Then they decide they want to take an ESL course, so just to be on the safe side, they apply for a student visa because the course may be 7 or 8 months.  Then they have to leave Canada because the visa is about to expire.  They then want to return to Canada, how long do they need to stay out of Canada before being able to return?

[Leon]

If you are on a student visa that is about to expire and you want to stay longer as a visitor, it would be better to send in a request to change status from student to visitor than to leave the country and have no idea when you can get back in.