Can mother accompany student to Canada or visit after some weeks?

[nevillek]

Hello,

My course begins next month (Sept 2013) and my mother wants to come along. However, I think there might be an issue if she applies for a visitor visa before I reach Canada so I was thinking she could apply for visitor visa after I reach and come after mid-September.

1) Does anyone know if she can do that and come to visit me? If yes, how long is she allowed to stay?

2) If she's allowed to stay for let's say 6 months, when can she come back for a second time?

3) After I leave, can she apply immediately? If not, when?

Thank you!!!

 

[nettoyant]

1) Does anyone know if she can do that and come to visit me? If yes, how long is she allowed to stay?

I think she can apply at any time. As long as she has the requirements (financial, ties to home country) she should be fine. When she arrives the border officer will tell her how long she can stay. She will have to satisfy the border officer that she will leave Canada and not overstay.

2) If she's allowed to stay for let's say 6 months, when can she come back for a second time?

It's a regular TRV. There's no accompanying parent visa for students. When she enters Canada the border officer will determine how long she can stay. The maximum amount of time is 6 months. If she's inside Canada, 30 days BEFORE the expiration date (the date the border officer gave her) she can apply to extend her visit. I wouldn't count on her being allowed to stay all the duration of your studies, but I could be wrong.

 

[nevillek]

1) Does anyone know if she can do that and come to visit me? If yes, how long is she allowed to stay?

I think she can apply at any time. As long as she has the requirements (financial, ties to home country) she should be fine. When she arrives the border officer will tell her how long she can stay. She will have to satisfy the border officer that she will leave Canada and not overstay.

2) If she's allowed to stay for let's say 6 months, when can she come back for a second time?

It's a regular TRV. There's no accompanying parent visa for students. When she enters Canada the border officer will determine how long she can stay. The maximum amount of time is 6 months. If she's inside Canada, 30 days BEFORE the expiration date (the date the border officer gave her) she can apply to extend her visit. I wouldn't count on her being allowed to stay all the duration of your studies, but I could be wrong.

Thank you so much.

Is the 6 month a rolling period? Example: If the max time is 6 months, let's say she stays from Jan 1 to June 30 of a year, does it mean she can come back on Jan 1 of the next year?

 

[itstime]

Thank you so much.

Is the 6 month a rolling period? Example: If the max time is 6 months, let's say she stays from Jan 1 to June 30 of a year, does it mean she can come back on Jan 1 of the next year?

I entered canada end of feb, got a 6month visa at the border. I left canada a week later.

Entered canada again end of may, got a 6 month visa again. Left canada almost three weeks later.

 

[nettoyant]

Thank you so much.

Is the 6 month a rolling period? Example: If the max time is 6 months, let's say she stays from Jan 1 to June 30 of a year, does it mean she can come back on Jan 1 of the next year?

Six months is the maximum time at a time. For example. A person comes to visit Canada and is granted 6 months. 30 days before this time expires, this person asks to extend her stay for X months (X cannot be more than 6 months). She may be or not be allowed to stay. It's difficult to say since it depends on a lot of other things (reasons for staying, proof of funds, proof that the current residency is temporary, etc). I have a friend who stayed in Canada as a visitor for 8 months. It was very difficult getting the extension.

You can see more details at cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

Another option is leaving Canada for a day and coming back again. Her stay is going to be evaluated by a border officer (the same criteria as the first entry).

The thing is, you want your mom to stay with you during your studies, but there isn't a special visa for that. So she has to improvise with a tourist visa that may or may not allow her to stay.