Getting a new visitor visa at the border instead of applying for an extension to a visitor visa

[Puzzle]

Hi there,

I am looking for advice how to stay on as a visitor in Canada.

(Background: I am from a visitor visa exempt country.
I came to Canada in September 2017 on a IEC -visa, which I applied to extend in September 2018. (I would rather have no moralizing over this, since there was a genuine date mistake on my visa). Due to wrong advice I got from immigration phone worker, I failed to apply for a visitor visa before midnight on the day that I got my refusal letter, so I lost my temporary resident status after midnight and had to apply to restore my status as a visitor, which I did in April 2019. I did this and without leaving the country I waited to restore my status as a visitor. I got my visitor visa in August 2019 and it was valid for another 2 months on top of the 4 months I waited to get the visa. I am living on my savings now as a tourist. )

My visitor visa in Canada is now coming to an end and I would like to stay a little bit longer. I have proof of savings, no criminal record etc. I can either apply for an extension on a visitor visa online (waiting time 111 days) or on paper (109 days). However, I am currently applying for jobs abroad and wouldnt like to wait for another 4 months, because I think if I leave Canada after my visitor visa has expired I will have overstayed if the extension to my visitor visa hasnt been decided yet.

So I am thinking of going to the US - Canada land border before my visitor visa expires and re-entering Canada in the hopes of getting another 6 months in the country (according to my impression I would not get a visitor visa this time since I am from a visa exempt country). My ESTA from October 2017 to visit USA is still valid.

I am just wondering, what are the chances of getting a visitor permit at the border for 6 months?
Should I do flagpoling (I am worried that if I get refused entry to USA I will have to declare it in every visa application from then on and it will negatively affect them)?
Or, should I go to USA for say overnight trip and then come back to Canada border?
Do I need to prove that I will be leaving USA and Canada, or is proof of savings enough?
I have a small van but have heard that neither US or Canadian border officials dont like to let people in, if it looks like you are living in a car. Is it better to go on foot?
Does Canada require a proof of travel insurance for the whole duration of the tourist visa?
Will my previous history - losing my status - affect this, even if I did manage to get my visitor status restored?
What kind of proof can I provide to prove that I will be leaving Canada and returning to my home country. (I have lived most of my life abroad due to unsafe situation in my home country).

Looking for genuine advice, links and experiences.

Thank you

 

[scylla]

Hi there,

I am looking for advice how to stay on as a visitor in Canada.

(Background: I am from a visitor visa exempt country.
I came to Canada in September 2017 on a IEC -visa, which I applied to extend in September 2018. (I would rather have no moralizing over this, since there was a genuine date mistake on my visa). Due to wrong advice I got from immigration phone worker, I failed to apply for a visitor visa before midnight on the day that I got my refusal letter, so I lost my temporary resident status after midnight and had to apply to restore my status as a visitor, which I did in April 2019. I did this and without leaving the country I waited to restore my status as a visitor. I got my visitor visa in August 2019 and it was valid for another 2 months on top of the 4 months I waited to get the visa. I am living on my savings now as a tourist. )

My visitor visa in Canada is now coming to an end and I would like to stay a little bit longer. I have proof of savings, no criminal record etc. I can either apply for an extension on a visitor visa online (waiting time 111 days) or on paper (109 days). However, I am currently applying for jobs abroad and wouldnt like to wait for another 4 months, because I think if I leave Canada after my visitor visa has expired I will have overstayed if the extension to my visitor visa hasnt been decided yet.

So I am thinking of going to the US - Canada land border before my visitor visa expires and re-entering Canada in the hopes of getting another 6 months in the country (according to my impression I would not get a visitor visa this time since I am from a visa exempt country). My ESTA from October 2017 to visit USA is still valid.

I am just wondering, what are the chances of getting a visitor permit at the border for 6 months?
Should I do flagpoling (I am worried that if I get refused entry to USA I will have to declare it in every visa application from then on and it will negatively affect them)?
Or, should I go to USA for say overnight trip and then come back to Canada border?
Do I need to prove that I will be leaving USA and Canada, or is proof of savings enough?
I have a small van but have heard that neither US or Canadian border officials dont like to let people in, if it looks like you are living in a car. Is it better to go on foot?
Does Canada require a proof of travel insurance for the whole duration of the tourist visa?
Will my previous history - losing my status - affect this, even if I did manage to get my visitor status restored?
What kind of proof can I provide to prove that I will be leaving Canada and returning to my home country. (I have lived most of my life abroad due to unsafe situation in my home country).

Looking for genuine advice, links and experiences.

Thank you

Generally better to apply for an extension from within Canada rather than doing a border run. Border runs tend to be a bit of a dice roll.

If the extension is still being processed at the time you leave Canada, you will have implied status - it will not be classified as an overstay.

 

[Bs65]

Given your history and having been in the country since 2017 on an IEC and then as a visitor seems pretty risky to go to the border versus applying to extend stay as a visitor.

With the latter at least you can stay on implied status pending a decision whereas if you go to the border you might only get a restricted few weeks stay or worst case be refused entry especially if any doubt about financial status or evidence you will leave country such as a ticket.

Not sure I understand the living in van reference but keep in mind if you go to the border you still have to convince CBP you are a genuine visitor and will leave the US , not easy if you have no address in Canada or ticket. Even with an ESTA you still need to complete an i94 form for a land border crossing.

General advice when a visitor leaves Canada is to spend as much time out of the country as in, hence the risk of going to the border which nobody here of course can do more than speculate on an outcome.

There is no insurance requirement for visitors unlike the IEC requirement but any visitor without insurance would of course regret it should anything health wise happen, so not a wise thing to do.