My experience flying into Canada with an app in process

[amikety]

i gues my best bet is to just answer the questions they ask me truthfully, which is no problem since there is nothing i wouldn't want to tell them lol.

+1!

 

[lunas]

Even if the officers give the applicant a one-year visa, what happens if the applicant decides to go back to check on things back home before that visa expires? Does it reset and you need to reapply next time you cross the border?

 

[bscinto92]

if a visa is considered the same thing as a visitor record for a visa-exempt country.... i'm pretty sure that the moment you leave canada it's considered expired and you have to reapply. at least that's what they told me lol.

 

[runningfree]

your wife has probably been given a "normal tourist visa" as I have in my passport - which means that your wife's passport got stamped, and unless something got specified, it's good for 6 months. It's the same for me.

a visitor record ( from one I understand) is a separate paper, and that can be up to one year. it's mostly given to people who have applications in process, but it's also probably only if you "ask for it" specifically, and/or if the officer decides to give you one. In your case, and mine too, the officer just stamped the passport - which means good for 6 months unless otherwise indicated - and that's it...

Hope it clarifies a bit.
Good luck with your application,
Sweden

thanks for clearing that up for me!

 

[Pigey]

I just got back to Canada with my boyfriend and was scared to death I'd be turned around at the airport. I've been living with him for almost the past two years legally. But with a past work permit and after only spending two weeks in the US, I started to freak out when we got to customs. The officer there referred us to the immigration office and we talked to the officer there for a bit. I told her I only wanted to stay until February so I could spend the holidays with my boyfriend and his family. She checked some stuff on the computer and told me I should apply for an open work permit. I'm sure I can't since I applied outland, but I didn't argue with her over it. Then to my surprise she gave me a year long visitor record that was good for multiple entries. So flying isn't always bad if you are in process. You might get lucky like me and get a nice customs agent.

I had the same great experience flying into Calgary. I may actually try to land there, even though I'm less than an hours from the border crossing at Coutts.

 

[Sweden]

Not sure if we're sending it via Canada Post or UPS yet, but either way I will recieve a tracking number or something of the sort to show that the application got there. I can print out the page from the website to show it arrived there, would that be good enough? Or will i get something in the mail/e-mail from CIC once my application arrives?

you might get an AOR if you are lucky, but if not, then the UPS or Canada Post, + the receipt proving that you have paid the fees will do.
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[amikety]

if a visa is considered the same thing as a visitor record for a visa-exempt country.... i'm pretty sure that the moment you leave canada it's considered expired and you have to reapply. at least that's what they told me lol.

If you're from a visa exempt country like the USA you get a Visitor's Record instead of a visa. Regardless of how long the VR is for, it's forfeit if you leave Canada. You'll need to ask for a new one upon return. Although having a VR can show you've kept in status and CIC was comfortable issuing you a longer stay.

I was really confused about the differences between visa and VR when I first joined. Luckily the guys here taught me the difference

 

[aerogurl87]

if a visa is considered the same thing as a visitor record for a visa-exempt country.... i'm pretty sure that the moment you leave canada it's considered expired and you have to reapply. at least that's what they told me lol.

I asked the customs agent about this and she said mine was good for multiple entries as long as I don't do anything crazy that could make me inadmissible. She also put that it was good for multiple entries in my remarks section.