Out of status in U.S can I apply for Canadian Visa?

[Eljiah Ghazal]

Hey guys. So I’m in bit of a rut here, I came to the states for studies but unfortunately I did not keep up with my status and fell out of status and have been in this state for about 3yrs now.
I have never been convicted of any crimes here in the states expect maybe 2 speeding tickets which I paid off. I was wondering if I could apply for a visitors visa from here and cross the land border if it’s possible.

the reason to visit Canada is to checkout some collages there and complete my BS there and then apply for a student permit if I can or if I can apply direct for a student permit.

 

[Naturgrl]

You can apply for a visitor visa but you can’t travel to Canada right now due to Covid. You will only be able to travel when non essential travel opens up. Visiting colleges is not essential. Also you apply for a study permit (once accepted to a college) through your own country even if you are visiting Canada.

 

[Eljiah Ghazal]

You can apply for a visitor visa but you can’t travel to Canada right now due to Covid. You will only be able to travel when non essential travel opens up. Visiting colleges is not essential. Also you apply for a study permit (once accepted to a college) through your own country even if you are visiting Canada.

Thank you for your reply.

So can apply for the visitors visa from the states? And would I be able to cross the land border from U.S to Canada? Once everything get back to normal?

 

[scylla]

Hey guys. So I’m in bit of a rut here, I came to the states for studies but unfortunately I did not keep up with my status and fell out of status and have been in this state for about 3yrs now.
I have never been convicted of any crimes here in the states expect maybe 2 speeding tickets which I paid off. I was wondering if I could apply for a visitors visa from here and cross the land border if it’s possible.

the reason to visit Canada is to checkout some collages there and complete my BS there and then apply for a student permit if I can or if I can apply direct for a student permit.

If you are out of status in the US it is highly unlikely that any temporary visa will be approved (this includes visitor visas and study visas). IRCC generally asks for proof of valid status in the country where you are living. Additionally, if you have violated immigration rules, this will unfortunately also work against you. Having said that, you can always try applying.

You should also be aware that you'll end up with a 10 year ban from the U.S. as soon as you leave. So if you enter Canada, you're not going to be able to return to the U.S. for a decade.

If you try and cannot get a visa approved from the U.S. due to your status there, the next step would be to move back to your home country, live there for 8-12 months to re-establish ties and then try applying for a study permit again. You'll want to make sure your planned studies in Canada make sense in light of your previous education and work experience.

Good luck. Definitely a tough situation.

 

[Naturgrl]

You can apply but you will have difficulty getting a visa if you have been out of status and living in the US for a few years. The US and Canada share immigration/travel/visa data.