Visitors Visa

[stenneeto]

Hello. My fiancé and I will be getting married in November in Belgium. She is a Belgium citizen and I'm a Canadian citizen. I'm assuming that when she comes back with me to Canada that she will be on a visitors visa? I believe that whenever someone comes into Canada they can stay for up to 6 months then have to apply for an extension for their stay. Is it assumed that my fiancé will have 6 months to stay in the country and then have to apply for an extension? Or is it not so? Does she have to apply for a visitors visa before entering in the country? We were going to start the work visa and sponsorship process anyways once she gets into the country after we are married.

 

[scylla]

You need to move over to the Family Sponsorship section of the forum.

She needs an ETA to come to Canada as a visitor. This is something she must apply for in advance. Note that an ETA only allows her to visit Canada - not move here. So she should make sure she looks like a visitor when she arrives in Canada (i.e. don't pack like you're moving, have a return ticket). Generally speaking people are given a six month visit - however how long she is given is completely up to the CBSA officer she encounters at the border. Yes - she can apply for an extension to her visit once she's in Canada. Whether she needs to apply for an extension will depend on how long a visit she's given when she first enters and how long it takes you to submit the sponsorship application.