longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Going as a tourist, with no visa, just your passport and the return ticket, how long can you stay in Canada? 6 months or 3 months? I've heard it's 6 months in Canada, but I'm confused since for the USA it's 3 months. Is there any official website where it says 6 months?

Thanks in advance

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

You are allowed to stay in Canada for the period of admission granted by examining officer at Canadian port of entry. Maximum is 6 months but examining officer has the discretion to decide how long admission period will be granted. There is no way to know how long admission you will get - it may be anything from 24 hrs to 6 months.

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Thats interesting, on what basis will they make their decision? I am hoping to visit as a tourist (hopefully for up to the maximum 6 months) and sort most of our paperwork for my PR while i'm there (my girlfriend is a canadian citizen in montreal and i'm a british citizen)

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

May factors will affect officer's decision - your intentions, funds you have with you, your ties to home country, etc..

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Hi - we did something similar - came to Canada whilst waiting for our PR visa applications to be processed.

Assume you're flying in? If so, you have to fill out the immigration form before you land at the airport - and state how long you intend to stay for. We were very honest - said 6 months - and the immigartion officer asked us why we wanted to stay for so long. We told him it was for the ski season - which it was - and he was fine with that. Stamped us in for 6 months. We had flights booked to go back to UK, which may have helped.

Good luck with your application and enjoy your stay!

D2 ;)

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

I did the same - 6 months for the ski season. You can then apply, while still in Canada, for an extension by mail. This can be up to 18 months. We had no problem getting an extension at the end of the 6 months..

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Hey SkiBum and D2!

Just interested....are you working in the ski industry? I am....are you being sponsored?

Cheers

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

My girlfriend has done something similar. She arrived in May of 2004 and was a tourist until September of 2005 when she became a student. Now that her course is over she's a tourist again and currently has approval to stay until August 2007.

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Hey Timmo

Yes in the industry and originally was being sponsored for this coming season but then.....OUR PR VISAS CAME THROUGH!!!! YAY!!!! :D So didn't need the sponsorship!

When we came in for the initial 6 months we were just ski bums tho'! Then we got a BUNAC visa for a year (which is just about to expire) and worked for the mountain, and now we've got our proper visas (well, once we get them in our passports!)

Where are you working? Have you got sponsorship yet?

D2

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Hey Timmo, yes I'm working in the ski industry in Fernie.

I'm planning to go back but it depends on whether one of the supervisors is going to be there called Tim W - he was a bit of a jerk and I don't want to work with him again....ha ha ha, just kidding :D :D

It's me - Simon P - I'll be back - are you coming back?

Cheers

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Hey D2 and Simon!

Just searched your old posts D2 and you were working like myself and Simon (SkiBum)....all of us working as instructors. We were at Fernie. I'm currently the Marketing Coordinator at Mt Ruapehu, the biggest ski areas in NZ.

Simon, I was wondering what you were up to.....only yesterday I searched for your posts under your old pseudonym!

No, not heading back to Fernie unfortunately.....gotta go with Kara to Onterrible!!! Daaaaaamn, only fair though...she's followed me around. Anyway, if I get my PR and secure a good marketing job out West I'll do that.

I've withdrawn my SW application...taking too long.....we've submitted a CommonLaw application...so fingers crossed!

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Is your girlfriend a British citizen? May be it is a lot easier for British people to extend their stay (visa) than people from other countries.

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

US. I think that does make it easier.

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

Just wondering, how does one find out for how long the visa has been granted? I don't see anything in my passport that actually has a date. Does that mean that it is a standard 6 month visa?

Re: longest stay in canada as a tourist
 

6mths if no earlier date was stamped/written afaik.