A few weeks back, I got a call from someone who wanted to clarify things about his mother’s visa.
The mother got approved for a single-entry visa to Canada. He is asking if his mother can go to the US and come back to Canada using the same visa. The Canadian visa given to his mom has a 6 month duration and within that six-months, he wants to bring her to the US for a tour before going back to Canada.
The answer to his question is, of course, NO.
This can be a confusing matter for a lot of people but I feel that the confusion stems from the misunderstanding between the different types of immigration documents. If you want to better understand the various kinds of Canadian visa, then read on:
The first kind of visa is the TRV or the Temporary Resident Visa. This particular document allows a person from a non-visa exempt country (Philippines, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, etc.) to enter Canada. Those countries who are exempted from a visa to come to Canada do not need to apply for this (South Korea, Japan, etc).
The TRV can be issued for both single entry and multiple entries. If what you have is a single entry visa then it expires as soon as you enter Canada even if the expiry date has not passed yet. However, if you are given a multiple entry visa, then you can re-enter Canada as many times as you desire until your visa expires.
You have to know though that even if a TRV is issued by the Canadian consulate, it is not a guarantee that you will be able to enter Canada. You still have to prove to the immigration office upon entering Canada that you will leave the country once your visa expires. If you can convince the immigration officer, then you will be given a temporary visa with a maximum stay of 6 months.
If you don’t satisfy the immigration officer, then you will be refused entry to Canada even if you have a TRV. The Temporary Resident Visa is for anyone who is entering Canada temporarily, whether the visitor is a tourist, a worker, or a student.
Visitor Record, Work or Study Permit
If you are granted entry by the immigration officer when you arrive at Canada, you will be given another document to designate your purpose in the country. You can either be given a visitor record, a work permit, or a study permit depending on your purpose. You can see an annotation in this document that states that it won’t be valid for re-entry.
You can apply for an extension for these permits within Canada but this is only a permit to stay, study, or work in Canada. The TRV is a document that allows you to enter Canada and it is not extended automatically once it expires. This just means that even if you have a valid permit to stay in Canada then your TRV expires when you exit the country (for multiple entry TRV, it becomes invalid depending on the stamped date on the document). You need to secure another TRV despite the existing validity of your permits. TRV’s are applied for outside of Canada.
Other Permits And Visas
There are also other types of permits and visas that add to the confusion people have about entering Canada. One such document is the temporary resident permit which is a permit for temporary residents who are inadmissible but are still allowed to enter for really valid reasons.
There is also the permanent resident visa for those who are granted permanent residence in Canada. Once the person who has the permanent visa enters Canada, the document expires, and then he is given a Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
The Permanent Resident card takes place of the Temporary Resident Visa when the resident wants to leave Canada and re-enter the country later on. Nevertheless, having a PR card does not guarantee that you will retain your PR status forever. You still have to satisfy residency requirements and if you are found to be inadmissible for one or another reason, you can still lose your residency status.
Yes, it can really be confusing to learn the different types of permit to enter and stay in Canada. In the future, we can only hope for a less confusing system to better inform those who are interested. The alternative to avoid being confused about what visa to apply for in coming to Canada is to consult a certified Canada immigration attorney who has the experience and the qualification to help you process your application.
Disclaimer: The immigration article posted above does not substitute as a legal advice on immigration to Canada issues. If you need to consult a qualified professional about your case, you can visit a qualified immigration professional in your city or country. Use due diligence in doing so.