The expiry date on a Canadian visitor visa is not your deadline to leave. It is the last day you can use that visa to arrive at a port of entry.
Which document you need—a visitor visa, an eTA, or a visitor record—depends on your passport and whether you apply from outside Canada or are already inside.
If you need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
A visitor visa is for nationals of visa-required countries: India, China, the Philippines, Brazil, and most countries in Africa and the Middle East. The form to use is IMM 5257, usually with the family information form IMM 5707. Log into your IRCC account and submit the forms with your fee receipt. The fee is CAD 100, plus CAD 85 for biometrics if required. Check your visa office’s estimated processing time before you book a flight: Delhi often processes in 14 days, while Lagos can take 10 weeks.
The approved visa is physically stuck inside your passport. It has an issue date and an expiry date. The expiry date is your deadline to arrive, not to leave. When you land, a border services officer stamps your passport with a date or issues a visitor record setting how long you can stay—usually up to 6 months. If no date is written, you get 6 months from the day you enter. Ask the officer to confirm the duration. If you apply for a first-time study or work permit and it is approved, you automatically get a visitor visa.
A multiple-entry visa is now standard for most applicants. It lets you come and go until the visa’s expiry date. If your passport expires before the visa, you will need a new visa in your new passport. If you are refused, the refusal letter states the reason. Re-apply only after you address the officer’s concerns.
If you need an eTA
An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is for passport holders from visa-exempt countries—the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and most EU member states. U.S. citizens are exempt. Apply online for CAD 7. You need a valid passport, a credit or debit card, and an email address. Approval usually takes minutes; some applications take a few days if more checks are needed.
The eTA links electronically to your passport and is valid for 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It covers air travel to Canada or through a Canadian airport. If you are driving from the U.S., you do not need an eTA. The eTA is not a visa. It does not allow you to work or study. If you hold a valid Canadian visa, you do not need an eTA, even with a visa-exempt passport. A UK passport holder with an existing work permit shows the permit, not an eTA. When you renew your passport, apply for a new eTA. An older eTA cancels automatically. Check your eTA status using the Government of Canada’s eTA check tool. For a side-by-side breakdown of the eTA and visa, read eTA vs Visitor Visa.
If you need a visitor record
A visitor record is not an entry document. It is a status document for people already in Canada who need to extend their stay beyond the initial authorization or need new conditions. You might need one if you entered as a visitor and want to stay longer than 6 months, or if you are a student or worker whose permit is expiring and you plan to remain as a visitor while sorting out next steps. You may also get one at the port of entry if you tell the officer you need to stay longer than 6 months.
The deadline is 30 days before your authorized stay expires. If you miss this step, the recovery path is to apply for restoration of status within 90 days of losing your status. But you cannot legally stay in Canada past the original expiry date until your restoration is approved. Use form IMM 5708 and pay the CAD 100 processing fee. The visitor record is a separate document—it does not go in your passport—and states your new departure date. Read it carefully: the officer may grant fewer than the 6 months you requested. If you leave Canada, the visitor record becomes void, and you will need a valid visa or eTA to re-enter.
What catches most applicants out is assuming a visitor record automatically gives a new 6-month stay. The officer decides the length. Overstaying even by a day triggers the restoration route, with extra fees and uncertainty. If you apply for an extension before your status expires, you have implied status until a decision is made—you can legally remain under the same conditions. Always keep a copy of your application receipt to show if questioned.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.
