This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
A visitor record is a status document issued to visa-required or visa-exempt foreign nationals who are seeking to enter or are in Canada. It specifies the conditions and validity period of their temporary stay in Canada. A visitor record may be issued to
A visitor record also
All in-Canada visitor extension, study permit and work permit applications must be submitted electronically, with some exceptions. See the list of programs that are exempt from the in-Canada mandatory electronic application requirement.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may issue a visitor record in the following scenarios.
A CBSA border services officer (BSO) may issue a visitor record to a temporary resident at the port of entry (POE) on their arrival to Canada.
When a foreign national arrives at a POE, an officer may issue a visitor record to document an authorized length of stay other than the 6-month standard, for reasons that include but are not limited to the following
Please see POE issuance for more information.
An IRCC officer at a case processing centre may issue a visitor record to a temporary resident in order to
See in-Canada applications for more information.
Section 183 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) outlines the conditions imposed on all temporary residents:
Section R185 states that an officer may impose, vary or cancel the following specific conditions on a temporary resident:
A CBSA BSO at the POE will determine the length of time that a temporary resident may remain in Canada.
If a BSO believes that a foreign national requires further examination, they will be referred to secondary for an interview and further processing. If the BSO at secondary determines that the foreign national is admissible as a visitor to Canada, they will specify a date by which the individual must leave Canada by
As referenced in the automated POE instructions, if the foreign national is processed at an automated POE or primary inspection kiosk (PIK), a BSO is not required to and may not place a stamp in the foreign national’s passport. A foreign national can still receive a stamp upon request, or if required by CBSA policy and regulations.
If there is no stamp or handwritten date in the foreign national’s passport, their authorized period of stay is 6 months from the day they initially entered Canada, or until their passport expires, whichever comes first, as per subsection R183(2). A visitor record may be issued at a POE in cases of:
In accordance with ENF 4: Port of Entry Examinations (PDF, 1.53 MB), section 13.32 “Issuing visitor records”, the visitor record is generated in the Global Case Management System (GCMS), printed and attached to the foreign national’s passport. The attached visitor record will be accompanied by a stamp and specific instructions (if applicable).There are no processing fees for issuing a visitor record at the POE.
Subsection R183(2) states that the standard length of stay for visitors in Canada is 6 months, but this is authorized and established at the discretion of the BSO at the POE. Issuing a visitor record is a means of exercising an element of control over the foreign national’s length of stay in Canada, with the intention of,
A BSO may limit the stay of a visitor for reasons that include but are not limited to the following:
A BSO may also issue a visitor record if they determine that the foreign national’s departure from Canada must be verified by the CBSA, by imposing a reporting requirement. See officer-decided conditions for more information.
Foreign nationals may be issued a visitor record at the POE in situations that include, but are not limited to the following.
Please see the list of foreign nationals who may be authorized to work without a permit.
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