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Valid visas in expired passports when travelling to Canada

Some of my clients are professional artists or athletes . These people travel a lot. Consequently, their passport pages get filled with stickers and stamps quickly. When you have a full passport, you need to apply for a new one. However, can you use the visa stickers in the old passport to travel to Canada? This article explores valid visas in expired passports when travelling to Canada.

• Expiry of Canadian visas
• The scenarios leading to valid visas in expired passports
• Travelling to Canada in these circumstances
• Lost or damaged visas

Let us help!

How does a canadian visa expire.

Unless you are visa-exempt, you need a TRV ( Temporary Resident Visa ) to travel to Canada. Also, you need a TRV if you intend to work or study in Canada. I have another article that explains visa categories in Canada. However, I’ll focus on the concept of the validity of visas here. Let’s say IRCC issues you a visa. Thus, they will affix a counterfoil in your passport. The counterfoil (sticker) includes vital information. One of them is the expiry date of the visa.

Your visa expires in any of the following circumstances:

• The expiry date of the visa has reached.
• An officer has cancelled your visa (e.g. because of a removal order or when you file for asylum ).

Of course, generally speaking, IRCC won’t issue you a visa that is valid beyond the expiry date of your passport.

How come a person holds a valid visa in an expired passport?

Multiple scenarios could lead to having a valid visa in an expired passport. Nonetheless, these are the scenarios that I can think of:

• As a frequent traveller, all the pages of your passport have stamps or stickers. Therefore, you have to apply for a new passport before the expiry date of the old one. However, the authorities invalidate your old passport to protect the integrity of their documents.
• Your passport is damaged, and you have no choice to replace it.

Can I use valid visas in expired passports for travelling to Canada?

The simple answer is yes. Of course, you need to hold both your new and expired passports. Consequently, you show that you have a valid passport along with your valid visa in the expired passport (source: s.13.18-ENF 04 ).

What if the old visa is lost or damaged?

If you have a damaged or lost visa, you need to apply for the verification of status. The process costs you $30. Of course, you need to fill out a form and submit convincing documentation to the authorities. Read the following articles for more information:

• Inside Canada: Lost, stolen, or destroyed visas and other Canadian immigration documents
• Outside Canada:  Replacement of Temporary Resident Visa | Lost or damaged TRV stickers

If you are visiting Canada with a valid visa on an expired passport or facing any immigration issues, fill out the following form. Alternatively, please book a consultation session with me or fill out our assessment form.

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Renewing Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa - TRV)

Only citizens of certain countries require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada. A TRV is sometimes referred to as a “Visitor Visa” or “Entry Visa”.

You can remain in Canada, even if your TRV has expired, as long as you have a valid status document ( e.g. valid Study Permit, Work Permit, Visitor Record, or visitor stamp in your passport).

If you leave Canada, you may request to re-enter Canada if:

• You have a valid TRV; or
• Your TRV has expired and you have only visited the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon and you have a valid status ( e.g. Study Permit, Work Permit, Visitor Record, or visitor stamp in passport).

You can check the estimated processing time for visitor visas here.

For tips on how to apply, please see our Entry Visa (TRV) application guide .

Important Transcript Information

IMPORTANT transcript information : Immigration Authorities will not accept a transcript with the “COPY” remarks on it. The use of an e-transcript with the “COPY” remarks will lead to the refusal of your PGWP application. The “COPY” remarks will appear when you print the e-transcript or download it improperly. For information or questions about the e-transcript please see McGill Student Record’s website .

In order to ensure that Immigration Authorities accept your transcript, we recommend that you only use the printed official transcript ordered through Service Point. You can request your official printed transcripts via  Service Point's dedicated webform .  For online applications, you may scan a PDF of the printed official transcript.

Applying for your TRV from within Canada

*IMPORTANT* To renew your TRV, you must complete form IMM 5257 ( Application for Visitor Visa ). Even if you apply for your TRV from inside Canada, on the online document checklist the form may be called the IMM 5257 Application for Visitor Visa from Outside Canada.

If you apply to extend your Study Permit from within Canada, you must apply separately for your TRV after you obtain your new Study Permit. In other words, a TRV will not be automatically issued with your Study Permit.

You can apply for your new TRV online .  

Once you fill out the online portion of the TRV application, you will receive instructions from Immigration Canada indicating how and where to mail your passport. Always use a mail delivery service that provides a tracking number , like Xpress Post Canada, and include a pre-paid envelope so that Immigration Canada can quickly and securely return your passport.

Step-by-step guide for inside Canada TRV applications

Before you renew your TRV , ensure that you have a valid passport, CAQ and Study Permit. Your new entry visa (TRV) will not be valid beyond the expiry of your Study Permit or passport, whichever one expires first.

• Log into your online account with Immigration Canada (or register for an account)
• Once you are signed in, select “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” to continue
• Complete the online questionnaire

When asked for your current country of residence , be sure to indicate “ Canada ”.

Midway through the questionnaire, you will have the option to extend your Study Permit or apply for a Temporary Resident Visa. Select the option to apply for a “Temporary Resident Visa” .

When asked “Which of the following best describes your situation?”, select “I have a study permit for a specific institution or level of education” .

4.       Record your personal reference code (this code is generated for you after you complete the online questionnaire)

5.       Enter your personal reference code in your online account

6.       Once you have entered your personal reference code, follow the instructions to complete your application

7.       Complete, validate, save, and upload the Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) form (IMM 5257, in PDF format)

McGill’s Designated Learning Institution number ( DLI # ):

McGill’s Main Campus: O19359011033

McGill’s Macdonald Campus: O19359010982

8.       Upload supporting documents. You will be asked to upload a list of supporting documents based on the answers you provided to the online questionnaire.

Click on the " ?"  if you need more details about the supporting documents in question.

You do not need to submit a Letter of Acceptance. Instead, upload a Proof of Enrolment letter (accessible via your Minerva account).

9.       After you submit your payment, you will receive a confirmation notice from Immigration Canada confirming that your application was submitted.

10.   Once your application is approved, Immigration Canada will let you know how and where to submit your passport so that the TRV (counterfoil) can be affixed to your passport.

Applying for your new TRV from outside of Canada

If you apply for your new Study Permit from outside of Canada, a TRV will be automatically issued to you. You will receive instructions indicating how and where to mail your passport so that the TRV counterfoil can be affixed to your passport.

Students & workers with accompanying dependents

Please see the Accompanying Family Members page on renewing your documents if you have accompanying dependents. 

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I got a new passport but I have a valid visa in my old one. Can I use the visa in my old passport?

Yes. To travel to Canada using a valid visa in an old passport, you need to bring both

• You may need to explain why your old passport isn’t valid.
• your new valid passport or travel document

Even though you can use a valid visa in an old passport, we recommend that you get a new visa in your valid passport to avoid delays at the border.

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How to extend your stay as a visitor in Canada

With border closures, travel bans, and restrictions still in place, if you are in Canada as a visitor, you may be looking to extend your stay.

In general, visitor visas allow foreigners to live legally in Canada for up to six months. At the end of this period, the visitor's legal status expires and they must leave Canada.

If this is the case for you, you may be considering extending your stay in Canada beyond the specified period.

To do so, you will need to submit an application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) while your visitor visa, also called a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), is still valid. The TRV is an official document issued by a Canadian visa office and inserted in the foreign national's passport. This document certifies that you have met the conditions for entry to Canada as a temporary resident.

To extend your stay in Canada as a visitor, you must apply for a visitor record. This document will have an expiry date, upon which you must leave the country or apply for another extension to remain in Canada legally. It is important to note that a visitor record does not guarantee you will be able to re-enter Canada if you decide to leave the country.

If your current visitor visa expires while your application for an extension is being processed, you can stay in Canada until a decision is made. This is known as " maintained status ," which was previously known as "implied status."

During this period, the conditions of your visitor status are extended beyond the expiry date and you will simply be allowed to stay in Canada as a visitor.

If, however, your visitor status has already expired, you may be able to restore your status if you continue to meet initial requirements and conditions.

Get help with your visitor visa extension

How long can you stay in Canada?

Unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country, individuals who wish to enter Canada for a temporary purpose, such as tourists, temporary foreign workers , and international students must apply for and be granted a TRV. Most visitors can stay in Canada for up to six months.

Those who receive a stamp in their passport when they enter Canada must leave the country by the date indicated on the stamp. Those issued a visitor record must leave Canada before the expiry date indicated on the visitor record.

In the event that the passport has not been stamped, foreign nationals can only remain in Canada for a period of six months from the date of their initial entry into the country or before the expiry of their passport, whichever happens first.

It is possible to apply for a visitor's visa despite existing travel restrictions, but only individuals exempt from these restrictions are allowed to enter Canada at this time.

A temporary policy allows visitors to apply for work permits

On August 24, 2020 , IRCC introduced a special measure allowing foreign nationals who are in Canada on visitor status with a  valid job offer to apply for an employer-specific work permit. Before, visitors would usually need to apply for their initial work permits  before coming to Canada. If they were already in the country on visitor status when they were approved for the work permit, they would need to leave Canada and return in order to activate it.

Applicant looking to benefit from this temporary measure must:

• have valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply;
• have remained in Canada with valid status;
• have a valid job offer;
• submit an in-Canada application for an employer-specific work permit that is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment, no later than August 31, 2021; and
• meet all other standard admissibility criteria, such as medical and criminal checks, among others .

The temporary policy was first introduced to allow visitors who arrived in Canada during the time when coronavirus-related travel restrictions were introduced and has since been extended until August 31, 2021.

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You Should Never Get Rid Of Old And Expired Passports. Here's Why

Y our passport is one of the most essential travel documents when going out of the country. Once a passport has expired, though, you might think it no longer has much value — but that's not true. Old passports can confirm your identity and might still be linked to still-active visas. Additionally, if you toss your expired passport in the trash, there's a chance your personal information could get into the wrong hands and become an identity theft issue. So keep hold of it!

Plus, keeping that old passport will make it easier to obtain your next passport. In the United States, if you received your passport after you were 16, and it's within 15 years from when it was issued, you're able to send your expired passport to the National Passport Processing Center via mail to receive a new one as compared to having to go into an office — saving you time. There are a couple of other qualifiers, like the condition of the document, so double-check with the State Department . You'll get your expired passport back from the State Department after your renewal passport is processed. Ensure the renewed one is with you the next time you travel; the old one should have a hole punched in it or a corner cut off to help signal that it's expired.

Read more: Unsettling Reasons You May Want To Avoid Taking A Cruise

Your Expired Passport May Still Be Linked To A Current Visa

When you receive that old passport back, you might think its job is finished — but still don't toss it. The U.S. Department of State  advises that people hold onto their expired passports, particularly if they used that old passport for a still-valid visa for travel to a specific country. While your new passport will also be linked to the visa, you'll need to take both with you when you travel on that visa. Having the wrong documents is one mistake that will definitely slow you down at airport security .

In some instances, expired passports can help prove your American citizenship. It can also be used as proof of identification, assuming you still look at least somewhat like you did for your passport photo (it won't work as well if you try using one from when you were a kid to prove your identity as an adult). So, while an out-of-date passport may have to be paired with another form of unexpired ID, depending on the circumstance, it can still go a long way to proving you are who you say you are.

Old Passports Can Hold Memories

Older passports can work as a memory keepsake of the countries that you visited, with colorful entry and exit stamps adorning the pages and providing a trip down memory lane — the family trip to Cancun , your honeymoon in New Zealand, your college backpacking trip through Europe — all together in one place. That adds a sentimental reason to the practical ones for keeping your old passport and perhaps even an older relative's passport after they pass away.

However, in today's modern digital age, a number of countries are foregoing the physical passport stamp as the way to track who comes and goes, which means that using your expired passport as a type of travel scrapbook could soon be over. So, there may not be the same emotional value to a document that's been expired for decades and has been replaced multiple times. If you are fully purging yourself of old documents and have exhausted the reasons for holding onto an old passport, you can safely turn it over to the U.S. State Department passport agency to be disposed of properly.

Read the original article on Islands .

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Passport Request Letter Expired

• Thread starter David Velasquez
• Start date Jan 21, 2020

David Velasquez

Hi folks, I had a problem: My mother-in-law applied in August 2019 for a Visitor Visa, but she totally forgot about it and didn't check if it was approved. Today, my wife and I log into her account and her application actually was approved but her passport request letter was already expired. What could we do in this case?  

David Velasquez said: Hi folks, I had a problem: My mother-in-law applied in August 2019 for a Visitor Visa, but she totally forgot about it and didn't check if it was approved. Today, my wife and I log into her account and her application actually was approved but her passport request letter was already expired. What could we do in this case? Click to expand...

BGJ81 said: I am in a same situation. My parent's passport request expired almost 2 months ago. What happened in your case? Click to expand...

Star Member

Winner_ said: I think you need to pursue the PPR within 30 days of approval. Else its considered as cancelled and you will have to re-apply Click to expand...

HBA25 said: Is there any way to get a new letter as visitor visa is approved Click to expand...

HBA25 said: Did you get this resolved. I am in the same situation and not finding any help online Click to expand...