Canada
Stay in Canada Longer
Extend Your Stay in Canada
If you are already in Canada as a temporary resident and want to stay longer, you may be able to extend your status before it expires. Most visitors do this by applying for a visitor record — a document that sets a new date by which you must leave. Applying on time keeps your stay lawful and, in many cases, lets you remain in Canada while a decision is made.
01 Extending Your Stay & the Visitor Record
When you enter Canada as a temporary resident, you are authorized to stay for a limited time. If you want to remain longer, you generally need to apply to extend your stay before your current status expires. For visitors, this is done by applying for a visitor record issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
A visitor record is not a visa and does not let you re-enter Canada. It only sets a new date by which you must leave. If you travel outside Canada, you may still need a valid visitor visa or eTA to return.
A visitor record can also be used to change your status — for example, from a study or work permit holder to a visitor. If instead you want to keep studying or working, you would apply to extend the relevant study permit or work permit (a different application), not a visitor record.
02 Who Can Apply
A visitor record is generally for people who are already in Canada and want to:
- extend their stay in Canada as a visitor
- extend their stay as a worker who is authorized to work without a work permit
- extend their stay as a student who is authorized to study without a study permit
- change their status from a study permit holder to a visitor
- change their status from a work permit holder to a visitor
It doesn't matter whether you first entered Canada using a visitor visa, an electronic travel authorization (eTA), or another document — what matters is that you currently hold valid temporary resident status and meet the requirements to stay.
03 When to Apply & Your Expiry Date
Timing is the single most important part of extending your stay. You should apply at least 30 days before your current status expires, and ideally earlier, because processing times vary and applying on time is what protects your status in Canada.
Your status expiry date is shown on the stamp in your passport made when you entered Canada (not the date on your visitor visa). If there is no stamp, your status is generally valid for 6 months from the day you entered Canada. (Verified on the IRCC visitor record pages, June 2026 — confirm your own date before applying.)
If you apply before your status expires, your existing status continues under the same conditions while you wait for a decision (see Maintained Status). If your status has already expired, you cannot apply for an extension — instead you may be able to apply for restoration of status.
04 How to Apply Online
Applications to extend your stay as a visitor must be submitted online. The general process includes:
Create or Sign In to Your IRCC Account
You need a secure online account to start your application, upload documents, pay your fees, submit, and check your status.
Answer the Eligibility Questions
The online tool asks what you'd like to do in Canada (select "Visit") and your current country of residence (select "Canada"). Your answers generate a personalized document checklist.
Complete the Application Form
The main form is the Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Visitor or Temporary Resident Permit Holder (IMM 5708), supported by Guide 5551.
Pay the Fees
Pay the required processing fee when you submit. If biometrics are required, pay the biometrics fee at the same time. (See the costs note below.)
Give Biometrics if Requested
You may receive a biometric instruction letter asking you to provide fingerprints and a photo at an official collection location. Biometrics are generally valid for 10 years.
Wait for a Decision
If approved, you'll be issued a new visitor record. If refused, you may only stay until your current status expires.
05 Documents You'll Need
Your exact checklist is generated by the online tool, but applications to extend a visitor's stay commonly include:
- a completed Application to Change Conditions / Extend Your Stay (IMM 5708)
- copies of your passport pages, including the page showing the entry stamp from your most recent arrival
- your most recent visitor record, study permit, or work permit (if you have one)
- proof that you can financially support your extended stay
- a letter of explanation describing why you want to stay longer and that you'll leave at the end of your authorized stay
- any additional documents listed on your personalized checklist
If your application is rejected as incomplete, IRCC treats it as never submitted — which means you would not keep maintained status, and if your original status has since expired you would have to apply for restoration. Submit a complete application well before your expiry date.
06 Maintained Status While You Wait
If you apply to extend your stay before your current status expires, you benefit from what IRCC calls maintained status (previously known as "implied status"). This means your original temporary status continues under the same conditions until IRCC finalizes your application and notifies you of the decision — even if your original expiry date passes while you wait.
You Can Stay Legally
You may remain in Canada under your existing conditions while your extension is being processed.
Same Conditions Apply
Maintained status carries the same conditions you already had — it does not grant new permissions to work or study.
Apply Before You Expire
Maintained status only applies if your application was received while your status was still valid.
Temporary resident permit (TRP) holders do not benefit from maintained status. If you leave Canada while on maintained status, your ability to keep working or studying under those conditions may be affected — get advice before travelling.
07 Restoration if Your Status Expired
If your temporary resident status has already expired, you should not apply for an ordinary extension — you are no longer eligible. Instead, you may be able to apply for restoration of status if you act quickly and still meet the requirements.
- you must apply within 90 days of losing your status
- you must have met, and continue to meet, the requirements for your stay
- you must not have failed to comply with the conditions of your original status
- you must remain in Canada while your restoration is being decided
Restoration is not maintained status: you may not work or study until your restoration (and any related permit) is approved. If more than 90 days have passed, restoration is no longer available and you would need to leave Canada. Approval is never guaranteed.
Fees (as of June 2026, set by IRCC and subject to change — confirm the current amounts on the official IRCC page before applying): extend your stay as a visitor is $100 per person; restoring your status as a visitor adds a $246.25 restoration fee on top of the visitor record fee; biometrics, where required, are $85 per person (with a family maximum). Processing times vary — check IRCC's current processing times tool.
08 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor record?+
A visitor visa (or eTA) is a travel document that lets you enter Canada. A visitor record is issued from inside Canada and sets a new date by which you must leave — it extends your stay but does not let you re-enter the country. If you leave Canada and your visa or eTA has expired, you may need a new one to return.
Can I stay in Canada while my extension is being processed?+
Yes, if you applied before your current status expired. This is called maintained status: your original status continues under the same conditions until IRCC makes a decision. If you applied after your status expired, maintained status does not apply and you may need to look at restoration instead.
My status already expired — can I still stay?+
You may be able to apply for restoration of status, but only within 90 days of losing your status, and only if you still meet the requirements and stayed compliant with your conditions. You must remain in Canada during processing, and you generally cannot work or study until you are restored. After 90 days, restoration is no longer available.
How long before my status expires should I apply?+
IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your current status expires. Because processing times vary, applying earlier is safer — it helps ensure your application is received while your status is still valid so you keep maintained status.
Can I extend my study or work permit using a visitor record?+
No. A visitor record extends your stay as a visitor (or changes a student/worker to visitor). To keep studying or working, you must apply to extend the specific study permit or work permit, which is a separate application with its own requirements. We can help you confirm which one fits your situation.
Will extending my stay let me re-enter Canada if I travel?+
No. A visitor record is not a travel document. If you leave Canada, you must meet the entry requirements to return, which may include a valid visitor visa or eTA. Check your travel documents before leaving so you aren't stranded outside Canada.
Talk to a Licensed Expert
Want to stay in Canada a little longer?
Our licensed team — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) regulated by the CICC — can help you apply on time, keep your status protected, and choose the right path for your situation. This page is general information, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.
