How to Extend a Student Visa for Canada
Students who want to extend their student visas for Canada have to fill out an Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada. It is important to check the study permit’s expiry date and apply before this date. You should complete the application for renewal at least one month before your student visa expires. This is important because if your visa has expired and you haven’t applied for renewal, you will have to leave the country.
Note that you cannot extend your student visa beyond your passport’s expiry date. If your passport expires soon, you should consider visiting the embassy or a local consulate to renew your passport. Another point to consider is that if you travel outside
Canada, your student visa will expire while you are abroad. So, you should apply for renewal if you are planning to travel. On the other hand, if you have applied for extension and haven’t received an answer, you are allowed to continue your study until you receive an answer.
The application package can be downloaded online. It is available to temporary residents who are
students in Canada and want to extend their stay. Students, who want to correct problems with their temporary status, change their status or the conditions of their stay should also complete this application. The application can be submitted in two ways. It can be downloaded and mailed, together with all required documents or submitted electronically. If you choose the first method, you should mail the application, along with all fees and documents to the Case Processing Centre in
Alberta.
On your application, you should specify whether you are applying for an initial study permit or the extension of such, an extension of visitor’s resident status, an initial work permit or its extension, or a restoration of temporary status as a student, visitor, or
worker. You have to fill out your personal details, including your name, date of birth, country of last residence, and passport number. You should write down your passport number together with the date of issue and expiry date. Other details to fill out include marital status (e.g. common-law partner, separated, etc), specifying whether your spouse, if you have one, is a permanent resident or Canadian citizen. You should include information for other family members as well, pointing if they are currently living in Canada. Finally, you should write down the amount of money you have to support yourself while studying in Canada. Specify whether you receive support from general welfare assistance, friends, relatives, or you support yourself.
You have to provide additional information in case your family or you have remained in Canada beyond your status validity. You should also explain in writing in case you worked without authorization or attended school without authorization. In addition to these, you are asked whether you or your family members who live in Canada have been charged or convicted of offence or crime in any country. If the answer is ‘yes’, you need to give information about the sentence, type of conviction, and charge. Finally, if you or your family suffers from serious physical or mental illness, you have to give more details. You have to specify the name and period of illness, along with the treatment received. The information you provide in your application for renewal is collected in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.