If you want to extend your Canada visa, preparing extension application before the visa expiration date is important.

When applying for extension, you should present the same initial documents.

You also have to explain the reasons for extending your stay and your return plan in a letter. If you have a legal reason for your stay, you’ll be more likely to succeed.

Also if you can get a letter about extending your leave from your employer in your home country, it affects the success rate of your application.

Furthermore if you have commitments in your home country that you have to go back to in future, mention them in your application.

Always remember that CIC always asks this question: “Will this person go back to his country after the expiration of his visa?”

If you have made arrangements for returning to your country in future, you have to include copies of them in your application.

Extension applications are sent to Vegreville case processing centre in Alberta

If you haven’t extended your Tourist visa before the expiration date, there’s still hope.

You have to apply for visa renewal.  Visa renewal is a different process that costs more.

You have to apply for renewal within 90 days of expiration.

It means that CIC should receive your application during the 90 day period after the expiration of your tourist visa (it doesn’t mean you should send your application during these 90 days)

Like most of the other cases, CIC can reject your renewal application.

So how can you have a successful visa renewal application?

In addition to extension documents, you have to include a letter in your application in which you explain why you didn’t apply for extension of visa before it expired.

Your best chance for succeeding is explaining that the circumstances were beyond your control, for example if you’ve had a medical emergency or an accident and have missed the last deadline,  it’s mostly accepted by CIC.

If your only excuse for not extending your tourist visa is that you have forgotten to do so, the best thing you can do to increase your chances is to present documents regarding your return to your home country after the trip, it can be done according to the instructions in the last page.