Information on exceeding your six month limit - Canada eTA (2024)

FAQs

Information on exceeding your six month limit - Canada eTA? ›

If you stay longer than 6 months under the eTA program and your stay has not been extended by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (emergency situations only), you will lose your travel authorization and not be able to use the eTA for future trips.

All are required to have a valid passport that does not expire within six months of your trip.

You can leave and come back to Canada multiple times as long as your visitor visa has not expired.

Once approved, your eTA is valid for five years or until your passport expires – whichever comes first. You can come to Canada as many times as you wish as long as your eTA remains valid.

Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months in Canada. If you're allowed to enter Canada, the border services officer may allow you to stay for less or more than 6 months. If so, they'll put the date you need to leave by in your passport. They might also give you a document.

The date printed on your passport as the end date means that you can enter Canada until that date. Of course, if the visa officer at the port of entry approves your entry. If you need to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you must apply for a 'Visitor Record' at least 30 days before your visitor status expires.

Updated May 2023

In addition to making sure your passport is still valid, many countries recommend that travelers have at least 6 months of validity remaining on their passport when traveling internationally.

A single entry visa allows foreign nationals to enter Canada for one-time only. A multiple entry visa allows holders to enter and leave Canada as often as they want as long as the visa is valid.

If you want to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor (stay in Canada longer), you need to apply for a visitor record. A visitor record is not a visa.

For those intending to stay beyond the six-month mark, applying for an extension with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) through USCIS Form I-539 is necessary. A failure to leave on time can lead to complications, such as visa ineligibility or restrictions on future admissions.

Can I leave and come back to Canada with an eTA? ›

Having an eTA or a visa, along with your work permit, doesn't guarantee that we will let you back into Canada. You must show the border services officer that you meet all the requirements before we will let you re-enter. Read more about travelling while you are a temporary worker.

If you plan to travel to Canada, you need a valid visitor visa OR a valid eTA.

If you try to travel to Canada with a refused eTA, you will be prevented from boarding your flight. We encourage you to reapply for an eTA only once you have addressed the reason(s) leading to the refusal of your application.

While valid, a multiple entry visa will let you travel to Canada for six months at a time as many times as you want. It will be valid for up to 10 years or one month before your passport expires, whichever is shorter.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

For tourist visits to Canada of less than 180 days, U.S. citizens do not need visas. Other types of travel generally require visas. Visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website for current information.

When you enter the U.S., a customs officer will give you authorization to stay in the the country for up to six months. If you'd like to stay for longer, you may be able to apply to extend this for up to one year.

Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.

While valid, a multiple entry visa will let you travel to Canada for six months at a time as many times as you want. It will be valid for up to 10 years or one month before your passport expires, whichever is shorter. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.

While most countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA just need your passport to be valid for the length of your stay, other countries such as China, Thailand, Egypt and Turkey need at least six months.

The Issue Date of your passport can be found on the data page of your passport book or on the front of your passport card. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.