FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Welcome to the Beijing Visa
Office information page. The following information and links are intended
to help residents of China who need information about Canadian
visas. If you are unable to find the information you are looking
for, click
here for information about how to contact our office.For information
regarding visa applications at this office, please check the following
links:
APPLYING FOR VISAS AND OTHER GENERAL QUESTIONS
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1) What kind of visa do I need
to go to Canada? The
answer depends on your intentions. If you plan to be in Canada only for a
short period of time to conduct business or visit, you should apply for a
visitor visa. If you plan to study or work, you should apply for a student
authorization or an employment authorization. If you would like to settle
permanently in Canada, you may decide to apply for immigration. If you are
a permanent resident but not yet a Canadian citizen and intend to be
outside Canada for more than 183 days in any twelve-month period, you may
choose to apply for a returning resident permit.
2) How do I
get an application form? How long does it
take? If you
reside in mainland China, we recommend that you apply in Beijing.
There are several ways to get an application form: by mail, by fax, in person,
or by downloading.
PLEASE READ FIRST:Check
the following links for a list of supporting
documents and correct
processing fees that must be submitted with your application. Persons
residing outside China can click
here for a listing of other Canadian visa offices.
If you are an immigrant, student,
or worker, you will probably have to undergo a medical examination and special medical
instructions will be sent to you. Students and workers should apply
two to three months in advance of their anticipated start dates to allow
sufficient time for us to process their applications. Click here
for a summary of our processing standards.
THEN TO DOWNLOAD FORMS:
Follow the links to Citizenship and Immigration Canada's main
website:
Visiting
Canada Studying in Canada Working in Canada Immigration to Canada Returning Residents
3) How long
does it take to get a visa? Straightforward applications are usually processed in Beijing
within our standard
processing times. If you do not complete your application
properly or submit the correct
documents and processing
fees, or if you must attend a personal
interview, the processing time may be longer.
4) Can I get a visa at the
border or at the airport? No, a visa must be obtained from a Canadian Embassy or Consulate
before you can board your flight.
5) Do I have to
have a passport before I can apply? Click on the link above for more
information.
6) What supporting
documents do I have to submit with my application?
Click on the link above for more
information.
7) Can my
friend/relative/spouse apply for a visa for me? Can I apply by
mail? Someone may submit an
application on your behalf , but in the end you must satisfy a visa
officer that you meet the requirements of the Immigration Act,
which may involve a personal
interview. You must authorize our office in writing if you wish us to
release your passport or any personal information on your behalf to any
other person.
You may apply by mail, but
keep in mind that you should
allow more time due to delays in the postal system.
8) My application was refused.
What can I do about it? Written reasons for refusal are given to unsuccessful visa
applicants. Once you are in possession of the written reasons, there are
limited avenues of appeal:
Sponsors may appeal refusals of
members of the family class to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of
the Immigration and Refugee
Board (IRB). The appeal can be based on facts, law or equity.
The IRB cannot consider appeals
of visa refusals of independent or business immigrants or of
non-immigrants (visitors, students, or workers). Refused applicants in
these categories are advised to make new applications only if their
circumstances have changed.
The refusal of a returning
resident permit by a visa officer does not revoke the applicant's
permanent residence. Permanent residence may only be revoked by an
immigration adjudicator in Canada.
9) What can I do to support
the application of my friend, relative, or business associate who was
refused? Can I find out what the reasons were? Please remember that although you may
provide documents to support the application of a friend, relative, or
business associate, the decision of the visa officer is ultimately based
on the applicant's circumstances, and not on any personal or financial
guarantees that you or anyone else might be prepared to offer on that
person's behalf.
As a federal department, we are
bound by the Privacy Act not to discuss the details of any case
with anyone except the applicant and certain authorized persons.
Before we can release information to you the applicant must provide us
with specific written permission to do so. Even with written
authorization we do not release personal information over the
telephone.
10) Can I apply for a new visa
or authorization once I am in Canada? No. You must make an application at a visa
office outside Canada for a new visa. You can only apply for an extension to your visitor status from within
Canada.
11) What if I become sick or
injured while in Canada? You are responsible for any medical expenses you incur. Buy
travellers' health insurance just in case.
12) How do I
contact the visa office in Beijing? Click on the link above for more
information.
QUESTIONS ABOUT VISITING CANADA
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1) How do I apply
for a visitor visa? How long does it
take? Click on
the links above for more information.
2) How long will my visitor
visa be valid? How long can I stay in Canada? Can I visit the United
States and return to Canada? The visa validity is determined by a visa officer. Single-entry
visas are normally valid for three months, and multiple-entry visas may be
valid for longer periods. However, we cannot issue visitor visas with a
validity that exceeds the passport validity. So if your passport will
expire soon, you may want to renew it before you apply for your Canadian
visa.
The duration of your stay in
Canada will be decided by the immigration officer at the Port of Entry
(airport or highway border crossing). The usual amount of time is six
months from the day you arrive. If you think you will want to stay in
Canada for more than six months, or if you will be visiting the United
States and returning to Canada during your trip, explain the circumstances
to the immigration officer when you arrive.
3) I am
part of an official delegation that will travel to Canada. I filled in an
application months ago but have heard nothing about my visa. Why is it
taking so long? Please check with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
about your application before writing directly to our office. All
applications for visas for official delegations are submitted to foreign
embassies by the MFA. This is a requirement of the Government of the PRC,
not of our Embassy. Sometimes it takes several weeks for the MFA to submit
completed applications, collect the passports, and return them to the
holders once our office reaches a decision. Keep in mind that our office
also has minimum
processing standards.
4) I am not going to visit
Canada, but my flight stops in Canada on the way to my final destination.
Do I still need a visa? Yes. If you require a visa to visit Canada, you still require a
visitor visa known as a transit visa. The application
process is the same as above.
5) Do I need a Canadian visa
even if I already have a US visa? Yes.
6) Can I visit Canada while I
have an immigration application in process? You may apply for a visitor visa even if
you have an immigration application in process, but to be successful, you
must be able to convince a visa officer that you would leave Canada at the
end of your proposed visit.
7) I live in Canada. How do I
invite a friend or relative to visit me? To invite a relative or friend, you should
provide that person with the following documents that they will submit
with their application:
- a letter of invitation that
includes your full name, address, contact telephone and facsimile
numbers, the name and relationship to you of the person you are
inviting, the intended duration of the visit, and a statement concerning
who will pay for the trip expenses;
- a notarized copy of your
citizenship or immigration status document (to prove that you are
legally in Canada);
- if you will be paying from
Canada, financial supporting documents to prove that you can afford to
pay, including:
- a notarized copy of the
Summary page (usually page two) from your most recent T451 Notice of
Assessment form from Revenue Canada;
- a letter from your employer
stating the length of employment and salary, if
applicable
- proof of self-employment
income, if applicable
- a bank or other savings
statement certified by your branch manager (optional)
Your spouse in Canada may submit
the same kinds of documents as above if you will both be paying for the
cost of the trip.
8) What advice can you give a
Canadian resident inviting a businessperson from China to
visit? Business
between Canada and China grows every year, and with it the number of
applications for visas made by Chinese businesspeople. Unfortunately, this
increase in applications includes not only bona fide visitors who have
legitimate business reasons for making temporary visits, but also
applicants who submit fraudulent or misleading documents. As a result, our
office often checks with the Canadian inviters to ensure that an
invitation that has been extended is genuine. The verification process
takes time. It is intended, however, to protect the reputation and
business interests of Canadian companies. You also should keep in mind
that many businesses are still largely state-run, and so representatives
may be considered officials by the PRC government, which can slow the visa
application process.
Before writing to our Embassy to
request information about the case of a businessperson whom you have
invited, please remember that it is the Visa Section, and not the
Commercial Section, that has the final say in issuing visas.
If you intend to invite a
businessperson, you should provide that person with the following
documents that they will submit with their application to prevent our
office from requesting them at a later date:
- a formal letter of invitation
that includes your full name and title, business address, contact
telephone and facsimile numbers, the name and title of the person you
are inviting, the intended duration of the visit, a brief summary of the
reason for extending the invitation, and a statement concerning who will
pay for the trip expenses;
- a copy of any additional
documents that outline the business to be conducted during the visit or
previously conducted with the business of the person you are inviting,
which may include, but would not be limited to:
- contracts, purchase orders,
bills of lading, or service agreements
- contact names, titles,
addresses, and phone and facsimile numbers for third parties with whom
you have arranged meetings on behalf of the person you are
inviting
- a notarized copy of your
immigration status document (if you are a temporary resident of
Canada, to prove that you are legally in Canada).
In addition, if you have not
previously invited any Chinese business visitors or have not invited
within the past two years, please provide a copy of your Canadian business
registration document, and a copy of the Summary of your most recent
Corporate Notice of Assessment form from Revenue Canada.
QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDYING IN CANADA
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: Due to a very large increase in the number of applications
for student authorisation, the processing of applications currently takes
approximately 4 months. Some cases may take longer. You should submit your
application at least 4 months prior to the start date of your
program of study.
1) Can I study at a Canadian
college or university? Canadian colleges, universities and technical institutes encourage
applications from qualified international students. If you are going to
study in Canada, you need a student authorization. The major exceptions
are for ESL or French language studies of no longer than three months,
which you may do while a visitor in Canada. If you intend to
study in the province of Quebec, you must also have received a certificate
of acceptance from the Quebec Government.
2) How do I apply
for a student authorization? How long does it
take? Click on
the links above for more information.
3)
How much money will I need during my studies in Canada?
To obtain a student
authorization you must demonstrate that you will have enough money during
your stay in Canada to pay for tuition fees, books, living expenses for
yourself and accompanying dependants, and return transportation for both
yourself and accompanying dependants. According to Citizenship and
Immigration Canada guidelines, you will require approximately $10,000 CAD
per year, not including tuition fees, to cover your living expenses.
If your dependants are planning to accompany or join you, you will require
an additional $4,000 for the first dependant, and $3,000 for each
subsequent dependant, in addition to return airfare.
4) Do I only need to show that
I have enough money to cover the costs of my study in Canada in order to
get a visa? If you
will not receive funding from a Canadian educational institution or a
governmental organization, you will be required to provide evidence that
you or your family can readily afford the cost of an education in Canada
on an ongoing basis.
5) If my application is
refused, will the Embassy help me to get back money paid to the school in
Canada? No.
6) Can my spouse and/or child
come with me to Canada, or visit me at a later date? If you proceed to Canada alone, it is
possible that your dependants will not be able to join you there.
If you wish your spouse and/or child to accompany you to Canada or to
join you at a later date, you must provide proof
that you will be able to support them. Since funding provided by
Canadian institutions or governmental organizations is normally sufficient
for one person only, you will likely be required to provide proof of
additional funding and/or savings. Your dependants will also be
required to demonstrate to a visa officer that they have sufficient ties
to China to ensure their departure from Canada.
7) Can I work while I'm in
school? You are
allowed to work on-campus if you are pursuing full-time studies and are in
possession of a valid student authorization. Otherwise, you need
authorization from an immigration office to work while studying in
Canada.
8) If I have a student visa,
can I stay permanently in Canada? Student authorizations are not issued to
people who apply for them simply as a convenient way to get into Canada
(or prolong their stay in Canada) to establish permanent residence, to
work illegally, or for any other purpose other than attending school for a
temporary period. If you are applying for any of these reasons, we
discourage you from applying by mail or in person, because your
application will be refused.
9) What do I do if I change
schools while I'm in Canada? You should contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada to change
your student authorization. Click here for more information.
10) Is there a quota for
Chinese students in Canada? No
QUESTIONS ABOUT TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT IN CANADA
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1) Do I
need an employment authorization? Click on the link above for more
information.
2) How do I apply
for an employment authorization? How long does it
take? Click on
the links above for more information.
3) Can I get an "open"
employment authorization to work for any employer? No.
4) Software professionals: Click here for information about working in Canada as a
computer software professional.
QUESTIONS ABOUT IMMIGRATION TO CANADA
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1) How do I apply to
immigrate to Canada? How much does it
cost? How long does it
take? When will
I get an interview? Click on the links above for more information. Application
kits are free, and are available for downloading.
2) Will hiring a lawyer or
consultant help my case? Only you can decide whether or not you wish to hire a lawyer or
consultant, but you do not require one to apply. The majority of
successful applicants for immigration to Canada are not represented by
lawyers or consultants. Hiring a lawyer or consultant will not speed the
processing of your application, nor will it result in any preferential
treatment.
3) Should I apply in Beijing
or at another visa office? If you permanently reside in mainland China, we recommend that you
apply in
Beijing. If you apply at another visa office, the processing of your
application may be delayed because that office will have to consult with
the Beijing visa office before a decision can be taken in your case. Also,
if an interview is required, you will need to get a visa for the country
in which the other office is located, and Canada will provide no
assistance in obtaining visas for third countries.
4) How can I get an early interview date? Is there a way for
me to be on a "standby list" in case of cancellations?
Our office tries to interview as
many people as possible each day, in the order that the applications were
submitted. Check here to view our current processing
service standards. It is not possible to obtain an early
interview date by special request.
However, our office is
maintaining a first-come, first-served "standby list" for those
independent category applicants who are eager to immigrate and are fully
prepared to attend an immigration selection interview in Beijing on short
notice. To be eligible for the standby list, you must be:
- a principal applicant in the independent category (ND/AR);
- willing to attend an
interview in Beijing on as little as 5 days' notice; and
- prepared to submit complete
original documentation as required by a visa officer at your
interview.
If you can meet these three
conditions, please send us a fax
that includes your full name, date of birth, file number, your name,
address and postal code in Chinese characters, and your daytime contact
phone number(s) and clearly mark it "Attention: NDU Standby Interview
List." Applicants who send faxes without addresses or contact phone
numbers will not be added to the list. The address is required to
send you a letter listing the documents that will be required at your
interview. The daytime phone number must be one at which we can
reach you to advise you of the date and time of your interview.
In the event of cancellations in
the interview schedule, we will attempt to contact applicants on the
standby list in the order that they have asked to be added to the
list. There is no guarantee that an applicant on the standby list
will receive an interview before his/her case would normally be
scheduled.
SOME ANSWERS FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS
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1) Can I extend the validity
of a visa ? No. Under
no circumstances can the validity of a visa be extended.
2) I am the principal
applicant and it is impossible to travel to Canada prior to the expiry
date on the visa. What should I do? The visa must be sent back to the Embassy
or Consulate where the visa was issued. Include a covering letter
explaining the reasons why it is impossible for you to travel to Canada
prior to the expiry date. You will receive a response from a Visa
officer regarding what the next steps, if any, might
be.
3) Can a dependent travel to
Canada before the principal applicant? No. The principal applicant must land
(arrive) in Canada first, prior to his/her dependents. The dependents can
travel together with the principal applicant or at a later date.
4) I am planning to leave my
spouse/child abroad until I am settled in Canada. What should I do
so they can join me later? If your dependent has a visa and is not travelling to Canada prior
to the expiry date, you should return the visa to the Embassy or Consulate
where it was issued. Even if your dependents do not want to immigrate to
Canada at this time, they must still meet Canada's statutory requirements
in order for you to proceed. Serious penalties, including your deportation
from Canada can occur if your dependents are not examined as part of your
application.
You can sponsor your dependents
from within Canada at a later date. To obtain information on how to do
this, please contact a CIC Call Centre in
Canada.
5) Why didn't you return all
the original documents that I submitted? All replaceable original documents, like
notarized certificates or copies of original documents are kept on the
file for future reference or destroyed. All irreplaceable original
documents should have been returned to you. If not, please advise us
immediately.
6) My family composition has
changed since I applied (marriage, divorce, birth/adoption of a child,
etc.). Can I still travel to Canada with the visa you
issued? No. Your visa
was issued with special coding based on the family configuration
information you submitted with your application. All of your
dependents, whether or not they want to immigrate to Canada with you, must
still meet Canada's statutory requirements before you can proceed
to Canada. Your visa's coding must be amended by a visa officer to
show that you have complied with all of the requirements of the
Immigration Act and Regulations.
If, after you apply for permanent
residence but before you land in Canada, your family composition changes
by reason of divorce, marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, or the
death of a dependent, you must advise the Canadian government. Do
this by writing to the Embassy or Consulate where your application is
being/was processed to advise us of the changes. You must also advise
which of your dependents will immigrate to Canada with you.
If you already have a visa, you
should return that original visa to the office where it was issued with a
covering letter explaining what change took place and who intends to
immigrate with you. If your dependent has a visa and is not
travelling to Canada prior to the expiry date, you should return that visa
to the Embassy or Consulate where it was issued.
If you have advised that
you have divorced or have a new spouse or new dependent child, you should
await a response from a visa officer before proceeding to
Canada. Serious penalties, including your deportation from
Canada, can occur if your dependents are not examined as part of your
application. Please note that even if your new family member is not
planning to accompany you to Canada, your old visa is still invalid for
travel and you must return it, as you will not be allowed to enter Canada
on an invalid visa.
As long as any dependents you had
were examined before before you immigrated, you can sponsor your
dependents from within Canada at a later date. To obtain information on
how to do this, please contact a CIC Call Centre in
Canada.
7) I got my passport after my
Immigrant visa was issued. Do I have to send the visa back to you? Can I
write the passport number on the visa ? Do not write anything on your visa
yourself. Do not send the visa back to the Embassy. Because you did not
provide your passport information before your visa was issued, the remarks
section of the visa will state "PASSPORT DETAILS TO BE ADDED AT PORT OF
ENTRY". When you arrive in Canada, an immigration officer at the Port of
Entry will write your passport information on your visa.
8) I noticed that page 4 is
missing in my Immigrant visa. Is this the way it should be ?
Yes.
9) I changed my mind about the
place where I would like to live in Canada. Can I live in another city and
province than the one indicated on my visa ? Yes you can, as long as you keep in mind
that it requires additional paperwork to settle in Québec, as this
province has the right to choose their own immigrants. You will have to
contact the "Ministère des Relations
avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration (MRCI)" at 415 rue St-Roch,
Montréal (Québec) H3N 1K2, Fax: (514) 864 2926.
10) What possessions can I
take with me when I land in Canada? Do I have to pay taxes on them
? Prepare a
list of your personal belongings that are accompanying you. Prepare
another list of things that you are shipping separately (mail, air, sea)
and that will arrive later. As long as you can prove that you personally
owned and used these items, you can import them duty-free. If there are
possessions you did not declare, you may have to pay import duties.
Information about the specific regulations that apply on importing items
like pets, cars or jewellery can be found at the Canadian Customs website
(click
here).
11) What about cash? Are
there any restrictions on the amount I can bring in? Canada has no restrictions on the amount
of money (cash, cheque, bank transfers, etc.) you can bring in, although
you may have to declare large amounts of cash (over $10,000 US). More
specific information from Revenue Canada on duty exemptions and other
useful tips can be found by clicking
here.
12) Do I need to have certain
vaccinations? You do
not need to prove that you had certain vaccinations when you land in
Canada, but it is a good idea to take your vaccination booklet or your
medical history with you to Canada. For your children's school
registration, you need to provide their vaccination booklet, showing their
immunization history, in order to demonstrate which vaccinations they have
already had and enrol them in school.
13) When will I become a
Canadian citizen? After you have lived in Canada for a period of 3 years as a landed
immigrant, you can make an application to become a Canadian citizen.
Please visit the governmental website that deals with frequently asked
questions about becoming a Canadian citizen by clicking
here.
14) Are there any Canadian
organizations that will help me with settling in my new country
? There are several
organisations that provide information and services, as well as free
language training, in order to help you settle in Canada. At every major
airport in Canada you will find an information desk for new
immigrants. There you can find the contact information of the local
settlement organisations. The same information can be obtained by
contacting a CIC
Call centre.
USEFUL LINKS FOR NEWCOMERS TO CANADA
|
Citizenship and Immigration
Canada (CIC) for information on how to immigrate to Canada and how
to become a Canadian citizen
CIC's Links
for a long list of links to interesting sites, such as information
about the Federal and Provincial institutions, as well as job
opportunities and immigration issues
WorkInfoNet for information on
employment programs, required qualifications, job matching services and
job search techniques
Human Resources Development Canada
for the address of your local Human Resource Centre, as well as labour
market information, learning opportunities and employment related
legislation
Ontario Ministry of Education for
an overview of the different levels of educational institutions and
up-to-date statistics. There are links to related sites, such as
educational centres in the provinces and other useful addresses
Revenue Canada for information about
the Canadian Tax system, with detailed information on procedures, forms
and benefit plans
Obtaining a Social
Insurance Number Get a reply on how to obtain a Social Insurance
Number card and other frequently asked questions about social insurance
and health issues
Please
note: as a newly landed
immigrant to Canada, you must wait 3 months from the date of your landing
before you become eligible for heath insurance coverage. Medical insurance
for the first 3 months may be purchased through a private insurance
company. Listings of these companies can be found in your local telephone
directory. You must obtain this insurance within 5 days of arrival in
Canada.
QUESTIONS ABOUT RETURNING RESIDENT PERMITS
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1) Do I need a returning resident permit?
Click on the link above for more
information.
2) How do I apply
for a returning resident permit? How long does it
take? Click on
the links above for more information.
Many agents request meetings to
discuss processing issues or individual cases. Unfortunately, we cannot
meet with agents individually. Our office holds quarterly general
information sessions for immigration and student agents.
The next session(s) will be held
as follows:
- General Information for Immigration Agents and Consultants
Tuesday Mach 14, 2000, from 14:30 to
15:30
The sessions will be held at the Embassy
in Beijing.
To register to attend, please fax your
request to the attention of the Visa Office Executive Assistant,
enclosing proof of your Canadian citizenship. We will confirm registration
by return fax.
" Newsletter for
Agents Volume 1, No. 1"
" Newsletter for
Agents Volume 1, No. 2"
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