How Long Can You Stay in Canada as a Visitor?

Most visitors can stay in Canada for up to 6 months per entry. IRPR s.183(2) sets six months as the default, or any other period a border officer fixes, and a date stamped in your passport controls. To stay longer, apply for a Visitor Record before your authorized period ends.

Explore the admissibility rules

Last verified: November 2026

$100
IRCC’s fee for a Visitor Record, to stay longer
$246.25
IRCC’s restoration fee, within 90 days of losing status

Both fees are in CAD, and IRCC charges a visitor only the restoration fee to restore status. The Fee Calculator totals the cost.

What does the law set as the default stay?

IRPR s.183(2) says the period authorized for the stay of a temporary resident is six months, or any other period that is fixed by an officer on the basis of three named factors: (a) your means of support in Canada, (b) the period for which you applied to stay, and (c) the expiry of your passport or other travel document. So six months is the baseline, and an officer can fix a different period, shorter or longer.

Separately, IRPR s.183(4) says that authorized period ends on the earliest of:

The day you leave Canada without first obtaining authorization to re-enter (s.183(4)(a))
The day your work permit or study permit becomes invalid, if you hold one; if you hold both, the day the second of them becomes invalid (s.183(4)(b) and (b.1))
The day any Temporary Resident Permit issued to you stops being valid under IRPR s.63 (s.183(4)(c))
If you are required to give biometrics, the day the 10-year period following your last biometrics collection ends (s.183(4)(c.1))
Otherwise, the day the period authorized under s.183(2) ends, meaning the date the officer fixed or six months from entry (s.183(4)(d))

The rule

The period authorized for a temporary resident is six months "or any other period that is fixed by an officer."

IRPR s.183(2)Verify on justice.gc.ca

Does a stamp in your passport change the date?

No stamp: 6 months from entry: IRPR s.183(2) sets six months, and IRCC says you can stay until whichever comes first: 6 months from the date you entered, the expiry of your passport, or the expiry of your biometrics. Keep your boarding pass, entry receipt, or any electronic record of your entry date.
A stamp with a date: that date controls: If the officer stamps a date in your passport, that date controls your authorized stay, even if it is less than 6 months from entry. IRCC says an officer may limit or extend your time in Canada depending on the purpose of your visit.
Entry at a kiosk: At airports that use primary inspection kiosks you may not receive a stamp, and IRCC says you may ask the border services officer for one after the kiosk.
A multiple-entry visa: It can be valid for up to 10 years, but it only lets you seek entry repeatedly; each stay is still capped at the period the officer authorizes (generally 6 months).

On passport expiry, the regulation and IRCC’s page say different things: IRPR s.183(4) does not list passport expiry among the events that end a stay, but IRCC’s page lists it as one of the dates that ends a stay with no stamp. IRPR s.52(1) asks a visitor to hold a passport valid for the period authorized for the stay, and IRCC says it cannot issue a visitor record valid past the expiry date of your passport.

In IRCC’s words, "It is your responsibility to maintain valid visitor status."

Can the border officer give you less than 6 months?

Yes. Under IRPR s.183(2), an officer at the port of entry can fix a period other than six months. Besides the three factors in that section, what an officer weighs includes:

The purpose of your visit (IRCC)
Your ties to your home country, such as a job, a home, financial assets or family (IRCC)
False or incomplete information: IRCC says you will not be allowed into Canada if you give it

Leaving briefly for the US border and coming straight back ("flagpoling") does not reset a 6-month stay. Each time you seek entry, a CBSA officer independently assesses your admissibility, and under IRPA s.20(1)(b) you must establish that you will leave Canada by the end of your authorized stay. At each entry an officer can allow less than 6 months, or refuse entry.

How do you stay longer than your authorized period?

Apply for a Visitor Record through the IRCC online portal before your current status expires. A Visitor Record extends your authorization to remain in Canada temporarily; it is not a visa.

Apply before your status expires
You must submit the application before the last day of your authorized stay. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your status expires.
Pay the application fee
Pay the fee online with the application. Check the IRCC website for current fees.
$100 CAD
Wait on maintained status
Under IRPR s.183(5), if you apply before your stay ends, you have what IRCC calls maintained status (it used to be known as implied status) until the day a decision is made. You keep your visitor status and its conditions (IRPR s.183(6)), so you cannot work or study unless authorized (IRPR s.183(1)(b) and (c)).

Maintained status is not a re-entry document: your stay ends on the day you leave Canada without prior authorization to re-enter (IRPR s.183(4)(a)). If you travel outside Canada or the United States, IRCC says you need a valid entry document, such as a visitor visa or an eTA, to return.

What happens if you overstay?

Remaining in Canada beyond your authorized period without an approved extension or maintained status is a violation of IRPA s.29(2), which requires temporary residents to leave Canada at the end of their authorized period. The consequences can be serious:

Loss of status: you are in Canada without authorization
Possible inadmissibility for non-compliance with the Act (IRPA s.41(a)), which can, depending on the circumstances, lead to a removal order
A removal order can create a future bar on re-entering Canada
IRCC says it is illegal to remain in Canada beyond the validity of your status, and that it can lead to an admissibility hearing and removal
The Act sets no fixed ban for an overstay itself; an exclusion order, where one is made, bars a return for one year without written authorization (IRPR s.225(1))

If you lose status, you generally have 90 days from the day your status expired to apply to restore it from inside Canada, paying the restoration fee of $246.25 CAD, and you must continue to meet the requirements of a visitor. Applying on day 91 or later is generally too late.

Misrepresentation (lying or withholding facts, IRPA s.40) is a separate matter that generally carries a 5-year inadmissibility.

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What do people ask?

How many days can you stay in Canada as a visitor?

The law counts months, not days: IRPR s.183(2) sets six months from entry, or another period an officer fixes. If no date was stamped, IRCC says your stay ends on whichever comes first: six months from entry, your passport's expiry or your biometrics' expiry. Keep your boarding pass or electronic entry record as proof. Our Visitor Visa Extension guide explains how to stay longer.

How long can you stay in Canada as a visitor from the US?

Up to 6 months per entry, the same as other visitors. US citizens need no visa or eTA, but the IRPR s.183(2) default still applies unless the CBSA officer fixes a different date. Each entry is assessed on its own, so frequent long stays can lead an officer to grant less. Our Visiting Canada from the US guide covers the rest of the entry rules for Americans.

Can a visitor stay in Canada for more than 6 months?

Yes, with an approved extension. Apply for a Visitor Record through the IRCC portal before your authorized period ends; the fee is $100 CAD. If you apply in time, IRPR s.183(5) keeps you in status while IRCC decides, which IRCC calls maintained status. An officer can also authorize a longer stay at entry. Our Visitor Visa Extension guide walks through the application.

How long can I stay in Canada with a visitor record?

Until the new date IRCC sets on the visitor record. A visitor record extends your authorization to remain in Canada as a visitor; it is not a visa, and it does not by itself let you re-enter if you leave. If you need more time after that date, apply again before it passes. Our Overstaying in Canada guide explains what happens when a stay runs past its end date.

Does a 10-year visitor visa let me stay in Canada for 10 years?

No. A multiple-entry visitor visa can be valid for up to 10 years, but it only lets you seek entry repeatedly. Each stay is still limited to the period the officer authorizes at entry, generally 6 months. The visa's expiry date and your authorized stay are two separate dates. Our Visitor Visa Canada guide explains how the visa and the stay work together.

Is there a long-term visitor visa for Canada?

For parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and registered Indians, yes: the super visa. IRCC says it lets them visit for 5 years at a time and provides multiple entries for up to 10 years; a border officer still decides whether to let them in. Other visitors use the regular 6-month default and extensions. Our Super Visa guide covers the income and insurance requirements.

Can I reset my 6 months by driving to the US and coming back?

Not reliably. Each entry is assessed independently by a CBSA officer, and IRPA s.20(1)(b) requires a visitor to establish they will leave by the end of their authorized stay. At each entry an officer can allow less than 6 months, or refuse entry if not satisfied you will leave. Our Visitor Visa Extension guide covers the lawful way to stay longer.

I overstayed as a visitor. Can I still fix my status?

Possibly, if you act within 90 days. You can generally apply to restore your status from inside Canada within 90 days of the day it expired, paying the restoration fee only ($246.25 CAD). Day 91 is generally too late, and the application is made from inside Canada. IRCC says there is no guarantee that it will approve the application. Our Restore Visitor Status guide explains the 90-day window.

Part of:Visiting Canada

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.