When applying for a visa, the expiration of a passport can be an issue that delays processing, or worse, results in some unexpected hassles. In the context of permanent resident applications, visa offices typically require at least six months duration on a passport as a pre-condition to issuing a permanent resident document. The reason relates to the fact that medical results must be valid at the time one passes through a Canadian port of entry for the first time as a permanent resident, not to mention, of course the passport itself. It is conceivable that an officer can be asked to waive the six month requirement, if sufficient reasons are given, and if the requirements of the law are still met (e.g. that the person will have a valid passport and valid medicals at the time of landing)
The validity of a passport can be critical for persons who are seeking a temporary extension of their visa within Canada (be it , work, study, or visitor). An officer, when faced with such an extension of temporary status, will likely cut off the duration of the temporary visa being sought so as to fit the time left on the passport. For example, if a person is asking for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (which can be as long as three years), and that person’s passport will expire in two years, then an officer would likely issue a two year Post-Graduation Work Permit rather than one three years in duration. In such a situation, an additional application for a work permit would be required to ‘top up’ the work permit to three years.
Do You have more questions about Post-Graduation Work Permits, or submitting your passport to Canada’s immigration department? Contact Chaudhary Law Office.
