Canada’s immigration department recently announced updates to its visa policy, enabling immigration officers to exercise greater discretion in determining whether to issue single-entry or multiple-entry visas to applicants.
Under the new guidelines, applicants eligible for a multiple-entry visa may not necessarily receive the maximum allowable validity period. Although multiple-entry visas typically allow holders to travel to Canada for up to 10 years—or until the expiration of their passport or biometrics—officers may now issue a visa with a shorter validity period if deemed appropriate.
“Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document. Officers may exercise their judgment in deciding whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa and in determining the validity period,” read a statement by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The updated policy means a significant change for applicants who previously anticipated a standardized multiple-entry visa duration.
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