To keep a parent in Canada past six months, apply online for a visitor record before their current status expires; the fee is $100 and the parent keeps maintained status while IRCC decides. Separately, extend the visitor insurance before its own expiry date, to a date beyond the new departure date you requested. The two clocks run independently: IRCC does not check the insurance, and the insurer does not check the immigration file. Miss either deadline and the parent is either out of status or uninsured.
IRCC says “most visitors can stay in Canada for up to 6 months” and that “a visitor record is not a visa,” per the about page. The record gives “your new deadline to leave Canada.”
What you need before you start
The entry date, the current expiry date, the requested new date and the reason for staying. Have the passport, the entry stamp or kiosk receipt, proof of funds or a host’s support letter, and the current insurance certificate to hand.
| Item | For the IRCC application | For the insurance extension |
|---|---|---|
| Passport and entry stamp | Required | Not required |
| Current status expiry date | Sets the application deadline | Not relevant |
| Requested new departure date | Stated on the form | Sets the new policy expiry |
| Reason for the extension and host’s letter | Supporting evidence | Not required |
| Proof of funds or host’s income | Supporting evidence | Not required |
| Current policy number and expiry | Useful supporting evidence | Required |
| Health since arrival: treatment, tests, medication changes | Not asked | Decides whether an extension is possible |
| $100 fee; $85 biometrics if not already given | Required | Not applicable |
How to extend the stay and the insurance, step by step
Start at least 30 days before the status expires, and at least 10 days before the insurance expires. The IRCC form takes about an hour; the insurance extension about 20 minutes.
- Find the status expiry date. The stamped date in the passport, or six months from entry if not stamped, or the date on an existing visitor record.
- Decide the new departure date. Be realistic; a second extension is possible but each costs $100 and a fresh assessment.
- Apply online for the visitor record before the status expires. IRCC says “you must apply online for your visitor record,” per the how to apply page. Select “Visit” and “Canada” as current residence, upload the documents, pay $100.
- Save the submission confirmation. It is the proof of maintained status if the current status expires before a decision.
- Find the insurance expiry date and confirm the parent’s health is unchanged. No treatment, no new medication, no claim. If any has occurred, see the “if it goes wrong” section.
- Extend the insurance before it expires, to the requested new departure date plus three days. GMS needs 48 hours’ notice; Manulife takes the request by phone before expiry. Full rules on the extending coverage page.
- Give biometrics promptly if IRCC asks, and watch for the decision. IRCC says the record should arrive by mail “within 6 weeks” of the decision letter, per the after you apply page.
- If the visitor record is refused, book the flight home and cancel the unused insurance days for a pro-rata refund. See refunds.
How do the two timelines interact?
They do not, which is the problem. A parent can be in status and uninsured, or insured and out of status. The table shows a typical six-month entry on 10 March with a request to stay to 10 December.
| Date | Immigration | Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 10 March | Enters Canada; status to 10 September | 183-day policy starts; expires 9 September |
| 1 August | Decides to stay to 10 December | Health unchanged; no claims |
| 10 August | Submits visitor record application; $100 | Requests extension to 13 December; pays extra days |
| 9 September | Status would have expired; maintained status applies | Original expiry; extension already in force, no gap |
| October or November | Decision; record mailed within 6 weeks | Covered |
| 10 December | Leaves Canada | Policy ends 13 December; no refund needed |
The insurance extension was requested a month before expiry and while healthy. Had the parent been treated for anything in September, the extension would have been refused and a replacement policy would have carried a waiting period.
What if the status has already expired?
Apply for restoration within 90 days. Go Far Global, citing the IRCC fee list, gives the restoration fee as $239.75 plus the $100 visitor record fee, and notes the applicant may stay while it is processed but cannot work or study. We could not load the IRCC fee list at the time of writing; confirm the amounts there.
| Situation | Can the parent stay? | Cost | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied before expiry | Yes, maintained status | $100 | Extend before its own expiry |
| Expired, within 90 days | Apply for restoration; may stay while pending | $239.75 plus $100 | Extend or replace; policy is not voided by status |
| Expired, more than 90 days | No; must leave | Not applicable | Keep cover until departure |
A visitor policy does not lapse because immigration status has, but the certificate wording assumes a lawful visitor; keep the restoration application receipt with the policy.
Should the parent switch to a super visa instead?
If they will come back next year or want to stay beyond a year, yes. The super visa application must be made from outside Canada, per IRCC’s eligibility page, with a paid 365-day $100,000 policy in the file. A parent on a second visitor record is a parent who should probably have a super visa.
The sequence that works: finish the current stay, fly home, buy the super visa policy with a movable start date, apply, and return for up to five years per entry. The parents on a visitor visa page and the decision guide cover the income test and timing.
What to do if it goes wrong
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Missed the status expiry | Restoration within 90 days; see above |
| Insurance extension refused for a health change | Replacement policy from another carrier before expiry; the changed condition is excluded; a no-gap switch to GMS avoids the wait |
| Insurance lapsed before the extension was requested | New policy today with a 48-hour to 7-day wait; see buying after arrival |
| Visitor record refused | Leave by the date in the letter; cancel unused days for a pro-rata refund with proof of departure |
| Parent crosses the carrier’s maximum age during the extended stay | Replace with a carrier that insures to 89 or 90, or TuGo with no limit |
SuperVisaDirect is operated by Super Visa Direct Insurance Services, an independent Ontario life and accident-and-sickness insurance agency licensed by FSRA (licence [FSRA-LICENCE]). We serve Ontario residents; other provinces are planned for 2028. Email [email protected] or request a callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time.
Questions people ask
What is a visitor record?
An IRCC document that lets a visitor stay in Canada past their original authorized period. IRCC states plainly that 'a visitor record is not a visa': it does not allow re-entry after leaving. It carries a new expiry date, which IRCC calls 'your new deadline to leave Canada.' You must apply online before the current status expires.
When does my parent's status expire?
On the date stamped in the passport, if one was stamped. If not stamped, six months from the date of entry or the passport expiry, whichever is first, per IRCC. If a visitor record was already issued, the date on it. Count the days from the entry stamp; six months from 10 March is 10 September.
Can my parent stay while the application is processed?
Yes, if the application was submitted before the status expired. IRCC says the applicant 'can legally stay in Canada until a decision is made,' which it calls maintained status. The insurance does not know about maintained status; it expires on its own date, so extend it to cover the processing period and the requested stay.
What if the status has already expired?
Apply to restore it within 90 days of the expiry. The restoration fee is $239.75 plus the $100 visitor record fee, per Go Far Global's summary of the IRCC fee list; confirm on the IRCC fee list. After 90 days the parent must leave. The insurance can still be extended or replaced in the meantime; immigration status does not void a visitor policy.
Does IRCC ask for insurance with a visitor record application?
The application page does not list insurance as a required document. Officers assess whether the visitor can support themselves and will leave at the end of the stay, so proof of funds and a host's letter are common. An insurance certificate is useful supporting evidence that the parent will not burden the health system, but it is not a formal requirement.
Can my parent switch to a super visa from inside Canada?
No. The super visa application must be made from outside Canada, with a paid 365-day $100,000 policy in the file. A parent on a visitor record who wants a long-term arrangement should fly home before the record expires and apply for the super visa from there. The decision guide explains the trade-offs.
Get the policy IRCC requires, in minutes
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Sources
- IRCC – Extend your stay in Canada (visitor record overview)
- IRCC – Visitor record: about the document (not a visa; new deadline to leave; 6 months)
- IRCC – Visitor record: how to apply (must apply online)
- IRCC – Visitor record: after you apply (maintained status; record mailed within 6 weeks of decision)
- Go Far Global – Restoration of status 2026 (90-day rule; $239.75 restoration fee; $100 visitor record fee, citing IRCC fee list)
- GMS – Visitors to Canada travel insurance (extension conditions)
- Manulife CoverMe – Visitors to Canada Standard plan (add days before expiry)
- IRCC – Super visa eligibility (apply from outside Canada)