A member's 3-year-old had a visa stamp allowing multiple entries over 2 years, but asked whether the standard 6-month maximum stay per visit meant the child would need to leave Canada every 6 months during the parent's 2-year study program.
What the thread clarified:- You can apply for an extension at least 30 days before the current authorized stay expires, which is the standard route for extending a stay beyond the initial 6 months.
- A better option for a multi-year study program: request a visitor record for your child at the time of landing, tied to your own study permit's expiration date. This lets the child's authorized stay be issued to match your full program length upfront, rather than needing repeated 6-month extensions.
- A visitor record is a separate document from the visa stamp itself — the visa stamp governs entry/re-entry over multiple years, while the visitor record governs how long the child can actually stay per visit once inside Canada.
The practical takeaway: rather than planning around 6-month exits and re-entries, request a visitor record for your child at landing, tied to your own study permit's expiration date — this avoids the need for repeated visa extensions or trips out of the country during a multi-year program.