Change to declared length of stay while in Canada for a visa-exempt visitor

Question

I am a French citizen who came to Canada on the Waiver program one and a half months ago for travelling. Before I arrived I booked a return flight two months after my arrival and I communicated to the border agent that I would only stay in Canada for that period. My plans have changed a bit now and I would like to prolong the current trip for another one and a half months.

Does staying in Canada longer than communicated to the border agent constitute a violation of any sort against the Waiver program?

The Waiver program allows for a six month stay and I won't overstay that period but does the (supposed) misinformation about the true length of my stay I gave to the border agent constitute any problem for my current stay or for the chances of future returns to Canada?

Answer 1

I have been in the same situation in the past, declaring some length of stay on the paper I filled when entering the country and changing my mind, staying longer than expected and leaving way later.

I could leave the country without an issue and when reentering (through a land border, though I doubt it changes anything), I had "troubles", but not so much because I changed my mind. I left again and reentered again a little later and, though it was once again complicated, at no time during the entire process of entering the country the fact that I did not state the right length of stay was never brought up. It might have raised flags, but it did not seem to be an issue in itself. My issue was that for such a long stay, it was hard to prove I would leave Canada and I was not working or tring to work illegally. And I was allowed in Canada all the times I have been.

There is one thing to remember though, when entering the country, you get a stamp on your passport and a date is written (optionally) by the border agent. I think that this date is the important one, not any other. I suppose if there is none, the six-month stay is the rule that applies to your case.

To sum up, either you get a stamp on your passport with a specific date of exit, sooner or later than you declared, or not and from my experience the 6-month rule (because you are French) applies.