What do the “big visa” and “small visa” for studying in Canada refer to?

When applying for a visa to study in Canada, students may hear terms like “big visa” and “small visa”. So what is a "big lot" and what is a "small lot"? What's the difference between the two? Next I will give you a detailed introduction, come and take a look.

1. What is a "big visa"

A study permit is a student permit (Study Permit) visa issued by the Immigration Bureau when the applicant enters Canada, commonly known as a big visa. This visa only allows students to stay in Canada to study and cannot be used as a certificate for entry or exit.

The validity period of the study permit is different depending on the length of study. The general validity period of the study permit for undergraduate students is 4 years, and the validity period for graduate students is one and a half to two years. The validity period for high school students is usually 1 year. If If you still need to continue studying in Canada after your study permit expires, you must apply for renewal at the local immigration office.

2. What is a "Visa"

The VISA is the "VISA" affixed to the applicant's passport. This type of visa is a voucher for the applicant's entry and exit. It can also It is called an entry and exit visa. If the applicant's VISA expires, he must apply to the Immigration Bureau in advance to extend his "VISA" before returning to his country to visit relatives or travel to other countries. Otherwise, he may encounter the dilemma of being unable to re-enter Canada after returning to his country. If the applicant leaves the country temporarily, he must also apply for a re-entry visa, otherwise he will not be allowed to return to Canada.

Because the size of Visa is smaller than that of Study Permit, Visa is called a small signature and Study Permit is called a large signature. The major visa and the minor visa cannot be processed at the same time. You can only apply for a round-trip visa if you have a study visa. It usually takes 5 working days to apply for a minor visa extension in China.

3. Things to note when renewing a major visa

1. Issues about renewing a major visa

The application for a Study Permit can be renewed in Canada or after returning to the country. , whether you are in Canada or returning to your country to renew, you must start applying two months after the study permit expires. Otherwise, it may result in illegal stay (if you are in Canada when it expires) or being unable to return to Canada (if you are in China when it expires).

2. Mini-visa renewal issue

The Canadian mini-visa is used when entering and leaving the country, so you don’t need a mini-visa if you don’t return to your country. For international students in Canada, the small visa can be renewed at any time with a valid large visa and information. According to the regulations of the Canadian Immigration Service, small visas cannot be renewed in Canada. They must be renewed by mail or in person at a Canadian consulate in a foreign country. It doesn't matter if the small visa expires. When living in Canada, the key is to look at the large visa. You can just renew your visa when you return to your country.

It should be noted that only if the study permit (Study Permit) has not expired, you can apply for a small visa, that is, a round-trip visa. If the study permit (Study Permit) and small visa (VISA) If it expires at the same time, you need to apply for renewal of the visa. Applying to renew a VISA in China generally takes 5 working days. Renewal of study permit requires 2 months of application time. Renewal of Canadian visa is no small matter. International students must not delay their study abroad trip because of this, and must be prepared to renew their visa in advance.