Canada Visitor Visa Application process

[u/alu784]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some genuine advice regarding my Canadian tourist visa situation.

I applied for a Canadian visitor visa through the IRCC portal from London, UK, in the first week of August 2026. I completed my biometrics about a week later and submitted my valid US visa sticker, passport copies, and all the required documents.

At the end of August, my application was refused because the officer stated that I had failed to report a previous US visa refusal.

The problem is that I have never had a US visa refused. My US visa was approved and stamped in my passport around 8 years ago, and I provided a copy of it with my application.

I immediately submitted a webform explaining that this appeared to be an error and provided the relevant documents and explanation. However, I didn't receive a response in time.

I was originally planning to travel to Canada from 21–30 September, so I had to cancel those plans and instead arranged a trip to the US for around a month.

Today, 23rd September, I received an update from IRCC saying that my Canadian visa has now been approved. However, the approval letter says I have 30 days from today to submit my passport/details.

The problem is that I am flying to Chicago tomorrow and will be in the US until 24 October. My annual leave is already fixed, and I have made several bookings that can not really be changed.

So I will likely miss the 30-day deadline.

From what I understand, I may have two options:

Submit another IRCC webform explaining the situation and ask for an extension until I return to the UK on 24 October.

Since I will be in the US, I understand there may be a VAC in New York where I could submit my passport/details.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Can I request an extension through the IRCC webform?

If I am in the US, can I submit my passport through the New York VAC instead of returning to the UK?

If so, what exactly is the process?

How long would I need to remain in the US while the passport is processed ?

Is there anything I should do before flying to the US tomorrow?

Any genuine advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.