In a 5 November telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an official at the Refugee Branch, Asylum Division of Citizenship and Immigration Canada stated that a visitor to Canada from any country is not required to wait for the expiration of his or her Visitor's Visa in order to make a refugee claim. The official stated that there have been no recent changes to this policy.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Refugee Branch, Asylum Division, Ottawa. 5 November 1998. Telephone interview.