Help needed on Temporary visa for british citizen

Ok, I lived and worked in Canada for 12 months on a working holiday visa, i met my boyfriend after been there 6 weeks, i now go back n forth for 2 months at a time to see him, this as been going on over a year now. We have been told to qualify as common-law partners and so he can sponsor me under the family category we need to live together for 1 year (no intervals) so i have to go out there for 1 year without working. This is fine, my confusion is i was told british citizen can visit for upto 6 months and that after this time i can apply to exend my stay. I have looked on the CIC site and it confuses me because a british citizen does not need a visa to visit. Can someone please tell me, will i have to apply for an exension for the next 6 months, or is it ok to just stay there?

Thankyou.
Nicki

A Brit does not need a visa to visit but to work, study and immigrate you do. You are allowed a maximum of 6 months for every visit but this is at the discretion of the entry clearance officer (ECO) at the point of entry depending on your circumstances. Most cases you would be allowed 6 months. Whilst in Canada, if your first 6 months expires then you need to apply for extension for your visitor status. You can leave Canada after the 6th month and come back to London and return so that your entry would be valid. Another option, is to go to the states either by road, sea or air and return so that you would not be out of status. I believe you would be fine with this option and it does not affect your one year continous stay. Bear in mind, on your return, the ECO can decide how long you can stay in Canada or refuse you entry. But I guess you can still renew your status. My advise. Leave CND after the sixth month and return and the subsequent renewal do it as an In-country extension or vise versa.

Hope this helps,

thanks for that.

How would i have to leave for though? Say if i went over to the states, a week, two weeks? just wondering. I think my best option is to apply for an extension, ive downloaded the forms to take a quick glance and i dont see any problems with it.

Thanks for your help