Need help for a visitor visa from India

[BA101]

Need help to file my visitor visa application:

Sponsor's details:
- I have a friend who would like to sponsor me for a visit for 2 weeks
- He is a citizen and own a house and two accounting firms in BC with earning approx. $12000/month

My Profile:
- No travel history but completed Bachelor degree from UK - 2004-2007 and got refusal for study visa extension so came back to India in Dec.2007 (overstayed few months but voluntarily exit the country)
- Done Masters in India
- Now working in an IT company in India
- Almost 12+ years experience
- Last ITR filed approx. 9.5 lakh
- Bank balance maintained between 4-5lakh with CC limit around 5 lakh and also have MF's, FD on my wife's name
- Properties are on father's and mother's name
- In family - Wife, 2 kids, Father, Mother, a brother his wife

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa?
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years?
3. What is the current procession time?
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months)

Thanks so much in advance.

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa? Nobody can answer this but you can take it at 50-50 and it is mostly based on luck these days and not the merit of your documents. [ Google Chinook for TRV ]
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years? You absolutely have to and given the history there is a small risk with your application in my opinion.
3. What is the current procession time? Can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6+ months. It is very random.
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months) Your friend cannot sponsor anyone to visit. All he can do is write an invitation letter which he can for you too. It is of no value add as every applicant over 18 have to show their own funds, justify purpose of visit demonstrate home ties.

Good Luck

 

[psjabbal]

Thanks very much, @BA101 and specially @cansha

@cansha I agree the ticket prices are high and honestly I haven't finalized the dates but I believe it will be around December 2022, only if I get a visa and tickets are still cheaper in that month I have no intention to stay longer than max. 3 weeks (happy with my current job) but surprise my childhood friends who are settled in different parts of Canada while visiting some of the beautiful places and two of them are must visit (Banff, Niagara Falls).

I would appreciate it if someone can give me some help writing my SOP.

Thanks again @cansha

 

[psjabbal]

No it is okay to apply without wife and kids as then the expectations you are going to be back to the country for your family. It is just that your reason for visit should sound genuine.

1. For refusal I would say be honest and be to the point. People tend to write essays explaining how they were so innocent and their circumstances forced them to overstay. You have to be brief and to the point. The more stories you write more chances visa officer thinks you are lying. Be factual rather than emotional.

2. You can't do much here. Again properties in your name help with respect to your ability to pay for the trip and your home tie. If you don't have property in your name an affidavit won't help much. It doesn't prove anything. I think what you need to prove is that you are financially well off to the extent that you are not coming to Canada for better life.

3. Unless the travel is to US, UK, Aus, NZ it won't help much anyways.

@cansha Thanks so much... My friend is ready to organize an event if that is require for my purpose of visit. Can he invite me on the Christmas party or the new year party as he doesn't have any other celebration in the family?

 

[cansha]

@cansha Thanks so much... My friend is ready to organize an event if that is require for my purpose of visit. Can he invite me on the Christmas party or the new year party as he doesn't have any other celebration in the family?

Honestly, this makes it sound like your purpose of visit is not genuine. Not sure what your deal is with your friend but I can't give any advice on this as it sounds shady.

May be your reasons are genuine and I wish you all the best but I can't give any more inputs than I already have given.

 

[psjabbal]

Thanks everyone for your inputs and I will try to write my SOP in which, I hope I can explain better. One last question, Do we have an option to file my Visitor Visa application under new portal or old portal and if so, then which one is the best?

 

[YVR123]

Thanks very much, @BA101 and specially @cansha

@cansha I agree the ticket prices are high and honestly I haven't finalized the dates but I believe it will be around December 2022, only if I get a visa and tickets are still cheaper in that month I have no intention to stay longer than max. 3 weeks (happy with my current job) but surprise my childhood friends who are settled in different parts of Canada while visiting some of the beautiful places and two of them are must visit (Banff, Niagara Falls).

I would appreciate it if someone can give me some help writing my SOP.

Thanks again @cansha

Air ticket prices near Christmas is never low. Be prepared to pay for high season ticket prices.

 

[BA101]

Thanks everyone for your inputs and I will try to write my SOP in which, I hope I can explain better. One last question, Do we have an option to file my Visitor Visa application under new portal or old portal and if so, then which one is the best?

You can file on either portal

There is no such thing as best

All depends on how you justify your ask for visa with supporting documents

Good Luck

 

[psjabbal]

THANK YOU EVERYONE............. I have got the passport request..
timeline-
Application submitted Sept. 2, 2022
Received - Sept.4 and also got request for Bio-metric
Biometric done on - Sept. 7, 2022
Correspondence letter - Sept. 14, 2022
Passport request - Sept. 17, 2022