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Transit visa doubts

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
Greetings,

Hope to get some answer to my question.

I am from Colombia and I will travel to Japan in October, I already have the air tickets and hotel reservation paid.
I applied for the transit visa a few days ago, but now I am reading a little more information and they say that 9 months in advance is a long time to apply for it, I did it in case it took too long and not to be rushing at the last minute.

Thank you very much for your answers
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,546
9,397
Greetings,

Hope to get some answer to my question.

I am from Colombia and I will travel to Japan in October, I already have the air tickets and hotel reservation paid.
I applied for the transit visa a few days ago, but now I am reading a little more information and they say that 9 months in advance is a long time to apply for it, I did it in case it took too long and not to be rushing at the last minute.

Thank you very much for your answers
All you can do is wait. IRCC doesn’t want you to pay for airfare so assume it is refundable.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
All you can do is wait. IRCC doesn’t want you to pay for airfare so assume it is refundable.
Thank you for your response, but is there no problem in requesting it with so much time? I simply did it as a precaution, and they also asked me for the flight itinerary, so I bought everything before requesting it.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,546
9,397
Thank you for your response, but is there no problem in requesting it with so much time? I simply did it as a precaution, and they also asked me for the flight itinerary, so I bought everything before requesting it.
No issue applying in advance. IRCC just asked for itineracy not proof of booked flights. Booking flights doesn’t give any advantage.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
No issue applying in advance. IRCC just asked for itineracy not proof of booked flights. Booking flights doesn’t give any advantage.
Perfect! Thank you very much, I feel calmer knowing this. Regarding the tickets, I did not buy them with the intention of getting the visa approved faster, just to be as transparent as possible that it is real that I will only make transit hehe.
I was worried because I read on a site that the validity of the transit visa was only 6 months, meaning that if they approve it now it would not arrive until October.
Thank you for your time and clarifications.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,291
13,428
Perfect! Thank you very much, I feel calmer knowing this. Regarding the tickets, I did not buy them with the intention of getting the visa approved faster, just to be as transparent as possible that it is real that I will only make transit hehe.
I was worried because I read on a site that the validity of the transit visa was only 6 months, meaning that if they approve it now it would not arrive until October.
Thank you for your time and clarifications.
It is a catch 22. Processing may take a while and if denied you may need to try again. On the other hand there will be an expiry date associated with the transit visa. Assume you have specified why it makes sense to transit through Canada. Show cost saving for example or proof of direct flights by traveling through Canada versus multiple transfer if transiting through other countries. Given asylum claims from Colombians have become very frequent there will be concern that you will be planning on claiming asylum unless your applications can justify why you want to transit through Canada and you have proof that you have a travel history so traveling to Japan is just another travel destination.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
It is a catch 22. Processing may take a while and if denied you may need to try again. On the other hand there will be an expiry date associated with the transit visa. Assume you have specified why it makes sense to transit through Canada. Show cost saving for example or proof of direct flights by traveling through Canada versus multiple transfer if transiting through other countries. Given asylum claims from Colombians have become very frequent there will be concern that you will be planning on claiming asylum unless your applications can justify why you want to transit through Canada and you have proof that you have a travel history so traveling to Japan is just another travel destination.
Thank you very much for your answer. For this reason, I preferred to request it well in advance, if the response takes a while, there will be time to request it again in case of rejection. I sent the flight tickets already purchased, the hotel reservation already paid in Tokyo and my personal documents, In order to prove that it is real, I will only go there because I bought the tickets through Air Canada and it always stops in Canada.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
It is a catch 22. Processing may take a while and if denied you may need to try again. On the other hand there will be an expiry date associated with the transit visa. Assume you have specified why it makes sense to transit through Canada. Show cost saving for example or proof of direct flights by traveling through Canada versus multiple transfer if transiting through other countries. Given asylum claims from Colombians have become very frequent there will be concern that you will be planning on claiming asylum unless your applications can justify why you want to transit through Canada and you have proof that you have a travel history so traveling to Japan is just another travel destination.
I also wanted to ask, is there no problem in trying it several times? And in the case of a friend, he will have a return stopover at 2 airports in Canada. According to what he informed me, he must apply for a visit visa and not a transit visa. He already did it and already paid 180 CAD. If they reject it, he must pay again or he can appeal. to the decision?
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,546
9,397
I also wanted to ask, is there no problem in trying it several times? And in the case of a friend, he will have a return stopover at 2 airports in Canada. According to what he informed me, he must apply for a visit visa and not a transit visa. He already did it and already paid 180 CAD. If they reject it, he must pay again or he can appeal. to the decision?
If the stopover is two airports, he needs a TRV. If rejected, he must address reasons for refusal. Appeal is not possible unless an error in law. For a TRV, he needs to show funds, travel history, ties to return home.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,291
13,428
I also wanted to ask, is there no problem in trying it several times? And in the case of a friend, he will have a return stopover at 2 airports in Canada. According to what he informed me, he must apply for a visit visa and not a transit visa. He already did it and already paid 180 CAD. If they reject it, he must pay again or he can appeal. to the decision?
He can ask for reconsideration which is a less formal process. Would suggest ordering GCMS notes so he can address exact concerns.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
He can ask for reconsideration which is a less formal process. Would suggest ordering GCMS notes so he can address exact concerns.
Thank you all very much for your answers, I was very worried about applying for the transit visa so many months in advance, I only did it in case there is a delay to be on time and not suffer until the last minute.
I understand that GCMS notes can only be requested by a Canadian. If I do not have any contact with someone from Canada or do not know anyone, what can I do to request them (in case the visa is denied)?
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,546
9,397
Thank you all very much for your answers, I was very worried about applying for the transit visa so many months in advance, I only did it in case there is a delay to be on time and not suffer until the last minute.
I understand that GCMS notes can only be requested by a Canadian. If I do not have any contact with someone from Canada or do not know anyone, what can I do to request them (in case the visa is denied)?
You can order GCMS notes. Google - order GCMS notes. You don’t have to be Canadian.
 

Copingwithlife

VIP Member
Jul 29, 2018
4,417
2,211
Earth
Thank you very much for your answer. For this reason, I preferred to request it well in advance, if the response takes a while, there will be time to request it again in case of rejection. I sent the flight tickets already purchased, the hotel reservation already paid in Tokyo and my personal documents, In order to prove that it is real, I will only go there because I bought the tickets through Air Canada and it always stops in Canada.
Air Canada always goes via Canada , because they must go thru Canada when flying international.
The VO officer can look and think why Canada ? American Airlines goes to Japan via their hubs in the United States. So does Delta. So does United . You could go via Mexico City , Avianca & Japan Airlines .
There are literally dozens of connections to Tokyo that don’t go thru Canada

FYI buying an airline ticket doesn’t make the process go faster , or guarantee approval.
 

jhramirezgo

Member
Feb 9, 2024
10
1
Air Canada always goes via Canada , because they must go thru Canada when flying international.
The VO officer can look and think why Canada ? American Airlines goes to Japan via their hubs in the United States. So does Delta. So does United . You could go via Mexico City , Avianca & Japan Airlines .
There are literally dozens of connections to Tokyo that don’t go thru Canada

FYI buying an airline ticket doesn’t make the process go faster , or guarantee approval.
I bought the flight through Air Canada because simply with connections or through another airline it was 800 dollars more, I could get the flight through Air Canada for 850 dollars.

I didn't buy the ticket to speed up the approval process, I simply bought it and then verified what documents I would need.