Seeking Guidance on Strengthening Visitor Visa Reapplication for Web Summit 2026

[sabir.ali562]

Hello,
I applied for a Canadian visitor visa in June 2024, but it was refused on the grounds of "insufficient ties" to my home country, Pakistan. The visa officer wasn’t convinced that I would return after my visit.
I’m now planning to reapply in June 2025 to attend the Web Summit in Vancouver, scheduled for May 2026. The event organizers will issue an invitation letter in support of my application. I’ll be traveling with my wife (who will also attend the summit) and our preschool-aged son.
I’m concerned that the previous refusal might impact my upcoming application. This time, I plan to include a detailed travel itinerary, proof of ticket bookings, and an invitation letter from my wife’s brother, who resides in Toronto.
Given the significant costs involved in attending the summit, I want to reduce the chances of another refusal. I’d appreciate any advice or suggestions on how to strengthen my application and improve my chances of approval.

Thank you in advance for your support and guidance.

 

[canuck78]

Hello,
I applied for a Canadian visitor visa in June 2024, but it was refused on the grounds of "insufficient ties" to my home country, Pakistan. The visa officer wasn’t convinced that I would return after my visit.
I’m now planning to reapply in June 2025 to attend the Web Summit in Vancouver, scheduled for May 2026. The event organizers will issue an invitation letter in support of my application. I’ll be traveling with my wife (who will also attend the summit) and our preschool-aged son.
I’m concerned that the previous refusal might impact my upcoming application. This time, I plan to include a detailed travel itinerary, proof of ticket bookings, and an invitation letter from my wife’s brother, who resides in Toronto.
Given the significant costs involved in attending the summit, I want to reduce the chances of another refusal. I’d appreciate any advice or suggestions on how to strengthen my application and improve my chances of approval.

Thank you in advance for your support and guidance.

The reason for travel doesn’t make sense for your family. It may make sense for just you if you can show you have attended similar conferences in other countries, you can show that your employer or the conferences is covering your costs to attend the conference, etc. You would also need to show proof of sufficient funds to afford to travel, assume you are also suggesting you will be visiting Toronto as well or else an invitation letter from family in Toronto does not make sense. You will also need to show ties to your home country like job with approved leave, family (preferably your spouse and dependent child who will remain at home), property, etc. Assume you are also aware of that it is no longer possible to secure a WP as a visitor in Canada.

 

[sabir.ali562]

The reason for travel doesn’t make sense for your family. It may make sense for just you if you can show you have attended similar conferences in other countries, you can show that your employer or the conferences is covering your costs to attend the conference, etc. You would also need to show proof of sufficient funds to afford to travel, assume you are also suggesting you will be visiting Toronto as well or else an invitation letter from family in Toronto does not make sense. You will also need to show ties to your home country like job with approved leave, family (preferably your spouse and dependent child who will remain at home), property, etc. Assume you are also aware of that it is no longer possible to secure a WP as a visitor in Canada.

Thank you for your detailed response and valuable guidance.

I currently hold a stable full-time position as a software engineer, with over 15 years of professional experience. My wife is also engaged in part-time remote work. We both plan to return home after our trip, and we will include documentation such as property ownership papers, approved leave letters, and evidence of strong family ties to demonstrate our clear intention to return.

My wife will be attending the Web Summit alongside me. Additionally, since her brother resides in Toronto and there is a planned family gathering during that period, we intend to visit them as part of the trip. This is why I mentioned the family invitation letter. I was seeking advice on whether it would strengthen or dilute the application to include both the Web Summit invitation and the family visit letter, or if it’s preferable to submit only the conference invitation.
I have previously held business visas through my former Swedish employer and returned on time after each trip. My prior Canadian visitor visa application was rejected due to insufficient evidence of ties to my home country, which I now understand more clearly. This time, the purpose is professional is to attend an international conference, so I want to ensure my application is appropriately positioned and complete.
I appreciate your time and advice on how best to structure the application.