5 Reasons (mistake) Your Visitor Visa Was Denied
- Thread starter Khalsgb
- Start date
Connections To Your Home Country
Some of the most important factors a visa officer will consider in assessing your application are the connections to your home country.
Why?
One of the main tests in issuing a temporary resident visa ( or visitor visa) is this: Will the applicant return to his or her country once his or her status expires?
In trying to answer this question, the visa officer will first look at your connections to your home country.
Employment
If you are employed, this is a powerful connection to your home country.
If you can, be sure to include a letter of employment and confirmation in that letter that your absence to visit Canada has been approved.
Family
If you have family in your country of residence, that is an important connection.
If you can, provide copies of the bio-data sections of their passports, along with copies of birth certificates to show relationships.
An affidavit is a good idea if you have no documents to prove the relationship. Your family member can swear an affidavit and state their relationship to you.
Property
Owning property in your country of residence is another powerful connection to your country that you can show.
If you can, provide copies of titles or other documents that show you own the property, and where the property is located.
Obligations
Do you have obligations in your home country? Perhaps you care for an elderly parent or other relative? Or perhaps you are a leader of a community or volunteer group?
Showing evidence of obligations at home will certainly help you show that you will return to your home country after your visit.
Previous Travel
Simply having travelled before is also a good sign that you will return to Canada after your visit.
Be sure to include copies of your passport pages showing your previous travels with your temporary resident visa application.
Supporting Yourself in Canada
Another critical factor you must address in your application is how you will support yourself in Canada. This section will address factors you should consider and think about the evidence you can provide.
Finances Available
How much money do you have available to you while in Canada? CIC will do a rough calculation of food and accommodation to determine if you have enough cash.
Provide evidence of cash in your bank, and have traveller’s cheques while crossing the border – don’t rely solely on credit cards or a visa officer might suspect you don’t have the funds for your trip.
Are there currency restrictions in your home country? Take this into account and find a way to address it.
Staying with Friends or Family
If you will be staying with friends or family, you won’t need as much cash for your trip. You will however need proof that your host will provide lodging and food.
Be sure to have your host in Canada sign a letter stating that you will be staying with them and that they will provide food and lodging.
The letter should state the amount if time you will be staying with them and have an address and contact phone number where they can be reached.
Ability to Leave Canada
The visa officer has to determine if you have the ability to leave Canada after your stay.
Be sure to have booked a return travel ticket to your home country, and that your passport is valid for your entire stay and return trip.
If you don’t have a return ticket because you are unsure when you want to return to your home country, be sure to show enough money to purchase a return ticket to your home country.
Some of the most important factors a visa officer will consider in assessing your application are the connections to your home country.
Why?
One of the main tests in issuing a temporary resident visa ( or visitor visa) is this: Will the applicant return to his or her country once his or her status expires?
In trying to answer this question, the visa officer will first look at your connections to your home country.
Employment
If you are employed, this is a powerful connection to your home country.
If you can, be sure to include a letter of employment and confirmation in that letter that your absence to visit Canada has been approved.
Family
If you have family in your country of residence, that is an important connection.
If you can, provide copies of the bio-data sections of their passports, along with copies of birth certificates to show relationships.
An affidavit is a good idea if you have no documents to prove the relationship. Your family member can swear an affidavit and state their relationship to you.
Property
Owning property in your country of residence is another powerful connection to your country that you can show.
If you can, provide copies of titles or other documents that show you own the property, and where the property is located.
Obligations
Do you have obligations in your home country? Perhaps you care for an elderly parent or other relative? Or perhaps you are a leader of a community or volunteer group?
Showing evidence of obligations at home will certainly help you show that you will return to your home country after your visit.
Previous Travel
Simply having travelled before is also a good sign that you will return to Canada after your visit.
Be sure to include copies of your passport pages showing your previous travels with your temporary resident visa application.
Supporting Yourself in Canada
Another critical factor you must address in your application is how you will support yourself in Canada. This section will address factors you should consider and think about the evidence you can provide.
Finances Available
How much money do you have available to you while in Canada? CIC will do a rough calculation of food and accommodation to determine if you have enough cash.
Provide evidence of cash in your bank, and have traveller’s cheques while crossing the border – don’t rely solely on credit cards or a visa officer might suspect you don’t have the funds for your trip.
Are there currency restrictions in your home country? Take this into account and find a way to address it.
Staying with Friends or Family
If you will be staying with friends or family, you won’t need as much cash for your trip. You will however need proof that your host will provide lodging and food.
Be sure to have your host in Canada sign a letter stating that you will be staying with them and that they will provide food and lodging.
The letter should state the amount if time you will be staying with them and have an address and contact phone number where they can be reached.
Ability to Leave Canada
The visa officer has to determine if you have the ability to leave Canada after your stay.
Be sure to have booked a return travel ticket to your home country, and that your passport is valid for your entire stay and return trip.
If you don’t have a return ticket because you are unsure when you want to return to your home country, be sure to show enough money to purchase a return ticket to your home country.
Dual Intent to Visit and Apply for Permanent Residence
You can have the intent to visit temporarily, and a longer term intent to immigrate to Canada permanently. This is permitted – you can not be denied entry solely based on the fact that you plan to apply (or have applied) for permanent residence to Canada.
However, you must show that you will leave Canada by the end of your visit. Those factors are listed above.
Long Term Residence (Over 6 Months)
There are some circumstances where individuals wish to visit Canada on a long term basis (over 6 months). This section will address CIC’s approach to these situations.
Note that in addition to the factors below, CIC will also consider factors already discussed above , such as the risk that they will not return to their own country at the end of their visit.
Parents and Grandparents
Often, elderly parents or grandparents who live abroad wish to live in Canada with their Canadian children or grandchildren for extended periods of time.
This is especially so if there is a filed sponsorship application for the parents or grandparents, as these applications can take a very long time, and the family wishes to live together in Canada for as long as possible.
CIC will certainly consider extended visitor visas in these circumstances and will consider the following facts:
Financial Capacity
One of the most important factors CIC will look at is financial capacity. Either the host in Canada or the parent/grandparent must have sufficient funds to support a long term stay in Canada.
CIC will look for a stable income from the host and no social assistance payments. CIC will also look at the low income cut-off numbers. For 2011, the minimum annual income requirements are as follows (based on the total number of family members to be living together in a household). Note that 2012 figures are slightly higher and will be updated soon:
1 person $22,229
2 people $27,674
3 people $34,022
4 people $41,307
5 people $46,850
6 people $52,838
7 people $58,827
Each additional person requires an additional $5,989 per year.
Achieving the minimum income requirements will not necessarily ensure success however.
You should also provide a records of past and stable employment (such as employment contracts or letters of reference from your employer).
In addition, you should provide a history of bank statements (CIC will look to see if you borrowed money recently just to enhance your chances of a successful application – don’t do this).
The Canadian host should also provide some evidence of their accommodations – whether owned or rented – the space available for visitors, and ensuring the household is stable (for example, the copy of a long term lease or ownership documents).
Medical Emergencies
The other major factor that CIC will consider for a long term visit is the ability to deal with medical emergencies or conditions from a financial perspective.
If possible, be sure to have medical insurance in place for your visitors before entering Canada. The absence of medical coverage may be enough for CIC to deny a long term visit.
If medical insurance is not possible to obtain (for health or other reasons), then be sure to show enough funds to pay for medical emergencies if they arise.
There are no set guidelines with regard to showing funds to cover medical emergencies, so you should show as much as you can in cash, investments and lines of credit.
Others
There may be individuals other than parents or grandparents who have a legitimate reason for a long-term visit.
For example, the spouse of student may have to remain in Canada for years (and may not be able to find work even with an open work permit).
CIC will consider long-term entry for other individuals, and the same factors as those discussed in parents/grandparents (above) will apply.
Financial support, housing, and the ability to deal with medical emergencies are the key factors to address before you attempt to enter Canada.
Where To Apply For A Visitor Visa
You have a choice as to where you will apply for a visitor visa (i.e., temporary resident visa).
You can apply to the CIC office responsible for your home country.
You can also apply to the CIC office responsible for your current country of residence, only if you have been legally admitted to that country.
There are no time restrictions for applying in your current country of residence. For example, even if you are in a country for a few days (legally) you can apply to the visa office responsible for that country.
CIC may continue to process an application sent to the wrong office, or they may transfer the application to the correct office.
However, CIC may also return the application to you, so you are best to ensure you are sending the application to the correct office in the first place.
You can have the intent to visit temporarily, and a longer term intent to immigrate to Canada permanently. This is permitted – you can not be denied entry solely based on the fact that you plan to apply (or have applied) for permanent residence to Canada.
However, you must show that you will leave Canada by the end of your visit. Those factors are listed above.
Long Term Residence (Over 6 Months)
There are some circumstances where individuals wish to visit Canada on a long term basis (over 6 months). This section will address CIC’s approach to these situations.
Note that in addition to the factors below, CIC will also consider factors already discussed above , such as the risk that they will not return to their own country at the end of their visit.
Parents and Grandparents
Often, elderly parents or grandparents who live abroad wish to live in Canada with their Canadian children or grandchildren for extended periods of time.
This is especially so if there is a filed sponsorship application for the parents or grandparents, as these applications can take a very long time, and the family wishes to live together in Canada for as long as possible.
CIC will certainly consider extended visitor visas in these circumstances and will consider the following facts:
Financial Capacity
One of the most important factors CIC will look at is financial capacity. Either the host in Canada or the parent/grandparent must have sufficient funds to support a long term stay in Canada.
CIC will look for a stable income from the host and no social assistance payments. CIC will also look at the low income cut-off numbers. For 2011, the minimum annual income requirements are as follows (based on the total number of family members to be living together in a household). Note that 2012 figures are slightly higher and will be updated soon:
1 person $22,229
2 people $27,674
3 people $34,022
4 people $41,307
5 people $46,850
6 people $52,838
7 people $58,827
Each additional person requires an additional $5,989 per year.
Achieving the minimum income requirements will not necessarily ensure success however.
You should also provide a records of past and stable employment (such as employment contracts or letters of reference from your employer).
In addition, you should provide a history of bank statements (CIC will look to see if you borrowed money recently just to enhance your chances of a successful application – don’t do this).
The Canadian host should also provide some evidence of their accommodations – whether owned or rented – the space available for visitors, and ensuring the household is stable (for example, the copy of a long term lease or ownership documents).
Medical Emergencies
The other major factor that CIC will consider for a long term visit is the ability to deal with medical emergencies or conditions from a financial perspective.
If possible, be sure to have medical insurance in place for your visitors before entering Canada. The absence of medical coverage may be enough for CIC to deny a long term visit.
If medical insurance is not possible to obtain (for health or other reasons), then be sure to show enough funds to pay for medical emergencies if they arise.
There are no set guidelines with regard to showing funds to cover medical emergencies, so you should show as much as you can in cash, investments and lines of credit.
Others
There may be individuals other than parents or grandparents who have a legitimate reason for a long-term visit.
For example, the spouse of student may have to remain in Canada for years (and may not be able to find work even with an open work permit).
CIC will consider long-term entry for other individuals, and the same factors as those discussed in parents/grandparents (above) will apply.
Financial support, housing, and the ability to deal with medical emergencies are the key factors to address before you attempt to enter Canada.
Where To Apply For A Visitor Visa
You have a choice as to where you will apply for a visitor visa (i.e., temporary resident visa).
You can apply to the CIC office responsible for your home country.
You can also apply to the CIC office responsible for your current country of residence, only if you have been legally admitted to that country.
There are no time restrictions for applying in your current country of residence. For example, even if you are in a country for a few days (legally) you can apply to the visa office responsible for that country.
CIC may continue to process an application sent to the wrong office, or they may transfer the application to the correct office.
However, CIC may also return the application to you, so you are best to ensure you are sending the application to the correct office in the first place.
These Posts are really helpful Thanks a lot,Please I wld like to know if the strike demands that all the officers incharge of TRV shld be fully handycap aspa the processing,and when is the strike assumed to be called off. Thanks in advance
Hi kalsgb!
I have a question, my husband having a business in malaysia and he and my son is applying TRV on July 31 2013 to visit me (study permit)and my daughter in canada. Is having a business in home country is a strong ties for him to go back to malaysia. Plus, his 73 years old mom lived with him but he doesn't provide his birth certificate to show his and his mom relationship to cic. Due to it doesn't request from online application, and he doesn't receive any response from cic yet. Is that a good sign or bad sign? Pls advice. Tq!
I have a question, my husband having a business in malaysia and he and my son is applying TRV on July 31 2013 to visit me (study permit)and my daughter in canada. Is having a business in home country is a strong ties for him to go back to malaysia. Plus, his 73 years old mom lived with him but he doesn't provide his birth certificate to show his and his mom relationship to cic. Due to it doesn't request from online application, and he doesn't receive any response from cic yet. Is that a good sign or bad sign? Pls advice. Tq!
Hi! I have a few questions. My father applied for a TRV and has been denied twice. We landed here in Canada in 2003 as permanent residents. But my father decided to return home in the Philippines last 2007 and did not return here in Canada since then. Me, my two sisters and our mom are already canadian citizens. My dad holds a government position and was recently re-elected last May 2013. We just wanted him to visit us for 2 weeks. Now my questions are: Is it possible that my dad's TRV application is refused because he failed to relinguish his permanent residency status first? Does his being a government official have a bearing on his refusal?
Thank you in advance for your inputs.
Thank you in advance for your inputs.
If I understand the rules of PR correctly, he was refused a TRV because as far as they can see, he is a PR. Other than that, I have NO idea how he would go about taking care of his current status so he can get a visitor visa.kc.flores said:
From some of the other threads I've been reading here on these forums, it would appear that your father is STILL considered a PR, although he is obviously out of status and can not renew his PR card. There are some things he can do to try to 'trigger' an inquiry into his current status, which should also supply him with the ability to 'relinquish' his PR card and THEN get a visit visa to come and see you. I think if he applies for a travel document based on his PR card being expired, that is what will trigger the questions as to why it is expired. He can then tell them that he is indeed out of status and they should give him the option to fill out a form to relinquish his PR rights. After he does this, he should be able to get a visit visa.kc.flores said:
I might be completely wrong about the steps here, so perhaps you should start a new thread and ask for Leon specifically to help you with this information as it seems that he is quite knowledgeable in this area.