Advice needed- visitor visa to accompany parents on pr visa

[mylordswish]

I am Jose Jacob from India. My parents have received permanent resident visas to Canada under parent sponsorship. As they are old and cannot travel alone. I would like to accompany them to Canada. Am not an income tax payee even though am employed. What are my chances of getting visitor visa to Canada to accompany my parents. My age is 40 and am single. I had been to Singapore Malaysia & Thailand only.

 

[mylordswish]

Plz help

 

[Bryanna]

I am Jose Jacob from India. My parents have received permanent resident visas to Canada under parent sponsorship. As they are old and cannot travel alone. I would like to accompany them to Canada. Am not an income tax payee even though am employed. What are my chances of getting visitor visa to Canada to accompany my parents. My age is 40 and am single. I had been to Singapore Malaysia & Thailand only.

IMO, you have a weak application:
1. If you do not file tax returns it implies you are violating tax rules and sooner or later you would get into trouble. You always have the option of filing 'Nil Returns' if your assessed income is below the taxable limits.

2. But, if your income is below taxable limits, it implies you have a weak financial situation = Higher possibility of overstaying your visit because you don't have financial incentives to return to India

3. Your travel to these countries does not count unfortunately.

4. You purpose of visit is not a valid one i.e. to accompany your parents because they are seniors. They have the option of taking direct flights or airline staff can be requested to take care of them (right from wheelchair assistance to helping them to change terminals/get to the departure gates, etc)

 

[mylordswish]

Thank You Bryanna for your reply. But I have one doubt. My father is 81 years old and does not know English. We are from Kerala, the southwestern state of India and need to take minimum three flights to reach Calgary. How can they complete the PR landing formalities in Calgary without knowing English. So I wonder why my purpose of visit is not a valid one. Please reply.

 

[bellaluna]

Thank You Bryanna for your reply. But I have one doubt. My father is 81 years old and does not know English. We are from Kerala, the southwestern state of India and need to take minimum three flights to reach Calgary. How can they complete the PR landing formalities in Calgary without knowing English. So I wonder why my purpose of visit is not a valid one. Please reply.

The language barrier is still not a valid reason, contrary to what you like to think. CBSA will have interpreters, especially in major airports like Calgary or Vancouver.

 

[Copingwithlife]

As well, if there is someone from the CBSA that cannot translate, then immigration approaches an airline. I used to work at the airport, and sometimes, not all the time, immigration would approach a agent that could speak 4 languages. She would go into immigration and assist the passengers. Or failing that, I remember using a international translation line on occasion when working at the airport. You dial up a company, in my situation it was A T T international. They asked what language you needed, you waited about a minute and they would connect you with someone that could assist. So there are MANY ways immigration upon arrival can assist someone newly arriving into the country, who does not speak English . So as noted above, the language barrier is not a valid reason for a visa to be granted to accompany your parents

 

[Bryanna]

Thank You Bryanna for your reply. But I have one doubt. My father is 81 years old and does not know English. We are from Kerala, the southwestern state of India and need to take minimum three flights to reach Calgary. How can they complete the PR landing formalities in Calgary without knowing English. So I wonder why my purpose of visit is not a valid one. Please reply.

Agreed. The language barrier is not a valid reason to accompany your parents.


Here's a solution for your parents:
1. You can accompany your parents on a domestic flight from Kerala to Mumbai/Chennai. This would eliminate one unaccompanied flight + you can help them to change between the domestic and international airports especially in Mumbai. That said, do keep in mind the luggage allowance for domestic flights.

2. I would not recommend flying out of Trivandrum. That would mean spending time at another domestic airport like Mumbai/Delhi before the onward flights to Calgary.

3. You may want to consider flights with a layover in HKG. Don't consider flights that transit through the US because your parents will need US visas for that transit.

4. Do keep in mind: Your parents would need to complete their landing formalities at the first airport they land in Canada. Depending on their flight bookings, this could most probably be Vancouver, unless they fly non-stop from Mumbai to Toronto Pearson. Landing formalities will not be at Calgary.

5. Airline staff are happy to help. Your dad can request for wheelchair assistance even if he is medically fit. It would save the efforts of walking

6. Your parents must carry a letter that explains that they do not know English + that they need to complete PR landing formalities

 

[mylordswish]

My visit visa approved. Landed in Calgary with parents yesterday. Thank you all for your replies.