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First time application for visit denied, retrying

stevem

Newbie
Apr 9, 2017
3
0
Hi everybody,

I've been reading through this forum for a the past few weeks while waiting for the decision on a visitor visa for my Thai girlfriend to visit me in Canada.

The reasons for refusal were:
“You have not satisfied me that you would leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident. In reaching this decision, I considered several factors, including:
1. Purpose of visit
2. Current employment situation
3. Personal assets and financial status”

I have a lot of questions as I prepare a second application.

On point 1, In my letter of invitation, I described the purpose honestly as: "<deleted> and I have developed a promising romantic relationship and we have decided that the reasonable next step is for her to see and experience how and where I live"

Is this an invalid or insufficient purpose on it's face? Purpose of visit is checked as a reason of its own. I don't intend to contrive some purpose, this purpose is sufficient for us to spend the money (I'm financing the trip, she is saving the money to maintain her business and her mother's expenses while she's not working) required for the trip. I hope that if the other two issues are addressed, then this isn't enough of a problem on its own?

On point 2 and 3 - This is the first time I've filed such an application and we didn't include any information of this nature. I indicated that I was paying for the trip and included my own financial information. They did not indicate in the refusal that there was any issue related to the financing of the trip. But it seems that this raised questions about her liklihood to return to Thailand within the specified time.

In the new application, we will include information about this as well as information about her responsibilities at home. She earns a little more than needed to support herself and her mother. Her mother depends on her support, they are essentially each others' only family. The amount of money she earns is more than she could likely earn working illegally in Canada and she works doing something she truly loves. This money obviously goes farther in Thailand than it would in Canada. In short, for her to stay in Canada illegally would be a life downgrade.

Unfortunately, she is self-employed in a cash business in as an artist in a night market, which doesn't yield any documentation. To handle this, I plan to have her sign an affidavit with facts around what she earns, how she earns, her costs for her and her mother, and that she is the sole support for her mother. We will include pictures of her working in the market.

Does this seem like enough to resolve the issues with the original application in your collective experience?

Thanks for any insights.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,860
22,116
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
CIC has concerns your girlfriend intends to stay in Canada long term and isn't a genuine visitor. Unfortunately it wasn't a good idea to be as honest as you were about her intentions for visiting. It makes it sound like she might stay if she likes it here.

How long a visit did she request?

What evidence can she include to show her ties to her home country? Property ownership? Proof of employment?
 

stevem

Newbie
Apr 9, 2017
3
0
Thanks for the reply.

My questions are along those lines. She is self-employed and it's difficult to document. Details are in OP, but I'm hoping pictures of her working and an affidavit outlining the details will be seen as proof enough.

She is her mother's only means of financial support as well - and she wouldn't be able to earn enough illegally in Canada to provide this support.

She is fully self-supported and lives a full and happy life in Thailand. I'm fortunate enough to be the only reason she'd consider visiting Canada!

There just isn't any real documentation.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,860
22,116
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
stevem said:
My questions are along those lines. She is self-employed and it's difficult to document. Details are in OP, but I'm hoping pictures of her working and an affidavit outlining the details will be seen as proof enough.

She is her mother's only means of financial support as well - and she wouldn't be able to earn enough illegally in Canada to provide this support.

She is fully self-supported and lives a full and happy life in Thailand. I'm fortunate enough to be the only reason she'd consider visiting Canada!

There just isn't any real documentation.
Without any real documentation, I think getting an approval will be quite challenging. I honestly wouldn't bother with the affidavit - they really don't hold much meaning to CIC. Same goes for the photo. What other evidence can she provide that she's self-employed? Can she show any deposits into a bank account or something along those lines?

Again, how long a visit did she request? This may be part of the problem. Based on her profile, she should be asking for a 2 week visit at most.
 

stevem

Newbie
Apr 9, 2017
3
0
We asked for 7 weeks on the application, but indicated in the letter that we hoped for multiple entry so that she could visit a few times while returning to Thailand to take care of her responsibilities there. I travel a lot for work and so flights are cheap on points. 2 weeks hardly makes the long trip and jet lag worth it.

I hadn't considered that the length of the visit would have an impact on its approval.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,860
22,116
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
The length of the visit requested can be an indicator of ties to the home country. Someone who is able to visit for 7 weeks will most likely be viewed as having pretty weak ties to their home country. Otherwise said, if you're able to leave for 7 weeks, your ties and obligations in your home country really can't be that strong.
 

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
stevem said:
We asked for 7 weeks on the application, but indicated in the letter that we hoped for multiple entry so that she could visit a few times while returning to Thailand to take care of her responsibilities there. I travel a lot for work and so flights are cheap on points. 2 weeks hardly makes the long trip and jet lag worth it.

I hadn't considered that the length of the visit would have an impact on its approval.
I wish you did a little more research before applying. You also have to understand visa officers don't really care much for an applicant's intentions, emotions, or comfort (I understand the rationale for a 7-week stay, but VOs don't like to hear it).
Given your GF's current profile, I think it's virtually impossible for her to be granted a TRV. Even if you had omitted a lot of the facts in your letter, I think the result would have been the same. What I could advise is for the two of you to take trips elsewhere together, around Asia, or you visit her a few times in Thailand, before she attempts again to visit Canada. Good luck, hope it will be more favorable in the future.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,860
22,116
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
bellaluna said:
Given your GF's current profile, I think it's virtually impossible for her to be granted a TRV. Even if you had omitted a lot of the facts in your letter, I think the result would have been the same. What I could advise is for the two of you to take trips elsewhere together, around Asia, or you visit her a few times in Thailand, before she attempts again to visit Canada. Good luck, hope it will be more favorable in the future.
I unfortunately agree with bellaluna. I think it's quite unlikely you'll be successful in getting a visitor visa approved given your girlfriend's profile. You've been given good advice above.