Need help for a visitor visa from India

[psjabbal]

Need help to file my visitor visa application:

Sponsor's details:
- I have a friend who would like to sponsor me for a visit for 2 weeks
- He is a citizen and own a house and two accounting firms in BC with earning approx. $12000/month

My Profile:
- No travel history but completed Bachelor degree from UK - 2004-2007 and got refusal for study visa extension so came back to India in Dec.2007 (overstayed few months but voluntarily exit the country)
- Done Masters in India
- Now working in an IT company in India
- Almost 12+ years experience
- Last ITR filed approx. 9.5 lakh
- Bank balance maintained between 4-5lakh with CC limit around 5 lakh and also have MF's, FD on my wife's name
- Properties are on father's and mother's name
- In family - Wife, 2 kids, Father, Mother, a brother his wife

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa?
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years?
3. What is the current procession time?
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months)

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[YVR123]

I don't think "sponsorship" for a visitor visa exist in Canada. Your friend can write a letter of invitation. And you have to provide proof to affort this trip and make sure to disclose any visa refusal or overstay. You may or may not get the visitor visa because of previous overstay. BUT you can get a 5 year band from Canada if you try to hide it and mis-represent IRCC.

Can you sponsor a friend for tourist visa Canada?

If your friend or family member wants to visit Canada, they must apply to the Canadian visa office responsible for his or her country or region. A visa officer will review the application and decide whether to issue a visa. You can help your friend or family member by writing a letter of invitation.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=207&top=17

 

[psjabbal]

I don't think "sponsorship" for a visitor visa exist in Canada. Your friend can write a letter of invitation. And you have to provide proof to affort this trip and make sure to disclose any visa refusal or overstay. You may or may not get the visitor visa because of previous overstay. BUT you can get a 5 year band from Canada if you try to hide it and mis-represent IRCC.



https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=207&top=17

Thanks for your reply, I will change this term "Sponsorship" to "Invitation".
I don't want to hide anything but someone told me we need to give them last 10 years travel history but thanks for confirming.
Also, Is there any specific fields in the application where we have options to fill out our refusal, overystay and the reasons behind overstay as I have filed appeal against the refusal of my visa extension application during that period?

 

[scylla]

Need help to file my visitor visa application:

Sponsor's details:
- I have a friend who would like to sponsor me for a visit for 2 weeks
- He is a citizen and own a house and two accounting firms in BC with earning approx. $12000/month

My Profile:
- No travel history but completed Bachelor degree from UK - 2004-2007 and got refusal for study visa extension so came back to India in Dec.2007 (overstayed few months but voluntarily exit the country)
- Done Masters in India
- Now working in an IT company in India
- Almost 12+ years experience
- Last ITR filed approx. 9.5 lakh
- Bank balance maintained between 4-5lakh with CC limit around 5 lakh and also have MF's, FD on my wife's name
- Properties are on father's and mother's name
- In family - Wife, 2 kids, Father, Mother, a brother his wife

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa?
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years?
3. What is the current procession time?
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months)

Thanks so much in advance.

1. No one can guess that. Note that your friend won't be sponsoring you. Your friend may invite you but you'll have to be the one to show that you have enough funds to pay for the trip. If your wife and kids are not traveling with you then the chances of approval will be higher.
2. Yes, you must mention this. Otherwise you'll be at high risk of being banned from Canada for 5 years. There is no 10 year time limit on answers to this question. You must include all past refusals regardless of when they happened.
3. Processing times are around 160 days (more or less).
4. This is irrelevant. Your friend isn't sponsoring you.

 

[psjabbal]

1. No one can guess that. Note that your friend won't be sponsoring you. Your friend may invite you but you'll have to be the one to show that you have enough funds to pay for the trip. If your wife and kids are not traveling with you then the chances of approval will be higher.
2. Yes, you must mention this. Otherwise you'll be at high risk of being banned from Canada for 5 years. There is no 10 year time limit on answers to this question. You must include all past refusals regardless of when they happened.
3. Processing times are around 160 days (more or less).
4. This is irrelevant. Your friend isn't sponsoring you.

Thanks so much.
1. Friend will invite me and wife and kids will not accompany me in this trip. Do you think I have sufficient funds to support my trip if I am travelling alone?
2. Sorry, not sure where should I mention, cover letter or is there any specific fields in the application?

Really appreciate your help!!

 

[scylla]

Thanks so much.
1. Friend will invite me and wife and kids will not accompany me in this trip. Do you think I have sufficient funds to support my trip if I am travelling alone?
2. Sorry, not sure where should I mention, cover letter or is there any specific fields in the application?

Really appreciate your help!!

1. You would want to have the equivalent of at least $10K Canadian in my opinion in savings but more would be much better since you don't want it to look like you're going to exhaust all of your savings through your trip to Canada.
2. The application will ask you if you have ever been refused entry to a country, or denied entry, or refused a visa, etc. You need to answer all of these questions truthfully and provide the reasons for the refusals.

 

[ryvinson]

Need help to file my visitor visa application:

Sponsor's details:
- I have a friend who would like to sponsor me for a visit for 2 weeks
- He is a citizen and own a house and two accounting firms in BC with earning approx. $12000/month

My Profile:
- No travel history but completed Bachelor degree from UK - 2004-2007 and got refusal for study visa extension so came back to India in Dec.2007 (overstayed few months but voluntarily exit the country)
- Done Masters in India
- Now working in an IT company in India
- Almost 12+ years experience
- Last ITR filed approx. 9.5 lakh
- Bank balance maintained between 4-5lakh with CC limit around 5 lakh and also have MF's, FD on my wife's name
- Properties are on father's and mother's name
- In family - Wife, 2 kids, Father, Mother, a brother his wife

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa?
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years?
3. What is the current procession time?
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months)

Thanks so much in advance.

As others have advised, you’ve to quality for a TRV on your own merits, which are not strong enough:
A. A visa extension refusal and you overstayed
B. No landed or fixed assets in your name
C. No travel history
I’d suggest you don’t apply at this stage until B. and C. above changes. Risking a refusal is not worth it for a short catch-up visit.

 

[cansha]

Thanks so much.
1. Friend will invite me and wife and kids will not accompany me in this trip. Do you think I have sufficient funds to support my trip if I am travelling alone?
2. Sorry, not sure where should I mention, cover letter or is there any specific fields in the application?

Really appreciate your help!!

For 2.. here is an idea. Start an application and fill out your details. You do not have to submit it but at the last step you will see what documents need to be uploaded or what questions are asked in the application. It will take may be 15 mins to do this.

 

[cansha]

As others have advised, you’ve to quality for a TRV on your own merits, which are not strong enough:
A. A visa extension refusal and you overstayed
B. No landed or fixed assets in your name
C. No travel history
I’d suggest you don’t apply at this stage until B. and C. above changes. Risking a refusal is not worth it for a short catch-up visit.

Just adding to that .. travelling to meet a friend without family .. unless they can mention a really good reason to do that it would be difficult to convince visa officer on purpose of visit.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Need help to file my visitor visa application:

Sponsor's details:
- I have a friend who would like to sponsor me for a visit for 2 weeks
- He is a citizen and own a house and two accounting firms in BC with earning approx. $12000/month

My Profile:
- No travel history but completed Bachelor degree from UK - 2004-2007 and got refusal for study visa extension so came back to India in Dec.2007 (overstayed few months but voluntarily exit the country)
- Done Masters in India
- Now working in an IT company in India
- Almost 12+ years experience
- Last ITR filed approx. 9.5 lakh
- Bank balance maintained between 4-5lakh with CC limit around 5 lakh and also have MF's, FD on my wife's name
- Properties are on father's and mother's name
- In family - Wife, 2 kids, Father, Mother, a brother his wife

Questions:
1. What are the chances for getting the visitor visa?
2. Do I have to mention in the application anywhere regarding my UK visa refusal and overstay although it's been 15 years?
3. What is the current procession time?
4. Last question but it should be the first one, my friend has recently sponsored his In-laws and they got visa last month. So, can he sponsor me now or wait for 6 months? (Not sure about this question but heard from someone that a person can sponsor every 6 months)

Thanks so much in advance.

Review this . This is the steps the VO goes thru when evaluating a visa request


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors/eligibility-admissibility-considerations.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors.html



If they have more weak points in their application versus strong points , then probably defer the application until their situation changes.

Imperative they declare that overstay / visa refusal regardless of the time elapsed

 

[psjabbal]

Just adding to that .. travelling to meet a friend without family .. unless they can mention a really good reason to do that it would be difficult to convince visa officer on purpose of visit.

Thanks for your response cansha.... I would have to prove strong ties in India and that would be my family and well settled Job with the same company from last 7+ years in India, making me as genuine traveller i believe I am taking time off during Xmas and New year.

 

[psjabbal]

Review this . This is the steps the VO goes thru when evaluating a visa request


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors/eligibility-admissibility-considerations.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors.html



If they have more weak points in their application versus strong points , then probably defer the application until their situation changes.

Imperative they declare that overstay / visa refusal regardless of the time elapsed

Thanks copingwithlife.....This will help alot with my queries. As per the previous members suggestions, below are my weak points:

A. A visa extension refusal and you overstayed
In my view - It's been 16 years and my appeal was rejected on the grounds of lack of documents and knowledge. I have invested huge amount in my studies and it was one last exam that I have to take in 2007 to finish my degree and I came back to India once I got my degree and no intension to stay otherwise I would have find another ways to stay.
B. No landed or fixed assets in your name
In my view - We are just two brothers and all properties are on parents name even though everyone invested some amount and eventually by law and these will be ours. I can get some of them on my name no issues but I think without wasting money to put my name on it, what if we can get a supporting letter from her?
C. No travel history
In my view- I agree, this will be a negative point on my application but what if I just wanted to travel only 3 countries that are in my list and don't want to go anywhere else. I did trips to Europe when I was in UK and after that didn't think of going somewhere else.

Also, my wife has ties in Canada if I apply with my wife because she has her sister just moved to Canada from Australia on PR and her sister-in-law just going this month.
A question just stuck in my mind from the application - Do you have any family member in Canada? Do I have to mention her as my family member? I am not visiting her.

Is covering letter different from Purpose of Visit? What should be included in my Purpose of Visit? Does it include my background, current profile, previous travel history etc?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[psjabbal]

Just adding to that .. travelling to meet a friend without family .. unless they can mention a really good reason to do that it would be difficult to convince visa officer on purpose of visit.

Thanks cansha......
1. Shall I apply with my wife without kids?

I know there are some negative factors in my application that most of the members in the group has pointed out and I can change some but not all. Below are the negative factors and I appreciate your inputs on this:

1. Refusal/Overstayed - year 2006-07 - UK - Visa refused for Student Visa extension and I understand the refusal reason was "studying part-time and doing Job". And I have filled an appeal that I only have one module left and the exam will commence in May 2007. I have paid huge amount to a lawyer to file the second appeal which I had the chance but after couple of weeks my lawyer left for his home country for few months. I had bad experiences but once I got the degree I came back.
2. Owns no property - As all the properties are on Mom's name and valuation is between 20-30 million INR, Can I get a supporting affidavit notary attested from her if that helps?
3. No Travel History - To be honest, I don't have any plan for this.

I would greatly appreciate if you can kindly give me some suggestions.

 

[cansha]

Thanks cansha......
1. Shall I apply with my wife without kids?

I know there are some negative factors in my application that most of the members in the group has pointed out and I can change some but not all. Below are the negative factors and I appreciate your inputs on this:

1. Refusal/Overstayed - year 2006-07 - UK - Visa refused for Student Visa extension and I understand the refusal reason was "studying part-time and doing Job". And I have filled an appeal that I only have one module left and the exam will commence in May 2007. I have paid huge amount to a lawyer to file the second appeal which I had the chance but after couple of weeks my lawyer left for his home country for few months. I had bad experiences but once I got the degree I came back.
2. Owns no property - As all the properties are on Mom's name and valuation is between 20-30 million INR, Can I get a supporting affidavit notary attested from her if that helps?
3. No Travel History - To be honest, I don't have any plan for this.

I would greatly appreciate if you can kindly give me some suggestions.

No it is okay to apply without wife and kids as then the expectations you are going to be back to the country for your family. It is just that your reason for visit should sound genuine.

1. For refusal I would say be honest and be to the point. People tend to write essays explaining how they were so innocent and their circumstances forced them to overstay. You have to be brief and to the point. The more stories you write more chances visa officer thinks you are lying. Be factual rather than emotional.

2. You can't do much here. Again properties in your name help with respect to your ability to pay for the trip and your home tie. If you don't have property in your name an affidavit won't help much. It doesn't prove anything. I think what you need to prove is that you are financially well off to the extent that you are not coming to Canada for better life.

3. Unless the travel is to US, UK, Aus, NZ it won't help much anyways.

 

[cansha]

What is your purpose of visit anyways? Meeting a friend honestly sounds quite thin given the state of the world and the price of the tickets these days?