Romanian student, willing to visit, TRV denied

[Sajuuk333]

I am willing to visit a friend in Canada. They will provide accomodation and living expenses in Ottawa. Initially, I have stated that I will pay integrally, both for living and accomodation. My visa was denied for the following reasons:

Travel history - I've never been anywhere else outside Romania. What could the issue be? I have enclosed all documents.

Financial status or assets - I've been denied that. I did enclose a bank statement for the past 4 months, but in Romanian currency and language, as I had no other option. Could this be the reason? What else should I provide? How much money should I say I have for the trip? I will be sent money whenver I need.

They also had a problem with my schedule - I cannot book a flight until I am certain I receive the visa. I gave them a two months' time span, from July to August. What else can I do?

Hosts's financial status - my fault, I didn't provide anything as I didn't think it was necessary, since I haven't picked the 'supporter' option for the online application.

Also, they require a letter of invitation (can I find a template, by the way?) AND a proof of relationship. What would that proof of relationship be? Is the letter not enough?

I am willing to look for some univeristies there during my stay, and I really need to visit said friend. I am desperate. Please help me...

 

[scylla]

I think the main issue with your application is that you must show stronger ties to your home country. CIC is worried that you may have plans to remain in Canada long term and aren't just visiting as a tourist.

Refusing you based on travel history means that because you haven't traveled outside of Romania before, CIC is concerned you are coming to Canada to stay rather than just visit. If you had traveled to many countries outside of Romania before - you would have an easier time being approved for a visa.

Yes - you should have provided proof your host can support you. It's far better if you can provide proof that you have the funds to support yourself. But if you can't do this, then provide proof from your host.

When people are denied based on assets and financial status it once again means that CIC is concerned you don't have enough ties to your home country. Ideally you should provide several of the following: proof of property ownership, proof of rental agreement, bank accounts, proof of employment, proof you own/run your own business.

Google "invitation letter to Canada sample". You will get tons of hits with examples.

 

[Sajuuk333]

Would a proof of being student be good? Should I mention that I will be looking for a student visa after returning? I have no property of my own, but my parents do. Under what should I put that? Should I scan everything as a SINGLE .pdf?

The truth is that I wouldn't have enough money to live on my own, were it not for my friend there.

I have to go in person to visit two of the universities so I can apply. I need to bring my documents with me.

 

[scylla]

I would not mention that you want to come to Canada as a student. This makes it quite obvious that you are interested in coming to Canada for longer than just a visit.

Yes - it can help if you can show that you are a student. But only if you are already enrolled in a school back home and have paid the fees. This can be helpful since it shows that you have plans to return home after your visit to Canada to attend school back home.

Don't bother include the information about your parents' property. This won't help you. The property would have to be yours for this evidence to be of any help.

If you are interested in attending school in Canada, hopefully you have already looked into the costs. Foreign student tuition fees are quite a lot more than domestic student fees (expect to pay over $10K per year). To be approved for a student visa, you will have to demonstrate that you have enough money in the bank to pay for your first year tuition costs + $10K in first year living expenses + travel expenses. So overall, you'll need a bank balance somewhere between $25K and $30K to be approved for a student visa.

You don't have to come to Canada to apply to a Canadian university. You can apply from outside of Canada.

 

[Sajuuk333]

Well, I've been told to go there physically, but thank you for clearing it up. With some governmental programs for international students, and loans, you can come and even transfer (I am planning to transfer there and continue with the second year). Yes, I am enrolled, and have successfully finished my first year.

I have no properties of my own, or loans at that matter. Anything I could show, other than being a student?

 

[scylla]

I would recommend that you join the International Students section of this forum. This is where everyone exchanges information about obtaining a student visa and coming to Canada to study.

To answer your question, if you are working, you can show proof of employment as a tie to your home country.

 

[Sajuuk333]

Thank you, I will look into the IS section!

Unfortunately, I am unemployed

 

[scylla]

Here's what I would do in your situation...

Forget about applying for another tourist visa if the student visa is important to you. I think there's a very good chance you will be refused again if you apply as a tourist. And if you are, this will decrease your chances of being approved for a student visa in the future (one refusal is bad enough already).

When you apply for a student visa, you must prove that you have strong ties to your home country and have no plans on remaining in Canada long term (i.e. prove that you are a genuine student). Multiple tourist visa refusals will make it look like you're desperate to come here and will make CIC suspect you have plans to remain here long term (especially given the fact you have no previous travel history).

 

[Sajuuk333]

Thank you for your replies so far, really appreciated. The fact is that I don't quite yet know if I will be accepted. The International Relations Office headmaster is awaiting me to bring physical diplomas, take an English test (which I know I will pass, but it is a necessary formal step), and then decide for my elegibility, possible grants or loans, so far, so forth.

All these should have happened during my stay at a friend who would provide accomodation and help me with living expenses, formally or not. This should've been a visit, first and foremost, and if I ever needed anything else, I would have come back and asked for more. I understand that there can be problems with illegal immigrants, but does this translate into impossible visits?

 

[Sajuuk333]

I would honestly give it another try, this time with more provided info. I understand what you said, but I am flummoxed by the impossibility of simply visiting someone. Another $80 I can spare, but I would be most disappointed if I were not able to spend 2 months with a friend, just a vacation first and foremost.

But if nothing can be done, I can definitely understand, as much as it saddens me. Do you think contacting the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest (which handles visa applications in Romania) by e-mail, and explaining them the situation would help?

 

[scylla]

Unfortunately you come from a part of the world where too many visitors have come to Canada on tourist visas and have then overstayed or claimed refugee status. This makes it difficult to be approved - especially if you have low ties to your home country. It's certainly not impossible, but I think you certainly have your work cut out for you given your status (i.e. student with effectively no ties) and country of origin.

FYI - English tests can also be taken outside of Canada. Don't know if this helps - but I thought I would mention it.

It's interesting that they school is requesting a physical diploma. This is very unusual and not the normal process. If you read through the posts in the International Students section of this forum, I think you will have difficulty finding anyone who has applied in person. Applying from outside of Canada is the norm. However perhaps your school is following a different process due to the grants/loans. Make sure it's a school that is recognized by CIC and that will qualify you for a post graduate work permit. Not all schools are recognized.

I wouldn't bother contacting the Canadian Embassy in Buchrest by email. If you want to include a letter, include it with your actual application.

Good luck.

 

[Sajuuk333]

I e-mailed them anyway, as they proved to be polite and useful so far. I have openly stated my problem and said that I am able to include proof of being a student (and tied to my country by grants and exemption from tuition fees due to good results), I am able to pay for my trip back and forth, and I only want to visit my friend, for whom I am able to prove they can financially sustain me.

I will try this one more time. This time, I will provide better documentation. I've also been told that having family members only in my country counts as a good tie to my homeland. I hope for the best...

 

[scylla]

Yes - if you have immediate family that you are leaving behind when you travel - this counts as a tie. For CIC, immediate family is a spouse/common law partner and children. If you have a spouse/common law partner and/or children back home - chances are excellent that you plan to return - and this will help your application. Parents and siblings aren't considered strong family ties. Parents/siblings can certain be mentioned, but CIC doesn't put much weight on this since people leave their parents/siblings behind all of the time to relocate.

 

[Sajuuk333]

I am beginning to understand their logic. No, unfortunately, I do not have 'immediate' family ties, but I am beginning to research more and more into this, and I've seen many of my cases - simple visits - who have been approved after a proper application. My fault, I wasn't properly informed beforehand.

For example, I have not included any proof of being a student here, with grants and good results. This was a mistake. I mentioned that my friend would informally support me, but I have neither checked her as a supporter nor created a proper invitation letter, following a template. For example, the templates suggested here are far, far superior to what we've sent, a childish draft, basically.

As I am beginning to realize my mistakes, I am getting my hopes high. Now I will be able to specify a proper time span for my visit, provide proper proof of studies, a bank draft, and not only a statement, and will have an official supporter with all documents needed. I will also still mention that all my relatives live here, and will even be able to provide the return ticket's date after having bought it.

What should I write for the Itinerary section, though?

 

[Sajuuk333]

Update: I am able to get my family to transcribe an apartment and a car to my name. Would that be considered 'strong ties'? The process of transcription is easier and shorter than we have previously thought, and we can do that very hastily.

So I would be: single, 20, unemployed, ~$1500 CAD in my bank account, proof of being a Romanian citizen (passport), all family here, proof of being a student, no previous infractions or offenses, supporter (with all details including T4 and proper invitation letter), proof of ownership of an apartment and a car (is BAILMENT CONTRACT enough for the apartment?), BUT no previous travel history.

Reason: visiting a friend.

Itinerary: ???

Duration: 2 months at most.