Hi,
I am sorry for the huge wall of text that follows, and really appreciate anyone taking time to read through it
So my TRV was refused last month. I applied online and as I had travelled to the US in the last 10 years, I had very few documents to submit ( under the CAN+ program for Indians ). I submitted my documents on Feb 25th and received my decision on March 10th. Now it wasn't mandatory for me to submit any financial proofs( my checklist only asked for the usual forms, travel history, photo, and passport along with an optional letter of explanation). I did, however, mention the rough amount of finances I would have available and included the flight tickets( no hotel tickets, I will come back to this point)
In the rejection letter, the reasons given were my purpose of travel and financial assets.
I quickly realised my error. In my application, I had written that my purpose of travel was tourism yet I had mentioned in my form, as well as in my letter of explanation, that I would be staying with a friend. This most likely caused the problem as it then seemed like I was going to visit the friend instead of going there as a tourist.
I then reapplied on March 23rd. This time I took the help of a visa agent. The agent mentioned that it may not be advisable to reapply so soon after rejection but I insisted on going ahead with it anyway, for two reasons:
1. I only have time in April/May to visit outside as a tourist as after this I may become quite busy with no end to said work in sight. So this was my only opportunity to head out for a vacation.
2. More importantly, I figured that since the mistake on my first application was obvious, as long as I corrected it, I had a good chance of getting the TRV approved.
So I made a new application and this time around I made proper hotel ( and again flight) reservations on new dates. On the IMM5257E form when they asked what my purpose of visit was, I said tourism ( like on my last application ) but unlike my last application , this time around, on the follow up columns asking me to list the persons/institutions I would be visiting as well as their relationship to me, I gave the names and addresses of the hostels I had made reservations at, and mentioned that these were the hostels I would be staying at ( in the aforementioned relationship column ) . In my earlier application, I had written my friend's name and address and said that she was my friend in the relationship column. ( and as I mentioned earlier , this was probably my fundamental mistake)
In the letter of explanation this time around:
1. I gave a more detailed account of which cities I would be staying in and for how long ( I am planning on going for 18 days so I mentioned that I would stay one week each in Ottowa, Montreal and Quebec )
2. Gave detailed information about my own finances and bank account info as well as my mother's who would is sponsoring me ( since I am still a student)
3.Attached all the flight and hostel booking confirmations.
I am still waiting for the result of my second TRV application but I'm starting to get very worried, for the following reason:
1. Would the fact that I said I was staying at my friend's house earlier and now I am saying that I will stay in a hostel seem suspicious? Especially since both my friend's house and the hostel is in Ottawa? I have shown hostel reservations but I am worried they might still find it suspicious and think that I will stay ay friend's house. In my letter of explanation, I explained that the reason I had decided to stay at a friend's house in my last application was that my itinerary at the time was more uncertain and I thought this would give me more flexibility. I acknowledged that this was a mistake on my part and I did not take into consideration the underlying concerns that the visa officer may have about these kinds of plans. I am hoping this will be enough but I am really nervous.
2. As I mentioned, my mother will be sponsoring my visa this time around as well ( since I am a student). Just as in my last application. However, this time around I have attached her bank statements to the Letter of Explanation, in which it shows about 3 lakhs and in the sponsorship letter, she writes that about 2 lakh is available for me for this trip. I have also shown my account statement ( with a paltry sum in it though ) but I have also attached a letter from the bank stating the amount of the FD I have in my name ( 6 lakh). Would this be enough to deal with the 'financial asset' aspect of my rejection letter? I had mentioned similar amounts in my earlier application but am I correct in assuming that it was rejected that time because it seemed suspicious to be having that much fund available when I had mentioned I would be staying with a friend?
Any input/speculation on this will be much appreciated.
I know that no one here can perfectly predict how the application will turn out, but I am hoping that this post is at least educational or helpful to someone else who might be in the same situation / have made the same mistake.
I WILL UPDATE THIS POST WITH THE RESULT OF MY TRV WHEN I GET IT. Hopefully, it will be a success this time.
I am sorry for the huge wall of text that follows, and really appreciate anyone taking time to read through it

So my TRV was refused last month. I applied online and as I had travelled to the US in the last 10 years, I had very few documents to submit ( under the CAN+ program for Indians ). I submitted my documents on Feb 25th and received my decision on March 10th. Now it wasn't mandatory for me to submit any financial proofs( my checklist only asked for the usual forms, travel history, photo, and passport along with an optional letter of explanation). I did, however, mention the rough amount of finances I would have available and included the flight tickets( no hotel tickets, I will come back to this point)
In the rejection letter, the reasons given were my purpose of travel and financial assets.
I quickly realised my error. In my application, I had written that my purpose of travel was tourism yet I had mentioned in my form, as well as in my letter of explanation, that I would be staying with a friend. This most likely caused the problem as it then seemed like I was going to visit the friend instead of going there as a tourist.
I then reapplied on March 23rd. This time I took the help of a visa agent. The agent mentioned that it may not be advisable to reapply so soon after rejection but I insisted on going ahead with it anyway, for two reasons:
1. I only have time in April/May to visit outside as a tourist as after this I may become quite busy with no end to said work in sight. So this was my only opportunity to head out for a vacation.
2. More importantly, I figured that since the mistake on my first application was obvious, as long as I corrected it, I had a good chance of getting the TRV approved.
So I made a new application and this time around I made proper hotel ( and again flight) reservations on new dates. On the IMM5257E form when they asked what my purpose of visit was, I said tourism ( like on my last application ) but unlike my last application , this time around, on the follow up columns asking me to list the persons/institutions I would be visiting as well as their relationship to me, I gave the names and addresses of the hostels I had made reservations at, and mentioned that these were the hostels I would be staying at ( in the aforementioned relationship column ) . In my earlier application, I had written my friend's name and address and said that she was my friend in the relationship column. ( and as I mentioned earlier , this was probably my fundamental mistake)
In the letter of explanation this time around:
1. I gave a more detailed account of which cities I would be staying in and for how long ( I am planning on going for 18 days so I mentioned that I would stay one week each in Ottowa, Montreal and Quebec )
2. Gave detailed information about my own finances and bank account info as well as my mother's who would is sponsoring me ( since I am still a student)
3.Attached all the flight and hostel booking confirmations.
I am still waiting for the result of my second TRV application but I'm starting to get very worried, for the following reason:
1. Would the fact that I said I was staying at my friend's house earlier and now I am saying that I will stay in a hostel seem suspicious? Especially since both my friend's house and the hostel is in Ottawa? I have shown hostel reservations but I am worried they might still find it suspicious and think that I will stay ay friend's house. In my letter of explanation, I explained that the reason I had decided to stay at a friend's house in my last application was that my itinerary at the time was more uncertain and I thought this would give me more flexibility. I acknowledged that this was a mistake on my part and I did not take into consideration the underlying concerns that the visa officer may have about these kinds of plans. I am hoping this will be enough but I am really nervous.
2. As I mentioned, my mother will be sponsoring my visa this time around as well ( since I am a student). Just as in my last application. However, this time around I have attached her bank statements to the Letter of Explanation, in which it shows about 3 lakhs and in the sponsorship letter, she writes that about 2 lakh is available for me for this trip. I have also shown my account statement ( with a paltry sum in it though ) but I have also attached a letter from the bank stating the amount of the FD I have in my name ( 6 lakh). Would this be enough to deal with the 'financial asset' aspect of my rejection letter? I had mentioned similar amounts in my earlier application but am I correct in assuming that it was rejected that time because it seemed suspicious to be having that much fund available when I had mentioned I would be staying with a friend?
Any input/speculation on this will be much appreciated.
I know that no one here can perfectly predict how the application will turn out, but I am hoping that this post is at least educational or helpful to someone else who might be in the same situation / have made the same mistake.
I WILL UPDATE THIS POST WITH THE RESULT OF MY TRV WHEN I GET IT. Hopefully, it will be a success this time.
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