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Have you applied for a Visitor Visa to Canada but got refused despite providing all required documentation? Well you are not alone. Many people do not know this, but one of the most difficult applications to get approved for in Canada immigration is the Visitor Visa.
A recent article in the Globe and mail confirmed an increased rate in refusals each year. In 2017, almost 600,000 people were refused a Visitor Visa to Canada. This number made up over 25% of all Visitor Visa applications received that year.
So, what are the reasons for the increase rate in refusals and what can you, as an applicant do to increase your chances to not get your application refused? In this blog, we will provide you with some helpful tips by going over some of the key things that Officers are looking for when they review these types of applications.
In order to put together a good Visitor Visa application, you need to know what the reviewing Officer want to see in these types of applications. The four main things that Officers are looking for when reviewing these applications are:
1. Purpose of Travel
2. Applicant’s ties to home country
3. Applicant’s ties to Canada
4. Travel History
5. Financial stability
1. Purpose of Travel
Your purpose of travel is the reason why you want to visit Canada. For example, you may want to visit Canada to attend a conference, visit a family member, or tour a famous tourist location such as the CN Tower. Whatever the reason, the Officer wants to know when you plan to return to your home country. Here, it is a good idea to let the Officer know what your plans are in coming to Canada, including when you want to travel and when you intend to leave. You can do this by providing specific dates for travel and adding documentation such as booked flight tickets.
If you are visiting someone in Canada, it will help to include a letter of invitation from that person. If the person inviting you is willing to provide you with room and accommodation or support you financially during your stay, the letter should state this. In all cases, it is most important that your purpose of travel show that you will be visiting Canada for a specified period and that you will leave when that period ends.
2. Applicants Ties to Home Country
A Visitor Visa is a temporary status document as such, you are only permitted to remain in the Canada for the time authorized by the Visa Officer. In this sense, the Visa Officer reviewing your application wants to see that you will return to your home country when that time comes. How they assess for this is by looking at your ties to your home country. Ties can include financial, employment or family. The more ties you can show, the better. For example, if you work in your home country, you can include proof of employment or a letter from your employer giving you vacation time for your planned visit. Whatever your ties, it is important you provide strong documentation to support your application. Otherwise, your application is likely to be refused.
3. Applicant’s Ties to Canada
Officers will also look to see if the Applicant has any ties to Canada such as family. Here, the Officer wants to see if you have any reasons to want to overstay in Canada. For example, if an applicant is unemployed in their home country but has family in Canada, the officer may conclude that you will not leave Canada. On the other hand, an applicant with family and employment obligations in his home country and no ties to Canada will be less likely to overstay. In this sense, although it may help your application to have some ties to Canada, your ties to your home country is most important and it must always be stronger than the ties you to Canada.
4. Travel History
Officers want to see that the applicant has some travel history. However, where you travel to is important. Having travel history to countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany or the United States will be more helpful than traveling to countries such as Bangladesh, Rwanda or India. Also, if you have ever overstayed in any country, sought refugee protection or denied entry into any other country, this also will not help your application.
5. Financial Stability
Every genuine Visitor should have enough money available to cover their period of stay in Canada. You can provide proof of finances by submitting bank statements showing your bank history and the amount of money you have available for your stay. There is no set amount required, however depending on how long you plan to visit, you should have enough money available to cover your expenses including food, lodging and any necessities. If you are visiting a family member and they have agreed to provide you with a letter of invitation, it will be a good idea to have them also include in their letter that they have some money available to cover some (not all) of your expenses during your time in Canada.
Visitor Visa applications are one of the most difficult types of applications to get approved to Canada. At Akrami and Associates, we have helped many of our clients get an approval, even the most complex cases. We know what needs to be in these types of applications to increase your chances at success. If you have tried on your own to apply for a Visitor Visa and even if it is your first application, you can trust our immigration professionals to help you with your case. At Akrami & Associates, we are committed to results. Contact us at 416-477-2545 to book a consultation with one of our immigration lawyers. At Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!
