Secrets to a successful visitor visa application. A lot of people who are applying for a Canadian visitor visa are nervous about whether or not they will succeed. Will they get a visa? Will they get refused? After all, applying for a visitor visa can be nerve-wracking.
How Do I Know If My Canadian Visitor Visa Was Approved?
Your application will be checked to make sure you have all the documents needed for a Canadian Visitor Visa.
If it’s incomplete, your application will be returned without processing it.
There is no exact information on Canada’s visitor visa approval rate, but the rate at which Canada rejected Temporary Resident Visas (TRV) or Visitor Visa has increased to more than one in four in 2018, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The IRCC may also ask you to:
- go to an interview with our officials in your country
- to send more information
- get a medical exam
- get a police certificate
Most applications are processed in a few weeks or less. Processing times depend on the visa office and if you need to do any extra steps (listed above).
Your passport will be returned and other original documents to you after we process your application. Your original bank statements or any documents found to be fake will be returned.
If your application is approved, the visa will be stamped inside your passport.
If your application is refused, you will receive an explanation.
What You Need to Know About Canadian Visitor Visas
When an immigration officer is processing a visa application, all of them have one big question in their mind, “Will this applicant go back to their home country after they’ve finished their visit to Canada?” This will be our main concern especially if the applicant is from developing or underdeveloped countries because many of the visitors from those countries don’t go back.
Cover Letter for Canadian Visa Application
A cover letter is a key part of applying for a Canadian visitor visa. A cover letter for a Canadian visitor visa application should contain the following important pieces of information:
- The purpose of travel to the destination
- Explanation of how you will manage your travel expenses and proof of said funds
- Describe the source of income
- Describe if you have any sponsor from Canada – explain your relationship with your sponsor and the reason for the sponsorship
- Give an overview of your flight itinerary, you should mention your flight schedule and also the schedule of your main planned activities in Canada
- Explain why you chose this specific country (Canada)
- If you are not submitting some documents, you should explain why are you not submitting those documents and explain if you are providing any alternative documents.
- Explain what documents you are going to submit with your visa application.
- Your intentions to return to your home country, you should make the visa officer believe that you will be back to your home country within the correct time.
Canadian Visitor Visa: How to Improve Your Application
So how do you convince the officer that you are a true visitor who will play by the rules? Several factors may help you to succeed.
Step 1: The first factor will be to show you have a strong establishment in your country. This includes your employment stability, any school attendance if that applies to you, assets you own, marital status, children and family, and any other responsibilities that require your return to your home country. The more you show the better chance you will have to convince the officer.
Step 2: The second factor will be to be clear about the reason for your visit. You have to specify why you’re visiting the country. Whether it’s a family celebration, family emergency, work-related matter, or pleasure visit, you have to make your reason clear. You can include your accommodation arrangement, invitation letter, and documents such as arranged registration to validate your client. Rule of thumb, try to include as much proof as possible. Factor three will be your financial arrangement. If there is no proof of sufficient funds for your visit, unfortunately, your application is likely to get refused. Therefore, you should show sufficient funds available for your trip, no matter who’s covering the cost.
Step 3: Now, once you come to Canada, if you decide to stay longer there may be options. Consult with an immigration professional for help. I hope your application is successful and your visit is enjoyable. If you liked my video please click like and subscribe for more Canadian immigration videos. Thank you.
Below we have provided a list, to sum up, the positive and negative aspects of assessing an application:
Positive Factors:
The following factors are positive aspects in assessing an application:
- citizen in his/her country of usual residence;
- country of usual residence is politically stable;
- stable, well-paid employment (proof is required in the form of a letter from the employer stating salary, position, date when employment commenced, and vacation granted);
- spouse and/or children not accompanying the applicant;
- owner of a substantial business (registration of business and, if necessary, financial statements);
- good financial situation (as proved by bank statements);
- previous trips to Canada;
- previous trips to countries as attractive to illegals as Canada (United States, France, United Kingdom, etc.);
- property in the country of usual residence;
- host (particularly in family visit cases) with legal status in Canada (citizen, permanent resident, a student with student authorization, etc.)
Negative Factors
The following factors are negative aspects in assessing an application:
- host remained in Canada on a visitor visa or student authorization or entered illegally (based on the record of landing or previous files) — experience shows that where the host has already abused the system, it is highly likely that his/her guests will do the same;
- unmarried (particularly if young and chances of successful establishment in the country of usual residence are poor);
- poor financial situation;
- poorly paid employment, or unemployed;
- the host is a friend or distant family member with whom the applicant has had little contact;
- no previous travel abroad;
- has previously been denied a visitor visa (or student or employment authorization);
- has been denied a visa by another country;
- owns no property;
- wants to visit his/her fiance’ or spouse who is residing in Canada;
- listed in FOSS (national immigration database containing entries on all applicants who have violated the Act or regarding whom a report has been written).
Reasons Your Canada Visitor Visa May Have Been Rejected
- You have misunderstood the test for issuing a visitor visa TRV
- You have submitted only the documents on the IRCC checklist
- You didn’t submit evidence of all of your connections to your home country to prove you will return home
- You didn’t submit affidavits to support your application
- Your invitation letter was not detailed enough
Are You Interested in Applying for a Canadian Visitor Visa?
While the procedures for applying for a Canadian visitor visa may seem uncomplicated, some applicants apply without seeking any help from an immigration lawyer, thinking that they can do it themselves. For Canadian visitor visa applications, there is a higher risk of refusal in cases where the application is not properly prepared. Therefore, your best bet would be to hire an immigration professional. We at VisaPlace have helped thousands of people successfully visit Canada on a visitor visa and we can help you too.
Getting started is easy. Just fill out our FREE immigration assessment form here and we’ll get back to you (within 24 hours) to discuss your eligibility and options.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
