Common reasons for temporary visa refusals.

As a rule, all applications for temporary visas needs to include proof that you intend to leave Canada after your stay, even if it is your intention to transition to permanent residency eventually.

Many people travel to countries on a temporary visa and end up staying longer than the validity of the visa. They become illegal immigrants thus Canada needs to ensure that you have no reason for overstaying.

Study permits, work permits, visitor visas and super visas are all temporary visas.

What can you include to satisfy the officer that you will Canada at the end of your stay? It is generally assumed that you will return to your country of citizenship before your temporary visa expires. What are the common reasons for temporary visa refusals and how can you avoid these reasons for visa refusals?

Previous travels

It counts in your favour if you have worked in another country for a period of time and returned to your country of citizenship afterwards. An added bonus is if you worked in a first world country such as the UK or USA.

Traveling for tourism will strengthen your application as well. It proves that you have been able to obtain visas where necessary and have adhered to the immigration laws of the countries that you have visited. Bear in mind that the officer do check if you have stayed in these countries past the validity date of the visa.

Not having any travels does not necessarily influence your visa application negatively. It is found though that officers often reject applications based on the fact that the applicant has not travelled at all. Strictly speaking, no travel history should be viewed as a neutral effect on the application by the officer. It's a good idea to point this out to the officer in a letter of explanation.

Job prospects

Applicants from third world countries need to convince the officer that there are job prospects for them when they return home, especially if you are applying for long-term visas such as study permits or work permits. For a visitor visa, you can include recent pay stubs from your current employer to show the officer that you are employed.

Assets in your country

Owning property or a business in your country of residence contributes to the strength of your application. Mention these assets in your letter of explanation, but be sure to add proof that you do in fact own these assets.

Ability to get yourself back home

Add a flight itinerary and quote to your application, along with a bank statement that covers the cost of the flight. This will show the officer that you have the financial means to return to your country of residency.

Family ties

Not all people have close relationships with their family members. If you don't then focus on the previous topics instead.

Proving strong family ties can help your application as well. If you currently live with your parents or other close family members, mention this in your letter of explanation and include bills for yourself and the family member/s that goes to the same address.

If most of your related family lives close to you, include their addresses in your letter of explanation. Families that live close together usually have strong bonds and frequently spend together.

If you find yourself in a situation where you can't show strong ties back home or need to discuss temporary visas or immigration, book an appointment with our Registered Immigration Consultant.