Foreign nationals often come to Canada for leisure, to visit family & conduct business. However, here’s why IRCC refuses a visitor visa application.
To visit Canada, residents of visa-required nations must obtain a visitor visa. However, there are many reasons that IRCC might refuse an applicant’s visitor visa application.
Other visitors to Canada from visa-exempt nations would require an eTA rather than a visitor visa.
Failure To Provide Accurate Supporting Documents Or Pay Government Processing Fees
Visiting Canada involves meeting strict entry & admissibility requirements, which include presenting IRCC with mandatory documents as part of the visitor visa application. Moreover, visitors to Canada must take time to double-check IRCC’s application checklist to ensure they compile an accurate & complete set of supporting documents.
Moreover, visitor visa applications must ensure they pay IRCC’s processing fees on time to avoid any potential mishaps with their application, including a refusal.
Inadmissibility Due To Prior Criminality
Visitor visa applicants with a criminal history might be denied entry to Canada. However, it is also possible that the applicant’s criminal background might not bar them from coming to Canada. Therefore, foreign nationals seeking a visitor visa should be transparent about their history & ensure they submit a criminal record check & any other applicable documentation to support their application.
Note: This might involve putting together documents to show IRCC that the applicant is rehabilitated & should be allowed to enter Canada as a visitor. An authorized immigration lawyer can help with these efforts.
Doubts Regarding An Applicant’s Intentions During Their Stay In Canada
As IRCC refuses a visitor visa application, candidates might have their visa refused if they aren’t clear with IRCC or CBSA about the purpose of their time in Canada. To avoid creating doubt, candidates should provide supplementary documents like an itinerary to help immigration authorities & border security officers understand why they are visiting & what they plan to do while in the nation.
Other proof of intention might include flight reservations & hotel bookings.
Applicant Lacks Ties To Their Home Country
Because visitors can typically move to Canada for up to six months, an integral part of the application procedure is proving that they will depart at the end of their authorized stay. Thus, if an IRCC or CBSA officer has reason to believe that an applicant might not leave Canada when their visa expires, the application might be refused.
One reason that IRCC might doubt that a visitor will leave when their visa expires is if they determine the applicant lacks strong ties to their home country. To help IRCC establish that the applicant does indeed have ties to their home country, giving the immigration department confidence that they will depart from Canada at the end of their authorized stay, applicants should submit the following documents:
- Evidence of home country employment
- Evidence of family dependencies in the applicant’s home country
- Evidence of home country property ownership
Concerns About The Applicant’s Past Travels
Visiting Canada will be harder for applicants with poor travel history. In the context of a visitor visa application, IRCC might refuse to issue a visa to foreign nationals with a history of:
- Prior overstay in Canada
- Prior refusal of Temporary Resident Visa applications in Canada
To help IRCC mitigate concerns about an applicant’s past TRV refusals or worries that the applicant might repeat the pattern of overstaying their authorized stay in Canada, the applicant should be transparent about this history.
In the same way that transparency is vital for an applicant’s criminal history & purpose for visiting Canada, visitor visa applicants should provide IRCC with a detailed explanation of this history & show what actions they have taken to correct this behavior.
Examples of corrective behavior might include proof of compliance with visa regulations in subsequent travels & proof of the individual’s commitment to Canadian immigration laws.
Misinterpretation
Applicants must be honest & truthful during all stages of the visitor visa application process to avoid issues regarding misinterpretation.
Note: One example of a misinterpretation issue that can lead to a visitor visa refusal is the non-disclosure of TRV refusals to other countries, such as the United States.
The Applicant Doesn’t Have Legal Status In Their Country Of Residence
Applicants need to resolve any illegal status issues in their country of residence before applying for a Canadian visitor visa. For instance, providing proof of legal residence will help IRCC feel comfortable that the applicant will abide by the law during their stay in Canada.
Failure To Meet Health Standards
As IRCC refuses a visitor visa application, some foreign nationals, like those applying for a Super Visa, will be asked to undergo a medical examination as part of their visitor visa application.
Applicants might be refused entry to Canada based on their health status. Still, it is possible to overcome these concerns by providing IRCC with a detailed medical history & passing any required medical examinations. A letter from a certified healthcare professional confirming that the applicant is in good health can also be helpful.
Failure To Show Financial Support
IRCC & CBSA officers need to be sure that foreign nationals cover their expenses while in Canada. Thus, it is vital to demonstrate financial stability by providing documents that affirm the applicant’s income and assets, like recent bank statements, employment verification letters, & any other details that can establish financial stability.