1. Submit all Required Documents and Forms
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) document checklists provide applicants with a list of forms and documents that are mandatory to submit with your visitor visa application. Required documents can include, but are not limited to relevant application forms, up-to-date passports or travel documents, photographs of each applicant, proof of financial support, and your purpose of visit/travel.
As a visitor visa applicant, it is important to have a valid passport or travel document with a reasonable validity period as the visa, if approved, will only be issued until the expiration of the passport/travel document. Application forms are updated by IRCC regularly, so it is important to ensure you are providing the most up-to-date version of the forms.
Did you know that your country of origin also has its own checklist? It is critical to follow both the generic document checklist as well as the country specific checklist for your country of origin. Paying close mind to this factor when applying will ensure that you have not left any required items out of your application.
2. Establish the Length of your Visit as well as the Details of your Stay
If your application is approved, you will only be allowed to remain in Canada for a temporary period up to a maximum of 6 months. You must specify that your trip is temporary. You should include details for any event you are attending (wedding invitation, business meeting/conference details, or vacation reservations), provide booking confirmations for your flight including your return ticket, and a detailed travel itinerary that provides who and which cities or sights you plan on visiting while in Canada.
It is important to note that you should be transparent about the length of your stay as well as provide as many details as possible surrounding your purpose of visit. For example, if you are visiting a family member in Canada, you should have them provide an invitation letter which details the purpose and duration of your visit and that you plan to return to your home country at the end of your authorized stay. The invitation letter should also detail how many family members reside with the inviter, provide a copy of the inviter’s Canadian immigration status document, show proof of the inviter’s income, and proof of relationship between you and the inviter.
3. Showing Strong Ties to your Home Country
This tip is probably the most important one and the most common reason visitor permits are refused. It is essential to show you have strong ties to your home country and that you intend to return home at the end of your authorized stay. A few examples of this type of documentation would be:
- letters from your employer or educational institution which detail that you must return to work or school by a certain date,
- proof that you own real estate,
- proof that you own and operate a business,
- additional proof showing that you have other financial or business obligations in your home country, and
- listing family members such as dependents that will not travel with you and are to remain in your home country.
4. Proof that you Have Enough Funds to Support your Stay
You need to provide evidence that you have enough funds to pay for your stay while in Canada. You can provide documents from your financial institution such as a bank balance confirmation letter and/or bank statements. You can also provide pay stubs and employment confirmation letters that detail your salary and employment in your home country.
If someone else will be paying for your visit to Canada, that person must provide a letter as well as proof that they have the funds available to accommodate your stay.
5. Disclosing Previous Refusals and Other Inadmissibility Issues
You will be asked whether you have previously been refused any immigration applications. It is important to note these refusals in your application, even if you cannot recall the exact date. Not providing any previous refusal details could lead to further complications and a refusal based on misrepresentation, whether it is intentional or not.
If you have previously been deemed as inadmissible to Canada (or any other countries), whether you were charged, convicted, or under investigation for a crime, you must disclose this in your application. It is important that you do not have any illnesses that would create a burden on the Canadian healthcare system. Proof of this can be through providing a note from your doctor, obtaining health insurance that coincides with your travel to Canada or providing an upfront medical exam from an IRCC designated panel physician’s office.
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