As a tourist vs Family visit

[bbayaka]

Hello everyone,
My husband is Canadian citizen and I got my PR through spousal sponsorship in June. My parents live in Mongolia. Since i got my PR, me, my husband and my parents travelled to the USA last month for about a month. Now, my parents are planning to apply for a Canadian visitor visa. If approved they would like to come in July for 14 days. I have a few questions about how to apply.
1. Should they apply as a tourist or as a family visit. If they apply for a family visit, i need to write invitation letter. However, i do not have a job yet.
2. If they are planning to stay for 14 days in hotel in Canada and how much money should they need in their bank account?
3. My dad owns a company and my mom retired last year. However she still works for the company as an advisor. Should i mention that?
4. Should i become their representative for the visa application? Is there any downside for that? Or should they apply themselves?
5. As a business owner what kind of documents should they prepare? Right now, we are preparing these documents:
- passport
- cover letter
- travel itinerary for 14 days
- hotel booking
- bank statement for both parents (mom's account had 40K cad, dad's account had 200k cad)
- should we include registry of assets they own?

 

[canuck78]

Hello everyone,
My husband is Canadian citizen and I got my PR through spousal sponsorship in June. My parents live in Mongolia. Since i got my PR, me, my husband and my parents travelled to the USA last month for about a month. Now, my parents are planning to apply for a Canadian visitor visa. If approved they would like to come in July for 14 days. I have a few questions about how to apply.
1. Should they apply as a tourist or as a family visit. If they apply for a family visit, i need to write invitation letter. However, i do not have a job yet.
2. If they are planning to stay for 14 days in hotel in Canada and how much money should they need in their bank account?
3. My dad owns a company and my mom retired last year. However she still works for the company as an advisor. Should i mention that?
4. Should i become their representative for the visa application? Is there any downside for that? Or should they apply themselves?
5. As a business owner what kind of documents should they prepare? Right now, we are preparing these documents:
- passport
- cover letter
- travel itinerary for 14 days
- hotel booking
- bank statement for both parents (mom's account had 40K cad, dad's account had 200k cad)
- should we include registry of assets they own?

1. Family visit is better. That would give them a good reason for travelling to Canada. An invitation can be very simple. You are not required to have a job or the finances to support their visit. A TRV primarily depend your parents’ finances, their ties to their home country and their previous international travel especially to countries like the US, UK, Australia, etc. The fact that they spent a month in the US with you and your husband and returned home means they already have strong proof of visiting a country and following immigration rules and returning home. The invitation letter can be very simple and relatively short. You and husband if you want to include him can state the you want your parents to come and visit Canada since this is your new home and include an itinerary of what they will do for the next 14 days. The itinerary doesn’t have to be extraordinary but a realistic itinerary when family visits you in Canada. Typically a mix of local tourist attractions and visiting.
2. Would say 15-20k would be a good amount although more would be better there is no set amount. It depends on their funds and assets as a whole. For example it would not make sense to use a large part of their savings to visit Canada for 14 days.
3. Yes just be honest. There is no harm in saying that although your mother has retired from her career she still works with your father. This is very common for family run businesses.
4. Most don’t become representatives for a TRV for their parents. Your parent can apply on their own but many children seem to help their parents apply by filling out the application for them and then get them to sign the finished application. You could also be on FaceTime or Skype while they are filling out the application to address any questions or concerns. Many parents have not traveled much, especially out of their home country, so may not be comfortable filling out forms while others have no issues and can fill out the TRV application on their own.
5. As long as the accounts are personal financial accounts and not his business accounts that is fine. Canada also wants to ensure that they have enough liquid funds. For example all their savings aren’t in fixed deposits. Would include registry of assets (mainly consists of property for most people) and the value if possible. They already have a very good amount of savings so that may be enough to secure the TRV especially with their recent travel to the US.

 

[TiniTan28]

I have the same question, and I just want to confirm: what amount should I mention in the form, if my mother has 30.000cad in her account, should she put this amount or just the amount she counts to spend during the visit (for 1 month)?

 

[canuck78]

I have the same question, and I just want to confirm: what amount should I mention in the form, if my mother has 30.000cad in her account, should she put this amount or just the amount she counts to spend during the visit (for 1 month)?

Savings amount.

 

[bbayaka]

If my parents are applying for TRV together, what could be shown as a tie to home country? Business? Assets?

 

[Naturgrl]

If my parents are applying for TRV together, what could be shown as a tie to home country? Business? Assets?

Jobs with approved leave, business registration (income taxes, client contracts), investment properties, pensions

 

[bbayaka]

If my father owns a business and my mom is retired but still works for the same company, could they mention the business as their tie to the home country?
For proof of funds, they have their own personal bank accounts but also company accounts. Can company accounts used as a proof of funds? My father is the sole owner of the company.

 

[Naturgrl]

If my father owns a business and my mom is retired but still works for the same company, could they mention the business as their tie to the home country?
For proof of funds, they have their own personal bank accounts but also company accounts. Can company accounts used as a proof of funds? My father is the sole owner of the company.

So is the business in your mother’s name too? Is she retired or working? She needs to prove she is working. Business accounts are not counted as proof of funds.

 

[bbayaka]

No business in under my father's name only. She's retired and gets pension but she is still involved in the business as its a family business.