VISITOR VISA REFUSAL

[eliorao]

Dear All,

Please, kindly assist. I am a Ghanian and currently a PhD student on scholarship in France. I plan to attend an international conference in Canada and have paid the conference fee, accommodation and bought flight ticket already which I attached in my application but was refused visa due to these reasons:

• I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident, as stipulated in paragraph 179(b) of the IRPR, based on the purpose of your visit.
• I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident, as stipulated in paragraph 179(b) of the IRPR, based on your personal assets and financial status.

On purpose of visit, I attached my invitation letter for the conference. on financial status, I attached my PhD scholarship letter showing my monthly allowance of about 2400 CAD, my bank statement and other supporting documents. SO I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE EXTRA DETAILS THEY REQUIRE.

Can someone provide possible things I need to do or documents to provide as I plan to reapply.

 

[bellaluna]

Paying for flights, etc. does absolutely nothing to guarantee approval.

OK, you submitted all those documents, but what do those documents SAY? You’ve given very vague details (“other supporting documents” is meaningless) without giving any information that can actually allow people here to give any insights. Is the scholarship your only source of income? How much was in your bank statement? How long a trip did you suggest?

I can say from observing on this forum that it’s typically harder for applicants who are not in their home country to get approved for a Canadian TRV, also for students.

 

[eliorao]

@bellaluna. Thanks for your reply. The scholarship is my only source of income in France and do not have any assets here in France. I had about 10000 CAD in my bank statement and I plan to stay for only 6 days. Other supporting documents I mentioned include invitation letter for conference, copies of my residence permit, travel history (my home country to Europe in the last 2 years ), family information (my wife and children) etc

 

[bellaluna]

Ok, 10000 CAD is sometimes enough for most applicants, but given that you live in France and have a family, that’s probably another matter.

Travel history between Europe and Ghana during your studies does not count.

Did the invitation letter contain any evidence of your necessity to attend this conference? Did you also submit proof you were enrolled in school? A timeline of how much longer it will take to complete your PhD, plans for the future, etc.

I think it’s your being a third-nation applicant that worked against you; it’s usually harder for those cases. What you have to prove, if you cannot prove ties to your home country, are ties to your country of residence.

 

[eliorao]

@bellaluna. I submitted the invitation letter and also, proof of enrollment for the current academic session but not with time line of my PhD and future plans which I will now add in my new application. Just a big question on purpose of visit: On the first reason for refusal which is purpose of visit, I indicated others in my application and from some of the posts on this forum and also, going back to the visa application website, I realized I should have indicated to conduct business as the purpose of visit instead of others even though I intend to go strictly for scientific conference. could this be the major reason for refusal?

Also, on the check list of visa application for business visitor after going through the questionnaire, the checklist is quite different from choosing others as purpose of visit. Now, I see business activities description included as one of the supporting documents and supporting document for means of financial support and invitation letter is not included unlike the case of choosing others as purpose of visit. Please, kindly comment on these issues. Just want to be sure of the things I need to include that I may probably have left out and you have mentioned some of them already.
Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Cassiano]

Dear All,

Please, kindly assist. I am a Ghanian and currently a PhD student on scholarship in France. I plan to attend an international conference in Canada and have paid the conference fee, accommodation and bought flight ticket already which I attached in my application but was refused visa due to these reasons:

• I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident, as stipulated in paragraph 179(b) of the IRPR, based on the purpose of your visit.
• I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident, as stipulated in paragraph 179(b) of the IRPR, based on your personal assets and financial status.

On purpose of visit, I attached my invitation letter for the conference. on financial status, I attached my PhD scholarship letter showing my monthly allowance of about 2400 CAD, my bank statement and other supporting documents. SO I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE EXTRA DETAILS THEY REQUIRE.

Can someone provide possible things I need to do or documents to provide as I plan to reapply.

http://www.vfsglobal.ca/Canada/France/
Réessayez de présenter votre demande sur papier.

 

[Bryanna]

@bellaluna. I submitted the invitation letter and also, proof of enrollment for the current academic session but not with time line of my PhD and future plans which I will now add in my new application. Just a big question on purpose of visit: On the first reason for refusal which is purpose of visit, I indicated others in my application and from some of the posts on this forum and also, going back to the visa application website, I realized I should have indicated to conduct business as the purpose of visit instead of others even though I intend to go strictly for scientific conference. could this be the major reason for refusal?

Also, on the check list of visa application for business visitor after going through the questionnaire, the checklist is quite different from choosing others as purpose of visit. Now, I see business activities description included as one of the supporting documents and supporting document for means of financial support and invitation letter is not included unlike the case of choosing others as purpose of visit. Please, kindly comment on these issues. Just want to be sure of the things I need to include that I may probably have left out and you have mentioned some of them already.
Thanks for your assistance.

1. Have you attended similar conferences in other countries earlier?

2. Did you pay for the visit (conference et al) with your own funds?

3. Do your wife and children live in France or in Ghana?

4. Are you able to firmly prove this conference is crucial to your Ph.D. and/or your future career prospects?

5. Have you traveled to other visa-required countries (maybe in the Schengen area, UK)?

 

[eliorao]

@Bryanna. I have only attended conferences within France and also within Africa. My family is in Ghana and I teach in a Ghanian University. I am only studying for my PhD on scholarship and will return to Ghana to continue teaching. In my first application, I did not write any explanation on the importance of the conference to my PhD pursuit and career. Also, I chose others as main purpose of visit instead of business. In the business visitor check list, I see business activities description as one of the supporting documents apart from purpose of visit documents and where invitation letter needs to be added. I just want to get more clarifications especially the business visitor checklist and explanatory notes I need to write about myself before making second application.
Thanks

 

[Bryanna]

@Bryanna. I have only attended conferences within France and also within Africa.

The incorrect selection i.e. Others instead of Business should be the least of your worries. It's not the reason for your refusal.


IMO, here's why you have been refused:
1. No previous travel to any visa-required country outside of France.

2. No previous conference-related travel = Purpose of visit refusal reason

3. I'm assuming you have paid for your visit/conference registration/airfare.... which would only lead the visa officer to question why you want to visit Canada = Purpose of visit refusal reason

4. Your financial situation is pretty weak, which would again make the visa officer to question the purpose of your visit = Purpose of visit refusal reason + Financial situation refusal reason

5. You do not have any family ties in France to return to because your dependents live in Ghana.

6. You have not demonstrated your strong ties to both France and Ghana.

etc etc