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This is a nightmare... Visa refused

Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
Please help :(

I'm a Canadian citizen, I've been in a long-distance relationship for a little while now with a woman from Russia. I've been with her and visited Moscow as well as her hometown Novosibirsk over the course of 3 weeks in July and August this year. I got to meet her parents, grandparents and it was a wonderful experience. Now, I would like to host her at my home for around 25 days, and after that she will leave.

Unfortunately, her visa application was refused on the account that they are not satisfied that she intends to leave Canada. Her plane ticket back is booked, the documents clearly show ties back in her country, and yet the Purpose of visit did not convince the Embassy that she was planning to leave.

There are a few things that are complicated. We've described our relationship as "friendship" which may not be entirely accurate but also we're not married or anything. But essentially her application threads the line between visiting friends and tourism.

At this point I need help and I want her to send another application ASAP because her flights are for December 16th and her departure is Jan 11th 2019 and they are non-refundable which is a huge pain... But we need new documents to prove that she intends to leave, or somehow a better written Purpose of travel document that shows that she doesn't intend to illegally stay on Canadian soil past her TPV...

These are the documents that were included:
- Travel history (more than 10 countries visited including France, Belgium and Netherlands)
-Purpose of visit: she has time for the holidays, will to travel, as well as an opportunity to visit Canada due to me inviting her
-The contact information of (myself) who is inviting me to stay during my travel (along with the Letter of Invitation which was attached to another section)
-Travel plans / schedule (visiting big cities in eastern Canada: Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto)
-Purchased flight tickets from Russia to Canada and back


Any help would be *immensely* appreciated. We're currently in a Skype call trying to find solutions and hoping we can brew up a solution because that's 3 weeks of plans, ski trips, visits to Toronto and Niagara falls all foiled.
 
Last edited:

Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,137
3,120
Please help :(

I'm a Canadian citizen, I've been in a long-distance relationship for a little while now with a woman from Russia. I've been with her and visited Moscow as well as her hometown Novosibirsk over the course of 3 weeks in July and August this year. I got to meet her parents, grandparents and it was a wonderful experience. Now, I would like to host her at my home for around 25 days, and after that she will leave.

Unfortunately, her visa application was refused on the account that they are not satisfied that she intends to leave Canada. Her plane ticket back is booked, the documents clearly show ties back in her country, and yet the Purpose of visit did not convince the Embassy that she was planning to leave.

There are a few things that are complicated. We've described our relationship as "friendship" which may not be entirely accurate but also we're not married or anything. But essentially her application threads the line between visiting friends and tourism.

At this point I need help and I want her to send another application ASAP because her flights are for December 16th and her departure is Jan 11th 2019 and they are non-refundable which is a huge pain... But we need new documents to prove that she intends to leave, or somehow a better written Purpose of travel document that shows that she doesn't intend to illegally stay on Canadian soil past her TPV...

These are the documents that were included:
- Travel history (more than 10 countries visited including France, Belgium and Netherlands)
-Purpose of visit: she has time for the holidays, will to travel, as well as an opportunity to visit Canada due to me inviting her
-The contact information of (myself) who is inviting me to stay during my travel (along with the Letter of Invitation which was attached to another section)
-Travel plans / schedule (visiting big cities in eastern Canada: Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto)
-Purchased flight tickets from Russia to Canada and back


Any help would be *immensely* appreciated. We're currently in a Skype call trying to find solutions and hoping we can brew up a solution because that's 3 weeks of plans, ski trips, visits to Toronto and Niagara falls all foiled.
1. Which refusal boxes were checked?

2. What ties did she demonstrate to Russia? Employment? Property ownership or a lease? Dependent family members? Finances? Does she volunteer for charity or social causes?

3. When did she visit these EU countries? And typically, how long was each visit? Did you travel with her to these countries?

4. Did you include evidence of your relationship (photographs, chat transcripts, phone records, etc.)?

5. Did her travel plan include detailed expense estimates? And, if it did, did she prove she can afford the visit and airfare without depending on you?
 

Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
What documents did you provide to prove strong home ties? Is she employed? Does she own property?
She is employed but does not own property

1. Which refusal boxes were checked?

2. What ties did she demonstrate to Russia? Employment? Property ownership or a lease? Dependent family members? Finances? Does she volunteer for charity or social causes?

3. When did she visit these EU countries? And typically, how long was each visit? Did you travel with her to these countries?

4. Did you include evidence of your relationship (photographs, chat transcripts, phone records, etc.)?

5. Did her travel plan include detailed expense estimates? And, if it did, did she prove she can afford the visit and airfare without depending on you?
1. The only box that was checked is Purpose of travel
2. She showed proof of employment, she has a lease but hasn't included it in the application, she has no dependent family members but her family is over there and she has no plans to abandon them again... I recognize Canada may not care about that. She does not volunteer. I guess that's not looking great.
3. She visited EU countries some 4-5 years ago. Cyprus more recently.
4. I have not included such documents. Since the reason of the refusal is that they think she wouldn't return, I feel like those documents may not play in our favors anyway but certainly we could add them
 
Last edited:

Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
Could the fact that the Purpose of travel document makes it pretty clear that we're a couple make them think that she'd stay or some such?
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,538
20,358
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Could the fact that the Purpose of travel document makes it pretty clear that we're a couple make them think that she'd stay or some such?
Yes - absolutely. The purpose of travel refusal reason effectively means they have concerns she has plans on remaining in Canada long term. This means you want to provide as strong evidence as possible of her ties to her home country - this includes the funds she has to pay for this visit independently. You want to minimum evidence that shows ties to Canada - this would be evidence that shows the two of you have a relationship. The stronger your relationship seems, the more likely IRCC is to think that her primary motive in coming to Canada may be to get married and then stay.

If you want to try reapplying, she should certainly include proof of the lease. She should also demonstrate personal funds - best to show she can pay for the trip herself and has additional funds on top of that.
 
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Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
Yes - absolutely. The purpose of travel refusal reason effectively means they have concerns she has plans on remaining in Canada long term. This means you want to provide as strong evidence as possible of her ties to her home country - this includes the funds she has to pay for this visit independently. You want to minimum evidence that shows ties to Canada - this would be evidence that shows the two of you have a relationship. The stronger your relationship seems, the more likely IRCC is to think that her primary motive in coming to Canada may be to get married and then stay.

If you want to try reapplying, she should certainly include proof of the lease. She should also demonstrate personal funds - best to show she can pay for the trip herself and has additional funds on top of that.
Thank you for the advice. So, two things: proof of the lease, also demonstration of personal funds.

You mention that the stronger our relationship seems, the more likely IRCC is to think that her primary motive in coming to Canada may to get married than stay. Now, she would definitely not stay, but the purpose of travel clearly puts me at the center of her reason to travel, and that's because it is. If that alone disqualifies her from getting a TPV, I'm not sure what to do, maybe there's no avenue from here. And although I have the means to hire a lawyer, it's very much a last resort thing in my case because it's prohibitively expensive considering that it may ultimately not solve the problem.

This visit was going to be a pretty important milestone for us, after that if all things went well we were thinking of going through the proper channels for a more long-term solution maybe through work permits or something like that, but now I'm kinda left in limbo.


Should I suggest that she re-submits with proof of her lease, perhaps a more thorough proof of employment, demonstration of personal funds. Hell, maybe pictures of herself with her family and friends in Russia, whom she is close to and would never abandon? I can't imagine that rewording the Purpose of visit document would have any incidence on the assumptions that they may have made that led them to their conclusions, whatever they may be.

Thanks again, it's immensely appreciated.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,538
20,358
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Thank you for the advice. So, two things: proof of the lease, also demonstration of personal funds.

You mention that the stronger our relationship seems, the more likely IRCC is to think that her primary motive in coming to Canada may to get married than stay. Now, she would definitely not stay, but the purpose of travel clearly puts me at the center of her reason to travel, and that's because it is. If that alone disqualifies her from getting a TPV, I'm not sure what to do, maybe there's no avenue from here. And although I have the means to hire a lawyer, it's very much a last resort thing in my case because it's prohibitively expensive considering that it may ultimately not solve the problem.

This visit was going to be a pretty important milestone for us, after that if all things went well we were thinking of going through the proper channels for a more long-term solution maybe through work permits or something like that, but now I'm kinda left in limbo.


Should I suggest that she re-submits with proof of her lease, perhaps a more thorough proof of employment, demonstration of personal funds. Hell, maybe pictures of herself with her family and friends in Russia, whom she is close to and would never abandon? I can't imagine that rewording the Purpose of visit document would have any incidence on the assumptions that they may have made that led them to their conclusions, whatever they may be.

Thanks again, it's immensely appreciated.
A lawyer won't increase your chances of approval. So there's no need to spend that money. (Agreed it's very expensive.)

Note that the chances of obtaining a work permit are close to nil because of the steps an employer must take in order for her to qualify for a work permit. If you want to research this in more detail, look up the LMIA process (this is what the employer must do before she can apply for a work permit). Lots of work and waiting with no guarantee of approval.

You're far from the first to have experienced this - so you'll get lots of advice here on options. You can certainly have a go at obtaining a TRV again. If you are refused again, I would stop there. You don't want to rack up too many refusals since this can impact a future PR sponsorship application (assuming that's the direction this goes).
 

Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
A lawyer won't increase your chances of approval. So there's no need to spend that money. (Agreed it's very expensive.)

Note that the chances of obtaining a work permit are close to nil because of the steps an employer must take in order for her to qualify for a work permit. If you want to research this in more detail, look up the LMIA process (this is what the employer must do before she can apply for a work permit). Lots of work and waiting with no guarantee of approval.

You're far from the first to have experienced this - so you'll get lots of advice here on options. You can certainly have a go at obtaining a TRV again. If you are refused again, I would stop there. You don't want to rack up too many refusals since this can impact a future PR sponsorship application (assuming that's the direction this goes).
I want to be as thorough as possible though, so you suggest proof of the lease translated in English and demonstration of personal funds, it seems like most people agree on $1000/wk (although the refusal letter doesn't have any issue with "Personal assets and financial status" or any other money related concerns).

Is there anything other than adding those two documents that you think we could do to improve our odds?
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,538
20,358
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
I want to be as thorough as possible though, so you suggest proof of the lease translated in English and demonstration of personal funds, it seems like most people agree on $1000/wk (although the refusal letter doesn't have any issue with "Personal assets and financial status" or any other money related concerns).

Is there anything other than adding those two documents that you think we could do to improve our odds?
$1000/week is enough in spending money. However she should ideally be able to demonstrate additional funds or assets on top of that so that it doesn't look like she's spending the majority of her savings on this trip.

What did she show for proof of employment?
 

Bynming

Star Member
Sep 8, 2018
199
133
34
Montréal
Category........
FAM
$1000/week is enough in spending money. However she should ideally be able to demonstrate additional funds or assets on top of that so that it doesn't look like she's spending the majority of her savings on this trip.

What did she show for proof of employment?
I believe it was a letter from her boss although I couldn't tell you for sure.