Cousin Applying for Tourist Visa After First One Expired - Should He Mention His Past Visa?

[YEGCap]

My cousin came to Canada from Lebanon for 2 months in 2017. He had a 6 month visa. This year he is applying for another tourist visa.

The first time, he included a letter he wrote to the Immigration Office which explained his situation, and why he was intending to stay within the visa limit. It worked and he got the visa. So this year, he will included another letter. Should this mention how he was in the country before and followed the terms?

 

[canuck78]

They will look up his history. Would focus more on commitments he has in Lebanon in the near future so he has to return.

 

[mau123]

My cousin came to Canada from Lebanon for 2 months in 2017. He had a 6 month visa. This year he is applying for another tourist visa.

The first time, he included a letter he wrote to the Immigration Office which explained his situation, and why he was intending to stay within the visa limit. It worked and he got the visa. So this year, he will included another letter. Should this mention how he was in the country before and followed the terms?

You only need to mention any refused visas, deportations, overstays, etc.

 

[dotslash227]

My cousin came to Canada from Lebanon for 2 months in 2017. He had a 6 month visa. This year he is applying for another tourist visa.

The first time, he included a letter he wrote to the Immigration Office which explained his situation, and why he was intending to stay within the visa limit. It worked and he got the visa. So this year, he will included another letter. Should this mention how he was in the country before and followed the terms?

If the form asks for any previous travel history, he has to mention his Canada visit.

 

[YEGCap]

They will look up his history. Would focus more on commitments he has in Lebanon in the near future so he has to return.

Yes, I suppose it would be misguided to think they wouldn't already know. As far as commitments go, he just finished his Bachelor degree and is moving on to a Master's: provided he can prove his intention to stay with a letter from the school (as he did last time), that would be good evidence right?

 

[YEGCap]

You only need to mention any refused visas, deportations, overstays, etc.

I see. He doesn't have any history of those, so I don't need to worry then...

 

[YEGCap]

If the form asks for any previous travel history, he has to mention his Canada visit.

I was talking specifically about the letter he's writing to help convince the office of his background and his intention to return, rather than the actual application forms.

 

[bellaluna]

I was talking specifically about the letter he's writing to help convince the office of his background and his intention to return, rather than the actual application forms.

He can write whatever he wants to claim to the visa officer. It will only be secondary to whatever documents he provides.

A strong application is convincing based solely on its documents and does not need any letters.

 

[YEGCap]

He can write whatever he wants to claim to the visa officer. It will only be secondary to whatever documents he provides.

A strong application is convincing based solely on its documents and does not need any letters.

I see. Back in 2017 he applied once without the letter and was rejected, then again with the letter and was approved. It could have been sheer luck, I suppose, but that's the reason behind our attention to it.

 

[mau123]

I see. Back in 2017 he applied once without the letter and was rejected, then again with the letter and was approved. It could have been sheer luck, I suppose, but that's the reason behind our attention to it.

Mention that rejection. Otherwise, they might ban him for 5 years for misrepresentation.

 

[bellaluna]

^ I don't think that's the issue, or else OP's brother wouldn't have been approved after the rejection.
OP's asking if they should write in the letter that the brother visited Canada and respected the terms of the TRV, to make the case that this application should be approved again. They can write it, and it won't hurt, and that's up to the visa officer to consider.

I'm just of the opinion that a good profile doesn't need letters, plus the visa officers can look up their Canada travel history themselves. Of course, visa officers are human and can err, so maybe a letter can make the VO's job easier and express the applicant's intentions more clearly.

 

[YEGCap]

^ I don't think that's the issue, or else OP's brother wouldn't have been approved after the rejection.
OP's asking if they should write in the letter that the brother visited Canada and respected the terms of the TRV, to make the case that this application should be approved again. They can write it, and it won't hurt, and that's up to the visa officer to consider.

I'm just of the opinion that a good profile doesn't need letters, plus the visa officers can look up their Canada travel history themselves. Of course, visa officers are human and can err, so maybe a letter can make the VO's job easier and express the applicant's intentions more clearly.

Yeah that was exactly what I was thinking originally. I'll tell him to mention he stayed 2 months on a 6 months visa, and that he has to go back to school to continue his degree.