Apply for Canada Tourist Visa from US - Questions

[Vivaronaldo]

Hi all,

I am planning on visiting Canada for tourism purposes in April. I am currently on an H1B visa that expires in September 2016. I had the following questions:

1) Considering that my H1B visa expires 7 months from today (and 5 months from April), will that affect my chances of getting a visa, or if a visa is granted it will most likely be valid until the end of my H1B. Does it matter at all?

2) On the main form to fill, it asks for current country of residence which is the US for me. The form also says that you need to list other countries that you've lived in the past 5 years. Basically, I was a student in the US from 2009 to 2012 and switched to H1B from 2012 onwards. Do I just say "Worker" and provide my work start date? What about my previous status as a student?

3) For funds of stay, does that include hotel reservation and air ticket or is air ticket excluded since it says IN Canada?

4) Lastly do we have to sign any of the three forms (main one, family one, schedule 1) or we just upload it without signing it. Is there some sort of electronical signature step after all documents are uploaded?

Thank you for your help.

 

[rardhawa]

What is your country of origin?

 

[Vivaronaldo]

India. However my family does not live there.

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Anyone have any answers to these questions?

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Please can someone help me? Really unsure about question 1. Thank you.

 

[Bryanna]

Hi,

1) Considering that my H1B visa expires 7 months from today (and 5 months from April), will that affect my chances of getting a visa, or if a visa is granted it will most likely be valid until the end of my H1B. Does it matter at all?

It's not possible to say what your chances are to get a TRV.

You should prove that you have strong ties (employment/family/property ownership or rental accommodation/financials/previous travel history)..... to both the US as well as to your home country. Do not prove your strong ties only to the US.

2) On the main form to fill, it asks for current country of residence which is the US for me. The form also says that you need to list other countries that you've lived in the past 5 years. Basically, I was a student in the US from 2009 to 2012 and switched to H1B from 2012 onwards. Do I just say "Worker" and provide my work start date? What about my previous status as a student?

You must provide complete information about your status in the US right from the time you were a Student.... because you have been in the US from 2009-presently.

The US and Canada share immigration information..... not disclosing this information/partial information may be considered as misrepresentation.

3) For funds of stay, does that include hotel reservation and air ticket or is air ticket excluded since it says IN Canada?

Do prepare a detailed day-by-day itinerary like a typical tourist even if you are visiting only for a weekend.

This itinerary must include expenses for entry fees and sightseeing/local travel/meals/hotel accommodation/incidentals + airfare.... and prove that you have the liquid funds to pay for this visit + submit provisional hotel and flight bookings (mention you will confirm these bookings when you are issued a TRV)


Cheers

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Thanks for your answers.

1) I am an Indian citizen but never lived there. My parents are expatriates who currently live in country X. My travel history shows frequent trips to country X as I usually go there to visit them since they work there. Does that suffice? As mentioned i have never lived in India. Thanks.

 

[Vivaronaldo]

For current residency I am not able to select both student and worker. I only need to select 1 option so I'm not quite sure how to answer that since i changed status from student to worker while i was already in the US. Do i provide that info as a supplement? Thanks.

In teavel history I have attached all my travel entry exit stamps as well as my previous US visas (student) and current visa (work).

 

[Bryanna]

Hi,

) I am an Indian citizen but never lived there. My parents are expatriates who currently live in country X. My travel history shows frequent trips to country X as I usually go there to visit them since they work there. Does that suffice? As mentioned i have never lived in India. Thanks.

You must show strong ties to Country X as well.... family ties, any property, financial investments in your name there + any long-term visa which you have Country X.... apart from your US ties.

For current residency I am not able to select both student and worker. I only need to select 1 option so I'm not quite sure how to answer that since i changed status from student to worker while i was already in the US. Do i provide that info as a supplement? Thanks.

Yes, provide the student visa details as a supplement


Cheers

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Thank you so much. Yes I can provide my visas and passport stamps for country X as I go there at least once a year.

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Hi,

Had a quick question regarding "country of issue" for passport. I'm an Indian citizen however my passport was issued in another country. So technically while my nationality is Indian, country of issue wouldn't be India right? Because it was issued outside India. Is my interpretation correct? Thanks

 

[Bryanna]

Hi,

So technically while my nationality is Indian, country of issue wouldn't be India right?

Wrong.

Country of issue will be India.... and not the US or Country X (because your passport was issued by the Indian Consulate in these countries)


Cheers

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Thank you. For bank statements for tourist visa (less than 6 months stay), do we also need to provide credit card statements or does checking and savings account for the past 4 months suffice? Lastly my latest bank statement is from jan 19 to feb 18. Do i need to show transactions history from feb 18 until today?

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Anyone have any idea? Thanks

 

[Vivaronaldo]

Thanks Bryanna for your help. I got a multiple entry 3-year visa (1 month before passport expiry date).