Help needed to reapply for Tourist Visa (Rejected based on family ties)

[Shefali_H]

Hi,

My application for a tourist visa was recently rejected, as was my husband's, below are the grounds stated in our rejection letters:
- For me: not satisfied you will leave Canada....179(b) of the IRPR, based on your family ties in Canada and in your country of residence
- For my husband: not satisfied you will leave Canada....179(b) of the IRPR, based on your family ties in Canada and in your country of residence AND based on your travel history.

We are contemplating if we should re-apply, will only do so if we can share more information which demonstrates that we intend to come back to our country of residence and am looking for suggestions on what other documents I can provide. Below is some background about our profile and details about our application to paint a clearer picture...

- I am a Resident of UAE since Nov'16 and had submitted my residence visa valid till Nov'19 as proof.
- I am employed as a Manager at one of the largest Airlines since Nov'16 and have submitted my salary certificate as employment proof along with proof of leave approved (all on company letter head, signed, stamped, etc.).
- I maintain a decent bank balance of liquid cash (a little over CAD 20,000) and have submitted attested bank statements for the last 6 months along with a cover letter stating that I am the sponsor of our trip to Canada.
- I have a fair amount of travel in the past few years and have submitted scans of all past visas which have since expired (3 Schengen, 2 UK, 1 China, 1 Vietnam, 2 Thailand, 2 Singapore). I also have an existing US tourist Visa for 10 years.
- We were married on Feb'18 in India and have provided an attested marriage certificate as proof.
- I am the sponsor of my husband's UAE resident visas and had attached the same as proof of his residency status, one which was previously valid along with the current valid one.
- He is a bit less traveled than me and has 1 Schengen visa in the recent past (we did a 3 country tour in Dec'18) along with a Thailand visa. He also has a 10 year US tourist visa granted recently.
- My husband is self-employed (partner in 2 businesses India) and has been travelling back & forth between UAE and India. He recently relocated full-time to the UAE but continues to be financially invested in his businesses, even though he no longer plays an active administrative role. I accordingly called out one of his business' name in the application form under current employment (could not add the 2nd one) but did not submit additional proofs as it wasn't asked and I didn't think it relevant since I provided all my documents as the sponsor of this holiday.

Below are some top of mind answers if the question remains around why we would return back and not choose to live as an alien in Canada:
1. I have 2 lovely fur-babies here in the UAE who I will be leaving in the care of my mother, who will fly in from India while we plan to be away.
2. I have a well-paying mid-management job and financially support my widowed mother based in India, who also comes to visit us every few months.
3. I have assets in India (bank account with ~CAD35,000 + a jointly owned property worth ~CAD400,000)
4. My husband is studying for a certification exam due in the UAE next month in order to transition back to a corporate job here
5. We do not have any family in Canada
In my last application, I did not show any proof on the above 5 reasons for return (frankly cause I did not expect my authenticity would be a question after all the proofs I already submitted).

Based on the above, can you confirm what additional proof can help counter my 'Family ties' grounds of rejection? Anything outside of this I can add to my application to prove the above 5 reasons for return?

Can you also advice what we need to submit to counter my husband's rejection on the 'Family ties' grounds - is it not sufficient that we are married and if I as the sponsor prove my case for not overstaying?

Also, how can we do anything now for his rejection based on 'travel history'?

I have some very close friends who are 2nd / 3rd gen Canadians. I did not ask for an invite since we are not living with them nor are they sponsoring us. Is there any other undertaking / guarantee / proof of conduct that I can ask for which will help our case?

Thank you for bearing with my very long post. Here's hoping for some help!

Thanks,
Shefali

 

[k.h.p.]

Friends or family cannot give a legally enforceable undertaking or guarantee to submit a tourist application.

Family ties is likely relating to ties to your country of residence. The visa officer sees both of you as workers in the UAE and not citizens or permanent residence, so the "pull" back to the UAE is not sufficient. You need to describe obligations you have in the UAE that would compel you to return, and possibly similar obligations in India.

The fact that both of you applied together is also evidence of a lack of family ties in the UAE - your family tie is travelling with you. Consider applying separately.

What was your stated purpose of travel? The visa officer will weigh the purpose of travel against all reasons to return. If the purpose of travel is not compelling and convincing - you need to explain why you wish to visit Canada and not any other country, and what you can do in Canada you cannot do elsewhere - then you will be rejected.

 

[Shefali_H]

Thanks k.h.p.
Unfortunately the only obligations we have in the UAE are our dogs who we leave behind + my mother who will be staying in UAE in our absence + my job + my husbands exams scheduled in Jul + the fact that my rent is paid for until Nov19. I will find a way to add these in my applications along with some proof of investments and details about my family that I support in India.

Purpose of travel is tourism - our original plan was to cover Toronto and around . We were planning to fly in and out of YYZ and accordingly showed return flight bookings and a tentative hotel booking in Toronto (nothing was booked yet since our plans were still coming together). Since submitting our application, we have been working out our itinerary and researching Canada. We realized that enjoying the outdoors in BC and Alberta was more appealing and now plan to fly in to LAX from where we connect to YVR. We start our roadtrip from Vancouver with multiple stops along the day over a 12 day period and fly out from Calgary. I now have DXB-LAX return tickets booked (sub-load) along with confirmed revenue tickets on WestJet for LAX-YVR. I also have our Hertz rental booked from Vancouver to Calgary (all prepaid) along with a couple of stay options booked. We plan to fly out of YYC to LAX and have subload bookings made.

Couple of follow up queries:
1. Can i change the stated travel plans in my second application? I can justify why we applied before the detailed plan was finalized and can share all proofs of our now final plan.
2. Won't applying separately now raise even more suspicion? Our holiday is planned mid-Jun so not sure if there is enough time to space both our applications
3. What can you suggest we do for the 'past travel history' grounds stated on my husband's rejection letter? He is in the middle of studying and cannot make a short trip simply to add 1 more stamp to his passport (he already has a recent Euro trip to show).
4. Will his 'past travel history' alone be grounds for another rejection even if we successfully counter the 'family ties' doubt?

Appreciate all your help!