Urgent: Trouble Applying for Canadian Visitor Visa for Nigerian Husband (U.S. F-1 Visa Holder) Traveling with U.S. Citizen Wife and Baby

[fr0ggi]

Hello,
I am hoping someone can help us urgently as we need to travel to Canada for a work conference in August, and we are running into major issues with the visitor visa application process for my husband.

Situation:
• I am a U.S. citizen and will be attending a work conference in Canada in August.
• Our baby is also a U.S. citizen. She is less than a year old.
• My husband is a Nigerian citizen, currently in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa.
• Only my husband needs a Canadian visitor visa (TRV); my baby and I do not.
• My husband will be accompanying us to provide child care while I attend the conference.
• I am providing financial support for the trip and have signed a support letter.

Problems We’re Facing:
• When my husband tries to apply for his visitor visa using the new IRCC Portal, the system asks if he is traveling with family. If he answers “yes” (which is the truth, since he is traveling with me and our baby), the portal redirects him to the old application system (GCKey).
• In the old portal, he is unable to get an invite code, no matter how many times we try on different browsers or with different email addresses. We are completely stuck and cannot move forward.
• If he tries to apply as an individual on the new portal and says he is not traveling with family, we are worried this will look inconsistent, since his financial support documents and itinerary all clearly state he is traveling with his wife and baby, and I am his sponsor.

Our Questions:
1. What is the correct way for my husband to apply for a Canadian visitor visa in this situation? Should he use the new IRCC Portal and apply as an individual, even though he is traveling with me and our baby (both U.S. citizens and not needing visas)?

2. Will it cause problems or look suspicious if his application says he is traveling alone, but his supporting documents and letter explain that he is traveling with us?

3. Is it correct that only he should apply for the visa, and that I and our baby (both U.S. citizens) do not need to be included as co-applicants or in a group application?

4. What is the best way to present our situation and supporting documents to avoid confusion or delays?

5. Has anyone else encountered this issue with the IRCC Portal redirecting to the old system and not receiving an invite code? How did you resolve it?

6. Is there any way to expedite the processing, given that the conference is in August and we are running out of time?

We are very anxious to get this resolved as soon as possible so my husband can join us for this important trip. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[scylla]

Hello,
I am hoping someone can help us urgently as we need to travel to Canada for a work conference in August, and we are running into major issues with the visitor visa application process for my husband.

Situation:
• I am a U.S. citizen and will be attending a work conference in Canada in August.
• Our baby is also a U.S. citizen. She is less than a year old.
• My husband is a Nigerian citizen, currently in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa.
• Only my husband needs a Canadian visitor visa (TRV); my baby and I do not.
• My husband will be accompanying us to provide child care while I attend the conference.
• I am providing financial support for the trip and have signed a support letter.

Problems We’re Facing:
• When my husband tries to apply for his visitor visa using the new IRCC Portal, the system asks if he is traveling with family. If he answers “yes” (which is the truth, since he is traveling with me and our baby), the portal redirects him to the old application system (GCKey).
• In the old portal, he is unable to get an invite code, no matter how many times we try on different browsers or with different email addresses. We are completely stuck and cannot move forward.
• If he tries to apply as an individual on the new portal and says he is not traveling with family, we are worried this will look inconsistent, since his financial support documents and itinerary all clearly state he is traveling with his wife and baby, and I am his sponsor.

Our Questions:
1. What is the correct way for my husband to apply for a Canadian visitor visa in this situation? Should he use the new IRCC Portal and apply as an individual, even though he is traveling with me and our baby (both U.S. citizens and not needing visas)?

2. Will it cause problems or look suspicious if his application says he is traveling alone, but his supporting documents and letter explain that he is traveling with us?

3. Is it correct that only he should apply for the visa, and that I and our baby (both U.S. citizens) do not need to be included as co-applicants or in a group application?

4. What is the best way to present our situation and supporting documents to avoid confusion or delays?

5. Has anyone else encountered this issue with the IRCC Portal redirecting to the old system and not receiving an invite code? How did you resolve it?

6. Is there any way to expedite the processing, given that the conference is in August and we are running out of time?

We are very anxious to get this resolved as soon as possible so my husband can join us for this important trip. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much for your help.

- It's correct that your husband needs a TRV and that you and your child do not need visas and can enter Canada on your US passports.
- You won't be able to expedite. IRCC will sometimes consider expedite requests in life and death situations. This is not one of those situations.

I don't know the answers to the rest of your questions and suggest you post to the Visitor Visa section of the forum instead of here.

 

[fr0ggi]

- It's correct that your husband needs a TRV and that you and your child do not need visas and can enter Canada on your US passports.
- You won't be able to expedite. IRCC will sometimes consider expedite requests in life and death situations. This is not one of those situations.

I don't know the answers to the rest of your questions and suggest you post to the Visitor Visa section of the forum instead of here.

Thanks for your reply Scylla. I realized I was in the wrong forum shortly after posting and am waiting for my other post to be approved

 

[Copingwithlife]

“My husband will be accompanying us to provide child care while I attend the conference”

Why don’t you just come alone and leave the child with your spouse in the States ?

 

[canuck78]

- It's correct that your husband needs a TRV and that you and your child do not need visas and can enter Canada on your US passports.
- You won't be able to expedite. IRCC will sometimes consider expedite requests in life and death situations. This is not one of those situations.

I don't know the answers to the rest of your questions and suggest you post to the Visitor Visa section of the forum instead of here.

Realistically you may have left this too late and should also be making arrangements if you don’t hear about visa approval in time or get refused. Your only option may be to travel by yourself.