Visitor Visas do get refused. Read more below on the reasons for refusal. Visitor visa applications can be refused for a variety of reasons. Read more here.
Why was my TRV Visa Refused?
There are many reasons for refusal, depending on the type of visa: eTA or TRV.
Visa-exempt countries only require an eTA (electronic travel authorization) which typically is easy to obtain and only takes 24 – 72 hours to process after applying online. Visa-required countries, however, require a TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) which is a much more thorough screening process and have a much higher rate of refusal, especially when individuals apply on their own. Typical processing times for TRV visas can be between 2 weeks to 4 months, depending on the visa office that is responsible for processing.
Common Reasons for Refusal
TRV Visa: Visa-required countries
A TRV visa is also a type of travel authorization, much like the eTA. Individuals from Visa-required countries require a TRV visa in their passport before they are allowed to board a plane at an airport. The Canadian government has placed many countries on a non-visa exempt list to ensure individuals are screened properly before being permitted to travel to Canada.
The TRV visa application process is a lengthy one. The application asks for plenty of detailed personal and family information. In addition, many documents must be provided to strengthen and support the application. Unlike U.S. visas that have an interview, Canada’s screening process is only done by a paper application with no interview. It is extremely important to prepare a strong application as the immigration officers can make a decision based on the information provided in the application.
Many individuals do not understand the process and there is a high rate of refusal when an individual applies on their own. Normally, when an application is submitted after one or more refusals, it should extensively address all the previous refusal reasons, otherwise an officer may refuse the application again.
TRV visas are refused for many reasons. They are refused for all the same refusal reasons of an eTA (read below), plus an additional 13 reasons which normally only apply to the screening process for TRV applications.
Reasons for TRV refusal:
- Lack of Travel History: If a person has not traveled anywhere outside of their home country before, they will be refused a visa if they apply on their own. Our firm can overcome this reason by making legal arguments and referencing a Federal Court case in the application.
- Strong Family Ties to Canada: having family members in Canada can be a reason for refusal, an individual applying on their own can be refused. Our firm can overcome this reason by making legal arguments and referencing a Federal Court case in the application.
- Length of stay: Individuals who state on the application they wish to stay for a longer period, usually require significant financial resources.
- Real Purpose of Visit: there wasn’t a good enough explanation of the reason for travel to Canada.
- Lack of Employment Prospects in Home Country
- Current Employment Situation
- Personal Assets
- Host’s financial situation in Canada: lack of documentation
- Documents that do not appear authentic
- History of overstaying status on a previous visit to Canada
- Illegal Status in Country of Residence
- Other Reasons
eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) visa: Visa-exempt countries
Individuals from Visa-exempt countries are usually refused on grounds of inadmissibility:
- Criminality (having previously been charged with a crime)
- Misrepresentation (having misrepresented information to Canada immigration previously and received a ban)
- Previous Deportation: for overstaying visit illegally
- Medical Inadmissibility: have a contagious disease that is a threat to Canadians
- Human Rights Violations: previously served in the military for a country that has been deemed to have participated in war crimes. Additional documents must be provided to overcome this inadmissibility.
We Can Help
If you have been refused a TRV or wish to apply for one, please contact our firm to get professional help. We have helped many clients obtain a visa after a refusal, oftentimes after multiple refusals. This is our area of expertise.