Common Reasons for Visa Denial

Will I be denied? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | March 25, 2014

Dear Miss Powell,I am planning to apply for a  visitor's visa and am a little scared of the process. What are some of the reasons people are rejected? I'd like to know, so I can be prepared.- YM

Dear YM,

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has established policies which require visa officers to evaluate each applicant's overall situation in order to decide whether to grant them a temporary resident visa/ visitor's visa. The key issue is to convince the visa officer that you will leave Canada at the end of the time granted for your visit to Canada; that you can afford the trip; and that you are not a risk to the Canadian society.

In reaching this decision, the visa officer considers several factors, including, but not limited to:

Your travel history

• Your family ties in your country of residence

• Your family ties to Canada

• Your current immigration status, whether you have other visas or permits to

• reside in other countries

• Length of proposed stay in Canada and purpose of visit

• Your current employment situation

• Your personal assets

• Your ability to afford the cost of the trip and overall financial status

• Criminal record

• Whether you are a risk to the Canadian society in general

• Whether you have completed the application form accurately and appeared to have truthfully answered all questions put to you

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Most of the cases of refusal have been simply because persons have not completed the application form accurately and failed to submit the required documents to show strong connection or ties to Jamaica.

In addition, applicants may be refused if they are unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of a visa officer that they have sufficiently strong and long-term family, social and economic ties in their home country, which would make them depart Canada after a temporary stay.

stronger ties

While having relatives and friends in Canada is helpful, if you present stronger ties to Canada than to Jamaica then the visa officer will have doubts about your intention to return.

Strong ties differ from individual to individual. Such ties may include business, employment, family, property or other connections which satisfy a visa officer that you will leave Canada voluntarily after a temporary visit. For example, you may bring a letter from your current employer, on their official letterhead, with your position/job title, length of employment, salary, and your three most recent months' bank statements. Check The Gleaner's website for past articles about this.

In the case of younger applicants, who may not have had an opportunity to establish such ties, CIC visa officers consider other documents which show educational status, leadership in clubs, voluntary work in community and school grades to establish long-range plans to return to your home country. You should submit your parent's or guardian's financial records to support your application.

It is important to note that you are not allowed to work in Canada while on a visitor's visa. So it is imperative that you provide original documentation from a financial institution to show your personal assets and financial status in your home country to demonstrate that you do not need to work to support yourself while visiting.

If you have any admissibility concerns, such as previous criminal conviction, health issues or bankruptcy proceedings, then you should speak directly with an immigration lawyer to guide you before submitting an application.

Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada bars, with main office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Her areas of practice are in immigration, personal injury, commercial, family and administration of estates. She is on the roster of mediators for Ottawa, Toronto, and the Dispute Resolution Foundation of Jamaica. Submit your questions and comments: info@deidrepowell.com. Subject line: Immigration. Tel: 613-695-8777.