Reasons for Canada Visitor Visa Refusal: A Canada Visitor Visa is one of the easiest Canadian visas to get. This is because it has requirements that are the easiest compared to other Canadian visas. For starters, there is no English or French proficiency requirement. Canada visitor visa also among the cheapest as it has a processing fee is just $100 for processing + $85 for biometrics for those who have not given their biometrics within the past 10 years.
Although this visa seems to be the easiest to get, it also has a very high refusal rate due to many simple reasons that are easily avoidable. Some of these reasons might seem unfair or illogical to applicants but if you really want to get your Canada visitor visa approved, then you must genuinely address these issues.
See Also: How to Create an IRCC Account and Start Your Canadian Visa Application
Generally, Visa rejection is based on the discretion of visa officers and how they feel about your application. So, if you are applying or reapplying for a Canada visitor visa, make sure that your visa application does not fall in the common refusal reasons below.
Top Reasons for Canada Visitor Visa Refusal
- Inadequate/Incomplete paperwork
- Incomplete letter of invitation
- Applicant Not Admissible
- Failure to satisfy eligibility requirements
- Inconsistent Information
- Absence of travel history
- No strong ties to home country
- Insufficient reason for travel
- Past visa denials
Inadequate/Incomplete paperwork
Your visitor visa might be rejected by an IRCC visa officer if you fail to provide the necessary paperwork or complete filling out the application. Paperwork expected for your visitor visa application includes your travel history, letter of invitation from family or friend, proof of relationship, your family information, Itinerary, and proof of financial support (Bank Account Statement).
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Incomplete letter of invitation
According to IRCC guidelines, a letter of invitation must include a certain piece of information. If you do not provide that information or some of that information is missing, then your application may be refused.
Applicant Not Admissible
Applicants with medical conditions that endanger public health and safety or have criminal convictions in their home country may be allowed to Canada and their visitor visa requests rejected.
Failure to satisfy eligibility requirements
If you apply for a visiting visa to Canada without providing the necessary documentation, such as proof of financial support, your application will most likely be denied.
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Inconsistent Information
Visa officers will deny your visitor visa if they notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the information supplied on the application form or in supporting papers may result in a denial. So, make sure that all the information in your application is consistent with each other.
Absence of travel history
Although not a primary reason for refusal, applicants who have little or no prior travel experience may be seen as flight risks, and their visa applications may be rejected. This refusal reason is most common among youngsters. However, if your parent or grandparent lives/reside in Canada, then this may be overlooked by the visa officer.
See Also: Top 9 Reasons for Canada Spousal Sponsorship Refusal and their solutions
No strong ties to home country
If applicants lack strong enough ties to their home country the visa officer may reject the application. Again, this is now mostly considered for young visa applicants as it poses a danger of applicants overstaying the duration of their visa validity.
In February 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau said that it doesn’t make sense for parents/grandparents to NOT stay longer with their children in Canada, rather it should be the opposite.
Inadequate funds
Applicants for a Canada Visitor visa must prove they have adequate funds to cover the expenses such as air tickets (to and return tickets) and the cost of staying in Canada for at least one year. If applicants cannot prove that they have enough funds for their visit to Canada, their Visitor visa may be refused.
Insufficient reason for travel
As prospective visitors, applicants must prove they have good reasons for traveling to Canada; else, their visa request may be denied. Usually, visitor visas are approved if applicants are traveling to attend a ceremony in Canada and are formally invited to it.
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Past visa denials
Applicants who have already had a visa to Canada denied in the past must address the reasons why or else their new application may be denied. So, it is very important to address the previous Canada Visitor visa refusal reason in the new visa application to have a better shot at approval.
How to Avoid Canada Visitor Visa Refusal
Note that the reasons below are not guaranteed to get your Canada visitor visa approved but are tips to help you with increasing your chances of getting the visa approved.
- Provide adequate and complete paperwork
- Make sure you have a complete letter of invitation
- Don’t have any Criminal record in your Home country
- Try your best to satisfy eligibility requirements
- Provide consistent and accurate information
- Have some travel history even to a nearby country
- Prove that you have strong ties to your home your country (provide a valuation of assets you have)
- Provide a good reason for your travel
- Make sure you address past visa denials reasons
These are the top reasons for Canada Visitor Refusal and what you can do to avoid them. If you have any questions or need help with your Visitor visa, please use the Contact Us page to send us a message.