Questions re Canadian Tourist Visa

Whitey · #1 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 08:58 PM

I'm hoping there are some Canadians here on the board with experience that can help me out with these questions.

First, a little background. Nazly and I are hoping she can visit me next summer in Canada on a Tourist Visa (Temporary Resident Visa). She has never travelled outside of Colombia before, is in her early thirties, single, no kids, has a good job in a bank for more than 10 years, owns property which she rents out, and has a little but not much money in savings. She has a female friend from Colombia in a city near to me, and also has another friend (non-Colombian) who lives near me as well. So, some pluses and some minuses.

Can anyone tell me:

1) Your best guess on the odds of success with her obtaining the visa? I've heard the process can be pretty arbitrary.

2) Is there anything we can do to maximize the success?

3) Is an interview in Bogota always required? We may consider stating on the forms that my relationship status with her is "friend", but neither of us wants her to lie in an interview.

4) Since we are planning to get married (in the future - not during her visit), what affect, if any, will the tourist visa and her trip have on the marriage visa? If she states that I am only a friend on the form, will we be nailed later when trying to get a marriage visa, even if the tourist visa is denied?

5) 3 months of bank statements are required to prove she has enough savings to travel - how much money is required (enough to pay for the trip plus a little more?).

Thanks,

Whitey

Tinto · #2 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 09:09 PM

Whitey,

If no one answers your questions here I bet you'll find them on www.visajourney.com

Whitey · #3 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 09:23 PM

Thanks Tinto, but I believe that site is U.S. only.

Whitey

Tinto · #4 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 09:50 PM

Negatory. http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Canada

ClarkKentinBC · #5 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 09:57 PM

Whitey,

While i am no expert on this topic I have been looking into it myself. One thing there is no interview required for a tourist visa. Now while your girl might have that same job for a while it really isn't going to help much. What they are looking for is a reason for her to go back...ie. kids and such.

I am not saying it is impossible but your looking at a uphill battle there. The next thing to consider is you do not want them knowing she has a boyfriend here. If they find out she has a boyfriend here and is applying for a tourist visa you can kiss any chance goodbye right there.

If you want to get her here for any length of time the student visa is the route to take. Sign her up for english classes in a local college in your town and have her apply for a student visa. This will get her here with the least amount of hassle.

Now if you marry her it should be fairly easy to get her here. I know someone who had them at the border give his spouse a 1 year visa right there at the border to her. This allowed her to stay while she applied for permanent residency. The paper work should only take about 3 - 6 months maximum to go through as your spouse. If you run into any delays i would seriously camp out at your local MLA's office and tell them your story. If they get involved you will see **** happen a lot faster. This is only if you are married.

The student visa is the easiest way to get her here.

CK

Whitey · #6 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 10:15 PM

Many thanks Tinto, didn't notice the Canadian pages! Guess I don't read too goodly. ;-)

CK, thanks for the advice. Nazly has 1 month of holidays ... maybe an English course and student visa would be feasible?

According to the gov't website permanent residency visas from Colombia take up to 14 months, and I've heard that 8-12 months is pretty common. How did your friend manage to get his wife in sooner? Was she crossing the border from the USA? What country was she from originally?

Whitey

ClarkKentinBC · #7 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey

Many thanks Tinto, didn't notice the Canadian pages! Guess I don't read too goodly. ;-)

CK, thanks for the advice. Nazly has 1 month of holidays ... maybe an English course and student visa would be feasible?

According to the gov't website permanent residency visas from Colombia take up to 14 months, and I've heard that 8-12 months is pretty common. How did your friend manage to get his wife in sooner? Was she crossing the border from the USA? What country was she from originally?

Whitey

She was from the USA. The border guard literally gave her a one year visa right there at the border. Permanaent residency is different than a temporary visa. It does take longer to aquire. If she is only planning on coming for a month the student thing will not work. I was refering to her staying so you could live together to see how things go.

CK

Raycjs · #8 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 11:35 AM

Whitney

I do not know about Canada But the fact that she owns property in her country is a big plus ... Visajourney is a big help go on the site and ask your questions i know for sure you will have some who has the right answers for you..

Best of Luck

Ray

Whitey · #9 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 02:06 PM

Thanks Ray, and welcome to the board.

SingleFather · #10 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey

I'm hoping there are some Canadians here on the board with experience that can help me out with these questions.

First, a little background. Nazly and I are hoping she can visit me next summer in Canada on a Tourist Visa (Temporary Resident Visa). She has never travelled outside of Colombia before, is in her early thirties, single, no kids, has a good job in a bank for more than 10 years, owns property which she rents out, and has a little but not much money in savings. She has a female friend from Colombia in a city near to me, and also has another friend (non-Colombian) who lives near me as well. So, some pluses and some minuses.

Can anyone tell me:

1) Your best guess on the odds of success with her obtaining the visa? I've heard the process can be pretty arbitrary.

2) Is there anything we can do to maximize the success?

3) Is an interview in Bogota always required? We may consider stating on the forms that my relationship status with her is "friend", but neither of us wants her to lie in an interview.

4) Since we are planning to get married (in the future - not during her visit), what affect, if any, will the tourist visa and her trip have on the marriage visa? If she states that I am only a friend on the form, will we be nailed later when trying to get a marriage visa, even if the tourist visa is denied?

5) 3 months of bank statements are required to prove she has enough savings to travel - how much money is required (enough to pay for the trip plus a little more?).

Thanks,

Whitey

Whitey,

As I have mentioned to you before on the phone this is a very dicey subject. I have researched this subject for many years and have talked to many Canadians that has tried that..

The huge problem you run into is that if you list as a friend you will be screwed. Because when you get married and go to sponsor her you have to tell them how long your relationship has been going..

if you lie or lie by omiting information this could mess up your chance to sponsor her in the future. they consider you or her leaving out information as lieing and lying once is grounds for refusing sponsorship.

You have to provide hotel bills , airline tickets , photocopies of your passport pages with all the stamps.. photocopy of your passport.

-copies of msn chats , copies of emails , copies of physical letters addressed to her from you or vice versa.

- a list of presents you bought her and she bought you.

-about 140 pictures together with the name of every person and the relation to you or to your wife in the picture.

So if she comes next summer and lets say she does get a visitor visa.. she comes for 1 month and goes back and you gwt married 6 months after that.

What are you going to say how long your relationship has been goinjg ? 6 months ? if you say that.. she will be scrutinied even more.. your emails and msn history will show that you were communicationg for much longer.
They are trained to look for lies and inconsistancies and when they find that they will reject the application.

lets say somehow you get by that and make it to the interview stage.. If they find out well asking her or you questions that she lied on her visitor visa application. then you are toast..

She will be interviewed to get her visitor visa also..

re number 4- yes you will get nailed because they will cross reference and read all her previous visa applications to canada.

I know a immigration consultant that is a newly retired immigration officer in Ontario.

He has told me a number of times if they see any lies then that application is history and will be rejeacted.

They have a great game of catching people trying to fool them.

If you call up CIC phoneline they will tell you to give her a letter of invitation to visit you in canada. this is not done to help you or her this is done to help cic know who she is going to be visiting and to see if she is going to visit a love interest.

if their is a love interest then it will be rejected and if you lie then it could come back to bite you.

good luck,

SF NM