Student Visa Refusal

Student Visas often get refused when individuals apply on their own. There are many possible reasons for refusal, a majority are detailed below.

Reasons for Refusal and other considerations:

1. Study Plan: Without a detailed and logical study plan, the officer will not be convinced the main purpose of coming to Canada is to study. There must be a logical progression of studying if a person already has previous post-graduate education or work experience.

The choice of programs in Canada must make sense for the student, or a proper explanation must be given how their diploma in Canada will help them when they return to their home country. This is the most common reason for refusal.

2. Proof of Finances: Tuition in Canada starts at $15,000 CAD per year. The Canadian government wants to ensure a student has the financial support to pay for their tuition and living expenses. A bank statement with a minimum of $30,000 CAD (after exchange) needs to be provided to show a students ability to pay their tuition.

3. Lack of Travel History: If a person has not travelled anywhere outside of their home country before, they will be refused a visa if they apply on their own. We at Opallite can help overcome this reason by making legal arguments and referencing Federal Court Cases in the application.

4. Strong Family Ties to Canada: Surprisingly, having family members in Canada can be a reason for refusal, and individuals applying on their own can be refused. We can navigate this this issue by making legal arguments and referencing Federal Court Cases in the application.

5. The officer considering your visa will also check that you don’t have any history of overstaying in Canada. Overstaying on a previous vise can create problems to an application. If you have history of overstaying a visa in Canada there are ways we can help you over come these challenges.

6. Your citizenship / legal status will be looked at for your country of residence.

7. Consideration can also be given to your current educational status. For example, what you are doing now if you are not currently studying.

Citizens from Non visa-exempt countries must ensure a strong application is prepared in order to convince the visa officer they are a good candidate for a Student Visa. Non visa-exempt countries have a harder road to travel because they have been flagged by Canadian Immigration. Citizens from these countries must go through a much more rigorous screening process than citizens from visa-exempt counties. Every Student, Worker, or Visitor from a non visa-exempt country requires a TRV visa in their passport (travel authorization) before they are allowed to board a plane and travel to Canada. When a candidate applies for a Student Visa, they will be automatically issued a TRV visa as well.

The Student Visa application can be a very lengthy process. The application requires detailed personal and family information. In addition, many documents must be provided to strengthen and support the application. Canada's screening process is done by a paper only application with no interview, unlike US visas that have an interview. It is extremely important to prepare a strong application as the decision is solely based on the information provided in the application. The visa officer will not request any additional information.

There is a high rate of refusal if the process is not fully understood and followed by the applicant. After receiving a refusal, the individual will be flagged and any subsequent application must be as strong as possible in order to have any chance of approval. We at Opallite have the skills knowledge and ability to help guide you through this process.