Can I Sponsor my Friend to Canada

Who can sponsor?

Have you moved to a new country and miss your very good friend of yours back home? Do you want to see them one last time, or even better, get them to move to your new country of citizenship? If you are a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant you are eligible to sponsor relatives under the family class. Unfortunately, a friend does not fall under the “family class” category. The individuals you are eligible to sponsor are your spouse, common law partner, conjugal partner, grandparents, parents, and dependent children. If your relative is of other status than those six mentioned, you are legally not allowed/permitted to sponsor him or her. Although you are not eligible to sponsor your friend to Canada for permanent residency, you can send them a letter of invitation to apply for a Visitor Visa.

What is a Visitor Visa?

A visitor’s visa, also known as a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), is a visa that one has to obtain if they wish to come to Canada. A temporary resident visa allows the visitor to come to Canada for temporary basis. For example, some travellers come to Canada for tourism purposes while others come either for business, work or just to study in Canada. To be able to study, work or just travel to Canada for tourism you need to apply for a temporary resident visa. In order for you, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, to invite a person for temporary basis you can send them an invitation letter to increase their chances for travelling to Canada. A Letter of Invitation is a letter, likewise its name that states who you will be inviting, what relationship they have to you, and how you are able to financially support them for the time they will be residing with you. Remember invitation letter does not guarantee approval for application but only makes the application stronger for approval.

Who is eligible to apply for a Visitor Visa?

The people who are eligible to apply for a visitor’s visa are the people who come from non-visa exempt countries. An example of some non-visa exempt countries (in which you will be required to obtain a visa when entering Canada) is Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, China, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, and Mexico etc. A full list of non-visa exempt countries can be found on the government website. Some of the visa exempt countries include Australia, Belgium, Britain this means if you are exempt from it you don’t need to apply for the visitor visa or temporary resident visa as it is known. The list of visa exempt countries can also be found on the government website.

If you have family or friend that comes from a visa exempt country, they only have to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). The eTA became mandatory and in effect for all travelers who come from visa exempt countries as of November 2016. The purpose of an eTA is to make the airport process more efficient and reducing waiting time at the airport. Before when you travelled to Canada you would be questioned at the Canadian port of entry to see if you have any inadmissibility issues and if you were found inadmissible to Canada then you were simply returned back home or detained depending on your situation. Now you have to complete the online application online, make the payment and you may either get approved or refused eTA. If your eTA got refused then most likely you have to apply for TRP, ARC or Criminal Rehabilitation application depending on your situation to overcome your inadmissibility. When you get your approved eTA it shows the immigration officer that you have no inadmissibility issues to Canada and can travel with ease.

What documentation is required when applying for a Visitor’s visa?

Along with the visitor visa (also known as a temporary resident visa) application form, and the letter of invitation, there are many more documents involved when wishing to apply for a visitor’s visa. The most important thing to keep in mind when applying for a visitor’s visa is that you need to prove to the officer that you have ties back to your home country and will be returning back there once your visit has come to an end. In order to prove to the immigration officer that you have ties back to your home country you should include as many pieces of documentation/proof as possible. In order for an officer to be fully satisfied with your application, the officer should have more certainty in your application than doubts. At Akrami & Associates, we will help you and guide you through the process of completing all the required documents and educate you on the different types of documents as well. When people attempt to obtain a visa by themselves, they usually are surprised when they find out that their application has been rejected. One of the most common reasons people end up receiving back their unsuccessful applications is because they fill out a document incorrectly or in most cases forget to include an important document.

How much does a Visitor’s Visa Cost?

Any and every government application comes with a processing fee. For a visitor’s visa, there are many different options to choose from. The cost for a visitor’s visa depends on how many people are going to be visiting with you, if any. The fee for a temporary resident visa is $75 CAD for a single entry (individual). If you would like multiple entries, the fee is $150 CAD (individual). If you would like to visit with your family, the maximum fee for a family is $400 CAD. There are numerous different ways you can pay the government fees. You can choose to pay and complete your application and government/processing fees online or in person. If you choose to complete your application online as well as pay online, you will have to either create an account on the government website (using your online banking login) (Sign-In Partner) or a Government of Canada login (GCKey). Once you have created an account you will be able to pay your respectable fees using your credit card information. If applicable to you, you also, in addition to the government fee, you have to pay the biometrics processing fee. The biometrics-processing fee is $85 as of right now (2016). Biometrics is the process of getting your fingerprints taken. Unfortunately, when you pay your applicable fees, whether it is the application processing fee or the biometrics fee (if applicable), the fees are non refundable. If you do not get approved, you will not be able to get a refund of your money, as it is a one-time fee and every time you apply again, you will have to keep paying the same fee over and over again. Remember depending on your country of citizenship certain application are only processed online or through paper ensure you look what the requirements are for your application.

Contact Akrami & Associates Today!

It can be a difficult process to obtain a visitors visa without any experience or knowledge regarding the topic. Visitor’s visas are not easily granted because in most cases, the officer is not satisfied that you will be returning back to your home country of residency. At Akrami and Associates we have solved more than 15,000 cases, most in regards to obtaining different types of visas so we have a lot of experience. Do not hesitate to call us and book your consultation today. Visitor visas are not easily granted by the government of Canada, if you choose to hire us, we will ensure you have the correct documents to prove that you do indeed have ties back to your home country. Remember, it doesn’t matter how big or how small your case may be, with Akrami & Associates there is always a way!