I originally stayed in Canada with a working holiday visa between April 2008 and April 2009, and then I applied for a visa extension(Visitor visa) for 6 months, which I successfully obtained the visa. After that I tried to extend one more time in order to experience the once in a life event, Olympics.
But the second application was refused due to several factors(I think this was common among those whose visa was rejected).
When I got the letter from CIC, I panicked and rushed to my immigration counselor to ask for advice. The counselor suggested applying for a visa restoration since my visa was expired within 90 days ago even though the chance of getting rejected would be quite high. But they said I would be able to stay in Canada legally untile the decision was made.
Then I got a refusal letter this Feb from CIC saying I must leave Canada immediately. I voluntarily left Canada this March and now am in Japan.
My question is that I am planning to go back to Canada for 2 months this summer as a visitor to see my friends and some trips.
Are there any possibilities that I would be asked a bunch of questions when entering into Canada? My immigration counselor told me that I would not have problems as long as I have a proof of funds, ties to my country( Japan).
Any suggestions?
Since you're visa exempt, you can buy a flight to Canada and just attempt to enter as a visitor. I would suggest having "better than normal" proof you will be returning home, proof of funds to support yourself, and the details of who you will be staying with and what you will be doing, as well as their cell phone numbers with you.
It's quite possible you'll just be allowed in, but if they refer you to secondary for a more thorough interview when you arrive, they will check and see that you were previous refused the extension, and then refused a subsequent restoration of status. This is likely to make them think you may try to extend again, and check your story very carefully. It's possible they will deny you entry, although if your proof of a genuine visit is good enough, hopefully that won't happen.
The fact you left Canada when instructed to do so is in your favour, but the fact that you "pushed it" with a second extension request that was denied, and ended up being in Canada for 4-5 months without status is definitely against you if they look closely.
Thank you for the reply. I really appreciate that.
I have a futher question regarding ties to own countries.
What would be the best way to show that I am intending to return to Japan in terms of documents?
Thanks in advance.
shu0912 Wrote:Thank you for the reply. I really appreciate that.
I have a futher question regarding ties to own countries.
What would be the best way to show that I am intending to return to Japan in terms of documents?
Thanks in advance.
Not sure if it is the best but maybe bring the proof of rent/mortgage, employment or school? They usually ask my wife if she owns or rents her place and how much she pays for it a month and if rent when the lease expires. If you are employed in Japan it should be a pretty good tie to show you are intending to go back as well. In her case they always ask those questions (some of them are really weird and don't make any sense) but they have never asked her to provide them (the actual proof).
I suspect there is a fairly high probability of your being referred to Secondary and in Secondary scrutinized not just closely, but skeptically.
It could go either way, even with significant proof of ties (though proof of a job, with a letter from the employer giving you leave covering the time of your visit, would be pretty strong and may be sufficient if in conjunction with the usual stuff: proof of residence and such in home country).
Thank you for the answers. Your help is very much appreciated.
I understand that proof of a job contract will be pretty strong when it comes to convincing an officer, but since my future employer( I am not hired yet) is the most likely to issue a job contract in Japanese, would it be better to get it traslated into English by a certified translator?
Also I heard that it would be wiser not to talk about friends I know in Canada because that might trigger an office to assume that I will be staying longer. Is that true?
You are very deep into *it depends* terrain, with factors that can have inconsistent effect (meaning that one factor can help your cause with one officer but hurt your cause with another, depending on this or that officer's sensibilities), with a lot depending, simply, on what sort of presence you have, what impression you make.
Bottom line: if they believe you intend to stay merely two months and then will return to your home country, high probability of entry. May or may not include somewhat more restrictive conditions, such as a fixed must leave by date (which would probably be specified in a Visitor's Record).
If they do not believe you intend to leave timely, pretty significant chance of . . . well, I am not sure how this goes down when flying in on trans-oceanic flight . . . range includes 1) a mere admonition, 2) a Visitor Record of specified duration combined with a strong admonition, perhaps subject to additional conditions, and 3) something akin to either a denied entry or a strictly limited entry (have not refreshed my memory as to the particular procedures they might employ short of simply sending you back on the next available plane), but this could be as drastic as a flat-out denied entry (and you would be in the airport until you board a plane headed home).
There are, in your situation, absolutely no guarantees! No guarantees. There is nothing you can do to be absolutely certain how things will go.
I suspect, well, stronger than that, I believe there is a presumption in your favor, that as someone from a visa-exempt country you will more likely be allowed into Canada, but . . . generally I am no gambler so I am only distantly familiar with playing the odds. You would be playing the odds.
I say all this having played the odds for many years. But as an American. And as an American simply approaching land POEs, and over time recognizing the possibilities, the risks, and being prepared (somewhat, as best I could) for, well, various contingencies. Frankly it was never easy, far from certain . . . so it is difficult to imagine how it would be flying from across an ocean, since I had the means to shrug, to turn around and go "home" and regroup, figure out the where to next, and yeah, that was always on my mind, for years, for many crossings of the border into Canada.
I was taking risks that would be unreasonable for many others. I had a lifestyle that could afford taking such risks.
In other words, I don't know. I doubt anyone knows. If you have a translated job contract in your possession, that in itself might raise questions (why are you bothering to carry such a document?). I think it would help, yes, but . . .
If it is indeed a job you have been offered and intend to take, that is what will really help (being sincere tends to have its own weight), even if it is not translated.
The POE experience varies. It can vary greatly. I don't think they turn back people from visa-exempt countries lightly. But you have probably turned on their "pay attention to this one light," so you face some uncertainty. The stronger your evidence of ties (and that is probably as much rooted in as "convincing your representations of ties") to your home country, the less likely a serious inconvenient process will occur. But, still, no guarantees. No guarantees.