"I provided everything": Kenyan woman heartbroken after Canada rejects her visa

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- A Kenyan woman is nursing a heartbreak after her plans for a dream holiday in Canada came to a screeching halt

- She was convinced she had submitted everything needed, including her rich travel history to the UK and Europe, but it wasn't enough

- Canadian immigration officials told her she had not convinced them she would leave Canada at the end of her stay

A Kenyan woman has been left heartbroken after her application for a Canadian tourist visa was refused, despite her belief that she had provided everything needed to prove she was travelling only for a holiday.

The woman, who had applied for the visa in early August and hoped to take a three-week holiday in September, said she received a refusal letter that shattered the plans she had already carefully prepared.

Just Wanted a Holiday

According to her, she had submitted a detailed itinerary, proof of sufficient funds, evidence of assets in Kenya, flight and accommodation reservations, an employer's letter and payslips.

She also said she had a rich international travel history, having previously travelled to the UK and several European countries without ever overstaying or violating immigration rules.

Yet, despite what she described as a strong application, the Kenyan woman said immigration officials concluded that she had not convinced them she would leave Canada at the end of her intended visit.

For the woman, the decision was particularly painful because she insists there was no hidden immigration plan behind her trip.

“I just wanted a holiday, period,” she said.

Can't Understand Denial

She questioned how her previous travel record, stable employment and financial position had apparently failed to reassure the visa officer that she would return.

The woman said she has a well-paying job and strong reasons to come back home after her holiday, making the refusal difficult for her to understand.

She was also upset by what she believed was an unfair interpretation of her personal circumstances.

“I’m single,” she said, adding sarcastically that she had not known being unmarried was “a crime”.

Strong Documents Not Enough

The Kenyan traveller said she had done her homework before applying. Her file, she said, included evidence covering her travel plans, finances, employment and ties to Kenya.

She had also made reservations for her trip, hoping to spend three weeks in Canada in September.

But the refusal letter left her with the familiar immigration concern that her evidence had not been enough to satisfy the officer that her visit would be temporary.

Her comments reflect the frustration felt by many visa applicants who believe that being single and financially mobile can sometimes be viewed as a factor suggesting weaker ties to their home country.

However, Canada's visitor visa rules require applicants to convince an immigration officer that they have ties to their home country, such as employment, a home, financial assets or family, and that they will leave at the end of their authorised stay.

For many applicants, this can be one of the most difficult refusal grounds to understand, even if they have money, employment and previous travel history.

The officer must still assess the overall circumstances of the application and decide whether they are satisfied that the visitor will leave Canada when required.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says a visitor visa may be refused if the officer is not satisfied that an applicant will leave Canada by the end of their authorised stay.

Can She Appeal?

According to IRCC, there is no formal appeal process for temporary residence decisions, including visitor visa refusals.

An applicant may submit a new application, but IRCC advises doing so where there has been a significant change in circumstances or where new information can directly address the reason for the refusal.

If an applicant believes a decision was unreasonable or involved an error in law or procedural fairness, they may seek leave for a judicial review at Canada's Federal Court.

For the Kenyan woman, however, time is now a major concern as she had hoped to travel in September and has only a small window remaining.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.