What to do when your Canadian student visa is delayed
Going to school in Canada as an international student means you’ll need to first complete an application for a Canadian visa with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Even now, Canada’s immigration system is facing a backlog, and there’s a chance your application could be delayed.
If you haven’t yet applied for a visa and want to expedite the process, potentially avoiding long delays, consider the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program. Our partner TD Bank can help you meet the requirements for the SDS expedited study permit. Learn more here.
Here’s what to do if your Canadian visa is delayed.
1. Check your application status
When you’re completing your application, make sure you follow all the requirements, including providing any fingerprints and photos. Remember you’ll also need to pay the required fee to process your application.
Some things in your application could delay an application, such as:
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- Security and medical screenings
- Lack of applicant communication
- Delay in applicant responses
- A pending interview
There’s also a chance that with a high number of applicants, the IRCC is just behind in processing. But it’s important to make sure you’ve covered all your bases early on in the application process so you don’t cause any delays on your part.
Use the IRCC application status tracker by creating a new account – different from your application account – to check your application status. Keep in mind that when you send in your application and when processing starts are not the same, so your status may not show up right away.
2. Contact the IRCC
If you’re not getting answers to your questions online, reach out to the IRCC. You can make an appointment at a location near you to talk to someone in person about your application. This might be an option if you already live, work or study in Canada. There are also offices all over the world if you’re outside Canada and applying for a visa for the first time.
It may help to fill out an online web form or call a customer care center and keep documentation of your calls. That way you’ll have a paper trail and call log in case you need it. This might help if you have to take the next step of finding legal representation for finding out what’s causing the delay with your visa and application.
3. Get legal help
Hiring an immigration lawyer might be an option, especially if you’ve experienced longer than normal processing times for your visa. You may have to apply for an Order of Mandamus. These orders are heard by officials in federal court who determine if the IRCC is causing unnecessary delays to your application. If they are, the IRCC could be compelled by the court to complete the process.
Next steps
If you’re worried about delays in your Canadian visa, it’s important to take necessary steps. First, make sure your application is completed to the best of your ability and there’s nothing on your end holding up the process.
If you’re starting to face delays, reach out to a local IRCC office or call customer support to find out if there are any outstanding issues you weren’t able to independently find. If you’re still running into issues, you may want to get legal counsel and hire a lawyer. An immigration lawyer can help guide you through the process if your visa gets delayed. Even though this could be an additional expense and more time spent on application issues, it might be your only hope of getting your visa application completed.
It’s not easy dealing with visa delays, regardless of where you’re from or going. Completing your application as soon as possible is important to getting results before major deadlines approach. You may want to contact your school to see if they have any additional guidance or options for your unique situation or ways to help international students who seek study permits in Canada.
