Things to keep in mind while writing SOP for visitor visa

Canada is among the top travel destinations attracting people with its expanse of beautiful natural destinations and equally beautiful cosmopolitan cities. The number of visitors increases by manifolds every year. For example, in 2019, the country had 22.1 million arrivals.

This implies that the number of people applying for visitor visas have been increasing. One of the requirements of getting a visitor visa for Canada is Statement of Purpose (SOP). Writing an SOP is a tricky task that must be dealt with carefully. So, following are a few things to keep in mind while writing an SOP for tourist visa.

What is a Canadian visitor visa?

A Canada Visitor Visa, also known as Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Canadian Tourist Visa. It is a formal document issued by the Canadian Visa Office, placed with your passport. It is done to confirm that you meet all the requirements to be allowed as a temporary resident in Canada as a visitor/ student/ worker.

Types of visitor visas in Canada:

• Visit/tour
• Study
• Work
• Temporary resident

What is SOP for visitor visa?

SOP or Statement of Purpose is a formal letter that is written & attached with the Canada visa application by the applicant. This letter is the backbone of your visa application, making your chances of getting the visa almost certain. The documents mention various things ranging from your purpose to travel in the particular country, travel expense sponsorship to your date of return. The letter is critical to ascertain your visitor visa and, therefore, should be written with utter care, adhering to all the instructions.

What are some common doubts of people while writing an SOP for a visitor visa?

Several doubts & concerns pop up in people’s minds while writing an SOP for Canada Visitor Visa. Following are a few of those doubts which are addressed here:

• Word limitThere is usually no particular word limit while writing an SOP, but keeping it within 1000 words is advised. Put all the required details in the SOP clearly and concisely.
• Presentation of the purpose of visitEach person has their own purpose for visiting the country. So many people are usually concerned about how they should present the purpose in their SOP. The purpose of your visit should always be mentioned straightforwardly in the SOP.
• Tone & writing styleGiven that SOP is a formal document, you need to stay formal in the document. But then, the tone should not be too formal to avoid making it seem too rigid. Neither should it be taking a casual tone to avoid it from becoming informal. The best route is to have a conversational & neutral tone in the SOP.
• ParametersYour SOP should essentially mention certain parameters. These include details about your visit, your duration of visit, sponsorship of the trip, etc. These are better mentioned in the following section.

What parameters should be mentioned in the SOP for visitor visa?

Following are the parameters that should be mentioned in your SOP for tourist Visa:

• Details on the trip: Mention whether it’s a business trip, leisure trip, a trip for medical treatment, or whatever your particular reason for the visit is at the beginning of the SOP.
• Duration of trip: Mention the duration of your visit. It is an extremely crucial part of your SOP and a point that the officers will verify.
• Purpose of trip: State your purpose of visit in the letter in a clear & concise manner. You’re not required to go into the details of what you plan to do in the country. You just need to make a brief mention of the places you’ll visit and the activities you’ll do.
• Partners in the trip, if any: Mention whether you’re travelling alone or will there be other people along with you.
• Staying arrangements: Mention the arrangements you have made for your stay there. Whether you’re going to stay at an acquaintance’s place or a hotel. If you’re not staying with your acquaintance, you must mention your intended place for stay and a rough course of your visit. In the case you plan to live in a hotel, it’d help if you mention the name of the hotels you plan to go to. This would give the impression that you’re well aware and well-planned for your trip to the country.
• Financial details: Mentioning the financial details with respect to the trip clearly will help move the clearance process faster. So, if you’re financing the trip yourself, mention your source(s) of income. The visa officer will then be satisfied that you’re capable of financing your trip.
• Details on the sponsor, if any: If there’s a sponsor for your trip to Canada, mention details on the sponsor, the reason for sponsoring your trip, and your relationship with the sponsor. The sponsor is taken as the principal source of finances for the trip.
• Documents sent or not sent: In case you’re unable to provide any of the required documents for the application of your visitor visa, then you must mention the reason why you cannot provide it. You also need to mention the alternative documents you have submitted along with the proof.
• Aim to return: The visa officer is particularly interested to know that you intend to return to your home country & not planning on living there. Job & family commitments, properties, asset management, etc., could help you deal with this.

What are some pointers for writing a winning SOP for Canada visitor visa?

If something can dim your chances of getting a visitor visa, it is not making a good SOP. If your SOP is written casually or does not mention all the required points, it’ll be a huge turn-off for the visa officer. They don’t expect to write it with the same brilliance of an English Laurette, but it has to be good, effective, and strike interest in you. Good SOP writing services are available whom you can consult and seek guidance to ensure it serves its purpose well. You need to highlight details related to the travel & your intent to return home effectively. Other points to be highlighted in visitor visa SOP for Canada are:

• What is the reason to visit Canada- is it personal or professional? If it’s for personal reasons, mention the relevant details. At any point, the officer should not get suspicious about your unwillingness to return home.
• What is your financial status? Whether your trip is self-financed or sponsored, the visa officer is interested in knowing your status, like your job, assets, bank balance, contracts, etc.
• You can highlight your family commitments, assets you need to take care of, permanent residency in your home country, previous travel records to Canada or other countries, etc. This will assure the officer that you’re here for a specific purpose & you’ll return home.
• Your health-related details: now required more than ever due to Covid-19.

What are some “red flags for visa officers” that can reduce the chances of getting a visitor visa?

The Visa officers analyze the SOP thoroughly to control the illegal immigration in the country. So, they look for clues or red flags in the SOP to see if the person does not intend to return and stay illegally in the country. You can consult a professional SOP writer to make sure you dodge these red flags in your SOP. Some of these are mentioned as follows:

• Very short SOP: a short or very short SOP raises suspicion in the minds of visa officers. It reflects that the applicant was either in a hurry or uninterested in sharing much, had something to hide, didn’t put much effort, etc.
• Travel history: your travelling history gives much insight to the officer. Whether you’re a first-time traveller or a frequent traveller, they get an idea about how keen you’re on returning.
• Financial status: your financial status determines your ability to afford the visit. They don’t want a person stuck in the country due to a lack of money to return.
• Personal details: details about your family, kids, etc., are some aspects the officer looks into.
• Previous visa rejection record: The visa officer is also interested in knowing about previous rejections.
• Criminal record: no country wants a person with a criminal record in their country, so they’ll obviously look into it.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in an SOP for a tourist visa?

The following are some mistakes that one should avoid in their SOP:

• Inchorency in the details mentioned in the SOP: will make the officer lose interest in your application.
• Unstructured or improper structure of the SOP will make the visa officer disinterested in your application.
• Plagiarised content in the SOP: as then you’ll lose your credibility.
• Grammatical or spelling errors: makes you look careless.
• Adding irrelevant information or getting too much into the details: it’ll take up the space of the relevant information.
• Adding false information: all the details and claims can & will be cross-checked. You’ll lose your credibility the moment any false information is detected.

Conclusion

Your SOP is the decision-maker of you getting the visitor visa for Canada. The document needs to be prepared with utmost care. It should include all the required details straightforwardly and in a tone that interests the officer. You need to steer clear of any red flags that could make the officer suspicious of your intentions to get a clear path towards the visa. Just assure him of your purpose of visit, your financial condition, and your intent to return, and you’ll win the visa.

However, if you are not sure and looking for assistance with the SOP, you should reach out to us. Having decade long experience in the field of SOP writing, Contentholic houses the Professional SOP writers in India who are well known for writing excellent SOPs.