When I was in the Philippines I had a student who was a wonderful lady. She helped me learn how to get around in the city, often took me around different shopping areas, and spent a good chunk of her free time making me feel at home. My fellow traveler (for two of my trips to Manila) and I became fast friends with her and looked forward to the opportunity to see her again on our return trips. She welcomed us into her home and her family. Over a series of 6 trips to Manila I spent many months in her company.

She’d always wanted to travel and see Canada and we decided we’d like to sponsor her for a two week visit to Canada. After talking her out of trying to visit in winter (she wanted to see snow, we knew it would be far too cold for her) we settled on her arriving in May and began writing the supporting documents for her visit. We agreed to help defray the costs of her visit and planned on her staying in our home for the 2 week duration of the planned trip. His wife was planning on booking the two week period off work to talk her around the province to sightsee. Since we couldn’t get time off for her visit Drew and I were planning on spending weekends traveling with them and had plans to spend our evenings with her. We wrote the sponsorship letters outlining our housing and care plans. An itinerary of our sightseeing plans was submitted (per the request of the consulate). Our friends booked her plane ticket and sent the information off to the consulate.

Today we learned her visa application was denied because she didn’t have enough money set aside to ensure she’d return to the Philippines when her visit was over or to cover the costs of her stay in the country. She’d scrimped and saved and, with the assistance of her brother, managed to set aside $1000 USD for the vacation. Considering she had a return plane ticket, no housing costs, no transportation costs, and no food costs, we’re baffled as to how $1000 spending money for a 2 week vacation was considered insufficient for her trip.

I know many people who travel to visit friends or family for similar or longer durations with far less money in their pockets and no real plans for what they’ll be doing or where they’ll be living.

What really annoys us is the fact that no where in the notice of refusal is there an explanation of what the government considers to be “enough” money to come to Canada on vacation. The letter advises that there is no appeal process for the decision and that the file cannot be reopened. A new visa request must be accompanied by another $75 processing fee (a significant amount of money for her) and has to have new information or the second request will be also be refused. Despite including all of our contact information on the sponsorship letters, not one of us (4 people in total) were contacted regarding our plans, arrangements, etc.

Attempts to learn just how much money was required for visa approval met with an inadequate response when we called the local immigration office. We were advised to call the consulate in Manila, incurring long distance charges, if we wanted to learn anything about the application. The rejection letter does not include the name of the officer who made the decision. Instead two initials appear on the document. Of course they won’t release any information regarding the file to any of us without prior written permission from our friend. I’m sure we’ll be requesting she do this asap.

I’m disheartened by the actions of our government officers. We’ll allow murderers, rapists and terrorists to stay in the country and give them years to fight deportation orders but won’t allow a law abiding citizen of another country spend 2 weeks in Canada visiting friends.

As a Canadian citizen I can hop on a flight to Manila and spend 3 weeks in country without requiring a visitor’s visa but there is no reciprocal agreement in Canada for Filipinos. It strikes me that were she a criminal and false refugee claimant she’d likely be granted entry into the country while her claim was reviewed and provided with access to social services. Because she’s trying to do everything by the book and fully intends to return home at the end of the 2 weeks she’s denied the opportunity to visit our country.

Some country we live in!

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