I have received a letter from the immigration authorities expressing concerns with my application – what should I do?

In the course of processing an immigration application the immigration authorities will sometimes send correspondence to the applicant expressing concerns about their admissibility. These are known as “fairness letter” since their intention is to give the applicant a fair opportunity to respond to the concerns before a decision is made regarding their admissibility.

For example, if the immigration authorities detect what they think may be fraudulent information in a visa application, they will typically send a letter to the applicant setting out their concerns and giving the applicant 30 days to provide whatever response they wish to the concerns.

If you have received such a letter it is important to obtain legal advice immediately because the failure to provide a satisfactory response to the immigration authorities will result in the refusal of your application. Not only that, if you are refused for fraud or misrepresentation, you will be banned from Canada for a period of five years.

Our office can assist people in these circumstances to provide a detailed response to the concerns of the immigration authorities, including adducing such documentary evidence as can be obtained to offset the concerns, and by preparing written submissions on your behalf explaining the situation to the immigration authorities as clearly as possible. Contact us by phone or email if you receive such a letter and we will assess your situation and provide you with our opinion.