Very well said.

Osemigho:
This is the disappointment people get when they later realise the milk and honey isn't flowing per say cos you will still have to go for it competitively, although it exist.

Thanks man! It was a lot of work bro. It took so much of my time and his time.

Austinpee4:

Nice nice!! Congratulation to you both! Even if the VO reviewing his app were to be mount zion that cannot be moved, this plans and analysis can even make a VO want to adopt your family friend or pray they get paired together in MMM considering the written prospect. Hahaha. it's really impressive! Weldone bro.

Document Scanning Tip
To get very high quality scans at a low file size, scan your document directly into the .tif or .tiff format at 300dpi color (don't convert another format to .tif/tiff, scan directly to .tif/.tiff), then use Adobe Acrobat Pro to convert it to PDF, and then finally distill the document. To distill, first convert the PDF to postscript [.ps], and then open the .ps file using Adobe Distiller; Distiller will ask you for the distill quality, choose the “Standard” option. The final PDF file size will shrink considerably but the quality will be super high!

Strategy to Tackle Lack of Formal Employment
To credibly demonstrate to the VO his work as a freelance graphic designer (he doesn't have a registered company), the applicant included eight of some of his best designs. They are a combination of logos, event flyers, and advertisements. The VO could verify the designs by contacting the people for whom the applicant created those designs. In addition, each design had on it the applicant's "design signature" containing the applicant's name and phone number.

The applicant also included three reference letters (signed, stamped, and dated) from three previous clients (on letterheaded paper, all registered companies). These letters described the applicant's work and were credible and verifiable.

CV & SOP
The applicant's CV had a description of all the design projects the applicant had done since finishing NYSC. In it, he used terms & jargons that only graphic designers would know.

The SOP also had one or two paragraphs in which he walked the VO through a subset of the step by step of how he creates designs in Adobe Photoshop. He described the Photoshop features that he uses to texture the background layer of poster designs, and he also described the features that he uses to design logos and other art. The purpose of this was to demonstrate his credibility to the VO.

Funds
He created a domiciliary account two months before the application. The sponsor transferred into this account the total living costs for his first year. The sponsor discussed this in the sponsorship letter. The sponsor also paid the applicant's first year tuition and we attached the receipt to the application. The applicant summarized the funding situation in a brief letter that was the second page in the Proof of Funds section (the first page was Table of Contents).

Other thoughts:
The application was extremely well organized. I felt he could present his case better using the online submission route so we used Adobe Acrobat Pro to compile the documents. We included an interactive Table of Contents in the first page of each the LOE section and the Proof of Funds section; the document names in the interactive Table of Contents were hyperlinked to enable the VO to jump to any document just by clicking.

We felt he could also use the appearance of his application documents to demonstrate to the VO that he is a very serious person and applicant. We wanted the application to be extremely easy for the VO to peruse and understand, and I believe we did this successfully. We wanted the VO to feel good and not stressed while going through the app. VOs are humans too, and I feel that it is important to make the VO's job extremely easy.

Every aspect of the application was near-perfect and easy to follow. Nothing in the application was false. Everything was candid and honest, though strategic. There were zero grammatical or logical errors anywhere in the app.

PS: I am not recommending anyone to apply for a TRV with a program lower than your prior academic qualifications as it is risky. While the applicant was waiting for CIC’s response we started looking for other countries as backup plans, knowing that he could be denied by CIC, especially due to both the Advanced Diploma and his strong family ties to Canada (he has immediate family in Canada, which we were truthful about in the Family Information form).

The applicant is going for an Advanced Diploma because his desired course doesn't quite exist as a PGD (or the ones that exist as PGD require background knowledge or training that he doesn't have), and he doesn't want to do a masters since as an artist-type he prefers a vocational project-based program; we told the VO all of this.

My main aim of posting all this is to show that every application is unique, though this doesn’t change the fact that this candidate’s application was very risky.

Applicant Profile.
Finished his BSc a couple years ago (age: late 20s)
No formal employment since NYSC (but is a freelance graphic designer)
No funds of his own (was honest in his SOP that he didn't make much money as a designer, but focused on why he became a freelance designer in spite of the little earnings)
Virgin passport

SOP:
The applicant's SOP was strategically written, was fully truthful, and was professional. His SOP was a combination of his personal story and his mini business plan for when he comes back to Nigeria. Yet, it was very readable and extremely easy to follow though it was on the longer side.

It was extremely convincing. The SOP had citations (citing sources such as the IMF, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey Global Institute, KPCB, etc) showing he had done market research into the economic areas that he intends to operate once he returns to Nigeria. He provided information on estimated market size (in customer population and $billions), total revenue of certain economic sectors, how he plans to make money in those sectors, he briefly analyzed the economic players in the economic sector relevant to his future studies, and he suggested how he plans to disrupt the players in that sector. He used the SOP as an opportunity for the VO to fully understand him, his passions, his educational journey, how his interests evolved, his business acumen and professionalism, and more.

He concluded each paragraph of the SOP by tying the paragraph’s contents with his future Canada education, or long-term Nigeria aspirations, or the skills he would gain from the Canada education. We did this because we wanted every part of the SOP to unambiguously tell the VO that the applicant had many convincing reasons to justify his purpose of visit. This SOP took two months (consumed at least 45 hours of total effort, we wrote and rewrote) to write and fully perfect (we got the best writers & thinkers that we know to fully proofread it), and it was the most important piece of the application by far.

*I don’t recommend applying for a TRV with a program less than your prior educational qualifications. This applicant had a very unique profile that I felt in spite of its glaring deficiencies had a very good chance of approval.

I should add that while I was optimistic about the application because of how professional it was before submission, I was still a bit surprised when he was approved knowing that VOs can be unpredictable at times.

Application update for a family friend that I helped with his TRV app.

Program: Advanced Diploma* Interaction Design & Development
Prior Education: BSc Mass Comm
Online route. Upfront medicals.
Submitted October 7, 2016
Passport Request: January 18, 2017
Passport Submitted: January 19, 1017
Approval Notice: January 23, 2017

Every school is different. The fact that person A was able to do it in department N of school X does not mean that person B would be able to do the same thing in department M of a different school Y or even the same school X. I suggest you don't make this your primary MSc strategy. Things like this vary from a department by department and even more so on a school by school basis.

RAY12345:
hello bro
can u share more light as regards d swapping. is it before d completion of d Meng? can someone swap from Meng in a school to MSC In another school?

CIC can and does punish people for their agent's mistakes. The US Embassy and many other embassies do the same. Embassies know that many Nigerians use agents fully knowing that the agent would use fake documents or provide dubious information. CIC didn't recommend any agent to you, the fact that the agent is CIC certified doesn't absolve you of the agent's mistakes. You need to take this situation into your own hands. I highly doubt the agent would take responsibility as this may provide grounds for CIC to sanction him/her or revoke his/her agent license. Just FYI, if I were you I would either fire the agent or be 100% certain (not 99% o) that the explanation sent by the agent truly shows that he/she is taking responsibility (and includes proof). The agent has more to lose by being truthful to CIC. Ignore my advice if you strongly trust the agent.

jamal411:
Yes you are right. I explained to the agent and sent him a screenshot from my email showing when it was mentioned by me. Luckily the date and time email was sent was clearly visible for him to see.

He accepted to write CIC to explain and take responsibility for the error. I have no choice at this point than to trust him, because he is a member of ICCRC with good standing and cic has been in touch with him throughout my application process. He is a certified agent and his name and RCIC number is clearly visible on the ICCRC website.

So I cannot at this point contact CIC directly myself, that will be a breach of contract and honestly CIC may not even respond to me even if I try to go alone on this.

Having said that, I think the explanation from him will be sufficient. Afterall cic are the ones who encourage and advice us to use certified agents instead of uncertified ones if we decide to use representation.

I doubt if they will punish me with a refusal/ban for somebody's error, should incase they do then they have to punish him too otherwise it won't be fair cuz I didn't fill the forms myself... However I am positive it won't get to that...

Include proof of emails you sent to your agent where you told him/her to state your US visa denials. While this may get the agent in trouble, it tells CIC the truth and helps you avoid a five-year ban. Don't trust the agent to respond on your behalf to CIC, cos he/she will only try to protect himself/herself. Also, this should be a lesson for you to not put all your trust in an agent... or if you use an agent, make sure you review what he/she sends to CIC on your behalf. You risk being banned if you don't take this into your own hands.

jamal411:
Dear Gurus on NL
I just received a letter from CIC saying I should explain why I didn't disclose my previous US visa refusal in 2014. The thing is I actually did mention it to my agent before this application was submitted but I guess he forgot or something! My agent is in Canada and we mostly communicate via email so maybe just to say he missed it somewhere in one of our email correspondences...

Yes it can be granted. But you need to have very compelling reasons. There's a few people in the earlier parts of this thread that did exactly this. The risk of denial is probably high though, unless your reasons are truly compelling and cogent.

AdesinaOBD:
Can u be granted trv for going for another bsc degree in canada after showing in your application that you already obtained a bsc degree here in nigeria?

Pls say something on this

@Teddywhiz1


I would like to let you know that posts such as yours are the reason why Nigerian applicants get denied a lot. Also, don't be so sure that your identity is truly hidden -- it wouldn't be too difficult to infer who you are. I would be surprised if VO interns are not monitoring this thread to figure out what new tricks Nigerian applicants have up their sleeves. Posts like yours will keep the rejection rate for Nigerian applicants very high. @Justwise, is there a way to do something about posts of this nature? It is really bad for the thread's integrity, and also bad for Nairaland.

@dreeyy and @abmendozer have both provided fantastic responses and I'll add a bit more.

Let me start by asking you a few questions:
Do you like that the processing time for Lagos is 17 weeks? I'm guessing you would say "no".
Do you like that the visa denial rate for Nigerian candidates is very high compared to those of other countries? I'm guessing you would say "no".
Do you like that Nigerian applicants are considered potentially fraudulent and untruthful by most western embassies? I'm guessing you would say "no".

If so, then why are you being an apologist for someone who boldly lied about a significant issue on his application and then comes here authoritatively demanding help to fix his ill-advised lie? Note that my response to him wasn't focused on his counterproductive lie, it was focused on the demanding tone in how he expressed his displeasure at not having gotten a response.

That you make me out to be a villain for pointing this out is truly beyond me.

I understand that this is an anonymous forum so anyone can say anything while hiding behind monikers, but I really didn't expect a comment like yours.

In any case, I love the helpful spirit of this thread. This is why I am happy to be a part of it, particularly since there are not many Nigerian spaces (online or physical) within which the tone is almost consistently helpful and positive as it is here. But then once in a while comments like yours remind me that the helpfulness, camaraderie, and overall peacefulness on this thread are indeed fragile.

calalili2018:
@ thesoj, Why are you talking as if you have never lied before under any circumstance? Even those he lied to, knowingly fully well that he lied are still giving him an opportunity to explain, rather than just deny him. Thank God you are not the VO. If you are not experienced in this area, just say you are not instead of this response and if you are and don't want to provide any assistant, just keep mute. I know you on this thread to be very respectful, responsive and helpful, please don't spoil the record.

You lied to the embassy about your prior visa refusals and yet you feel entitled to a fast response. Keep in mind that no one here is being paid to render you any services. It is all voluntary.

I suggest you consider also helping others on here as well, since you authoritatively demand free help as though it is your right. Best of luck.

oluwamalik:
Hello house.
I sent a post since yesterday but uet to get any response from d gurus in the house.
I tot we are here to help ourselves. Honestly I am not happy cos no response from d our GURUS.

Your SOP will be plagiarized if you leave it up.

IHate9ja1:
guys please kindly review this attached LOE draft...corrections are welcomed.
@justwise et al
@emakgaga
@shagati
@thesoj
@fhemmmy
@emma4eva
if you happen to be the visa officer

@michV I need your help bro. Sent you a PM.

Most questions posed here -- even the simplest -- are answered. Referring people to Google once in a while is really good practice, as it helps the question asker develop research skills that s/he would need eventually.

Teddywhiz1:
Sorry if I am about to derail... Just and observation/suggestion

Please I just want to make an appeal, please let us take it easy with the way we lool down on some questions and go straight to tell people to Google it. Google can virtually answer all questions here but sometimes Google will still bring up links to nairaland forums for answers. Instead of shutting people down that way just keep a blind eye to the question it's better than making someone feel he is asking an irrelevant question.

This doesn't mean information seekers should be lazy, u still have a work to do to consolidate the answers you get from here.

Just my own opinion though!

Thanks for all your supports and good works

If you like numbers, you could go radical and do an MSc in something like Data Science or Data Analytics. Data science is a really hot field that will be even increasingly relevant in the future. You don't have to stick to geology or remote sensing if you feel that the field is dying. You could also easily link data analytics to geology if you want (seismic and remote sensing data require lots of statistical processing to tease out signal from the noise).

If you are a good writer and if you have compelling reasons to switch fields, you can easily convince the VO about this switch.
Data science program examples:
MSc in Data Science & Analytics at Ryeson University
MSc in Computing and Data Analytics at Saint Mary's University
Master of Data Science at University of British Columbia
Professional Masters in Big Data at Simon Fraser University

Danoluwa:
pls gurus in the house, I am in affix right now. I have a bsc and msc in petroleum geology and currently not ready for a phd. I am looking at broadening my horizon as the oil industry does not have much to offer now. I have two option before me an advance diploma in remote sensing or a masters of engineering in geomatics (specialization in remote sensing). Which do you think is my best option.

You don't need to include an address. Just title it "Statement of Purpose", and voila.

michaelbelgium:
please you guys should help me answer this question cos i couldnt get this from google samples....does statement of purpose for graduate studies contain the university address?

Same thing. A PGC and a PGD are equivalent so the points still stand. My point is applicable to PGC/PGD programs at colleges.

ifydio:
PGC not PGD

The fact that some employers hire PGDs for the same role that they'd hire masters graduates for does not mean that they are academically equivalent. That's like saying that a BSc is equivalent to an MSc because some employers would hire either for the same role.

chimah3:

I think this is a misconception to Nigerians.
I have spoken to a lot of friends in Canada
And they all insist that Diploma graduates and Masters graduates still end up getting the same job opportunities...
It all boils down to your skill sets.
Not here in Nigeria, where a Masters graduate is treated as LORD irrespective of his ignorance.


Just my opinion!

ifydio:
Hello house
I have cime across some post with people trying to make pgc inferior to masters and to me I really don't agree to that assertion. I think is a matter of interest and what either of the two can offer u going forward. Let me use my self as an example. I graduated with a CGPA of 4.28 in computer science, my interest was in computer security, all I get from the universities was Msc in computer science while colleges I got specifically what I'm looking for, cyber security and computer forensic my sponsor wanted an Msc but due to the fact Msc wasn't offering me what I desired, I opted for pgc and convinced my sponsor . It wasn't because of tuition, that in it self wouldn't have been an issue. But the interest is just the driving force. Trv to me is not factor of pgc pgd or Msc. Submitting what is required and pray that's all. I'm still an hopeful though but what ever the outcome I won't change for Msc.. hopefully it will be a positive outcome though.cheers.

I get your points and you are right that one could choose a PGD over a masters if it offers better post-graduation opportunities. Having said that, I'd suggest you see things from the VO's perspective: PGD admissions are sooo easy to obtain unlike masters admissions, so desperate visa applicants are likeliest to go the PGD route but not as much the masters route.

Last year, a much higher fraction of PGD applicants got visa denials compared to masters applicants. Admittedly, this may be due to the possibility that PGD visa applicants are more likely to put together worse visa application documents than masters visa applicants (if we can infer from their lower CGPA and/or rush to leave Naija) OR it could be due to the likelihood that PGD applicants are more likely to pick courses that are incompatible with their prior education.

To be objective, a PGD is not equivalent to a masters, a masters is a superior academic qualification. Btw, I have nothing against PGDs (I have a sibling finishing a PGD in Canada and it has served him well)... just being objective here.

PS: You can study computer security in a masters program, but it would be a specialization under a computer science masters program. It also likely would be more foundational and theoretically comprehensive than what you'd get in a PGD program on computer security.

No it isn't a visa denial. Winning the lottery sef isn't a visa application, the visa application is after winning the lottery.

Osemigho:
Please, can US Visa lottery not won be regarded as visa denial?

poppywasiu:
@folaroyal and others please i have a big issue please help me out. i refused in US visa twice but i am not stated it in my application. see down below of what i recieved for accra, canada embassy.
...
On the current application form, you indicate that you have never been refused any kind of visa, admission, or been ordered to leave Canada or any other country. According to information in our records, you were refused a visa to the United States in 2014 and 2015.

Please note that if it is found that you have engaged in misrepresentation in submitting your application, you may be found to be inadmissible under section 40(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. A finding of such inadmissibility would render you inadmissible to Canada for a period of five years according to section 40(2)(a):
...

Why did you omit this extremely important information? If you have a genuine explanation then give that explanation to CIC. Otherwise, I'm not really sure what anyone here can tell you. It is very important to answer questions truthfully. Sorry.

Spatz81:
...Would you advice that I stay silent on my MBA achievement from OAU, so I don't complicate my application for a study permit for a PDDB, a seemingly lower program even though the ultimate goal is the dual MBA/M.ScIM program?

I see where you might be coming from, but I never recommend concealing important information.

Spatz81:
My second question is that my wife would be my sponsor as she currently earns A LOT more than I do, she can conveniently show proof fund for the entire program with the MBA program inclusive...will it be out of place if stands as my sponsor?

It is perfectly fine, bro. Westerners don't have the same traditional family view that a husband should be richer than the wife. As a matter of fact, this may work to your advantage if the VO sees you as a humble man peacefully coexisting with a richer wife (unusual in Naija lol).

Spatz81:
I see a lot of questions about which is the best mode of application between paper and online...does one have advantage over the other?

No advantage. It depends on which mode you feel would best help you to present your case to the VO. The processing times for each are either similar or unpredictable. Sometimes paper is faster, other times online is faster.

Oladimejii:
...I just got admitted at the Centre of Geographic Sciences, Nova Scotia Community College to study an Advanced Diploma Degree in Geographic Information Science. I chose this school even though it is located in a village in far eastern Canada because of its reputation. The school is often regarded as the best in geomatics education in the whole of Canada.

If you include the bolded in your SOP, I suggest you have proof otherwise it isn't a credible claim.

Oladimejii:

My Profile.
1. I'm a graduate of Geography (Graduated with a 2.1) back in 2009.
2. I have been working for the Lagos State Government for 7 Years now (Joined in 2010).
3. I did my Masters (Geographic Information Systems) at the University of Lagos. (I didn't declare this in my application and I don't intend to declare when applying for trv either)...

Not declaring your MSc is one thing, coming on here to state that you won't declare it is another thing. Keep in mind that it is very likely that VOs or their interns check this website from time to time. These sorts of public statements make it even harder for Nigerian students to get their TRVs, and contribute to the long processing times (CIC does investigations on Nigerian applicants, probably more so than from other countries, given our reputation for fraud).

The other issue. You have a BSc (and an undeclared MSc) with seven years of experience, yet you are opting to go for a program that is lower than a BSc. Putting myself in the shoes of the VO, there's a 95% chance that I'd deny the application particularly because you've worked in the field for a whole seven years yet you plan to go for a program below a BSc.

Oladimejii:

My Questions.
1. Based on my profile above, what are my chances of getting a trv?
2. I intend to apply with my family. I intend to apply first then apply for theirs after I get mine. How do I go about this?
3. School resumes in September. Can I start my study permit application now?
4. Online or paper?

1. See above.
2. Apply for yours alone, and then apply for SOWP for spouse.
3. Yes
4. Either.

A PGC/PGD is higher than a BSc. Having said that, it appears that CIC has now raised the bar for PGC/PGD approvals, while MSc approvals don't seem to be scrutinized in the same way. I agree that it is possible to get a TRV for a program below your highest educational attainment, but this is the exception and not the norm.

Eraytee:
So then wot do we say to pgc applicants here? Cox i can say 95% of this applicants have a bsc wch is higher than d so called pgc/pgd. The reason behind ur studying is what matters if am working in a servicing company in oil and gas firm phd is not a must or even needed after ur msc, but certificate courses are necessary to equip n broaden ur knowledge. If wot u said must b fully true den i fink d pgc/pgd applicants here with bsc shud not b approved. Cases are different thats all I bliv. CIC should have said don't apply for programs below ur highest level of education. If ur proposed program is inline with ur previous academic history or work experience , I think u av a chance wen u submit a convincing and well packaged application.

Rapture007:
I intend traveling to Canada to study Business Administration either PGD or certificate programme in a college in Vancouver or Prince george.
And my sponsor gave me a budget of about 1.5million naira
1.How is it possible to pursue the dream with the said amount judging that school fees is about 12,000 Canadian dollars on the average for the two colleges I intend applying to.
2.Is there any place I can source Canadian dollars from to avoid the madness in U.S dollar so as to save cost in paying my school fees
3.I have decided to go through agents who are good in helping people secure visa, can I actually save more and get a chance of securing the visa if i do it my self?

toluene1234:
There shouldn't be a problem to your 1.5m if it is d closing balance on your sponsor account and there is a good inflow and outflow in dat account. In addition to dat, if your sponsor source of income can be easily verifiable and all docs supporting his source of income are provided, then you are good to go. Note: I know someone who has #150 as closing balance but 15M+ as inflow and outflow and still get his trv. Good luck to all trv hopefuls.

I'll have to disagree with @toluene1234 here. It is extraordinarily unlikely (though not impossible) to get a visa with a closing balance lower than your annual costs (tuition +$10k CAD). Yes, once in a while we see a candidate or two get approved with a lower balance but this is far away the exception. CIC clearly states that they need to see this amount on the sponsor's bank statement (and/or other liquid funds e.g. brokerage, fixed deposit, etc), violating this requirement is an almost guaranteed way to get denied for "insufficient funds", particularly given the anemic state of the Nigerian economy.

Admittedly, good inflows on a bank statement show financial capability but this is only valuable to the extent that the sponsor has enough liquid funds at least equal to the CIC requirement. Submitting an app with finances below the CIC requirement is gambling, and your probability of losing that gamble is greater than 90%.

Austinpee4:
Your purpose of visit will be questioned at any attempt to apply for a study permit with an advanced diploma. This is a NO NO! One thing to note is that, gaining admission is one thing and getting a study permit is another.You have a bsc and an msc..A diploma is NOT an academic progression for you considering your academic level.If you choose to apply for a masters instead, you may which to leave out the previous one you got out totally in your study permit application while explaining circumstances surrounding any academic gap(s). Choose a program that is best related to your previous education and study interest and relate this to your situation as you show a progression academically and career wise.

Eraytee:
I think i will disagree with you on that, i av a friend who's a geologist, and had msc in petroleum geology and presently at SAIT for a 2yrs pgd in petroleum engineering technology, he declared his msc and was given TRV. Every1's case is different, phd or msc is not a must, if u av a good SOP and and a tite app u'll get ur TRV.

I'll have to agree with @Austinpee4 here. The probability of visa denial is much much much higher when the program one is going for is lower than one's highest educational attainment. Having said this, it is not impossible to get a TRV in such situations (as @Eraytee said, the applicant in this situation has to have a very tight and extra convincing app for this to happen). I'd suggest anyone reading this to recognize that it is the exception, and not the norm, to get a TRV for a program that is below your highest educational qualification.

People are being bombed in Syria, do you want to swap places with them and move to Aleppo? Be compassionate. Your situation is not worse than the Syrian getting bombed, avoiding bombs, and experiencing lethal carnage everywhere. Only a very tiny fraction of war-torn Syrians are being admitted as refugees, you are welcome to move to Aleppo if you feel this gives you a better chance of getting into Canada. Have some empathy.

ifydio:
This Canada sha, we are here struggling to get visa for education and Syria refugees are getting free pass..it is well ooo

Don't open the file in the browser. Download it directly to your computer and then open it with Adobe Acrobat.

ywink:
Thank you so much.

Also, I am having issues downloading the IMM 1294 on CIC website. I have used several browsers. Please help me.