Government-LicensedLicence849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024Valid till 22/07/2029
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Reason 38 of 50 · Travel history, immigration history and credibility

A previous Canadian refusal is refiled without addressing the actual reasons

Classified asReapplication strategy failure

YOUR FILEVISA OFFICERassesses38
Credibility issue — handle carefullyThis touches how believable your file looks overall. Address it directly rather than hoping it is overlooked.

What this actually means

The new application is materially the same as the refused one, with perhaps a rewritten cover letter but no new evidence or changed circumstances addressing the refusal.

Why it matters to the officer

IRCC explicitly says applying again with the same information will likely not change the decision and advises reapplication when new information/documents address the reasons for refusal.

IRPR 179 — WHAT THE OFFICER MUST BE SATISFIED OFYou applied in the correct wayYou will LEAVE by the end of your stayYou hold a valid travel documentYou are not inadmissibleMost visitor refusals turn on the second line — s. 179(b).

What the officer compares

Refusal letter, officer decision notes, old forms, old documents, new evidence and what has genuinely changed.

THE OFFICER CROSS-CHECKSRefusal letterofficer decision notesold formsold documentsnew evidencewhat has genuinely changed

Weak file vs strong file

The same situation, presented two ways. The right-hand column is what a reapplication needs to look like.

WHAT WEAKENS ITWHAT STRENGTHENS ITChanging wording but not factsCreate a refusal-response matrix:each concern -> what the old fileadding a larger temporary bankbalanceignoring officer notesfiling immediately withoutreviewing the old application

How to strengthen a reapplication

Create a refusal-response matrix: each concern -> what the old file showed -> what is new -> supporting evidence. Reapply only when the weakness can actually be addressed.

Common mistakes

Changing wording but not facts; adding a larger temporary bank balance; ignoring officer notes; filing immediately without reviewing the old application.

Illustrative example

If the officer questioned employment because no evidence was provided, a stronger reapplication should prove employment rather than merely insist that the officer was wrong.

Before you reapply

THE ONLY SEQUENCE THAT WORKS1Read the notesFind the real reason2Fix that one thi…Not everything at on…3Prove it with do…Evidence, not claims4Then reapplyAnswering the object…

You cannot fix a reason you have not read. Your GCMS notes contain the officer's own words about your file, and requesting them is free we publish every step.

Scope note. IRCC does not publish an official ranked list of refusal reasons. This is a research-based classification of the legal grounds and evidence weaknesses that recur in real refusals. A weak itinerary or a new job is not itself a statutory ground — it affects whether the officer is satisfied under IRPR 179(b). Source references for this entry: [S14], [S15], [S16]. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Questions people ask about this refusal

The new application is materially the same as the refused one, with perhaps a rewritten cover letter but no new evidence or changed circumstances addressing the refusal.

IRCC explicitly says applying again with the same information will likely not change the decision and advises reapplication when new information/documents address the reasons for refusal.

Refusal letter, officer decision notes, old forms, old documents, new evidence and what has genuinely changed.

Create a refusal-response matrix: each concern -> what the old file showed -> what is new -> supporting evidence. Reapply only when the weakness can actually be addressed.

Changing wording but not facts; adding a larger temporary bank balance; ignoring officer notes; filing immediately without reviewing the old application.

No. IRCC states that refiling the same information will likely not change the decision. A reapplication has to answer the specific concern the officer recorded — which is why you should read your GCMS notes first and find out exactly what that concern was.

Not sure this is why you were refused?

Most refusals cite more than one concern, and only one of them is usually decisive. Your GCMS notes say which. Get them free, or send them to us and we will tell you exactly what to fix.

More in “Travel history, immigration history and credibility

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