Government-LicensedLicence849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024Valid till 22/07/2029
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Reason 4 of 50 · Purpose, itinerary and trip credibility

Itinerary is generic, unrealistic or copied

Classified asR179(b) / purpose credibility

YOUR FILEVISA OFFICERassesses4
Evidence weakness — fixableThis is not a statutory bar. It affects whether the officer is satisfied, and better evidence can change that.

What this actually means

An itinerary should demonstrate how long the applicant plans to stay and what they plan to do. A copied list of famous attractions may add little if it is geographically unrealistic or unrelated to the applicant’s actual plan.

Why it matters to the officer

A credible itinerary helps connect purpose, duration, accommodation and cost. An unrealistic itinerary can instead create credibility concerns.

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

Travel distances, dates, hotel locations, event dates, host address, season, internal transport and whether the plan is affordable.

THE OFFICER CROSS-CHECKSTravel distancesdateshotel locationsevent dateshost addressseason

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 ITToronto and Vancouver onconsecutive days without flightsUse a simple day-by-day orcity-by-city plan that isattractions closed in the seasonof travelrealism is more persuasive thandecorative detailhotels in cities not mentioned inthe itinerary

How to strengthen a reapplication

Use a simple day-by-day or city-by-city plan that is consistent with the actual bookings and the applicant’s interests. Avoid overengineering every hour; realism is more persuasive than decorative detail.

Common mistakes

Toronto and Vancouver on consecutive days without flights; attractions closed in the season of travel; hotels in cities not mentioned in the itinerary.

Illustrative example

A 10-day Ontario trip should not casually include a two-day side visit to Banff unless transportation and costs realistically support it.

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: [S4]. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Questions people ask about this refusal

An itinerary should demonstrate how long the applicant plans to stay and what they plan to do. A copied list of famous attractions may add little if it is geographically unrealistic or unrelated to the applicant’s actual plan.

A credible itinerary helps connect purpose, duration, accommodation and cost. An unrealistic itinerary can instead create credibility concerns.

Travel distances, dates, hotel locations, event dates, host address, season, internal transport and whether the plan is affordable.

Use a simple day-by-day or city-by-city plan that is consistent with the actual bookings and the applicant’s interests. Avoid overengineering every hour; realism is more persuasive than decorative detail.

Toronto and Vancouver on consecutive days without flights; attractions closed in the season of travel; hotels in cities not mentioned in the itinerary.

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 “Purpose, itinerary and trip credibility

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