Hello All,

My parents just returned to India after visting for six months. They were here for the 2nd time.

Both times they got a single entry visa even when we applied for a mutliple entry visa. Canadian consulate cited medical reasons for my mom and said they were giving her a single entry visa. My mom has at her age normal blood preassure issues, no major illnesses.

My parents would not want to stay for ever in Canada just visit during the summer.

The only reason to apply and want a multiple entry visa is that it would save the hassele of applying every six months. They always come with sufficient medical insurance ( $ 500 K) from India.

What would it take for me to ensure that they have a multiple entry visa. Both myself and my wife have permenant jobs with Bell/ Shoppers Drug mart.

Advice of CDs would be highly appreciated.

Regards,
Rajiv

Two cases I know got multiple entry visa's last year - one couple of parents on their 2nd visit and the other on their 3rd visit. But for both, the validity of the visa was 6 months only. Since single entry visa will allow travel to US in any case, I did not see any merit in getting the multiple entry visa. Unless the multiple entry visa itself is valid for 5 or 10 yrs, what is the point?

Well i want to clarify, I would ideally want a multiple entry visa valid for 5 -10 years and am willing to abide with medical / fund stipulations etc.

Only reason for a mutliple is save the old parents the hassele for applying every time they want to visit Canada.

Regards,
Rajiv

Understood.. but tourist visa's are generally given for 6 months only. I am yet to know of any case where a longer duration visa was issued.

May be someone else who got a longer duration visa can confirm...

Same thing happened in our case. The multiple entry visa was rejected on questionable reasons and a single entry issued instead.

I don't think we can do much to ensure multiple entry visa.

We contacted our local MP to complain, but the MPs are more busy fighting each other than helping people.

I feel it's a scam run by the Canadian authorities in cohorts with the doctors in India. If you apply for a multiple entry visa, they ask you to undergo medical tests. These tests can be done only at "registered" doctors who charge much more than the usual fees. Later, the consulate just rejects the multiple entry visa on basis of health. They don't even give concrete explanations nor do they disclose the results of the tests. And they don't even refund the difference in the visa fees.

We should demand more transparency and accountability in the process.

My in -laws recently had applied for 5 year multiple entry visa and they got 3 and half years visa (because they did not realize that the passport was getting expeired in 3 and half years otherwise they would have received it for 5).
In application they specifically mentioned that they wanted 5 years visa and provided the required documents such as letter from his employer, bank statements and a notarized request asking for 5 years multi entry visa. They had to undergo medical and stuff and then they recieved it.
But as is the complain with most of visitor visas my parents were denied first and then given 6 month single entry visa.
What a hassle!

My mom also got 2 years multiple visit visa first time. She also had 5 years USA visa stamped on the same passport. Dont know if that facilitates....