Published
Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.
Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s visitor visa refusal guidance and the Federal Court decisions cited checked that day.
The reason: “the purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay”
The fix: judicial review if the officer rejected a clear, reasonable purpose, or a new application with a documented plan.
The deadline: 60 days from notice of the refusal if you’re outside Canada, 15 days if you’re in Canada (IRPA s. 72). Reconsideration doesn’t stop the clock.
Why a lawyer: only a lawyer can take this to the Federal Court, and the officer’s notes decide whether court or a new application is right. Why a lawyer
The lawyers who review these refusals
Sundeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
Prabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and Solicitor
Pardeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorAbout our lawyers
Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.
Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.
Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.
A refusal that says “the purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided” means the officer didn’t accept why you’re coming, or thought the plan pointed to staying. It’s common with long visits, visits for a birth or to help a family member, and applications that just say “tourism”. The Federal Court has found it incoherent to reject a visit to family as an unreasonable purpose, but a vague plan with no dates or invitation is hard to defend. The fix is either a court challenge or a new application that sets out exactly why, when and for how long.
Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, challenges visitor visa refusals over the purpose of the visit in the Federal Court; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.
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What the officer is saying
The stated purpose, length or plan didn’t fit a temporary visit, or wasn’t explained enough to judge. See how officers decide whether you’ll leave.
When the Federal Court steps in
- Calling a visit to family an unreasonable purpose was found incoherent (Namavari v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1628).
- Refusing a short visit without explaining why substantial funds didn’t support it was unreasonable (Armani Far v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1955).
A purpose the officer can accept
- An invitation letter with the host’s details, the reason and the dates.
- A plan: dates, where you’ll stay, bookings you can cancel.
- For a birth or caregiving visit, the due date or medical letter, and why your stay ends when it does.
- A length of stay that matches the purpose.
Why this needs a lawyer
One lawyer, one file, every step:
- getting the officer’s decision notes and reading them against what you filed;
- deciding whether the refusal belongs in court or in a better application;
- filing judicial review in the Federal Court within the deadline;
- if reapplying is better, building the new file around the officer’s exact concern.
The choice between court and reapplying is a legal judgment about whether the officer made a reviewable error. Getting it wrong costs either the court deadline or a second refusal on file.
Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can take a refusal to the Federal Court. An immigration consultant cannot file or argue it there.
Mistakes I have seen
- “Tourism” with no plan.
- Asking for six months when the event lasts two weeks.
- A visit to help with a new baby with no end date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit to help with a new grandchild?
Yes, but the officer must accept it’s temporary: a defined period and reasons to return.
Should I ask for less time?
Ask for the time the purpose needs, and explain it.
What should I do right now?
Note the refusal date, request the officer’s notes, and write down the exact purpose, dates and where you’ll stay.
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Sources (official)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 179
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 72
- IRCC: officer’s decision notes
- IRCC: understanding your refusal letter
- Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65
- Namavari v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1628
- Armani Far v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1955
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.