On the basis of information collected by the Collective WSF 2016, many visa denials stem from technical issues (complexity of forms, procedural timeframes, inaccessibility of embassy services).
To deal with these issues, a technical assistance device was put forth in order to help participants from countries subject to the visa requirement when completing their application for entry into Canada.
Guide on visa procurement, designed specifically for you!
This guide offers detailed information on each step of the application process, also indicating factors that may lead to a visa denial. It contains a comprehensive list of Canadian visa offices around the world.
An application for visa is a fairly complex procedure, which is why it is important to prepare in advance and at least three months before the travel date to file the application. It is also noteworthy that the file processing fees are non-refundable regardless of whether you receive a visa or not.
However, it is only to observe the procedure and to provide the time needed to process your application, knowing that the processing time for a visa up to 70 days.
Note: starting March 15, 2016, travelers from visa-exempt countries flying to Canada or transiting through Canada en route to their final destination must procure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). This requirement does not apply to US citizens and foreign nationals with valid visas.
You can download the guide for free :
Guide on visa procurement WSF2016
A visa-forms technical support team, to your service!
Our Participant Services working group at the 2016 World Social Forum has specifically created a technical support team to facilitate access and participation to as many people and civil society organizations as possible.
This team of volunteers will stand at your service in Montréal to answer your questions, providing relevant information and guiding you through the process, from preparing your visa request file all the way to your receiving an answer from the embassy. Please note that to submit a visa application you should do so yourself.
This service is:
- free and non-discriminatory service that meets the WSF’s values
- doesn’t involve any financial support
- not a way to have your invitation letter faster, these are two different processes.
- not related to any governement services
- do not imply a garantee of visa
To take advantage of this service, please fill out a form
Invitation letter
Please note that the invitation letter does not implies any logistic liability or financial responsibility on the part the World Social Forum. It is your responsabilty to provide your evidence of sufficient financial resources, evidence of accommodation during your stay in Canada and document of transport. If you d’ont provide those informations you risk to have your visa request declined.
To receive you invitation letter, please fill in the form and sen it back to this email adress : [email protected]
Invitation letter’s form (Word)
We want to inform you that the volunteer service processing the invitation letters’ requests will not process the forms received after July 20th 2016. If you send your request before July 20th 2016 midnight Montreal time (UTC-4) you are going to receive your invitation letter within a maximum of 15 days. In fairness to all paticipants, we deliver invitation letters in chronologial order that the form is received.
Don’t be last minute. It is your responsibility to make sure you have all the required documents for your visa application in time. To verify the processing time for your country go to:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp
If you’re concerned about not receiving the response to your visa application in time you can submit your visa application without the invitation letter and indicate that you’re coming to Canada for the World Social Forum.
IMPORTANT:
- Please fill out all the requested fields , otherwise the invitation letter may be refused.
- The invitation letter do not imply a garantee of visa.
- You can submit a visa application WITHOUT an invitation letter
- The World Social Forum is a plural, diversified, non-confessional, nongovernmental and non-party context. For more informations about the Constitutive Charter please visit: https://fsm2016.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WSF-2016-Charte-English.pdf
