Too quick race will cripple your pace. Be patient ― Israelmore Ayivor 

Nothing quite matches that special feeling of realizing you could have succeeded...if only you had followed the instructions.

But every setback offers a valuable lesson. 

When planning international travel, it's essential to understand and respect that each country has its specific entry requirements and procedures.

 

The client who rushed

This client was one of the quickest when it came to providing supporting documents.

He was also the quickest to escalate if he didn’t agree with a procedure.

He was so fast that he overlooked instructions sent to him by email—and then would ask questions that were already answered in a previous email.

 

The Speed-Over-Accuracy approach

This client was so speedy, that he didn’t even bother to delete errors in his letters.

Instead, he put a big red slash over them.

 

Canada Immigration (IRCC) requests biometrics to be submitted

Since I submit visa applications on behalf of clients, I receive all notifications from IRCC—by email—with details on the next steps clients must take.

One of these notifications is called a Biometric Instruction Letter — It’s the process of submitting your fingerprints and taking a photograph.

After I had forwarded this letter to the client, he mentions he will be traveling to other countries.

I advised him that he had 30 days from the date of the Biometric Instruction Letter to submit to IRCC.

BUT

If he was not going to return to his country of residence within the 30 days, he could submit his biometrics in one of the countries he would be visiting.

I provided him the locations of where to book his appointment.

The client assured he would do it once he returned to his country of residence.

 

IRCC consequence of missing deadlines

Client returns home from travels and notifies me that he booked an appointment for the following month.

This wasn’t good.

He was over the 30-day time limit. IRCC has strict rules about when to submit biometrics to them.

IRCC refused his visa.

 

High volumes of applications

Consider the thousands of incomplete applications IRCC processes monthly—each one representing a preventable rejection.

With the high volume of visa applications IRCC receives daily, incomplete submissions cannot delay their processing timeline—They must move forward with complete applications.

 

Setback offers a valuable lesson 

This client’s experience reminds us that in immigration, as in Aesop’s fable, the race isn’t always won by the swiftest.

It’s best to move steady, follow instructions, and get approved, than to move with haste and lose sight of what’s important.

 

My articles

My articles are drawn from real-world experiences, handling numerous visa applications in a fast-paced corporate environment. Each insight and tip shared here comes from actual cases, challenges overcome, and solutions that work. Stay updated with practical immigration tips by following my weekly articles.

Disclaimer: The above writing is not intended to be a source of legal advice. Please seek legal advice and use your own good judgement before choosing to act on any information provided above. If you choose to rely on this article, you do so entirely at your own accountability.

If you have comments or questions, you can leave them in the comment box below or contact me at: [email protected].

Image by Coldbeer