The officers might come across situations where they would need to consider obtaining additional information concerning whether the applicant intends to return to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC). They would typically need to do this if:
- The applicant is in Canada and applies for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and is a citizen of an Ebola Affected Country (EAC) or,
- The in-Canada applicant’s last country of permanent residence on their most recent Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) document was an Ebola Affected Country (EAC)
In this scenario, the officers would need to send letter C to these applicants.
For in-Canada Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applicants, the officers would need to call the applicants and ask them the questions specified in letter C. In particular, they would need to elicit answers to the questions pertaining to the confirmation of where the applicants intend to travel. The officers would also need to note the responses given in a detailed and precise manner as well. Situations could arise where the officers do not receive any responses from the applicant. In this scenario, they would need to put these applications on hold.
In-Canada applicants would need to express a definite intention to travel to one of the Ebola Affected Countries (EAC) on a specific date or for a specific occasion. This is the criteria specified for the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) to describe the in-Canada applicant. Officers would need to note the emphasis on specific dates and specific occasions. If the applicant merely hints at the possibility of travelling at some indeterminate point in the future to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC), the officers cannot conclusively establish that the applicant intends to travel to the Ebola Affected Country (EAC).
As long as the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) are in effect, officers would need to consider issuing single-entry visas. These visas would typically have a validity of not more than six months for all the approved:
- Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applicants who are citizens of the Ebola Affected Country (EAC)
- In-Canada Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applicants whose last country of permanent residence on their most recent Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) document was an Ebola Affected Country (EAC) and,
- Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applicants who have travelled to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC) within the last year (but not the three months prior to the application)
The office printing the visa would need to assess the applicants against the Ministerial Instructions (MIs). This would enable it to ascertain that the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) describe the applicant. Only then would they be able to issue the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). For carrying out this assessment, the officers would need to examine the sections on intent to travel and actual travel.
In particular, the officers would need to verify whether the applicant’s travel documents (e.g. passports) have any stamps that indicate whether the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) describe the applicant under the first or second criteria. The authorities have specified this in the document titled Determining if the applicant is described in the Ministerial Instructions (MIs)’. In addition, the officers would need to ensure that they do not proactively request passports from applicants who do not need a visa.
The Intent to Travel to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC) After a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) Application
In some cases, it is possible that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) might receive information of the applicant’s intent of travelling to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC). Typically, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) could obtain this information through the Call Centre. Or, it could also obtain this information by examining the passports at the time of visa issuance.
In this scenario, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) would need to reassess the applicant’s file. This would enable it to determine whether the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) describe the applicant or not. According to the Ministerial Instructions (MIs), the specifications contained in the Ministerial Instructions (MIs) describe an applicant if the applicant:
- Applies for temporary resident status and,
- Now intends travelling to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC)
On receiving the information about the applicant’s intent to travel to an Ebola Affected Country (EAC), the office receiving this information would need to:
- E-mail the Case Management Branch (CMB) and,
- E-mail the office processing the application (if this is different)
The e-mail must contain:
- The subject line as: “URGENT EBOLA – UCI – Intent to travel” and,
- Detailed notes in the body of the e-mail, which outline the applicant’s statements
Source: Citizenship and Immigration
