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In all the cases I am aware of, if a visitor applies and obtains a visa to enter a country but don't use it, nothing happens.

This makes me wonder: does any country retaliate if a visitor doesn't use a visa they were granted? (E.g., fine, future immigration headaches or entry ban)

Franck Dernoncourt
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  • Interesting question because people often ask this, and I'd be curious whether it has any basis. – MJeffryes Dec 01 '22 at 10:25
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    As I read for US, by an ex consular officer: it is considered a positive thing: it shows you are not desperate to immigrate. It is very common that people need to change plans (maybe less frequent for holidays, but it happens also there). One should also consider that we need to request a visa well in advance. In any case, without details of country and type of visa, the question may be difficult to answer – Giacomo Catenazzi Dec 01 '22 at 12:55
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    You are implying that a visa is like a binding contract that has penalties if you don't fulfill your end. Whereas it is really an endorsement by whatever authority that you have permission to proceed. And do you think it it would be reasonable to penalize me for having a car accident on the way to the airport and ending up in an ICU instead of my intended destination? IE Stuff happens to people all the time that precludes them from using visas. – Peter M Dec 01 '22 at 14:06
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    For example many of the Working holiday visa programmes have a condition that they will only be "awarded once in a lifetime". - It first glance that sounds like you won't be able to apply again for a new working holiday visa when you didn't use the first one before it expired. - But I don't know what the actual rules are, it might be that you won't be excluded from applying again when you were issued but never used the first visa.... – diya Dec 01 '22 at 15:13
  • if it's once or twice it's unlikely to be a problem. However, they probably monitor people with multiple applications (or indeed everyone) to look for suspicious patterns of behaviour. What's a suspicious pattern is hard to know, but if they've noticed a lot of e.g. drug smugglers, consistently doing something out of the ordinary, then that's a red flag. – Stuart F Dec 01 '22 at 16:32
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    Anecdotal evidence: A relative of mine (Russian citizen), many many years ago, got a Canadian visa for a business trip that he didn't end up using because the trip was cancelled by his employer. Years later he applied for a Canadian visa for tourism and visiting relatives, he was granted the visa but he was questioned about the unused visa in some detail at the interview. – Eugene O Oct 18 '23 at 18:20

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