visa for canada...emj_08, process from start to finish

[emj_08]

Hmm I'm not sure about that form. I know we signed something that said I was the representative, the contact person so to speak. It's silly to make me sign something, I mean come on - I'm the sponsor, my name is all over the applications. I'm agreeing to be responsible for him, I should have a right to info. Ohh these silly procedures.

Yes I included all that info when I e-mailed Haiti. She e-mailed me requesting those new documents and I responded to her e-mail right away with some questions and a minor explanation of my situation. This is the first time I've seen a person's e-mail address, and not just the generic Haiti one. And I pretty much begged her to call me in the e-mail so we could discuss it.

I just think its ridiculous that I'm the one explaining to her the Dominican Republic's policies on foreigners working and living in the country. They should know these things, and once she sees it's true, she might realize the documents she asked for are irrelevant. But again, I'm gonna jump through the hoop and send her a new letter from my ex-boss and my letter from the DR embassy saying I did nothing wrong by overstaying the visa. Gotta do whatcha gotta do.

 

[AnnaC]

Hmm I'm not sure about that form. I know we signed something that said I was the representative, the contact person so to speak. It's silly to make me sign something, I mean come on - I'm the sponsor, my name is all over the applications. I'm agreeing to be responsible for him, I should have a right to info. Ohh these silly procedures.

Yes I included all that info when I e-mailed Haiti. She e-mailed me requesting those new documents and I responded to her e-mail right away with some questions and a minor explanation of my situation. This is the first time I've seen a person's e-mail address, and not just the generic Haiti one. And I pretty much begged her to call me in the e-mail so we could discuss it.

I just think its ridiculous that I'm the one explaining to her the Dominican Republic's policies on foreigners working and living in the country. They should know these things, and once she sees it's true, she might realize the documents she asked for are irrelevant. But again, I'm gonna jump through the hoop and send her a new letter from my ex-boss and my letter from the DR embassy saying I did nothing wrong by overstaying the visa. Gotta do whatcha gotta do.

Well my dear, why in the world would she have to know the DR's policies on foreigners working and living in the country? She is Canadian, working in Haiti for our Government.

 

[sangria]

It is very obvious from some of the interviewers recent requests that she doesnt know much about Canadian law so I wouldnt expect her to know anything about Dominican law.

When we almost had to go to Haiti, I informed the embassy that Dominicans need a visa to travel to Haiti...I would have thought that they might have known that but no.

Their job is to screen the application and ensure all the requirements have been met and that there are no gaps or holes.

EMJ in your situation immigration asked for your partners work history again because of discrepancies so they are probably investigating you further to match some things up....otherwise your work history would be irrelevant. There is something they need to know and this is their way of verifing the information.

The phone number for the embassy is (011 509) 2249-9000 (dial exactly this way).

The secretary will not put you directly in touch with the officer but will put you to their voicemail if you ask for someone specifically. Leave a message and hopefully she will call you back.

Phone number taken from the link below. Also available on the Canadian Embassy in Haiti website.

Canadian Representatives Abroad

 

[emj_08]

I think this woman should know something about it since she is constantly dealing with Dominicans looking to come to Canada. It just goes to show that she's asking me for something that's completely out of her jurisdiction, something completely unimportant. But I think Sangria is right, they just want to verify more facts.. although I can't imagine what my pay receipts from my job in a bar have to do with my husband's future in Canada. But as I said, I will give them what they ask for - to the best of my ability.

 

[Johana]

EMJ,

in light of some recent attention to fraudulent marriages in the media, including one between a Dominican man and Canadian woman, it could be that they are being cautious with your application because it is a Common-Law application.

I know it must be very frustrating to be sending the same information - but keep in mind that this has happened to be people who are married. My husband was asked to send an original marriage certificate (we had sent a copy as specified in the application) and to send a copy of his birth certificate (we had sent an original as I had an extra one). I too thought it a little strange - but willingly sent the documents to allow our case to progress. At the time of our application the scandal regarding marriages in Punta Cana (where the judge and someone else were pocketing the money and not submitting the information to the JCE) had just come out.

Just keep focused on the end goal

 

[bob saunders]

My wife was asked to send a copy of my first wife's death certificate.

 

[tink23]

wow.......

 

[emj_08]

Canada may decrease immigration numbers

Found this statement online. Thought it might be helpful for this forum.

Canada may decrease immigration numbers
Febuary 2009

If you have been thinking about immigration to Canada, you would be smart to submit your application as soon as possible. Citing economic uncertainty and increasing unemployment numbers in the country, Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced that Canada is considering lowering its immigration targets for 2009. At the present time, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) plans to maintain its 2009 immigration numbers of between 240,000 to 265,000 new Permanent Residents. This makes it one of the only developed nations that has not shrunk its immigration plans during these current global economic troubles.

However, that may change by the end of March, as Minister Kenney meets with federal, provincial, and territorial officials to go over economic data and to determine if modifications to immigration levels are necessary. ?We don?t want people coming to Canada and facing unemployment. We need to be sensitive to the changing labour market, and if we need to make modifications, we will,? stated Minister Kenney.

Taking a longer-term perspective, he has expressed his preference to holding current levels, noting that immigrants will be greatly needed to help boost Canada?s economic growth once the economy turns around. ?We need to be flexible, prudent and ensure that our response to short-term conditions does not counter out long-term goals, in which immigration will play a significant role,? he said. ?We don?t want to turn off the tap of the future growth that is represented by immigration.? The Immigration Minister has the authority to make changes to the immigration selection system without any advance warning.

In this case, he has signaled that an imminent reduction of immigration targets is a real possibility. If you would like to immigrate to Canada, you should take the Immigration Minister?s words seriously. Now is the time to submit your Canadian immigration application. After the Immigration Minister?s meeting at the end of March, it may become more difficult for you to qualify or it may take you longer to realize your plans to come live and work in Canada.

 

[AnnaC]

Was this from an online newspaper or the government website? It's important to post a link because of copyright issues.

Thanks


Never mind I found it http://www.cicnews.com/2009/02/cana...rgets-nows-time-submit-application-02700.html


I don't think it will affect the sponsorship of family class.

 

[emj_08]

Oops sorry for not posting the link. You're right, it probably won't affect family class, but still interesting to see what the government is planning when it comes to immigration.

 

[AnnaC]

General statement;

this new policy is even more reason for Canadians to be leary of meeting someone that wants to get married in a hurry. It's the only way they will ever get here.

I know I'm just talking to myself :tired:

 

[emj_08]

Excellent point. Once foreigners start understanding the process, they will know the only way into Canada is marriage. Although the process is frustrating, I try to remember that Immigration is looking out for our best interest by trying to detect fraud.

 

[emj_08]

Question - Haiti e-mail Addresses

I have a question for anyone who has already completed the processing of sponsoring a spouse for permanent residence.

When you were nearing the end of the process, did you receive e-mails from specific people in the office? Not just re-port-au-prince-im-renseignments@international.gc.ca but a personalized e-mail with someone's name in it?

I have received an e-mail from what appears to be the specific person working on my case, and I'm curious to know what this might mean for our chances/timeline.

Thank you!

 

[sangria]

we received emails directly from the officer assigned to our case.

at the end she gave us her personal email, office extension number and personal cell phone number.

im not sure that it means anything though

 

[emj_08]

Called Haiti today - re:immigration Canada

Our "Decision Made" has been posted for two weeks and we have heard nothing from immigraiton regarding what the decision is.

For the FIRST time today, I called the Haiti office and asked to speak with the person who had e-mailed me during the process. After humming and hawing they finally transferred me and I spoke to the woman. She was extremely annoyed with me. I was very polite and said we hadn't been contacted and were curious what the decision was. She cut me off and repeatedly told me "Please do not call... don't call.. please don't call me." She also mentioned I had sent e-mails and this was not acceptable either. I was simply responding to the e-mail she had sent me.

I have polite to her all along, and very professional... and all she could do was interrupt me and tell me not to call, and that we would be informed. She could not even tell me HOW we would be informed. She said I must be patient. But she did not say for how much longer.

I think this is disgraceful on the part of Canadian government. There should be some service standards when it comes to dealing with people. I understand they must remain neutral, but the way she spoke to me as if I were a nuissance was unnacceptable, and the delay and simply telling us "approved or denied" after the decision has been made is a disgrace. I know there are others who have dealt with this problem.

I just wanted to warn people NOT to call Haiti, as they will simply be angry with you and nobody wants to hurt their own case. I think these people are forgetting that we are paying for a service, and one-way communication is not acceptable. They are treating all of us as guilty and fraudulant until proven innnocent, and this should not be the way of things. I think we all can agree that two-way communication should not be too much to ask for, considering the time and money we are all putting into this process.

So again, do not call Haiti. I don't know why they have a phone number when they just tell you not to call. Also please remember, I am at the end of the process. Our decision has been rendered, and it was only NOW that I decided to call for the first time.

 

[dominican_daisy]

Hi Emj_08,

I'm sorry to hear that you had a really frustrating and rude call to Haiti today.

I do have a question, did they ask for your husbands passport? and if so do they have it right now???

DD

 

[Johana]

EMJ,

as frustrating as it must be to not have answers Haiti's website does state that they cannot give people information over the phone.
Visas and Immigration
I'm pretty sure this relates to privacy laws.

Can you ask your MP to find out the information? Or at least find out if a letter has been sent or when it will be?

 

[emj_08]

They do not have my husband's passport. My MP called for an update last week and they said they could not tell her anything until I was informed. This does not look good for us, which is extra frustrating because we are as legitimate as it comes... I spent over a year and a half living there and provided everything they asked for, and then some. I went above and beyond with supporting documents, things most people don't have. And they are still playing with us.

 

[BooGirl]

Hi EMJ
I didn't wait.....I called them the day our status changed to "decision made" and my MP faxed them a letter asking what the decision was and I emailed them all the same day. Many emails...phone calls...and my MP involved... I don't wait for anything to come to me, I go out and get it!!! So I asked my MP on June 22......3 weeks after decision made was changed what's going on????.....she couldn't get any information....what you need to ask your MP to do is "Did a letter get sent out.....to Where???and When??? They can get that information for you not a problem....however they wont tell you the decision....some sort of privacy thing I'm sure....or maybe they just don't have the right to tell you and you have to wait. I did all this extra waiting since the interview~sent in the documents that we were asked to bring in........and then we found out he was denied.......! That hurt so much cause we didn't see it coming. We tried to stay positive but I knew in my heart June 1/09 when my mother was in the room with me and I checked CIC website....the status changed to "Decision Made".....i started to cry.....!
Good luck mi amor.....you don't know what will come out of it. They can still send an approval letter out. It should take 2 weeks and go directly to your husband. cross your fingers!!!!
Boogirl

 

[emj_08]

Thanks BooGirl. I didn't know there was such thing as an approval letter. I read on this forum that having the status changed to decision made without them asking for the passport was a denial for sure. And look what happened in your case... I'm terrified and upset because if they are doubting all the time i spent in DR, they are actually wrong. I spent that time there and I couldn't prove it any further than I did.

The last update from my MP said they were doing the "security check" and the file was BFd for August 13. But afte that, Haiti received my extra documents which were requested.. then the status changed. Are they still waiting for August? That's ridiculous. His medical expires tomorrow. Also no news on getting that re-done. I don't know if I have any reason to be hopeful. Then again, no two cases are processed in the same way.