Refugee case in Pretoria

[Mfumu]

Hi there
Is there anybody applying as sponsored refugee by private sponsors in Canada case in Pretoria?
I don't know if the time frame listed on the CIC website apply for these kind of cases or not?
Me and my family has been approuved and interviewed since November 2009, then December 2010, Pretoria confirmed that our application has been accepted and promised the resend the medical forms (first one got lost by SA Post office). Until now, nothing has arrived yet and no words from Pretoria either. We're still waiting for medical forms. Is there anybody with similar case in Pretoria?

Please share your experiences to calm our nerves.

 

[abdi2525]

Well i applied under private refugee in middle east
process started 2009
gave the interview April 2010, still waiting for approve .

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi there
Is there anybody applying as sponsored refugee by private sponsors in Canada case in Pretoria?
I don't know if the time frame listed on the CIC website apply for these kind of cases or not?
Me and my family has been approuved and interviewed since November 2009, then December 2010, Pretoria confirmed that our application has been accepted and promised the resend the medical forms (first one got lost by SA Post office). Until now, nothing has arrived yet and no words from Pretoria either. We're still waiting for medical forms. Is there anybody with similar case in Pretoria?

Please share your experiences to calm our nerves.

The processing time is 42 months in Pretoria from the date the complete application is received for 80% of the applications http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/ref-private.asp

 

[Mfumu]

Hi PMM and Abdi2525,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It helps somehow to keep the hope alive.
42 months for 80% of applicants? Ours is almost at the estimated time frame.
Our application was received in Pretoria in November 2007, tow years later we got the interview.
Now almost 40 months later, we are still waiting for medical forms.
The worse in this long waiting period is that Pretoria office doesn't communicate and you have no idea what is happening with your file... :'(
Is this all normal? Does this process work? Do people got the PR through private sponsor in Canada?

Thank you guys for your comments

 

[Afimiko]

Hello Mfumu,

Yes, it works and people do get PR with the private sponsorship. I lived in Nairobi for a while and I witnesses a lot of my friends beiing privately sponsored and they all got their PR after all.

CIC is know for having a huge backlog that create all the delays and causes frustrations but you will eventually hear from them.

Just be patient, mokonzi...

Un jour ou l'autre...

 

[Mfumu]

Thanks a lot Afimiko.
It's good to hear those kind of assurance.
I just wonder if they really read their emails? Why don't they reply?
We can't ask more than that!!!
I hope we have to hang on there until "our time" arrive...

Is that true that Nairobi visa office works much quicker than Pretoria?

Thanks

 

[Ario]

Hi Mfumu
They advise not to contact them before the estimated time frame. They say it is wasting their time if they have to interrupt processing files to reply to an email or a letter. So they usually will not reply to you before the 42 months. Also you should know that there is only 1 case that is fast tracked for PR : Arranged employment followed by family sponsorship (spouse etc...). The rest goes into the same tunnel or funnel. It is anybody guess how long it takes. The good thing is that they eventually get back to you.
Morale of the story : don't lose The Audacity of Hope!

May God bless you

 

[Mfumu]

Many thanks Ario,
Once again I realise that the light is/will be and the end of the tunnel.
Our experiences of waiting is the true meaning of The Audacity of Hope!

Question: What will follow if by any chance the PR is granted? In a case of a sponsored refugee with no passport, not enough money. Someone told me about IOM?
Does any body knows how this works?

Thanks

 

[Ario]

Hi Mfumu
Sponsored refugees have nothing to worry about.Everything is provided (Passports,tickets ,even winter clothings on arrival in Canada if you travel in winter,accommodation and allowance for a year etc.. amazing really! you can't believe what these canadians do for those who are lucky enough to convince them that they are in some kind of danger in their own country ) A person I know travelled from South Africa as approved refugee more than 10 years ago,he is now a citizen. Passport was provided (Red cross travel document) Tickets (Lufthansa : Jo'burg-Frankfurt-Ottawa).
So be at peace and wait for the best.

Ario

 

[Mfumu]

Hi Ario, thank you for sharing these with us.
It keeps our blood pressure at normal level, waiting until the medical test will be done.
In the same time we hope Pretoria will not forget about our files.

Thank you guys

 

[Afimiko]

My sisters travelled from Nairobi to Toronto with IOM's flight tickets ( KLM), but they were not sponsored refugees, just PR's receipients that did not have enough money to pay for the plane tickets...


@ MFUMU : I'm not sure if Nairobi is faster than Pretoria but is seemed to take forever for my sisters : it was all done within 13 months.

For my friends that were sponsored refugee it took longer than that , about 28 months.


Best regards,

 

[Ario]

@Mfumu
In the case of sponsored refugees ,some funds are donated by the Canadian Govt. These may cover the tickets and other expenses including the allowance that refugees receive for one year from the date of arrival in Canada and Student loans from the Government for those who embark on third level studies. But bear in mind that all funds used constitute a loan that will be repaid from your salary .Deducted at source on your payslip in any job you get;even when you change jobs the repayments follow you everywhere.

Good luck
Ario

 

[Mfumu]

Thank you Afimiko and Ario for your good experience.
The loan is not a problem and can't be as it will help us to get to where we really want to be. And I hope the repayment terms must take in consideration the time to find a suitable job whenever/whatever the time it can take? and the amount on your pay slip too? is that right?

But you know what, I'm not worried about that as we will answer those questions once we get there. As for now, let first cross this bridge called Pretoria Visa Office. They are so quiet like we've been forgotten.

This is not a good experience

 

[Afimiko]

In my sisters's case , they never had to repay any money to anybody. We were directed to the IOM's office in nairobi. Once there we filled some forms, waited to be called in, they ask for the proof from the canadian embassy that they were really getting the PR's visa : we had the stamped documents with us. They took it and gave some papers for signing and that was it.

At the airport, an agent from the IOM office was there with the tickets and he took care of everything !


Regards,

 

[Mfumu]

Hello Afimiko, your sisters were so lucky and got a "gift" from IOM.
I have read on the CIC website and it is clear that the refugees can get a loan from the Canadian government for their medical tests or a loan from IOM to cover their flights tickets. This will be reimbursed once they are settled in Canada.

But I have a question, how long the IOM will take to organise the trip once the PR is finalized?

Thanks for your answers
Mfumu