MARCH 2020 *Outland* Spousal Sponsorship
- Thread starter sk2020
- Start date
If u click on the Twitter link I have attached the rejection letter...
I am really sorry to hear that your TRV was rejected. Unfortunately, the grounds for refusal in the letter are too generic which makes it difficult to address the concerns if one intends to reapply. I understand the IRCC keeps a GCMS file for tourist/visitor visas too? Would it be possible for you to gain access to that to know what the Immigration Officer was thinking when he/she made this decision? Does anyone have prior experience with this and if it helps?
IRCC says "you can reapply if you feel you can respond to these concerns and can demonstrate that your condition meets the requirements" but then again they do not pinpoint any concerns for us to address. This TRV system for spouses has to change. If an upstanding, law-abiding and taxpaying PR/citizen of Canada is assuring the Government that their spouse will return back home within a few months/weeks, they should consider this. Having a guarantor in place could work too. I think changing this system is most necessary right now because the IRCC is keeping mum on how and when they will clear this significant backlog of spousal applications. They do not have a strategy in place so what do they expect us to do? How long are we supposed to wait in the dark before we can start our lives with our spouses?
It is an incredibly stressful situation for all of us, I totally empathize with you.
I personally know the background of two cases where the TRV was approved during COVID-19 times. In one case the PA had successfully completed her biometrics/medical and applied for a TRV 'to take care of her husband during COVID-19' since he was classified as an essential worker and they had prior plans to meet in the PA's home country but could no longer do so. In another case, the PA filed for a TRV by citing the reason that his wife had delivered a premature baby.
Some TRV cases have been approved for spouses during this time but many have been rejected too. I don't know if Immigration Officers are well-trained to study TRV files (or if they even bother going through them) or if they reject/accept applications based on which side of the bed they wake up on that particular day.
I come from a country where bureaucratic/government procedures are messed up but I surely expected better from Canada. To keep us in the dark like this and give contradictory statements such as "we are processing files received on/before Jan 12th/Feb 12th/March 12th" is just..heartbreaking and irresponsible.
Let's make sure our voices and stories are heard, there is a rally between 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm today in different cities of Canada to highlight our plight. An MP is set to speak at the venue in Vancouver. If you can join it, please do so. You can find more details about it on this Facebook group: Canada Spousal Sponsorship Applicants Affected by COVID-19
I think this verifies my belief that in many cases, the visa officers do not even bother to look at the files. How can they possibly make this crucial decision in less than 24 hours? They should be held accountable for not performing their duties.
Can I apply to be an astronaut?
Yes, you can...
Now please process Spousal apps in less than 24 hrs lol
Yes, you can...
They should be praised for lightning fast processing of applications (sarcasm)
Now please process Spousal apps in less than 24 hrs lol
They should simply allow oultland applicants' spouses to get open work permits, just like inland. Of course have some reasonable conditions on it, and not six month processing times for that permit.
Yes, that's a great suggestion.
Just wondering what everyone thinks about exploring the Express Entry option, under the Federal Skilled Worker category for their spouses? I know not every spouse will be eligible under that but some might just have enough points to get an invitation to apply and see which application is processed first? Applying for family sponsorship is the first logical move we make to reunite with our partners but this situation is just unprecedented and perhaps calls for looking at alternative LEGAL means of immigration.
I was going through this article (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/07/ministers-responsible-for-immigration-meet-to-jointly-plan-for-the-future-of-immigration-in-canada-amid-covid-19.html) on the IRCC website, the Ministers responsible for immigration in Canada met to discuss the future of immigration in the country post-COVID-19 and guess what? All they discussed here was about attracting newcomers to meet critical labor market needs, 'their families' AND *drum roll* international students. Shocking to see how they did not bother to discuss family reunification and sponsorship in this meeting?!? This just gives us a sense of what's cooking in their heads.
There are protests today in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton and Vancouver. If some of you is free please join. IRCC ignoring spousal applications is unbearable now specially when everything is now back to normal gradually since June 2020. At least IRCC should be transparent enough to explain what is happening and why they are not working on spousal applications. As in contrary they say they are still processing as much as possible but even with that we should have seen some movement for late Feb. and March applicants at least by now. For 5 months now the reply anyone receive when inquiring about apps status is that they are still working on Feb. apps. Com'on if this was the case we would have seen some movement unless in Feb. they have received zillion apps to finish processing.
Only way to really find out is talk with somebody who works for IRCC...get some inside information.
Well I was at the protest today in Toronto. People have been waiting for 3 years for their spousal visa approval. So now with Covid-19 I think it will be 4-5 years. I maybe wrong
Well yeah, for those already waiting 3 years, they could wait another year, so 4 years total...For those who applied since last March would mean tacking on an extra year for the NORMAL processing times for their specific country, for example;
Ukraine was 10 months
Afghanistan was something like 2.5 years
I honestly think a protest of a dozen people will not do anything. You need thousands of people marching every week (like BLM movement) to have any effect. That's my opinion, I may be wrong, and I hope I'm wrong and we all get STRV's next month
Looking at the spreadsheet, prior to covid impact, like looking at jan 2020 outland and feb 2020 outland, like from the date of receiving, 2 months later, it has moved pretty far. Only hope for us is that we are on top of the pile as march when things get back to full speed again.
No point in yelling here...yell on Twitter, FB, go to protests, email Hon. PM Justin Trudeau...whatever you can
Soon there will be a VIP member come in and be like oh this is all normal...it usually takes 10 years for the Spousal applications