Recourse for Very Long Waits?

[Deleted member 802445]

Hello!

My partner applied outland common-law in December 2019 and her file was retained for an interview by the Singapore VO in June 2020, but after that we have no updates. I'm in Quebec and she already received her CSQ in August 2020. At this rate I think that her CSQ will expire before the Singapore VO does anything.

I tried emailing my MP this month but I haven't received any reply. We're at a loss on what else to do at this point and I don't think that it's normal for it to take that long. We wanted to get married in Canada but we've decided to get married in her country instead (in 2 months) since the border reopened and she can't get a visa to come here. It feels like soon I'll be the one moving to her country instead!

Is there anything we can do for her file to actually get processed?

 

[armoured]

Have you ordered the gcms notes? Were you able to determine what the reason for the interview request was?

Have you applied for TRV?

As far as I'm aware, only two potential ways to speed things up:
1) Provide additional information that somehow at least partially addresses the reasons the interview was recommended. Whatever you have. (IRCC does seem to want to do less interviews so if you can provide them the excuse to do without the interview, can help).

If it's a general doubt about the relationship, update how much you've travelled, been in touch, visited, anything at all that supports it's a real relationship.

2) Raise the temperature and cost to them delaying this further. MP, Minister, Press, write to the head of visa section, call, whatever you can think of.

Neither of these are guaranteed success, but worth a try.

 

[scylla]

Hello!

My partner applied outland common-law in December 2019 and her file was retained for an interview by the Singapore VO in June 2020, but after that we have no updates. I'm in Quebec and she already received her CSQ in August 2020. At this rate I think that her CSQ will expire before the Singapore VO does anything.

I tried emailing my MP this month but I haven't received any reply. We're at a loss on what else to do at this point and I don't think that it's normal for it to take that long. We wanted to get married in Canada but we've decided to get married in her country instead (in 2 months) since the border reopened and she can't get a visa to come here. It feels like soon I'll be the one moving to her country instead!

Is there anything we can do for her file to actually get processed?

Unfortunately MPs really can't influence the processing of your application. All they can do is inquire about status.

Questions:
- I assume you've already tried applying for a TRV and it was refused? Might be worth trying that again now if so.
- Have you ordered your GCMS notes recently to see what's happening? This will probably give you much better answers on status than your MP.
- Have you had any additional data requests? Do you know if you need an interview or anything like that?

Technically there's really nothing you can do to get the application processed faster. But the above may give you insights into where you stand.

 

[Deleted member 802445]

Have you ordered the gcms notes? Were you able to determine what the reason for the interview request was?

Have you applied for TRV?

As far as I'm aware, only two potential ways to speed things up:
1) Provide additional information that somehow at least partially addresses the reasons the interview was recommended. Whatever you have. (IRCC does seem to want to do less interviews so if you can provide them the excuse to do without the interview, can help).

If it's a general doubt about the relationship, update how much you've travelled, been in touch, visited, anything at all that supports it's a real relationship.

2) Raise the temperature and cost to them delaying this further. MP, Minister, Press, write to the head of visa section, call, whatever you can think of.

Neither of these are guaranteed success, but worth a try.

I ordered the GCMS notes 2-3 times but it looks like they haven't touched the file since mid 2020. Here's the interview required note with some of the personal information/places removed for privacy. Right after "INTERVIEW REQUIRED" the white space is theirs so I'm not sure what they blanked out.

The only problem that I can see is that I didn't give them my (the sponsor) employement information but since I'm in Quebec there's no financial requirement so I'm not sure why it would affect anything. Between the time that we applied and now I: got the job, got layed off due to covid and then went back to school so I think it's irrelevant at this point.

Our cohab period was only 13 months but Indonesia isn't the friendliest country when it comes to cohabitation together before marriage. The notes also say that they received the proof of cohabitation so I'm assuming it's not the issue.

As for the proof of relationship, we sent them pictures of us in our apartment, while travelling (with ticket/hotel info), family pictures, Christmas pictures, etc, text messages spanning 2 years of texts, letters from her parents giving their blessing, my parents saying that she's welcomed here and some friends attesting that we lived together/are always stuck together. Short of sending them pictures of us in bed, I don't see why they would doubt the guinessness of our relationship.

 

[Deleted member 802445]

Unfortunately MPs really can't influence the processing of your application. All they can do is inquire about status.

Questions:
- I assume you've already tried applying for a TRV and it was refused? Might be worth trying that again now if so.
- Have you ordered your GCMS notes recently to see what's happening? This will probably give you much better answers on status than your MP.
- Have you had any additional data requests? Do you know if you need an interview or anything like that?

Technically there's really nothing you can do to get the application processed faster. But the above may give you insights into where you stand.

We applied for a TRV recently (September or October I think) as we were waiting for the Canadian border to open. We hadn't planned to apply for one when we submitted her application back in December 2019 as we were expecting the whole thing to take less than a year. Didn't see covid coming!

We ordered the notes and as far as I can see, it doesn't seem like there's any big concern with our application. Her VO is Singapore and they seem notorious for requesting interviews and making people wait ages before doing anything.


No additional data request. We only learned about the interview after we ordered the notes in the summer of 2020 and we later confirmed with the Singapore VO by email. Since then I email them about every 3 months and they only say that they'll contact us once an interview date is fixed.

 

[scylla]

I ordered the GCMS notes 2-3 times but it looks like they haven't touched the file since mid 2020. Here's the interview required note with some of the personal information/places removed for privacy. Right after "INTERVIEW REQUIRED" the white space is theirs so I'm not sure what they blanked out.

The only problem that I can see is that I didn't give them my (the sponsor) employement information but since I'm in Quebec there's no financial requirement so I'm not sure why it would affect anything. Between the time that we applied and now I: got the job, got layed off due to covid and then went back to school so I think it's irrelevant at this point.

Our cohab period was only 13 months but Indonesia isn't the friendliest country when it comes to cohabitation together before marriage. The notes also say that they received the proof of cohabitation so I'm assuming it's not the issue.

As for the proof of relationship, we sent them pictures of us in our apartment, while travelling (with ticket/hotel info), family pictures, Christmas pictures, etc, text messages spanning 2 years of texts, letters from her parents giving their blessing, my parents saying that she's welcomed here and some friends attesting that we lived together/are always stuck together. Short of sending them pictures of us in bed, I don't see why they would doubt the guinessness of our relationship.

We applied for a TRV recently (September or October I think) as we were waiting for the Canadian border to open. We hadn't planned to apply for one when we submitted her application back in December 2019 as we were expecting the whole thing to take less than a year. Didn't see covid coming!

We ordered the notes and as far as I can see, it doesn't seem like there's any big concern with our application. Her VO is Singapore and they seem notorious for requesting interviews and making people wait ages before doing anything.


No additional data request. We only learned about the interview after we ordered the notes in the summer of 2020 and we later confirmed with the Singapore VO by email. Since then I email them about every 3 months and they only say that they'll contact us once an interview date is fixed.

I'm sorry. I don't think there's much you can do here. I do agree that we see a lot of interviews through the Singapore office. There is no way to finalize the application without the interview since IRCC has already determined one is needed. Have you joined discussions in the Singapore VO thread to see what wait times are like for those waiting for interviews? I expect there's unfortunately a big backlog. This thread will probably give you the best info.

Good to hear that you applied for a TRV. Good luck with that application.

 

[Deleted member 802445]

I'm sorry. I don't think there's much you can do here. I do agree that we see a lot of interviews through the Singapore office. There is no way to finalize the application without the interview since IRCC has already determined one is needed. Have you joined discussions in the Singapore VO thread to see what wait times are like for those waiting for interviews? I expect there's unfortunately a big backlog. This thread will probably give you the best info.

Good to hear that you applied for a TRV. Good luck with that application.

I found another person that applied a month before me and was retained for an interview in the Singapore VO thread but he since got the interview around August this year. Which made me hope that we would get ours in September or October but no luck.

Do you know if there's anything special we should do once we get married? We're not getting married for her pr but I'm guessing that being married would help our case if anything. Is there a way to change her application from common-law to married or we just have to send an email to the VO notifying them of the marriage?

 

[scylla]

I found another person that applied a month before me and was retained for an interview in the Singapore VO thread but he since got the interview around August this year. Which made me hope that we would get ours in September or October but no luck.

Do you know if there's anything special we should do once we get married? We're not getting married for her pr but I'm guessing that being married would help our case if anything. Is there a way to change her application from common-law to married or we just have to send an email to the VO notifying them of the marriage?

You would simply send a webform to the VO letting them know you've gotten married. I would provide them with the marriage certificate as well.

Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 802445]

You would simply send a webform to the VO letting them know you've gotten married. I would provide them with the marriage certificate as well.

Good luck.

Thank you

 

[armoured]

Although fundamentally I think there may not be a lot that can be done, singapore interview issue, I reiterate what I said before:

-provide whatever you can in terms of additional relationship proofs - that may not be the issue but it might get them to fish or cut bait and just schedle the interview or do it by phone or possibly decide to do without.

-MPs offices can't "influence" a decision in terms of changing what's going to happen - but sometimes, once in a while, the repeated inquiries can get the officer to pick up the file and deal with it. (Is that 'influence?')

But note, not awlays, and requires repeated interactions, and multiple levels. It's true that most inquiries through MPs' offices do nothing - but then most inquiries to MP's are one-off "what's happening with my file" questions and the system is designed to rebuff those with standard form responses or "go away not twelve months yet" answers and links to instructions. (Also some MPs don't try very hard). Try multiple Mps, oppo parties, the Minister's office, etc.

For the squeaky wheel to get the grease, the wheel has to keep squeaking.

 

[Western Mountain Man]

I found another person that applied a month before me and was retained for an interview in the Singapore VO thread but he since got the interview around August this year. Which made me hope that we would get ours in September or October but no luck.

Do you know if there's anything special we should do once we get married? We're not getting married for her pr but I'm guessing that being married would help our case if anything. Is there a way to change her application from common-law to married or we just have to send an email to the VO notifying them of the marriage?

Can't wait forever.... Just get married and send them the certificate along with a few photo's of smiley family faces.
If you get hauled in for the interview then attend together and show them more wedding photo's in a nice album !

 

[canuck78]

Although fundamentally I think there may not be a lot that can be done, singapore interview issue, I reiterate what I said before:

-provide whatever you can in terms of additional relationship proofs - that may not be the issue but it might get them to fish or cut bait and just schedle the interview or do it by phone or possibly decide to do without.

-MPs offices can't "influence" a decision in terms of changing what's going to happen - but sometimes, once in a while, the repeated inquiries can get the officer to pick up the file and deal with it. (Is that 'influence?')

But note, not awlays, and requires repeated interactions, and multiple levels. It's true that most inquiries through MPs' offices do nothing - but then most inquiries to MP's are one-off "what's happening with my file" questions and the system is designed to rebuff those with standard form responses or "go away not twelve months yet" answers and links to instructions. (Also some MPs don't try very hard). Try multiple Mps, oppo parties, the Minister's office, etc.

For the squeaky wheel to get the grease, the wheel has to keep squeaking.

Most MPs won’t help you unless they are your MP.

 

[armoured]

Most MPs won’t help you unless they are your MP.

Ever tried? Opposition Mps with the shadow portfolio certainly will. Some other MPs if family members in the riding will.

 

[DimT44]

This may sound absurd, but technically it's an option depending on your circumstances. I've seen cases where having an active court case against IRCC has an impact on speeding things up if they want to reach a settlement. Assuming you can find some strong reason or have multiple people from Singapore VO get together on one case.

 

[charliem]

I ordered the GCMS notes 2-3 times but it looks like they haven't touched the file since mid 2020. Here's the interview required note with some of the personal information/places removed for privacy. Right after "INTERVIEW REQUIRED" the white space is theirs so I'm not sure what they blanked out.

The only problem that I can see is that I didn't give them my (the sponsor) employement information but since I'm in Quebec there's no financial requirement so I'm not sure why it would affect anything. Between the time that we applied and now I: got the job, got layed off due to covid and then went back to school so I think it's irrelevant at this point.

Our cohab period was only 13 months but Indonesia isn't the friendliest country when it comes to cohabitation together before marriage. The notes also say that they received the proof of cohabitation so I'm assuming it's not the issue.

As for the proof of relationship, we sent them pictures of us in our apartment, while travelling (with ticket/hotel info), family pictures, Christmas pictures, etc, text messages spanning 2 years of texts, letters from her parents giving their blessing, my parents saying that she's welcomed here and some friends attesting that we lived together/are always stuck together. Short of sending them pictures of us in bed, I don't see why they would doubt the guinessness of our relationship.

Provide the proof of employment and close that loop.
There being no financial requirement does not mean you do not need to show you have a job.