Accuracy of Processing time

[tink23]

Hi,

Ok, so my processing office will be Santo Domingo (SD), Dominican Republic. All visa processes for DR (and most of the Caribbean) to Canada used to be done in Haiti until the earthquake in Jan 2010. Since the earth quake Dominican applications are being processed at the Canadian embassy in SD. There never used to be a times processing up for SD since it was a new office for PR... Today a time has been put up, of 22 months! When ALLLLL of this used to be done in Haiti, the processing time was 12 months. How the EFF does it get an additional 10 months put on it in a country that is more stable than Haiti and there are less applications being sent (since now SD only processes Domincans.) Here is the link. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp#west
Also, a group I belong to, most papers for dominicans seems to be completed with visa in passport around the 12 month mark... so how did they pull 22 months out of their a$$es??? Is it possible this is a type-o? because, like I said before, a group I belong to for dominicano spouses waiting for PR visa to Canada, majority of these cases appear to be processed within the 12 month mark.

 

[quakingaspen]

Just a thought, but perhaps there are fewer Immigration Officers to work on the applications, which would make it take longer to get through them.

Also, the estimates they give are usually calculated by the amount of time it takes to process 80% of the applications going through that office. So, yes, many would be processed in less time than 22 months.

 

[shakeela]

Processing times are usually accurate in europe and some parts of Asia but South America, Africa and other parts of Asia its not even close to what they mention in their AOR.

 

[tink23]

I hope you're right. Based on what I know about people being processed from the SD since the big earthquake in Haiti it seems the average is between 8 and 12 months... not 22. I'm really hoping it was a typo and that they meant to write 12 and hit 22 instead!

 

[swetha]

Hello,

I am planning to get married in October and my fiance lives in the DR. i just checked the CIC website and it says 19 months to process. So according to your messages, i believe it is less than that right. I am really worried after i saw that. any updates you heard. sorry my question mark punctuation is not working on the keyboard.
next question is..... can you please let me know about that group that is for `dominican spouses`` if you don`t mind or is it something that cannot be shared here. i look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Baloo]

I hope you're right. Based on what I know about people being processed from the SD since the big earthquake in Haiti it seems the average is between 8 and 12 months... not 22. I'm really hoping it was a typo and that they meant to write 12 and hit 22 instead!

Assume the worst, hope for the best

 

[tink23]

You have to request a join on Dominicano Spouses facebook group. The admin of the group will probably send u a msg asking what your situation is.

 

[swetha]

Hey tink. Thanks for the message! I requested to add them on facebook last night. Waiting for approval.
I liven in Canada. My fiance lives in Punta Cana. Started dating just beginning of this year. Due to financial situations and personal reasons we both decided to get married in October or November this year instead of delaying. After loooong discussions, we decided that we want to live Canada because of my work and family situation. Is there anything I can do before I come to Dominican in October to start the process and maybe speed up things? There is a group called immigroup which is saying that the dominican sponsorship process is really complicated and it is better to hire them. Is that true or do you think this is something I can do on my own?

 

[swetha]

I had another question. my cousin said that my fiance can come here on something called "fiance visa" And I need to get married to him within 30-90 days or something like that. Then I get to sponsor him. I have never heard of something like this and because I know they are really strict on giving visas out if they are in a relationship with someone outside the country. If this is the "in land" Canada application, there would be risks with this right? Do you know anything about this?

 

[Baloo]

I had another question. my cousin said that my fiance can come here on something called "fiance visa" And I need to get married to him within 30-90 days or something like that. Then I get to sponsor him. I have never heard of something like this and because I know they are really strict on giving visas out if they are in a relationship with someone outside the country. If this is the "in land" Canada application, there would be risks with this right? Do you know anything about this?

There is no fiance visa in Canada.

 

[swetha]

thank you Baloo. that clears it up. people giving me different info and confusing me. thx again.

 

[tink23]

The Dominican process isn't any more difficult than any other country. Majority of people I know who have gone through the PR process from Dominican Republic have not used a company. I think that company is lying in order to freak people out and get more business. There are those who choose to use a company or consultant, but it is by no means necessary.
I haven't started the process yet as we won't be married until July 2012, but I have all the papers and have started filling things out. It is a little hard at times, but it really isn't something that can't be over come. The most difficult will probably be getting exact dates of working experience for the past 10 years, as in Dominican Republic people, particularly males begin working very early in their lives. Also, records are often not properly kept so that may be a little trying at times, but that's something your husband will have to do anyway, so gathering that information wouldn't be aided by an immigration consultant, etc...
The medical exam, at the moment, can only be done by one doctor in Santo Domingo, so that will be a pain in the butt too, but there's nothing u can really do about it. Perhaps they will change it to allow more locations/ doctors to do the medical, as before there used to be a doctor in Puerto Plata as well... You'll just have to wait and see I guess.
Once u get into the domincano spouses group there will be a lot more info geared towards the process in DR, so I'm sure you won't have any problems getting specific questions u have answered.

 

[swetha]

okay cool. Can the medical exam be booked now for a date in December or is that something that he has to do after we get married? So he should start gathering his employment information now right?
I think I am going to start working on the paperwork then I can start asking questions along the way.

 

[tink23]

I'm 95% sure that the medical exam can't have an appointment date. He pretty much should go to Santo Domingo the day before, stay there over night and go to the doctors office at 6 or 7am. They open after that but if he goes later than 7 or so, he will be in a long long line and there pretty much all day. I don't know if you've been out and about much in actual cities of DR, but that's how it goes here.... he can not be on Dominican time. The earlier he gets there the better so he can get in and out and be on his way. You don't want to have him go and take the medical exam too early because it expires in a years time. Right now the processing stated for Santo Domingo is at 18 months, but it seem most people get it done around the year mark. If you can get the medical exam close to the wedding/when you'll be prepared to actually send the papers that will be best. It seems about 50-50 people being asked to redo their medicals because the processing is right around the year mark... so if u do it too early, iit will be more definite that he'll have to redo the meds... and they're a lot more expensive now that it's only done by one doctor. I think between 7000-8000 pesos, so you'll only want to do it once if it's possible.

As for getting the employment info and stuff, if he has time, tell him to start working on it. Who knows, maybe his will be easy and he'll only have to get a couple things. He'll have an idea for you about that.

Before the wedding you'll have to make sure you get some of your stuff translated into Spanish. The only thing I'm certain of is your birth certificate will need to be translated into spanish... you'll also need a single afidavet signed, which I'm not sure where u get that from since you're in Canada.... Maybe you can call the Dominican consulate? I know here in Puerto Plata, DR many people have suggested a particular lawyer who seems to be really good, but your fiancee is in Punta Cana, and I don't know how long you'll be in DR before the actual wedding....

You'll also need to get a bunch of your husband's stuff translated into English for the PR process.... birth certificate, marriage certificate... I can't think of what else... but it's a lot cheaper to get stuff legally translated here in DR than it is in Canada... so if u have that option, it might be worth it if money is tight.... also, I know after you get the marriage certificate it needs to be sent back to Santo Domingo to get a couple more stamps on it to make it legalized.... I'm not really sure... Perhaps if you're getting married at a resort they'll do it for you, but before you leave after the wedding to return to Canada, you better be sure the thing is properly legalized.... Again, there will be more ladies on the DS group that can help you with that who have recently gone through it... but you are probably in for the run around... But just think, in the end it will all be worth it

 

[tink23]

Good idea getting started on the paper work. I've done so already and I won't be in a position to send it until about a year... the earlier the better so u can work on it slowly and not panic that u forgot something so close to the date.