Advice and Suggestions

[JRPW]

Hello.

I guess that I'm a little stressed about my wife's PR application. Wondering if I could get my advice or suggestions on how to proceed.

Background Information:

I'm a Canadian citizens by birth. I lived in Japan for 12 years. I'm fluent in Japanese. I met my Japanese wife for the first time in 2006. At first, we were just friends. After about six months, our relationship changed and we began to date. I asked her to marry me in 2008 while we were visiting Banff, Alberta. We submitted our marriage papers in Japan in 2009. For about a year after we submitted our marriage papers, we lived apart as our jobs were in different cities (my city was an hour away). I tried to get transferred to where my wife was living, but I was unsuccessful. After my contract finished in July 2010, my wife quit her job and we went to Canada to visit my parents. My wife stayed in Canada for a month and then returned to Japan to prepare for our move to Fukuoka, Japan. I stayed in Canada until October 2010 to help my parents (Mom was undergoing cancer treatments, Dad had emergency surgery for a detached retina). I returned to Japan, and my wife and I have been living together since then. We applied in October 2012 for her PR (outland). We have been waiting since then. In December 2013, I moved back to Canada with my wife. The CBSA agent gave my wife a one year visitor record (permit) when we provided proof of our marriage - my approval letter, letter wife received from Manila, wife's koseki (Japanese document proving that we are married) with a certified English translation.

My concerns:

1) My wife and I didn't have a wedding ceremony. We just went to the local city hall and submitted our papers. I was born and raised a Catholic, but I became disenchanted with the Roman Catholic Church when I was in high school. My wife doesn't have a religion. Planning a ceremony just became a hassle. Once my wife receives her PR, we plan on having a small ceremony (celebration) in Banff, Alberta (the Canadian Rockies) with my parents, my wife's Mother, Aunt, Uncle and cousin. Nothing lavish, just a get together so that the families can meet each other. I mentioned all of this in the essay I wrote and submitted with my wife's application. I have met my wife's family: Mother, aunts, uncle, brother, cousins, etc. I also know her close friends. My wife knows my family, too.

2) My wife is seven years older. We have no children. We plan on having none.

We are still waiting for her PR. I emailed my MP last month. Apparently, my wife's application is "queued for finalization review by the VO". How long does this "finalization review" take? I have contacted CEM myself with no success. I have also ordered our notes (January 11).

 

[Sabrinkh]

Right now be patient and see what happens. Youve been together 7 years so if you were able to prove it in your app then thats pretty clear your relationship is genuine. Im not guarantee u anything. Im not sure if having a ceromony or lack of wedding photos will be a huge issue for you it all depends on the person reviewing your case and if the evidence provided was convincing enough. Typically they would probably interview you in that case. I can tell u if u had done those it would have helped a lot. If they havent asked you for more information or requested an interview all you can do is wait. See what your notes say and take it from there.

 

[automaton82]

As the previous poster said, you've been together for 8 years, and married for 5 years. Your wife is from a first world nation that is visa exempt. It is pretty unlikely there will be any issue in this case (in my opinion).

If you can include photos of you and her with her family, and with your family, that would probably help to cover the lack of a wedding ceremony.

 

[JRPW]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, we did include lots of pictures of my wife and I with our families in Canada and Japan and pictures of our friends. My wife and I are a little stressed as we don't know what's going on. The only contact that we have had with CEM was in May 2013 when my wife was contacted. CEM wanted more proof on my intent to reestablish in Canada. I sent five letters from friends and family, a copy of my Alberta drivers license, and email exchange between my Mother and my families travel agent asking for quotes on flights to Canada and a bank statement from CIBC in my name. In the same letter, CEM had scheduled no interview.

 

[keesio]

As the previous poster said, you've been together for 8 years, and married for 5 years. Your wife is from a first world nation that is visa exempt. It is pretty unlikely there will be any issue in this case (in my opinion).

Agreed. And 7 years really isn't all that much. While they do scrutinize more closely when the woman is older, 7 years is still not that big of a deal. They start looking when it is 10+ and only consider it a real red flag when it is like 20+.