ALMOST 2 YEARS OF WAITING and still stuck. Please help.

[JusticeForAll]

Hi Guys,

I seek your advice, since we are still stuck on waiting for my wife to get approved for the spousal sponsorship file.

I'm a Canadian citizen living with my wife in her home country with our 2 newborn sons and this is our timeline:

Visa office Moscow

Nov-01-2011 - Medical done
Nov-04-2011 - Application sent
Nov-15-2011 - Application received in Mississauga
Jan-18-2012 - Sponsorship approved
Feb-14-2012 - Quebec CSQ issued

I have contacted our local MP a year ago and he's handling all the communication with them since then.

On Sep-2012 the embassy in Moscow has sent the file back to Mississauga in order to review my edibility to be a sponsor (again). They wrote a letter to us to provide more proof of our marriage + my intent to move back to Canada, which we did and sent them a significant amount of docs, pics and letters from relatives and friends confirming our relationship and intent to move back to Canada.

Almost a month ago we had twin boys and I'm working on gathering all the necessary docs in order to apply for their citizenship certificate and travel document.

To this date, there is no final decision made in our case yet. As our local MP advised, the file is still in Mississauga and my eligibility to be a sponsor is still being reviewed (for a year already). He advised to me that, there's no definite timeline on the review process, and the only thing I can do at this point, is to wait. But soon it's going to be 2 years since we've applied for the sponsorship of my wife and the life here gets real unbearable, plus the factor of our babies' birth, we see that our case is taking significantly more time than any other and we feel that at this point we need to do something.

Here are my questions:
1) How do we expedite my wife's file/eligibility review in Mississauga office?
2) Will the birth of our children have any impact to move things forward?
3) Is it possible to apply for the Canadian citizenship certificate and the Canadian passport for our boys at the same time?
4) When we receive the above docs for our sons, is it possible to ask for some kind of approval for my wife, so we can all travel to Canada ASAP (Minister Permit or ect.)? We are stuck here, since I can't go back to Canada and leave my wife alone here, especially now, when we have 2 newborn sons.

Please help me with some realistic professional advice, so I can finally move my family to Canada (all together).

Thank you all in advance, best regards

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1) How do we expedite my wife's file/eligibility review in Mississauga office?
2) Will the birth of our children have any impact to move things forward?
3) Is it possible to apply for the Canadian citizenship certificate and the Canadian passport for our boys at the same time?
4) When we receive the above docs for our sons, is it possible to ask for some kind of approval for my wife, so we can all travel to Canada ASAP (Minister Permit or ect.)? We are stuck here, since I can't go back to Canada and leave my wife alone here, especially now, when we have 2 newborn sons.

Hi

That is a very hard situation you are in.

1) There is no way to expedite the process. Normally I would advise to contact the MP to try to push things along but you've already done that. Maybe push your MP harder.
2) No, the birth of your children will not have an impact on the application.
3) Yes, you can apply for the Certificates of Citizenship and passports at the same time, though the passports will be of limited validity.
4) You can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa, TRV, but there is very little chance that she will get it, as CIC doesn't often grant TRVs to spouses of Canadian citizens or PRs, especially ones with a PR app processing. If she is denied a TRV, you could apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (basically the Minister's Permit), TRP but again, very hard to get.

Sorry it's not better news. Congrats on the babies, good luck

 

[JusticeForAll]

Dear canuck_in_uk,

Thank you very much for the warm wishes and your help.

What does it mean "though the passports will be of limited validity"? Please let me know the difference between a regular one and the "limited" one.

As soon as my kids will have a travel document, I may travel to Canada with them. But of course my kids will need their mother to be present with them at all times. What I meant is, does it give me enough "weight" to have a TRP in our situation? I understand that such document as TRV and TRP are tough to get, but in our situation, is it going to be as hard as for anyone else to get?

The MP has suggested I send the update about our family situation both to the embassy in Moscow and to the Mississauga office. So does it mean that it has a certain impact on our process in Mississauga office? Also, how is it possible that after the Mississauga office has approved me as a sponsor initially, is checking the same thing over again FOR A WHOLE YEAR and still not done. Aren't there any timelines for that? They can go ahead and check it for 10 more years and I'm still gonna be stuck here.

Did anyone go through the same process as me? What was your experience in regards to time you've waited?

Thank you

 

[cdnmom]

Dear canuck_in_uk,

Thank you very much for the warm wishes and your help.

What does it mean "though the passports will be of limited validity"? Please let me know the difference between a regular one and the "limited" one.

As soon as my kids will have a travel document, I may travel to Canada with them. But of course my kids will need their mother to be present with them at all times. What I meant is, does it give me enough "weight" to have a TRP in our situation? I understand that such document as TRV and TRP are tough to get, but in our situation, is it going to be as hard as for anyone else to get?

The MP has suggested I send the update about our family situation both to the embassy in Moscow and to the Mississauga office. So does it mean that it has a certain impact on our process in Mississauga office? Also, how is it possible that after the Mississauga office has approved me as a sponsor initially, is checking the same thing over again FOR A WHOLE YEAR and still not done. Aren't there any timelines for that? They can go ahead and check it for 10 more years and I'm still gonna be stuck here.

Did anyone go through the same process as me? What was your experience in regards to time you've waited?

Thank you

I think you need to contact CIC-M again... to inquire on why your stage 1 process is still ongoing.
The current time for processing stage 1 is now less than 30 days
There is definitely wrong here

Send a case specific enquiry to the VO in Moscow and order your GCMS notes... maybe they will provide some insight.

Good luck and congrats on the babies !!

 

[JusticeForAll]

I think you need to contact CIC-M again... to inquire on why your stage 1 process is still ongoing.
The current time for processing stage 1 is now less than 30 days
There is definitely wrong here

Send a case specific enquiry to the VO in Moscow and order your GCMS notes... maybe they will provide some insight.

Good luck and congrats on the babies !!

Thank you very much cdnmom,

The issue is, that CIC-M doesn't respond to any inquiries from individuals, only MP may do so to get an info. The 30 days processing is for the first initial approval, not if the embassy for some weird reason sends the file back to check my eligibility again. Then it may take as much time as they wish it does (no regard for human life, we're just numbers to them).

Are you able to get GCMS notes even when you reside outside of Canada?

 

[cdnmom]

Yes... as you are a Canadian citizen you can order the notes while out of the country

Here is a link

https://atip-aiprp.apps.gc.ca/atip/welcome.do?lang=en

Your wife will have to sign the consent form if you order the notes for her part of the application

Good luck

 

[JusticeForAll]

Yes... as you are a Canadian citizen you can order the notes while out of the country

Here is a link

https://atip-aiprp.apps.gc.ca/atip/welcome.do?lang=en

Your wife will have to sign the consent form if you order the notes for her part of the application

Good luck

Thank you for the link, I'll definitely do that. But I'm not sure, how it'll help me any further. At this point I need to make some sharp moves, in order to have this thing move forward, otherwise we're just sitting and nothing seems to move. Mississauga office has been sleeping for a whole year and I doubt they'll wake up anytime soon, unless something/someone with a "weight" does move them (MP, Minister of Immigration or as one of my friends suggested, QC Premier).

So what would really be the suggestion to do, other than ordering the GCMS notes?

 

[ACS]

Start sending your story to all the different media outlets in Canada and even abroad.

Maybe you will get lucky and one of them will pick it up. That always pushes things along nicely... : Sometimes they don't seem to react until they get media pressure that makes them look bad.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

What does it mean "though the passports will be of limited validity"? Please let me know the difference between a regular one and the "limited" one.

It just means that the passports will be valid for a shorter time than the normal, I believe for just 1 year. Once you have their citizenship certificates, you should be able to extend them.

As soon as my kids will have a travel document, I may travel to Canada with them. But of course my kids will need their mother to be present with them at all times. What I meant is, does it give me enough "weight" to have a TRP in our situation? I understand that such document as TRV and TRP are tough to get, but in our situation, is it going to be as hard as for anyone else to get?

The MP has suggested I send the update about our family situation both to the embassy in Moscow and to the Mississauga office. So does it mean that it has a certain impact on our process in Mississauga office? Also, how is it possible that after the Mississauga office has approved me as a sponsor initially, is checking the same thing over again FOR A WHOLE YEAR and still not done. Aren't there any timelines for that? They can go ahead and check it for 10 more years and I'm still gonna be stuck here.

Honestly, you're not that different from the many others in a similar situation who want to return to Canada without splitting up their families. You can definitely apply for a TRV or TRP but it will be hard.

I really don't understand what is happening to your app in Mississauga or why your MP can't get more information. I've not seen that situation before, so I cannot advise on timelines.


You can try as ACS advised above, to contact media, find someone willing to tell your story. If you do, explain how long you've been waiting, show the babies, get them to interview your family in Canada, tell them how your MP hasn't really helped you (politicians hate bad press).

 

[JusticeForAll]

Ok Guys,

So finally my additional eligibility review has been completed (took 1 year and 2 months) and the file for my wife has gone into "In Process" mode. It's been already 2 years in Moscow.

When do you think I should expect any further answer from them?

Thank you

 

[browntrout]

In your case, and since you have children. I would suggest getting a lawyer in Canada, that can sort it out / convert to inland.

 

[toutesweet]

Ok Guys,

So finally my additional eligibility review has been completed (took 1 year and 2 months) and the file for my wife has gone into "In Process" mode. It's been already 2 years in Moscow.

When do you think I should expect any further answer from them?
Thank you

It IS hard, but worth trying for trv to visit your family when you get the passports I've been informed that if you are upfront about it and state that you will return as you don't want to do anything that will jepordize your open PR application. Attach your sponsorship approval. You can't expect a yrs but sometimes people get lucky and you can't win unless you play! It's worth giving it a shot.
You are in a very frustrating situation. I really feel for you. I hope the in process is a good sign. It's worth ordering the notes. And declaring your kids, but be aware they sometimes ask for a DNA test and that can slow things some but make a surer yes to PR. The notes will let you know what's going on. Hang in there! You'll get there. best of luck. It's so frustrating to be facing people with no accountability whatsoever

 

[canuck_in_uk]

In your case, and since you have children. I would suggest getting a lawyer in Canada, that can sort it out / convert to inland.

A lawyer won't speed things up and there is no way to convert to an inland application.

 

[JusticeForAll]

Well lawyer is not an option, The file is almost completed and converting it to inland will drag the whole process even more. We're at the finish line now. I've already sent all the docs (birth certs and passports) for the kids, where it clearly states that I'm the Father and my Wife is the Mother.

I've also applied for the citizenship cert for the kids. They haven't asked for a DNA test, since we have a great amount of docs, that prove that our children are ours.

My question is regarding the final process now. Will we wait another 18 months (as it states on the CIC website for Moscow timelines)?

Or is it just a matter of max 3 months time now, when everything is completed?

They've explained to me, that it took so long, because I'm residing with my wife in her home country.