Approved as a sponsor, waiting for an interview?

[luzar]

Hi all!

Hoping for a little reassurance and/or guidance here. I've been approved to sponsor my US husband (he lives with me in Canada), and we've been told we'll have an interview this summer. Is this something to worry about? I remember seeing posts in the past on here saying that US sponsorship interviews are rare. Has there been a change in protocol? Are we perhaps the "randomly selected"? Am I on the chopping block for not having an income?
I keep trying to tell myself that CIC would hardly have put in the effort and resources into processing and running checks on myself, my family, and my partber's whole life when they could have just seen in my application that I do not work and stamped "denied". The fear still lingers that everything's going to fall apart on that one fact, though.

So, two questions: One, had anyone here been a sponsor/been sucessfully sponsored by someone without an income? And two, what kind of questions do they tend to ask in a spousal interview? I don't know why I'm so nervous when we've been together so long! Ah, well. Typical test crammer anxiety

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kotishii92]

Hi all!

Hoping for a little reassurance and/or guidance here. I've been approved to sponsor my US husband (he lives with me in Canada), and we've been told we'll have an interview this summer. Is this something to worry about? I remember seeing posts in the past on here saying that US sponsorship interviews are rare. Has there been a change in protocol? Are we perhaps the "randomly selected"? Am I on the chopping block for not having an income?
I keep trying to tell myself that CIC would hardly have put in the effort and resources into processing and running checks on myself, my family, and my partber's whole life when they could have just seen in my application that I do not work and stamped "denied". The fear still lingers that everything's going to fall apart on that one fact, though.

So, two questions: One, had anyone here been a sponsor/been sucessfully sponsored by someone without an income? And two, what kind of questions do they tend to ask in a spousal interview? I don't know why I'm so nervous when we've been together so long! Ah, well. Typical test crammer anxiety

Thanks in advance.

Hey there!

I understand your emotions, but try to stay as calm as possible and be prepared.

Usually an interview means the officer has some questions to clarify. It's ever he doesn't find the relationship genuine, or something else.

Are there any red flags in your case cause if they are then you know what to prepare for...

Anyway I would advise you to order your notes and to read through them and see if the officer left some comments of any kind and it will be so much easier for you to be prepared!

Anyway when the relationship is genuine you don't have to worry about anything!

Good luck to you and don't worry about the interview!!

 

[BethanyM]

Hi all!

Hoping for a little reassurance and/or guidance here. I've been approved to sponsor my US husband (he lives with me in Canada), and we've been told we'll have an interview this summer. Is this something to worry about? I remember seeing posts in the past on here saying that US sponsorship interviews are rare. Has there been a change in protocol? Are we perhaps the "randomly selected"? Am I on the chopping block for not having an income?
I keep trying to tell myself that CIC would hardly have put in the effort and resources into processing and running checks on myself, my family, and my partber's whole life when they could have just seen in my application that I do not work and stamped "denied". The fear still lingers that everything's going to fall apart on that one fact, though.

So, two questions: One, had anyone here been a sponsor/been sucessfully sponsored by someone without an income? And two, what kind of questions do they tend to ask in a spousal interview? I don't know why I'm so nervous when we've been together so long! Ah, well. Typical test crammer anxiety

Thanks in advance.

One of the questions you should be prepared to address at the interview, is how you and your husband support yourselves.
While there isn't a specific income level required to sponsor a spouse, they do want to know how you will support yourselves.
Since they've told you, you're approved as the sponsor, this may not be the point they want to clarify.
But it's good to be ready for it. Just be ready to explain how exactly you afford your lifestyle - savings, living with relatives, or something else.
Be prepared and be honest and you should be fine. Good Luck

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I keep trying to tell myself that CIC would hardly have put in the effort and resources into processing and running checks on myself, my family, and my partber's whole life when they could have just seen in my application that I do not work and stamped "denied". The fear still lingers that everything's going to fall apart on that one fact, though.

So, two questions: One, had anyone here been a sponsor/been sucessfully sponsored by someone without an income? And two, what kind of questions do they tend to ask in a spousal interview?

Hi

Many unemployed/stay-at-home parents/full-time students/etc. successfully sponsor spouses all of the time. Income is not a requirement; you just need to show IRCC that you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare.

Can you post the text of the email/letter without any personal details?

 

[Bcboundboy]

If you've already been approved as a sponsor then no, the interview isn't to deny you as a sponsor.

If you applied inland, you will have to go through a landing interview - it's the last stage in the process. If you applied outland, then interviews are very unusual for western applicants, and means there is something of concern in the application, ie it doesn't appear a genuine relationship, or the officer is somehow unconvinced you meet the requirements together.

More details of your app/the text of the letter (in both cases without identifying details) would be helpful.

 

[viva-c]

If you've already been approved as a sponsor then no, the interview isn't to deny you as a sponsor.

If you applied inland, you will have to go through a landing interview - it's the last stage in the process. If you applied outland, then interviews are very unusual for western applicants, and means there is something of concern in the application, ie it doesn't appear a genuine relationship, or the officer is somehow unconvinced you meet the requirements together.

More details of your app/the text of the letter (in both cases without identifying details) would be helpful.

That's a great point. Based on OP's past posts, it looks like they applied inland - so it's possible she's talking about the landing interview and got confused when she heard "interview"!

 

[luzar]

UPDATE: thanks for your replys, guys. Yeah, I remembered this was the landing interview for the inland application and PHEW!, but we just got another letter from cic.

So despite getting the previous letters approving myself and my SO for PR, I just got a letter saying we also now need to attend a spousal interview next week. Is there a reason this could happen, or is this some sort of mix up? While I and everyone who knows us knows that our relationship is real, I'm terrified that I did something wrong that will get us rejected. We've contacted CIC asking to confirm that we need to attend this interview in spite of the previous approval letters. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[profiler]

UPDATE: thanks for your replys, guys. Yeah, I remembered this was the landing interview for the inland application and PHEW!, but we just got another letter from cic.

So despite getting the previous letters approving myself and my SO for PR, I just got a letter saying we also now need to attend a spousal interview next week. Is there a reason this could happen, or is this some sort of mix up? While I and everyone who knows us knows that our relationship is real, I'm terrified that I did something wrong that will get us rejected. We've contacted CIC asking to confirm that we need to attend this interview in spite of the previous approval letters. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Given that you have SA and AIP (those are the "approval letters" in inland terms), they can still do an interview in the final decision stage. It could very well be random. What did the letter's body state (removing any personal identifying info)?

 

[luzar]

Given that you have SA and AIP (those are the "approval letters" in inland terms), they can still do an interview in the final decision stage. It could very well be random. What did the letter's body state (removing any personal identifying info)?

It only reads: "In order to continue processing your application, you and your spouse are required to attend an interview" with the appointment and required documents listed below. Assuming this isn't a mistake, I'm also wondering if I need to request a rescheduling because some of those required documents I can't get by next week (like our 2016 tax assesments which haven't been filed :-X).

 

[profiler]

It only reads: "In order to continue processing your application, you and your spouse are required to attend an interview" with the appointment and required documents listed below. Assuming this isn't a mistake, I'm also wondering if I need to request a rescheduling because some of those required documents I can't get by next week (like our 2016 tax assesments which haven't been filed :-X).

Interesting that they asked for 2016, given that CRA hasn't finished computing them. I would bring 2015, and any proofs of income (T4's, paystubs, whatever you have filed to CRA for 2016) and explain that CRA has not completed processing 2016. I am certain that will be fine. If you need other documents that you cannot get before the interview, then call and try to reschedule.

 

[luzar]

Interesting that they asked for 2016, given that CRA hasn't finished computing them. I would bring 2015, and any proofs of income (T4's, paystubs, whatever you have filed to CRA for 2016) and explain that CRA has not completed processing 2016. I am certain that will be fine. If you need other documents that you cannot get before the interview, then call and try to reschedule.

Thanks for the advice. Do you know if they disclose their areas of concern warranting the interview? If I called, would I get an answer? I just want to feel prepared.

 

[scylla]

Thanks for the advice. Do you know if they disclose their areas of concern warranting the interview? If I called, would I get an answer? I just want to feel prepared.

No - you won't be able to get this information by calling. The only way you'd be able to get this kind of info is by ordering your case notes. However these requests take around 30 days to process.