hi uccemebug,
i have been following this thread so the past couple of months, but never had the time to join this forum.
i too am sponsoring my wife that is japanese at the begining of april
today is she received an email from the embassy of canada in tokyo.
the e-mail serves to confirm receipt of her immigration application package.
it looked like a standard general letter of aor.
but at the bottom of the letter,they request her to send in her passport.
maybe you misread the letter you recieved on sept 12 ?
good luck.
Jimmy.