Are our chances good, or bad? We need your opinion please

[stelam]

Hello, I've been working on my wife's sponsorship for the last few weeks and I really need some external opinion...

I'll try to keep it short

Our story
I'm a vietnamese guy (25 years old, born in Canada) who lives in Montreal, she (21 years old) is from a small village in Vietnam.

We're really, deeply in love with one another; our love is genuine there's no doubt about it. BUT, we're scared that the fact that we got married relatively fast can greatly play against us. We first met early October 2011 while I was in Vietnam for a month. We basically lived together because we lived in the same house (my aunt's house), as she worked and lived there (she's a friend of my family back in Vietnam). We fell in love during the same month. Then in November, I had to go back to Canada.

I went back to Vietnam at the end of February 2012. I proposed to her on February 22nd, then we had our engagement ceremony at her parent's house in a very rural place on February 24th. And then we had our wedding ceremony on March 11th, although we didn't have our marriage certificate yet. We decided to organize the ceremony before we got the marriage certificate because we were afraid we were not going to make it in time before I had to go back to Canada on March 18th. The ceremony was very intimate, about 30 family members were there, and it was very laid back; is that bad? Only my mother could follow me from Canada for the ceremony. There were also several of my uncles/aunts/nieces/etc who live in Vietnam. On March 16th, We finally received our marriage certificate.

We didn't have the time to organize a reception yet, we're willing to organize one in Vietnam next time I go there with more family members. And we'd like to organize one in Canada aswell.



Anyway, so my questions are:
1) Can the fact that we got married rather fast from the day we first met affect us negatively? (Roughly 6 months)

2) Is it better to give out as much details and explanations as possible? Or is it better to keep it short and concise? (Mainly regarding the IMM5490 form questions)

3) We organized our wedding ceremony before having our marriage certificate, which I think is illegal in Vietnam. Will that play against us during the sponsorship process?

4) Although we do have pictures of many events we shared together and with friends/family members, we don't have that many photos; we'll send about 30. Would that be enough?

5) In March 2012, I built a website for her, on which I share small things of my life with her almost everyday. It is translated in three languages (Vietnamese, French and English) to help her learn faster English/French. Would it be relevant to include a printed copy of each posts I made on that website? Or should I simply include a link to the website? I can share the link here if there are any curious ones

6) Overall, are our chances any good?



I didn't give out all the details here, but I think our story sounds "alright". Although, I'm also a bit confused, because one of my aunts who used to conduct United States sponsorship interviews in Vietnam told me that if she read our story, she would deny our inquiry... So this is why I'm asking to hear your opinions


I know I'm new here, but I'm looking forward for your replies and I will contribute my own way to this community as I gain more experience
Thank you very much for your time! Any input will be immensely appreciated

 

[Am_lina11]

Hi,
Firstly, don't worry about your time frame. My husband and I also got married pretty quick! We met in September 2010 and were married in January 2011. Not even 6 months. Real love happens and there are no rules on when to get married if you know he/she is the one.
But as a matter of fact, people like us should make bigger effort to prove ourselves. Don't' be scared, but add more proof than they require.
Add personal statements from as many people as possible. Relatives, close friends etc.
Show your web site for sure, print it and send the link. Open some joint accounts, if you send her money that can show you are genuin.
What is more, write your story to them, tell them what made you fall in love and make this decision.
Well, add whatever you have to prove your relationship is genuine.

I am myself sometimes scared in regards our time frame. I didn't send a lot of pictures, and my parents were not even present in the wedding. But our marriage is so genuine and successful that I wish visa officer could come and have a cup of tea with us to understand how perfectly we fit each other.

Pleaske keep positive but try to explain yourself really good! Good luck

 

[stelam]

Thank you so much for your encouraging words, it is very reassuring to hear that we're not alone

I hope everything turns out to be the best for you two
May I ask from which country your spouse is from?

 

[wenii]

Hello, I've been working on my wife's sponsorship for the last few weeks and I really need some external opinion...

I'll try to keep it short

Our story
I'm a vietnamese guy (25 years old, born in Canada) who lives in Montreal, she (21 years old) is from a small village in Vietnam.

We're really, deeply in love with one another; our love is genuine there's no doubt about it. BUT, we're scared that the fact that we got married relatively fast can greatly play against us. We first met early October 2011 while I was in Vietnam for a month. We basically lived together because we lived in the same house (my aunt's house), as she worked and lived there (she's a friend of my family back in Vietnam). We fell in love during the same month. Then in November, I had to go back to Canada.

I went back to Vietnam at the end of February 2012. I proposed to her on February 22nd, then we had our engagement ceremony at her parent's house in a very rural place on February 24th. And then we had our wedding ceremony on March 11th, although we didn't have our marriage certificate yet. We decided to organize the ceremony before we got the marriage certificate because we were afraid we were not going to make it in time before I had to go back to Canada on March 18th. The ceremony was very intimate, about 30 family members were there, and it was very laid back; is that bad? Only my mother could follow me from Canada for the ceremony. There were also several of my uncles/aunts/nieces/etc who live in Vietnam. On March 16th, We finally received our marriage certificate.

We didn't have the time to organize a reception yet, we're willing to organize one in Vietnam next time I go there with more family members. And we'd like to organize one in Canada aswell.



Anyway, so my questions are:
1) Can the fact that we got married rather fast from the day we first met affect us negatively? (Roughly 6 months)

2) Is it better to give out as much details and explanations as possible? Or is it better to keep it short and concise? (Mainly regarding the IMM5490 form questions)

3) We organized our wedding ceremony before having our marriage certificate, which I think is illegal in Vietnam. Will that play against us during the sponsorship process?

4) Although we do have pictures of many events we shared together and with friends/family members, we don't have that many photos; we'll send about 30. Would that be enough?

5) In March 2012, I built a website for her, on which I share small things of my life with her almost everyday. It is translated in three languages (Vietnamese, French and English) to help her learn faster English/French. Would it be relevant to include a printed copy of each posts I made on that website? Or should I simply include a link to the website? I can share the link here if there are any curious ones

6) Overall, are our chances any good?



I didn't give out all the details here, but I think our story sounds "alright". Although, I'm also a bit confused, because one of my aunts who used to conduct United States sponsorship interviews in Vietnam told me that if she read our story, she would deny our inquiry... So this is why I'm asking to hear your opinions


I know I'm new here, but I'm looking forward for your replies and I will contribute my own way to this community as I gain more experience
Thank you very much for your time! Any input will be immensely appreciated

Hi,

Since your wife is from Vietnam, her application will have to go through Singapore office, which sadly takes really long.

I also have my application going through this office, it's been there for almost 10 months now.

It's very likely they will pick on your very fast timeline.
I married my husband 2 years after we met and during those 2 years, we'd spent every single day together. Still, the officer thinks our timeline was too fast.
We also sent them about 200 pictures if not more of us with friends and family. We live together ever since we got married (2 years ago) and we still got called for an interview.

Just sharing my experience, good luck with your application!

 

[itscoezy]

There are tons of people on the boards and i'm sure many more not on the boards that have faster time lines than you. Some even marrying upon their first official in-person meeting. I've read others who have submitted less than 10 photos and have been approved.
The important thing is just submitting as much proof that your relationship is genuine as possible. Open up a joint email account even! Just anything small and big to get more things you can include.
adn definitely include letters from friends and family.

Don't worry so much about others time frames and their experience at the same or different visa officers as everyone's app and experience will be a little different
Goodluck! and welcome to the boards, you'll find tons of help here

 

[canadianwoman]

1) Can the fact that we got married rather fast from the day we first met affect us negatively? (Roughly 6 months)

It is fast, but you actually have spent time with her and did not get married on the first visit. Just include more evidence that your relationship is genuine to counteract any bad impression.

2) Is it better to give out as much details and explanations as possible? Or is it better to keep it short and concise? (Mainly regarding the IMM5490 form questions)

Explain anything that would seem a bit 'odd' in detail - why you married so quickly, why you had the marriage ceremony before getting the marriage certificate, why some key relatives couldn't come, etc.

3) We organized our wedding ceremony before having our marriage certificate, which I think is illegal in Vietnam. Will that play against us during the sponsorship process?

IF it is actually illegal in Vietnam, this will be a big problem. In order to sponsor a husband or wife, the marriage must be legal in the country where it was performed and legal in Canada. If it was not a legal marriage in Vietnam, save your money and don't sponsor her now until you somehow get this 'fixed'. However, if doing things the way you did is not actually illegal in Vietnam, it should be OK. You will have to find out if you are considered legally married in Vietnam. Is the traditional wedding ceremony that you did first not considered necessary, and if you have one or not the gov't will still consider you married? If so, you should be OK. If you would still be considered married if you only had the marriage certificate, in other words, it should be alright.

4) Although we do have pictures of many events we shared together and with friends/family members, we don't have that many photos; we'll send about 30. Would that be enough?

It can be enough. Some people send fewer,

5) In March 2012, I built a website for her, on which I share small things of my life with her almost everyday. It is translated in three languages (Vietnamese, French and English) to help her learn faster English/French. Would it be relevant to include a printed copy of each posts I made on that website? Or should I simply include a link to the website? I can share the link here if there are any curious ones

The visa officer won't check links. So send printed copies of some of the posts on the website, with an explanation of what it is.

 

[Am_lina11]

We are not alone! I hope Canadian Immigration Officers understand that quick marriages are genuine as well! My husband is Canadian and I am from Ukraine. We have inland application. It takes long time as well. I have sent more proof along the process but some of it is still not attached to the file.
Even if they call for an interview it is a chance to prove your relationship. But for now your main goal is to tell your story perfectly to immigration, attach whatever you have and for sure keep positive. By the way, keep your tickets when you visited her!

Thank you so much for your encouraging words, it is very reassuring to hear that we're not alone

I hope everything turns out to be the best for you two
May I ask from which country your spouse is from?

 

[kaede1977]

our story is kinda similar to yours...we met in sept 2010, got engaged in oct 2010, got married at a registry office in dublin ireland feb 2011 and flew to vancouver for our wedding reception in mar 2011. both our families were unable to attend the ceremony due to cost and distance so the first time my family got to meet my husband was at our reception. i would suggest, gather as much evidence as you can-air tickets and or flight booking itinerary, email chat printouts, joint accounts, phone bills, cards, wedding photos, whatever you can think of! we definitely had less than 30 photos, maybe only 15...i think they just want to be sure that your relationship is genuine.we just sent our application for outland spousal sponsorship. best of luck to you and your wife!

 

[pandapenda]

also one suggestion is getting recommendation letters from both your parents saying they are happy that you found each other, you are good for each other, happy to have so and so as a daughter-in-law or son-in-law, etc.

also definitely send the website printout not links and send proof of daily correspondence..emails, telephone bills

also send your airplane tickets or boarding passes

your chances are good but all depends on how you present it maybe include a cover letter outlining your story of how you both met

 

[stelam]

Everyone, thank you so much for replying, I'm truly grateful

A few days ago, my wife and I were really sad and scared that our story might sound a little bit strange since we married rather quickly. But you guys are right, as long as our love is genuine and we have a sufficient amount of proof, we should be fine.

I told my wife about your replies, and it cheered her up too

Thanks for the detailed answer, canadianwoman. As for our ceremony that happened before actually our marriage certificate, I'll have to do some research to see if that law actually exists... Because I'm not entirely sure yet... the officer who told us about that law seemed a little bit dubious...

Anyway, thank you again, you guys are awesome

 

[kaede1977]

also one suggestion is getting recommendation letters from both your parents saying they are happy that you found each other, you are good for each other, happy to have so and so as a daughter-in-law or son-in-law, etc.

also definitely send the website printout not links and send proof of daily correspondence..emails, telephone bills

also send your airplane tickets or boarding passes

your chances are good but all depends on how you present it maybe include a cover letter outlining your story of how you both met

yep, also forgot to mention i got my parents to write a brief hand written letter explaining that we would be staying with them once we got back to canada and help support us for a week or 2 while we get settled back in with jobs, apt...you will find loads of helpful information and useful advice on this forum so definitely use it to your advantage, people on here have been wonderful

 

[RCVmini]

Just to make it clear. It is NOT illegal to have the an hoi and wedding before getting the certificate signed.

I met my wife on a trip to Hanoi Nov 2011 while there for an extended vacation. We developed our relationship over several months and several visits in 2012.

Had the An Hoi, Marriage ceremony in Hanoi Dec 2012 and our applied for the marriage paperwork then but didn’t get finalized till March.


The Vietnamese government DOES NOT CARE if you have an An Hoi and Wedding reception / tea ceremony before you get your marriage certificate.

In fact whe we went to do our paper work, the Vietnamese government asked us to print out pictures of the Wedding as “proof” that we really were serious about getting married.


As for the Canadian side of things, the issue is proving your have a relationship.

I just made sure that we had good documentation of our relationship. E-mail chat logs, photos etc.

When I sent my application into CIC I made sure I included photos of the wedding, the 3 trips we took outside of vietnam, screen captures of Skype conversations with the date in the corner etc.

Keep it all organized and backed up. I have started a dropbox full of pictures and screen shots of skype conversations.

As for being a short time before the marriage, culturally you either date and decide you will get married or split up (IMO) since the idea of long term living together as boyfriend/girlfriend is not looked at as ‘proper’ there by a lot of people. CIC Canada probably realizes there are differences in cultures so that shouldn’t be an issue either.


As long as you show a strong continuous and ongoing relationship you should be fine.

Keep in mind you can always appeal if you run into problems. I think it is a little silly that I have to seem to beg my own government for permission to bring my wife to Canada.

They should have a system more like the USA with fiancé visa OR allow me to bring her here under a bond arrangement where I agree to be financially responsible for her during our waiting period and if it ends up being false I would forfeit my bond etc.