Aussie Being Sponsored By Canadian, Just About To Lodge Application

[benjis_monikuss]

I'm so torn between applying in Sydney or Ottawa, at least on the off chance that I get called for interview if it's in Ottawa it's doable, half way around the world just for an interview seems a bit much hahaha. I would really like to apply in Sydney because having the whole thing go through ridiculously fast would be absolutely amazing. I've refilled everything I need to do for outland now... I think I'll choose Sydney... I'll just cross my fingers they don't ask for an interview.... or I guess I'm going home for a visit a lot sooner than I had anticipated =\

 

[MilesAway]

I highly doubt you would get an interview. You're currently living together, you've been together for a while now. There's nothing that sticks out and raises eyebrows.

The outland forms (and all CIC forms for that matter) are generic. Some questions will be odd. So just answer them, and if you need to, attach a separate paper explaining the situation (but be sure to write the form number, and your info on the additional paper)

 

[HoneyEllis]

Just another vote for outland processing.

I'm an Aussie who met my Canadian husband when I was in Canada on a working holdiday visa. Ours was a really straightforward application (seems like yours is too!) and we were processed in a little over 2 months through the Sydney (Aus) office.

I would just caution you to double-check and triple-check that you send EVERYTHING with your initial application. If CIC have to write and request info from you, then you have to provide it, then CIC has to find your file and match up the initial info with the subsequent info etc it all takes time and you're easily looking at 6 months not 3 to process!

Also, FYI I didn't have to provide a Canadian police check (not sure if this has changed, I've been here a couple of years...)

Good luck with your application

 

[Catou]

I'm so torn between applying in Sydney or Ottawa, at least on the off chance that I get called for interview if it's in Ottawa it's doable, half way around the world just for an interview seems a bit much hahaha. I would really like to apply in Sydney because having the whole thing go through ridiculously fast would be absolutely amazing. I've refilled everything I need to do for outland now... I think I'll choose Sydney... I'll just cross my fingers they don't ask for an interview.... or I guess I'm going home for a visit a lot sooner than I had anticipated =\

Interviews are rare for Sydney, especially for Australian passport holders. With you being in Canada, IF they call for an interview there is a good chance they would do it over the phone anyway.
As others have said, Sydney is powering through applications at the moment and there's a very good chance yours would be processed within six months. Note the date on the processing times that are posted on the CIC website - this time period includes time when VO's were on strike and everything was slowed down. Before the strike Sydney was processing applications within 8 months and it looks very much like its back to full strength now.

 

[canadianwoman]

For any question that does not match your circumstances, just explain. You may need to attach a separate sheet of paper to explain fully, but that is OK. So for the visiting question, just explain that you have been living together since whenever.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Ok so I spent a good deal of time researching and re-researching, double checking facts against forum yadda yadda and I think I'm definitely going to apply through Sydney. It seems the easiest way to go, with a full year left on my current WHP I'm not too worried now. I've put my application together again and now the only thing that I have to do is go get five 35mmx45mm photos, I had already gotten 2 taken but I guess the Aus one asks for 5. Other than that we are all good. I'll give a full list of everything I'm sending with the application.

FORMS
-Document checklist
-App to Sponsor (filled out by boyfriend, signed by both of us)
-Sponsorship Evaluation (filled out and signed by boyfriend)
-Fee receipt
-Sponsor Questionairre (filled out and signed by boyfriend)
-Generic App for Canada (filled out and signed by me)
-Schedule A - Background (filled out and signed by me)
-Spouse/ Partner Questionairre (filled out and signed by me)
-Additional Family Info (filled out and signed by me)

Supporting Documents
Boyfriend
-Photo copies of Canadian passport AND birth certificate, an Option C, letter from current employer as well as extra evidence showing pay stubs for a 2 month period.
Me
-Photocopies of my birth certificate, passport, WHP.
-Original police cert from Aus, my medical and X-ray receipts
-A bank statement from our joint account with both names, a photo copy of two bill title pages showing both our names at the same address, a photo copy of a void cheque under both our names, a dental coverage card with both our names, a work based medical showing boyfriend as beneficiary, the 3 months oldest and 3 months newest of my cell logs showing calls to boyfriend at least once a day, a photocopy of facebook page showing us in a relationship (I think that's kinda lame but figured it couldn't hurt) as well ass 7 pages (14 photos) of us as a couple with captions of where, who, when and who took it.
- 2 stat decs from friends and family about our relationship as well as one stat dec of common-law severance of a previous relationship of mine from 5 years ago. We went and got a stat dec of our current common-law (just as extra evidence)

I think we are pretty good. It's a very upfront case and we have all our docs plus a few extra. Hoping to send this all away on Monday now... worst case scenario Friday at the latest so it still gets sent before December. I'm so excited to have this all done and out of the way! Thank you all for all your help and advice, I honestly don't know what people would do without forums like these!

 

[Rob_TO]

FORMS
-Document checklist
-App to Sponsor (filled out by boyfriend, signed by both of us)
-Sponsorship Evaluation (filled out and signed by boyfriend)
-Fee receipt
-Sponsor Questionairre (filled out and signed by boyfriend)
-Generic App for Canada (filled out and signed by me)
-Schedule A - Background (filled out and signed by me)
-Spouse/ Partner Questionairre (filled out and signed by me)
-Additional Family Info (filled out and signed by me)

Make sure you also include the "Appendix A" checklist from the country specific form. Australia one is here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3906e.pdf

It's basically a repeat of the main checklist, but they say to include them both...

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Ahh thanks! I wouldn't have thought to include that one. I think we're just about set now, it'll all get sent off before the end of the week. I can't wait!

 

[benjis_monikuss]

So we just paid fees. I tried to do it at about 11pm last night and it wouldn't work... I guess the CIC processing stuff is a 9-5 deal haha. Regardless, my fees are paid, I'm just waiting on my boyfriend to remember the last 2 of his 5 years of employment so I can finish that form, going to get my 5 immigration photos done on Thursday then sending the whole thing off. I'll probably go the extra mile to courier it over there, my application package isn't HUGE so hopefully it's not going to be ridiculously expensive... at least I don't have to send it to Aus I guess hahaha. So Thursday is the day my stress somewhat dissipates. WOOOO!

 

[benjis_monikuss]

I have a question, so we paid fees and I printed my official receipt. The payment was made on my boyfriend's credit card, do I fill in my information on the receipt though as it's my application? I'm assuming it's me as it asks for a client ID.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Application sent! I hope everyone else felt the overwhelming anxiety I did when I finally parted with it. I have to keep telling myself that I checked it over at least 6 times. I went through PR stuff for 2 months prior. It should be all good. I XPressed, so it should arrive Tuesday.

So will my boyfriend or I get an email from CIC to confirm their receiving it? And is that when I'll get my UCI? I'm not really sure what happens beyond this point hahah.

 

[Catou]

So will my boyfriend or I get an email from CIC to confirm their receiving it? And is that when I'll get my UCI? I'm not really sure what happens beyond this point hahah.

He might get an AoR (acknowledgement of receipt) or he might not. There doesn't seem to be any consistency about this. We didn't get anything, not even an updated on the website, until out of the blue we received a letter saying the first stage (sponsorship) had been approved and my file had been sent to Sydney.

For you, the process from here is just waiting. Sooner or later the messages will start coming through. CIC may (or may not) update ecas, the web interface where sometimes you can see information about the stage the application is at.
The good thing is that Sydney is really moving quickly on applications.

Best of luck! I hope it all goes well for you.

 

[benjis_monikuss]

Thanks! Ok cool. Will I get my UCI with the first correspondence? Do I need to know it to use the ECAS thing, is it a website? Do you usually start checking the website after the first correspondence? I'm excited to get to the next level!

 

[Catou]

Thanks! Ok cool. Will I get my UCI with the first correspondence? Do I need to know it to use the ECAS thing, is it a website? Do you usually start checking the website after the first correspondence? I'm excited to get to the next level!

You first see your UCI on correspondence after the file has been transferred to Sydney. To follow the application process on ecas (assuming ecas gets updated along the way) the sponsor can login and check the status using the sponsor's UCI, or you can use the file number for the application. You will see the file number on any correspondence.