Canadian Embassy Nairobi - Direct contact coordinates for top boss

[Pierre in Montreal]

If you're a Canadian Sponsor for an African immigrant applicant PAY ATTENTION !!! By now you know that Nairobi has the longest processing times. If you think the staff there care that you can't be with your spouse you are kidding yourself. You can send as many letters, fax and e-mails as you want...they will answer you when they want and the case worker name is NEVER identified ! Think about though ...you paid $1000 ( $1300 in Quebec ) in processing fees and no one will answer you or take your call !!! I went through the process with my Kenyan wife that I sponsored. I determined that Nairobi had the file for 1 year and had not opened it ! My paperwork was flawless, a masterpiece. You can enlist the aid of your Federal MP, that might help. But nothing happened until I started to contact the program manager in Nairobi directly....WRITE DOWN HER PERSONAL COORDINATES RIGHT NOW;

Trudy Kernighan-Program Manager trudy.kernighan@international.gc.ca From Canada dial 011-254-20-366-3400

Get yourself a calling plan for Africa if you don't have one already. Call this woman everyday until you get her live on the phone, don't bother leaving messages. Keep in mind the time difference either 7 or 8 hours depending on time of year. Play the emotional card. Be tough but polite. Criticize the embassy not her personally. You're a Canadian sponsor who pays taxes and again ,you paid big fees to get the file processed so keep the pressure on her. If she gets replaced the phone # should still be goof for her replacement.

After I spoke to her my file magically progressed, my wife had her papers a month later...total processing time 13 months. She arrived on December 23, 2009.

Good Luck !

Pierre in Montreal

 

[canadianwoman]

Hee hee! Anybody got the details for the program manager in Accra?

 

[bobshynoswife]

I would love to get the Accra info too!

Canadianwoman, my husband and I are going for vacation in Accra in September. I am considering dropping by to 'visit' my high commission, and wondering if seeing us in person will speed up the application? We will make out on the front steps if it helps! LOL! Just kidding, of course.

Your interview is next month, yes? Can I quickly ask you, how much did the visa to Ghana cost, and how long did it take you to obtain it?

 

[canadianwoman]

Your interview is next month, yes? Can I quickly ask you, how much did the visa to Ghana cost, and how long did it take you to obtain it?

My interview next month is for our appeal, and is in Saskatoon, not Accra.
I went to Accra with my husband for his interview (and a little vacation - Ghana is worth seeing, and a nice break from the rigors of life in Nigeria) and the visa for Ghana cost 2,800 naira, but we got it in Lagos, not ahead of time in Canada.

I think dropping by the embassy with your husband is a good idea. Insist you want to talk to someone - if you say upfront it's to inquire about the status of your case, they'll say no, so just say you're a CAnadian and want to talk to an officer.
My husband insisted we go to Accra to personally check on the progress of our case in 2008. I thought it was a pointless waste of time, and I knew they wouldn't tell us anything. But I agreed - I thought spending time in Ghana would be good for us. It's true they told us nothing - the officer I talked to said we were talking to the wrong people, but the visa officers wouldn't see us.
But - on our CAIPS notes our visit is noted. It says: "Sponsor and applicant here for case inquiry. Told ,,," This is proof from the government that my husband and I were traveling together - something the visa officer questioned. Looking back, I'm glad we went, and I'm glad that little notation is there. If you're in Accra anyway, stop by.

 

[Pierre in Montreal]

Technically the direct contact coordinates for the program managers at all Canadian embassies are listed on the Canadian Immigration site or the embassy's specific site...they're just hard to find. It was my immigration consultant who found it. Just search the sites every which way and use Google to with search keywords like " Ghana Canadian embassy program manager phone # ". Anyway you probably have a letter from the foreign embassy confirming the date they received your file...add 6 months to that and then contact the program manager....but only if your paperwork is complete...medical plus police clearance report.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Technically the direct contact coordinates for the program managers at all Canadian embassies are listed on the Canadian Immigration site or the embassy's specific site...they're just hard to find. It was my immigration consultant who found it. Just search the sites every which way and use Google to with search keywords like " Ghana Canadian embassy program manager phone # ". Anyway you probably have a letter from the foreign embassy confirming the date they received your file...add 6 months to that and then contact the program manager....but only if your paperwork is complete...medical plus police clearance report.

Why not just go the D'fait listing for all the offices, much easier http://w01.international.gc.ca/cra-rce/Index.aspx?l=e

 

[CanadaNow]

lots of great info, thank you!!!

 

[Darrppy78]

Hey Canadanow,

Another link I was going to send to you and realized that you had already found your way to it. Wanna try it? Couldn't hurt.

All the best!!!

 

[niimoo]

Yes, there is obviously something wrong with this embassy....
First, they treat people like thieves. The embassy is made like a jail and there is no way to meet anybody Canadian there.
Second, your emails, phone calls, inquiries seem never to make it up the hierarchy.

We sent them many mails saying that our Canadian baby is in danger here and we would like a visa for the mother to come to Canada, but nobody seems to care.
There was a kidnapping attempt on this baby, but not ONE phone call to see if he's ok.

The time you need your government that you believe is with you in hard times, well.... guess NOT. Thanx Canada. Thank you very much.

 

[Darrppy78]

Hi niimoo,

I am sorry to hear about the kidnap attempt . I wish you speedy visa processing. It sure is hard getting through to them. Have you gotten status updates as yet? Whichever of the parents that is Canadian can try going to the consulate section at the embassy. Very hard trying that but sometimes you have to be very insistent. My husband and I got in once -not that it helped very much- but your case is a lot more serious than ours was.All the very best to you

 

[niimoo]

Hi,

yes of course, we've been going there at least 10 times for the past month. I'm Canadian and the baby is Canadian... going in is not a worry, the problem is getting the message to the right person... I don't know if getting a Canadian lawyer would help.. I just don't want us to be around for the elections... I've left work to stay here to assist my family... It seems only not reasonable for Canada to let a Doctor (me) without work to stay in Kenya and spend Canadian dollars here for hotel/transport to wait for a visa... Who does this profit??

 

[waitin_vain]

Hello,

Does anyone have the new contact for the Program Manager in Nairobi?

I have my spouse file in Nairobi which is over 16 months now and there is no any initial review indicated in GCMS.

Thanks,

waitin_vain

 

[rrabin83]

Hey Canadanow,

Another link I was going to send to you and realized that you had already found your way to it. Wanna try it? Couldn't hurt.

All the best!!!

Hey Please assit me with your link