I used to come to this forum by the nick of Became-a-loner, I disappeared from this forum after making some very good friends (in real life) and after earning some really foolish enemies, then after my wife got Remedical I returned to this forum with this new nick
here is my happy ending
Applied Dec 2010
File transferred Feb 2011
Visitor visa to Canada applied Dec 2011
Six months Visitor Visa granted: March 2012
Visitor Visa extended until March 2013
Re-Medical, IMM Forms, Re-PCC Oct 2012
Remedical Done in Canada Oct 2012
Medical received on e-cse Nov 2012
PPR Feb 2013
Visa Issued March 2013
Total 27 months time during which she lived with me in Canada for a year.
Tips:
Provide them as much proof as possible before the initial review of file, Dont send them anything Voluntarily unless requested once Remedical is issued
Dont provide too much documents (my file was weighing 7 KG and as a result it took them longest time to open it because they can set it aside and clear 4 files of 1 KG each
Apply for Visitor visa before the initial review, even if they decline it, it has no negative impact, instead it has positive impact since it shows that sponsor wants to spend more time with spouse in Canada.
Write a reasonable covering letter to Visit Visa Officer indicating that you fully understand the consequences of non compliance with regulation if she does not return to Pakistan in time and will make sure that she will return in time before the visa expiry.
Your job or income status does not matter to CHC-ISB. I work for Federal Govt of Canada and part time with City Govt of Toronto, it took me 27 months and I know guys who dont have a job and their spouses were granted immigration in 16 months.
If you spouse works or is studying in Pakistan, there is a better chance for him/her to get visit visa since you can at least show on documents that she has ties to Pakistan
For Visit visa, your income as a sponsor and job status does count.
dont bother Emailing CHC-ISB that is a complete waste of time, there is a pakistani guy who responds to email while he is texting his cousin girl friend.
Dont talk too much with your spouses using skype or phone, it will just make u more frustrated and upset, try to find some occupation such as study or some hobby, I know its hard but it is required for your sanity.
If your spouse has any family ties with politicians/Military/police/law enforcement, better dont indicate it on your file, I did that and they sent her file to detailed security check which took 9 months (yes an idiot advised me and I was an even bigger idiot to listen to him.
Old applicants will be more fairly treated because they are not sending new files to CHC-ISB directly, instead those sit in Ottawa for more than a year so unless CHC-ISB clears the backlog from 2010-2011 they wont have the luxury of picking up and finalizing the new applications and dumping the old one's into their BF bin.
One last thing..............DONT TELL YOUR CASE progress to your relatives or friends, if anyone writes a letter or email to CHC-ISB that your marriage is fake, they will set aside your file for years and put you in an interview que, I am not making it up I know an ex-employee of CHC-ISB who worked for immigration unit there for almost a decade, they have an official name of it called "Poison Letter"
If you need any help, please feel fee to ask by PM.
the following is a useful link in terms of their processing requirements.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf
