cutting it fine. visa expires...

[amouresansfrontieres]

We got bad advice from a lawyer which means our spousal visa application has been delayed until we get the wedding certificate. We were married here in Canada and we had been told it was the licence which we had from the ceremony that was needed for the application to go ahead. We have now been told we need to wait for the certificate which could be 10 weeks, or more, or less. As a result it is possible that the wedding certificate will not be available before my temporary visitor status runs out and i will lose my legal status.

When is it best to apply for an extension to a visitor status? is is just a formality or should i expect problems? I am UK and my partner is Canadian. it is an inland application we are pursuing.

I have been warned off leaving canada and coming straight back in but it is a last option if nothing else remains.

 

[scylla]

Apply for the extension from within Canada. Say that you are about to file a spousal sponsorship application but need more time. You should have no issues getting approved.

 

[starnaenae]

You can ask for a rush. Fax them or call them with your application number. You have to prove why you need it. You can get it in two weeks. Also fire the lawyer. Read the checklist. License is absolutely not acceptable. Have you reviewed the checklist for required documents?

 

[scylla]

I second firing the lawyer. This is extremely basic stuff.

 

[VinceJH]

I second firing the lawyer. This is extremely basic stuff.

+1.

Your should seriously reconsider your lawyer.
It's written and explain to provide the actual certificate and not the marriage license or record of solemnization.

 

[amouresansfrontieres]

thank you. we are so far in to the application, we literally have everything ready and are now just waiting for this damn certificate. i am going to be proactive and try and get the certificate fast tracked first as well as look into extending the temporary visa. i really thought we were getting there. the visa process is a nightmare :'(

 

[amouresansfrontieres]

as for the lawyer. i've paid half the fees and i am in a contract. seems like i have every right to get out but it's almost done now. her lack of interest in the case extends to never having remembered my wife's name correctly.

 

[starnaenae]

as for the lawyer. i've paid half the fees and i am in a contract. seems like i have every right to get out but it's almost done now. her lack of interest in the case extends to never having remembered my wife's name correctly.

Take it as a loss - honestly. Thats what id do. You dont need a lawyer to help with this. The application is rather straight forward. Follow the guide and the instructions on the forms. Plus if shes got it done.. or once its submitted cancel the representative and tell her you no longer need her services

 

[amouresansfrontieres]

UPDATE ON EXPEDITING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS AND OBTAINING A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

hopefully someone in the same situation will read this and be forewarned about what is required.

we called the registrar generals office in thunderbay. it's a freephone number.
we faxed a 'proof of urgency' to an emergency fax number, the proof was a checklist of the application requirements and the entry stamp from my passport and a formal covering letter signed by my partner as the registration was in her name.

this made enquiries difficult for me to pursue because she always needed to be there to confirm the details and when she tried to move the process forward by calling the agent would invariably tell her to call back in a few days. i felt she was bullied a little and not given the information we required so i got to ringing every day with my partner nearby to confirm her details. after 3 days we were booked in for an 'urgent manager callback' which can be any time within 4 working days from the booking. It was escalated to tier 2 (???) and an agent from service ontario called us. from then it was another 2 days. the details were sent 'upstairs' to a manager and the certificate has now been sent out.

from first contact to marriage certificate sent out was 9 days. if you are going to do this my recommendation is keep a log of every call, who you spoke to, what was said, double check every detail, and keep politely pushing the point home: the request is urgent.

maybe it would have taken as long if i had been sat on a beach and forgotten about it but i just couldn't rest until it was done. now i can get back to being a good husband and not a prickly ball of stress.

 

[starnaenae]

i didnt experience this at all - i sent the initial rush request in with my order of the cert, that monday they called me (two days after wedding) and confirmed everything and sent it out. I had it by friday -- the issue was that the COUNTRY OF BIRTH was incorrect for my husband. We had the corrected one by Thursday the following week

 

[amouresansfrontieres]

well done for getting the system to work for you which province was it? we are in ontario.

part of the problem we were told by the registrar's office was that the application was already in the system.

 

[starnaenae]

well done for getting the system to work for you which province was it? we are in ontario.

part of the problem we were told by the registrar's office was that the application was already in the system.

Ontario. We didnt applyonline. Our officient tild us she would send it with the rush. We talked to her about our situation first and she helped