DIFFICULTIES WITH MEXICAN VISA OFFCE

[mark_kar]

I am a Canadian Citizen sponsoring my wife (a Mexican National). I have been in living in Mexico City for some time now dealing with the Visa
Office here. My experience has been very negative.

If you are a Canadian sponsoring a mexican spouse I would like to here from you

 

[scylla]

Try the Mexico thread:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/mexico-t35385.9615.html

 

[mark_kar]

Thank you scylla for suggesting the Mexican thread. I will check it out.

Its been almost one year since I applied for my wife as a permanent resident back in Canada. We were married in Mexico City Feb 19 2012. I travel back and forth between Canada and Mexico to comfort my wife and deal with the visa office here.

On my last visit to the Office (end of July) I was told permanent resident applications were put on hold (because of the PAFSO strike) and all resources will work on temporary visas.

The difficulty I am having with this office is that they are able to issue visitors visas (to Mexican Nationals) in about a month despite
the PAFSO Strike and totally ignore family class applications for Canadians who are sponsoring their loved ones.

I need to visit the Visa office here on a regular basis because they do not answer my email requests for case status. Getting case status info from the office here is difficult.

I will be visiting the Office here on Aug 29 to get a status update.

I am angry and upset.

If you are a Canadian in a similar situation with this office (especially if you are in Mexico), I would like to here from you

Thanks mark_kar

 

[keesio]

On my last visit to the Office (end of July) I was told permanent resident applications were put on hold (because of the PAFSO strike) and all resources will work on temporary visas.

What? I thought the priority was family reunification over temporary visas? At least that is what they said publicly....

 

[Betina]

Thank you scylla for suggesting the Mexican thread. I will check it out.

Its been almost one year since I applied for my wife as a permanent resident back in Canada. We were married in Mexico City Feb 19 2012. I travel back and forth between Canada and Mexico to comfort my wife and deal with the visa office here.

On my last visit to the Office (end of July) I was told permanent resident applications were put on hold (because of the PAFSO strike) and all resources will work on temporary visas.

The difficulty I am having with this office is that they are able to issue visitors visas (to Mexican Nationals) in about a month despite
the PAFSO Strike and totally ignore family class applications for Canadians who are sponsoring their loved ones.

I need to visit the Visa office here on a regular basis because they do not answer my email requests for case status. Getting case status info from the office here is difficult.

I will be visiting the Office here on Aug 29 to get a status update.

I am angry and upset.

If you are a Canadian in a similar situation with this office (especially if you are in Mexico), I would like to here from you

Thanks mark_kar

Did you try getting your GCMS notes, just to see what they have done, if anything, with your application?

 

[mark_kar]

Thank You all for your replies

The Mexican Visa office can issue visitors visas in 7 working days after the paper work has been submitted. Student Visa and Work Permits are 30 and 40 working days respectively.

The last time I looked the average processing time for a spouse permanent resident is 13 months!!! Processing times for parents are longer. The PAFSO strike will probably make these times significantly longer.

The strike have increased temporary visas processing times. In the case of visitors visas, the processing time is in the order of 20 working days. All Permanent visa applications have been put on indefinite hold.

Its very clear to me CIC is not interested in processing family class applications for political or economic reasons. It seems CIC has made the process for Family Class Sponsorship intentionally complex and difficult.

Our file has been sitting since April 11. We have submitted all requested forms and information. I was told they are doing a background check however I am not clear what this is.

I can only speak for the Mexican Office however I believe the situation is more or less similar in Visa Offices all over the world.

Again if you are a Canadian (sponsoring a spouse) in a similar situation I would like to hear from you.

Can someone tell me what a GCMS note is?

 

[Betina]

GCMS notes are essentially all of the notes that CIC will have on your file.

GCMS stands for 'Global Case Management System' and is adopted by CIC as the computer system to maintain case history.

GCMS notes can be obtained from CIC only if you have already submitted your application to CIC for permanent residence in Canada and
• there is a long delay since you submitted your application
• your application got refused and you don't know the exact reason
• you want to check why your interview is scheduled
• you want to know the officer's comments about your interview
You can obtain a copy of your complete case history from CIC and find out what exactly happened in your application as well as have an idea of what will be the outcome of your application or when it will be processed further.

 

[Kazza]

Thank You all for your replies

The Mexican Visa office can issue visitors visas in 7 working days after the paper work has been submitted. Student Visa and Work Permits are 30 and 40 working days respectively.

The last time I looked the average processing time for a spouse permanent resident is 13 months!!! Processing times for parents are longer. The PAFSO strike will probably make these times significantly longer.

The strike have increased temporary visas processing times. In the case of visitors visas, the processing time is in the order of 20 working days. All Permanent visa applications have been put on indefinite hold.

Its very clear to me CIC is not interested in processing family class applications for political or economic reasons. It seems CIC has made the process for Family Class Sponsorship intentionally complex and difficult.

Our file has been sitting since April 11. We have submitted all requested forms and information. I was told they are doing a background check however I am not clear what this is.

I can only speak for the Mexican Office however I believe the situation is more or less similar in Visa Offices all over the world.

Again if you are a Canadian (sponsoring a spouse) in a similar situation I would like to hear from you.

Can someone tell me what a GCMS note is?

Hi Mark, my husband is Canadian and my sponsor. Our app status is exactly in the same situation as yours, we had sent all the documents they requested but nothing has happened. This is why we have decided that my husband will move to Mexico in a couple of months and stay here until this whole thing gets resolved. We went to the embassy in July and all they said was that our application hadn´t been updated due to the strike. It is not only expensive to go back and forth from Canada but also, it is emotionally draining. This is def. a huge change of plans as we didn´t consider this would happen but well, at least we are making lemonade with the lemons life is giving us. He will work long distance (he is a designer) and even though he will still have to go to Canada to check on his clients regularly, we will def. have more stability in our lives and our financial situation will be way more relaxed as right now we are paying two rents, two cars, two everything!

 

[CdnMxHusb]

Hi Mark
I have posted my case in many different forums. I am a Canadian Born Citizen and lived many years in Mexico. I got married there over 18 years ago and we have 3 children. I came back to Canada about 2 years ago with my two sons (17 and 11) to start over here, as I wanted them to get a good education. My wife and daughter (7) are still down there. My kids have no problems as they are Canadians. I sponsored my wife in Dec 2012 and we sent everything. Nothing is missing except their approval.
We are desperate. My kids need my wife and my daughter needs me. This is so traumatizing for them. I missed my daughters birhtday this month. I cannot just go and fly down, I have to work because as Kazaa says, I also pay double rent, expenses, etc, here and there.
We need this strike to end so we can bring my wife and daughter here. This is just so terrible.

I pray everyday for us to be reunited. I hope the people that do all the process understand how it is being separated from your family.

 

[Mariposa81]

Same here, waiting for my hubby to get his visa...So disappointing.. Appears to be one of the slowest office. I am in Canada but if there is something you need from here, let us know!

Good luck and keep us posted please.

Cheers

 

[gamyover]

Hi i'm mexican married to a Canadian and now I'll just start dealing with Mexico City VO.

This strike thing really sucks specially when the process is already too long. Last time I checked was already 14months. And they said they would process urgent cases or something like that. Unfortunately they don't care about family reunification.

My husband can't move here because he has to work to pay his bills which are in cad, he wouldn't make enough money here. So i only can pray for the strike to be over.

 

[CdnMxHusb]

That looks like my same case. I can move down and work, but there is no work. The economy is not that good at this moment down there and specially with the wages. So I have to work here and pay both the bills on both sides. And this is not easy, working hard with so much stress!
I really hope we get some good news this week because weeks go by and by and by................

 

[mark_kar]

Thank you for your responses

My eyes were full of tears reading your stories

Over the past year and a half I flown back and forth to Mexico 5 times trying to comfort my wife and balance my work obligations. I have spent untold thousands of dollars.

I live with my wife in a Condo in la Colonia Popular Rastro DF. I am in Mexico at this time dealing with the Visa Office here. As I have mentioned before, my experience has been negative.

Under these conditions of forced separations the stress can be overwhelming.

Immigration Canada understands none of this.

They have become a monolithic unfeeling bureaucracy. The wait times for family sponsorships have become unreasonable. Their apologies are insincere

The fact this office can offer temporary visas (to Mexican Nationals) in reasonable times (Despite the strike) and totally ignore family class permanent resident applications (Canadians sponsoring loved ones) is proof Immigration Canada Immigration is not interested in Family unification.

In fact they made the whole process difficult complex and frustrating.

What to do???

I am not a reactionary however I feel an organized demonstration here at the Visa Office with the Canadian press involved is a possibility.

It sounds extreme however its the only way to get the attention of the bureaucrats who make the decisions. Pleading your case to an attendant behind 3/4 inch thick glass who could not care less about your file will not change the situation.

They office here simply wash their hands. The strike is beyond their control.

They will coldly tell you to contact your local MP.

As a Canadian born citizen I feel my rights are violated. I love my wife and its painful to be separated from her. Why cant I bring my spouse to Canada with in a reasonable time? I am sure a lot of you feel the same way.

For now please

If your a Canadian sponsor or a Mexican spouse with a Canadian Sponsor please I want to here from you.

I will be visiting the visa office here on Aug 29 this Thursday morning. I will give you all an update.

Thanks mark_kar

 

[CdnMxHusb]

Thank you for your responses

My eyes were full of tears reading your stories

Over the past year and a half I flown back and forth to Mexico 5 times trying to comfort my wife and balance my work obligations. I have spent untold thousands of dollars.

I live with my wife in a Condo in la Colonia Popular Rastro DF. I am in Mexico at this time dealing with the Visa Office here. As I have mentioned before, my experience has been negative.

Under these conditions of forced separations the stress can be overwhelming.

Immigration Canada understands none of this.

They have become a monolithic unfeeling bureaucracy. The wait times for family sponsorships have become unreasonable. Their apologies are insincere

The fact this office can offer temporary visas (to Mexican Nationals) in reasonable times (Despite the strike) and totally ignore family class permanent resident applications (Canadians sponsoring loved ones) is proof Immigration Canada Immigration is not interested in Family unification.

In fact they made the whole process difficult complex and frustrating.

What to do???

I am not a reactionary however I feel an organized demonstration here at the Visa Office with the Canadian press involved is a possibility.

It sounds extreme however its the only way to get the attention of the bureaucrats who make the decisions. Pleading your case to an attendant behind 3/4 inch thick glass who could not care less about your file will not change the situation.

They office here simply wash their hands. The strike is beyond their control.

They will coldly tell you to contact your local MP.

As a Canadian born citizen I feel my rights are violated. I love my wife and its painful to be separated from her. Why cant I bring my spouse to Canada with in a reasonable time? I am sure a lot of you feel the same way.

For now please

If your a Canadian sponsor or a Mexican spouse with a Canadian Sponsor please I want to here from you.

I will be visiting the visa office here on Aug 29 this Thursday morning. I will give you all an update.

Thanks mark_kar

I think that we all feel like you Mark. I cannot believe that being a Canadian (born in Canada) with 3 Canadian Children, cannot get things done quick. I mean, last year we applied for a visitors visa for her and they refused it!!!. Due to family ties, well, we have been married for over 18 years now. I think we do have family ties.
I am not asking for money from the Goverment to support her, thank god I have a very good job here in Canada.
At least they should give us a visitors visa for her and wait for the PR here in Canada.

Please do keep us informed. I would really appreciate whatever updates you can give us.

 

[CdnMxHusb]

By the way I forgot to mention that my daughter (7 years old) is getting traumatized because she has woken up in the middle of the night crying for her other half family (us!!) she wants to be together as a real family again.
I want her to go to school here so I did not put her in school in Mexico this year. And school started a week ago back home. So I dont know what to do, put her in school there or just wait for news.

This is not fair!!!