Feeling overwhelmed...please someone respond for my sanity!!!

[lovebajan]

Hey everyone!
Here's the changes I'm going through...for Christmas I was with my sweetie (husband). I brought the forms for us to fill out...when I got back to Montreal/ Canada, a week later, I took a pregnancy test. We're pregnant!!! Yay!!! Here's were I start going a little nuts!!

My husband did his medical around January 27, 2010. He still has to send me he's portion of the forms plus his proof of medical and police clearance...now it's February 21, 2010, his father who had his birth certificate passed away last Tuesday...now he has to apply for a new birth certificate and once he gets his police certificate and these other documents he can finally mail everything back to me...I can mail our completed application to cic M...I'm worried because his medical is probably sitting there...by the time we get to send our application and they receive it...they will probably claim they haven't received his medicals or it may be lost...I'm feeling so overwhelmed. My sweetie says stop stressing myself for the things I have no control over...I don't want to, but I want this over with so he could be here for the birth etc...
Please help my sanity,
Thanks!
Love Bajan

 

[Dora]

I can't help as I don't know anything but felt that as there was no other reply to your frantic email you needed to hear from someone. You are not alone is this process. Your 'sweetie' will get his stuff organised and things will work out fine. Look after yourself and your baby.

 

[racoon]

Hello,
when I was applying, I did my medicals a month or so before I finally organized everything and sent my application, so it should not be a problem =))
Congratulations !!!!

 

[lovebajan]

Well thanks for replying...I feel better knowing there's support out there. Thanks Racoon...Blessings to everyone...!!!

 

[kc416]

Congrats on the baby! Yay!

Dont worry about them not receiving the Medical because you have done them a while before sending off the application... that is not a problem.

My only concern... and im not doing this to stress you out... BUT... the medical is only valid for one year... if you file takes longer than a year then your hubby will have to re-do medical.. which includes, paying again and sending it off.. ray ray ray... this can add months on to your processing time....

A visa cannot be issued with an expired Medical.

we have been dealing with medical re-do's like crazy on the Kingston Jamaica forum and some of the ladies medicals expired in September and they still have not got word from Kingston to re-do them... some doctors will not re-do medical without forms from the embassy... some people have gone to the embassy and picked up the forms themselves (when the lady at the front desk feels to give them out).

Are you sponsoring your husband from Barbados?

 

[lovebajan]

Thanks for your reply Kc416...and yes, I'm sponsoring my husband from Barbados.
If they take too long to process our file and my due date is near, do you think my husband
will be allowed here for the birth...if he has proof (a return plane ticket) that he will return shortly after the birth?
I'm hoping we get through without having to redo the medicals but that rarely seems to happen.
Oh well, we just have to wait and see.

Stay Blessed and let's keep the faith!!
Love Bajan

 

[kc416]

As far as I know... someone from Barbados does not need to apply for a visa to enter Canada there for as long as he has a valid passport and no warrants out for him he can jump on a plane and come here to visit and stay for I believe a month ...

I found the information from this site:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/visit/visas.asp

Please let me know if this is correct since you would know how it works!

I know in Jamaica it is very very hard to get a temp travel visa (which is required).... mostly for the reason they do not believe that they will return to Jamaica... so for an individual to be granted a visa they need to proove that they have a good job and most times need a letter from an employer stating that they there job position is still available for when they get back, they need to have some assets such as a house, a car and quite a bit of money in the bank... So in this case for Jamaicans... a return ticket would NOT be sufficient enough proof of returning...

so in the case that Barbados is similar to Jamaica.. just make sure to apply for the travel visa which plenty of time since it could take a while....and make sure he has enough proof to prove he will return...

 

[kc416]

one more thing... I love bajan food... espeically flying fish and the sweet bread... i dunno what the actual name for the bread is but its like a hard thick loaf of bread but it is sweet its got loads of coconut in it...

We have a bajan festival here in Toronto every year and i go to it stickly for the flying fish... yum!

 

[lovebajan]

Hey Kc416!
Well a Bajan doesn't need a visa to enter the Country. Thankfully!! Wow, I never knew or understood why it's so difficult for some people to get a visa...are you from Jamaica?
Omg, I love flying fish...I was craving it for awhile now...you just reminded me that I have no way of getting any! [ At least not until my next trip to Barbados.
I never knew Toronto had such a festival. When is it exactly? Sounds fun.

...oh, and if I'm not mistaken you might be talking about a turnover or it's a sweetbread but there are just different ways of making them.
Love Bajan!

 

[kc416]

So your husband can come visit you during this immigration process... you might want to make sure that someone that he trusts is checking his mail and telephone calls because you do not want to miss any requests from Immigration since most of the time they have a restriction on the date the requested docuemts etc must be handed in by... most of the time 30 days.... Just make sure he doesnt over stay or anything like that.... then your application can turn very messy... and require all sorts of things such as ARC. (Authorization to return to Canada)

I am from UK and I am a PR in Canada but husband is from Jamaica.. he recently got approved and has been a PR of Canada since November. Finally we are together....

Yea, Jamaica is very difficult to get a travel visa.. from what I have observed from family and friends in JA... 95% of the time Jamaicans get denied a travel visa... You have to have an enourmous amount of proof that you will return... even then they just dont trust it...so Denied.. and thanks for your money..

The festival date changes every year but it is held at Harbourfront... you could always google Harbourfront activities or schedule and you will see it.... its a nice little festival... you can walk around, try different foods, see art, listen to bajan music... all sorts of things... and its during the summer time and its right on the lake so it is a nice day out....

 

[chelley]

awww i know this is a tough one... it sucks that he can't be there for you now!!! i had to go thru it too and know how hard it is!!!

here's a suggestion for you... have him come up with you for a few weeks when the baby is born to be there, help you out and such and then, if the paperwork isn't already thru, why not go down with him for a few weeks/months or however long it takes (a year maternity leave has it's benefits)... it takes a little bit of effort to work it out, but i'm down here with my husband in jamaica while we're waiting out his paperwork... and even tho he already got the ppt request, we probably won't head back until summer... if you plan for it now, you may be able to mat leave in barbados (you don't need to be in canada to collect mat EI) for the entire winter and come back refreshed to enjoy the rest of your leave and your new baby and your hubby all together...

it sounded like a real wild idea for me at first (especially since i have other children), but it really ended up being an opportunity that i couldn't pass on

just my thoughts... even if it isn't feasible for you, it will help pass some time to dream (and try to find a way to make it feasible! )


best of luck and congrats on the baby!!!!

 

[lovebajan]

Thanks for all the blessings Chelly and KC416, responses and ideas...I would love to do as you recommended Chelly, however, I have another child (son, 6.5 yrs old from a previous marriage. I sponsored his dad...etc. was used...!!!) He's in grade 1 and I would have to register him in a private school while living in Barbados or something...I thought you can't collect any EI benefits while out of the Country...I'm just about to start CSST because I was working in a daycare with the 18 months old group...i'm almost tempted to just move there as soon as I give birth and not come back and forget about the whole process...but we've already spent money on most documents and the application fee, medical etc...oh, well!!! I'll have to do lots of inquiring!

I think I will have to wait until we send in the application and see. If mid-August comes and no response, then I'll have him come a few weeks before the due date...he no longer has a house phone. He only uses a cell phone and there it's mostly pay as you go...this makes it tricky because there is no other phone to reach him by. That being said, maybe it will become messy if they try to reach him and the only way to do so is by mail or e-mail!? Any further suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Love Bajan

 

[chelley]

seriously... i brought my kids (4 and now 7) here and put them in private school.. they love it! one term is cheaper than a month's daycare (not sure on b'bdos private schools tho.... might be more)... you can collect mat EI out of country... they have a out of country office...

just food for thought or daydreaming

 

[lovebajan]

that's very interesting...i guess you do learn something new everyday! I'll have to inquire about the EI payments...
Thanks again for the option to daydream...

 

[diana90]

Hey!

I can't help you much but I want to say Congratulation on your pregnancy! It's a wonderful time and you have to try to enjoy it. Our application was in process when I got pregnant and we were also very overwhelmed and nervous but mostly about paying the hospital bill. We applied inland and for us it took almost two years - 1 year 10 months. You just have to put the application together - make it as complete as possible even if it takes some extra time and send it off.

Best wishes and good luck to three of you!