Havana, Cuba

[newgirl1]

Anybody ever applied for visitor visa while waiting for permanent residence because I'm getting tired of this process? What are the chances and what needs to be done? Thanks!

Chances are slim to none! For two reasons. One is that they won't beleive that they will leave canada once their visitor visa expires, especially since u have applied to move to Canada and if the PR doesn't go through even more reason just to stay since you're already here. And two because the Cuban can just go to the states, so if they aren't finished screening them then that's what they will assume. ESPECIALLY if PR gets denied and they are in Canada. Any Cuban in their right mind would at that point go to the states and claim asylum instead of go back home to cuba and to be further from their spouse again

 

[newgirl1]

Our application will be at 10 months in Havana Nov 6th so I will look at applying for a visitor visa after that and following is the procedure I plan to use as it has been successful for others

What worked for us is that I showed PLENTY of TIES TO HOME and also convinced them that I will not overstay.

Here is a list of documents I submitted- It took a lot of time and energy to gather, but it's been worth it!

IMP: I applied for a travel duration of ONE MONTH. (They usually issue a 6 month visa, but best not to say you'll stay for 6 months!) It has to be long enough that it's believable, but short enough that it doesn't make them feel like you're trying to stay permanently !

Before applying for Canada Tourist Visa, I also applied (and was granted) a 10 year multiple entry visa to the U.S.
I think this carries some amount of weightage so it's probably a good idea to get a US tourist visa before applying for Canada.

My documents:
1. Income Tax Returns for last 4 years ( as many years as you have filed!)
2. As I am a freelancer, so no employer leave letter I submitted-My invoices, Contracts & Purchase orders for my work. (to prove I have ties to home)
3. Aadhar card copy
4. Drivers license copy
5. Pan card copy
6. Marriage certificate
7. PCC for all the countries I have spent more than 6 months in.
8. Visa Medical
9. Bank statements of the last 6 months
10.Car ownership papers (with ongoing loan)
11.Return flight tickets (THIS IS VERY IMP APPARENTLY- NEVER BOOK A ONE WAY TICKET, THEY'LL SURELY REJECT THE VISA)
12.My travel & employment history (same as submitted for the PR visa application)
13.My resume
14.A kick ass cover letter giving reasons why I will not overstay the Visitor Visa and why I have to return to India after my trip.
15.A letter from my dad on a stamp paper saying I will return as per my flight dates.

My husband's documents:
16. His employment letter of confirmation from the company where he works
17. Income Tax Returns filed in Canada
18. Pay stubs from the last 3 months
19. Bank Statements of last 6 months
20. PR Card copy
21. SPONSORSHIP APPROVAL LETTER (Super important)
22. Our travel together (flight tickets, hotel bookings etc)
23. Our photos together from the wedding & before & after the wedding- to establish that our marriage is real!(this is very important too, apparently, one girl told me to send that in because they rejected her visa saying there isn't enough proof of her marriage- even though she submitted her marriage certificate copy!!)
25. Our chat messages from over 1 year (same as submitted for the PR application)
26. Travel insurance that my husband bought for me (in Canada) for the duration of my trip.
27. A notarized declaration from my husband stating he will pay for my expenses & that I will not be a burden on the Canada.
28. A notarized invitation letter (addressed to VO) from my husband inviting me to visit him in Canada.
29. A hand written personal invitation from him to me asking me come and visit him (this is a personal letter, with lovey-dovey words about how much he misses me and wants to see me)


The reason why people get rejections is because they're not proving their ties to their home country.
If you can show that you have a lot of things/ people/ property/ assets that are in your home country that you won't just leave behind- they will grant you a visa.

Another thing, in my cover letter, I stated UP FRONT that I have a PR application in the system (gave my UCI etc) and said that I would never do anything to jeopardise my PR application by over staying on a Tourist Visa. I just want to visit my husband since we're newly married and I miss him.

India is a waaaaaaaay different story. CICs MAIN concern is the Cuban adjacent act. The US puts a lot of pressure on Canada to make CERTAIN that they are SURE that they will not go to the states. No other country IN THE WORLD has that privilege except Cuba. Therefore a Cubans chances of a visitor Visa before getting screened are slim to none. You can look back years through this forum and I don't believe you will find one person that Got accepted from Cuba for a visitor visa while they were in the process of applying for PR

 

[Mrs.DoryBaby]

Galano, this is not always the case - this sometimes doesn't hold anything up... Heidi... I wouldn't worry! Great news they are working on your file SO SOON!!

I know for a fact, My application had nothing requested, a friend of mine - same time line had documents requested 2 times... our husbands got visas at the SAME TIME!!

xox best of Luck!

When they require an updated form, and new police check as well as the payment it delays the application for a period of time. Not sure how much though hopefully it won't be much. The present timeline for Havana approving is 10 months. Our application has been in Havana now for 10 months Nov 6.

 

[Galano1213]

I certainly don't understand the system they use to process applications There doesn't seem to be any set rules for processing applications It is a hit and miss depending on which agent gets the file. Ours was held up 47 days every time they requested a new form or document. July 11- Oct 17,2014 and then until Dec 31 before SA and Until Jan 6 ,2015 to Havana, And today my MP 's office said the 10 month time line is an estimate.They take as long as they want. It looks like he is right on as our application is at 1 year 4 months. The whole thing is extremely frustrating.

 

[amargo]

Ok, thank you guys! It looks like it's not worth wasting $1000 on this...
We got married in January, application received in Havana on June 9 and on September 14 they asked me to pay for the ROPR. We hoped to get the visa by January but with this ridiculous process, we may get it in May. The medical 15 months expires on April 23...Ouch

 

[Galano1213]

If I were you I would spend the $1000 on a trip to see my spouse. I am doing that Nov 30.

 

[amargo]

I will be there for a month in December...I went there 13 times since we've met but it's still very hard.

 

[Galano1213]

I am at 20 trips It never seems long enough each time.

 

[Mr.Keilani]

Hey Everyone
Just a quick update , I sent my application on September 11 and today ( October 30) the CIC office in Mississauga emailed and said they received it and issued me a UCI and a Application number so i guess my application process is starting .

Galeno you are so right every trip is just does not seem long enough and is an emotional roller coaster . this year i have visited my wife 7 times and its def worth every penny . sorry you are having such a hard time in Havana just thinking about your timeline drives me crazy and i hope you can be with your husband soon!

take care everyone and happy Halloween

 

[Galano1213]

Thank for your kind thoughts. I had hoped he would get a call this week but nothing. So here's hoping for next week. I called my MP's office today to ask them to contact Havana on Nov 6th which is exactly 10 months. I will be emailing my Senator as well. If no positive news I will probably close the house and stay in Cuba until we find out what is going on.

Good luck to everyone

 

[windsorgirl]

Galano
Our file was in Cuba for ten months so i emailed them and they told me my husband will have an interview. One week after our ten months we recieved our interview date which is this Thursday Nov 5. So our file has been there for eleven months by the time he has his interview. I just returned from Cuba tonight and after the interview Thursday i hope he will be able to come the next week?? U r almost there!!

 

[Galano1213]

May I ask is his medical and police check more than a year old? What was your 10 month date? I am travelling g to Cuba Nov 30 - Dec 14 and have checked with the airline for the procedure for changing the date if necessary. If they give him an interview date after our 10 months Which is Nov 6 he could come back with me. There are no direct flights to Charlottetown PEI and he would have to go through Pearson airport which can be a pain even for me and I have gone through both terminals 30 times or more over the years. He has never even been in an airport other then to see me off at Holguin. Thank you for your update gives me hope that he will be here for Xmas.

 

[windsorgirl]

Yes his medical and police check r older that one year. Our ten month date was Sept 25th interview is Nov 5.

 

[Galano1213]

Thank you Hope the interview is successful Please let us know It's good to know they are moving with interviews. Looks like they are waiting the 10 months to give dates for Interviews. My husband called today every time he calls now I am hoping he says he has a date for interview and always disappointed when he hasn't . So it is fantastic to hear someone is getting positive news.

 

[madameR]

we were told one month ago that we were waiting for an interview and still no news....we ar a small percentage of people waiting for visas etc....on this forum...most people dont wait ten months. in fact i hear of people getting approved in far less time than that on social media, through friends etc......we are probably 1% of the people waiting on this forum so pleaSE DONT BASE YOURSELVES ON THIS ONLY...this is more of a tool for us to answer questions or helpother people who are not to sure of what they need tyo do....as for time lines, tghis site is not a good indicator at alll....if you lookaround other places you will see for your self..
anyway, on that note , hope we all hear soon!!!