help needed please! I'm new here. Very pregnant, scared and basically scr*wed :(

[concrete]

Hello to all. Here's the rundown of my situation:

-I was born in England (will be applying for a new passport in August)

-Received my Canadian citizenship in 2002

-Met my Nigerian hubby in Nigeria in October 2009 while on a 1 year internship program there

-Was pregnant by December 2009 (unplanned, used contraceptives **sigh**)

-Married in Nigeria in April 2010

-Baby due first week in September but will come a little sooner due to complications (I'm already told I'll likely require c-section)

-My brother wrote an invitation letter for a visiting visa that was twice rejected b/c he's Nigerian (they wrote country of origin and not convinced he'll return) and though he has a job lined up there (begins in September), he hadn't been working so they noted his employment status at the time. **NB he hadn't been working b/c he too had been completing the mandatory 1 year internship required for citizens and nationals of Nigeria to work that country. he's now done with that**

-Because I was not working prior to getting pregnant (as noted, was in Nigeria for the internship program), I am currently not on maternity leave and am unable to look for proper employment b/c of my current pregnant state. Consequenly, I felt I had no choice but to apply for social assistance due to lack of funds

-Plans are already being made to get a stable job and being self-sufficient by January ( have several jobs lined up already)

My questions/concerns are as follows:

1)how long do you guys recommend i work and show stable income for before we even think about applying? especially if one considers my being on government assitance just months prior
2)how much money can one recommend i keep in my bank account?
3)will his being rejected twice for visitation harm him?
4)i'm scared his being from nigeria will once again affect him as nigerians have basically been blacklisted all over
5)how soon after i first apply can i expect to even find out if i'm eligible to be a sponsor
6)how long can i expect the whole process to take? i keep hearing about a year but some have said it could be less


Your suggestions and advice would be appreciated and are urgently needed. I feel like I'm going insane. It would not have been hubby's intention to overstay his visitiation had he been accepted, especially since I need to go back to Nigeria for a couple of months to finish my internship. We are both devastated that he won't be here to witness his child's birth and the serious complications with the pregnancy only make matters worse.

:'(

 

[steaky]

I don't think your husband's visit visa would be approved. You would have a difficult time to convince the visa officer that your husband will leave Canada on the expiry day. Nor your sponsorship (although there is no income requirement for spousal sponsorship) and your husband immigration can be finalised before you give birth. If you must have your husband to witness, I guess either you give birth in Nigeria or UK (if your husband can get visitor visa to that country in 2 months?)

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hello to all. Here's the rundown of my situation:

-I was born in England (will be applying for a new passport in August)

-Received my Canadian citizenship in 2002

-Met my Nigerian hubby in Nigeria in October 2009 while on a 1 year internship program there

-Was pregnant by December 2009 (unplanned, used contraceptives **sigh**)

-Married in Nigeria in April 2010

-Baby due first week in September but will come a little sooner due to complications (I'm already told I'll likely require c-section)

-My brother wrote an invitation letter for a visiting visa that was twice rejected b/c he's Nigerian (they wrote country of origin and not convinced he'll return) and though he has a job lined up there (begins in September), he hadn't been working so they noted his employment status at the time. **NB he hadn't been working b/c he too had been completing the mandatory 1 year internship required for citizens and nationals of Nigeria to work that country. he's now done with that**

-Because I was not working prior to getting pregnant (as noted, was in Nigeria for the internship program), I am currently not on maternity leave and am unable to look for proper employment b/c of my current pregnant state. Consequenly, I felt I had no choice but to apply for social assistance due to lack of funds

-Plans are already being made to get a stable job and being self-sufficient by January ( have several jobs lined up already)

My questions/concerns are as follows:

1)how long do you guys recommend i work and show stable income for before we even think about applying? especially if one considers my being on government assitance just months prior
2)how much money can one recommend i keep in my bank account?
3)will his being rejected twice for visitation harm him?
4)i'm scared his being from nigeria will once again affect him as nigerians have basically been blacklisted all over
5)how soon after i first apply can i expect to even find out if i'm eligible to be a sponsor
6)how long can i expect the whole process to take? i keep hearing about a year but some have said it could be less


Your suggestions and advice would be appreciated and are urgently needed. I feel like I'm going insane. It would not have been hubby's intention to overstay his visitiation had he been accepted, especially since I need to go back to Nigeria for a couple of months to finish my internship. We are both devastated that he won't be here to witness his child's birth and the serious complications with the pregnancy only make matters worse.

:'(

1. You will at least have to demonstrate that you are off welfare before applying.
2. No funds needed for spousal immigration, but keep in mind that if your spouse is unemployed and you have just got off welfare, CHC/CIC may refuse on the basis that he is "unable to support himself"...
3. No harm in the TRV refusals.
4. You will receive the decision on the sponsorship in about 41 days from Mississauga after submitting a complete sponsorship and his application.
5. Presently the spousal processing time in Accra is 10-20 months for 80% of their cases.

 

[bobshynoswife]

PMM offered some good answers.

I have nothing to add, but as one Niger Wife to another, I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry you are going through this difficult time alone. I know that for us, me getting pregnant while visiting him was one of our biggest fears.

I wish there wasn't such discrimination against Nigerians. My husband was also denied a TRV although he certainly would've returned to Nigeria. He just wanted to visit me and meet his step-children and my family before we got married.

I have heard recently of a case where a Nigerian spouse received their PR after only 1 month of processing in Accra. While this is obviously not to the norm, it does make me a bit hopeful that things are speeding up there.

Beyond having a child together (which the government does not see as proof of a genuine relationship) you are going to have to prove on your application that you are a genuine couple, and not just marrying him to get him into Canada. I do hope you took a lot of photos of your time together, and you must keep all of your phone/skype records as well as text messages, greeting cards/postcards, proof of your travel, photos from your wedding, communication between his family and you and your family and him etc. You will have to include all of this in your application. They may also ask for DNA testing to ensure the baby is his.

Although the idea was given above, I think it would NOT be a good idea to consider having the baby in Nigeria. As you were not born in Canada, your child born abroad would not be Canadian so you would also have to sponsor the child. While I think a normal pregnancy and delivery can happen in Nigeria, you certainly would not want to be there if you have any complications or require a c-section. Obviously if he is finishing his youth service he would not have the funds to secure you proper medical care.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all better for you. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk.

Laura

 

[concrete]

I don't think your husband's visit visa would be approved. You would have a difficult time to convince the visa officer that your husband will leave Canada on the expiry day. Nor your sponsorship (although there is no income requirement for spousal sponsorship) and your husband immigration can be finalised before you give birth. If you must have your husband to witness, I guess either you give birth in Nigeria or UK (if your husband can get visitor visa to that country in 2 months?)

hi

my husband's visit visa was already rejected, that's why i'm just looking at proper long term sponsorhip now. i am aware that this may take up to 1 1/2 years

i have also resigned to the fact that there's no way i would ever give birth in nigeria. even if i wanted to, i have serious medical complications that they just don't hve the facilities to deal with there

thanks for your info

 

[concrete]

Hi

1. You will at least have to demonstrate that you are off welfare before applying.
2. No funds needed for spousal immigration, but keep in mind that if your spouse is unemployed and you have just got off welfare, CHC/CIC may refuse on the basis that he is "unable to support himself"...
3. No harm in the TRV refusals.
4. You will receive the decision on the sponsorship in about 41 days from Mississauga after submitting a complete sponsorship and his application.
5. Presently the spousal processing time in Accra is 10-20 months for 80% of their cases.

1. I will definately get off assitance and get to working asap.
2. Good to know! Thanks
3. Again, good to know. Thank God
4. Good to know. I guess the long wait is due to processing in Africa??? If my understanding is correct, they approve me as a sponsor, that's when they send the application to Africa and that's where the big wait is expected?
5.Thanks and that's horrible!!!

 

[bobshynoswife]

I just wanted to pop back in here to give you some hope!

Our application arrived in Accra just last week and my Nigerian husband has already been given an interview date for August. Things are moving faster in Accra.

A couple thoughts, as i have been thinking about you since last night. I run a home daycare business (private dayhome) and was approved for sponsorship. Maybe that is an option for you for right after the baby is born? You could interview people this summer, and some could even start if they'd be willing to take a couple weeks off when you have the baby. That way you could start your application as early as October. You should be able to apply as soon as you have stopped assisstance and have a business or are working.

Is there any way you could take the baby to visit him? Having proof of your continued contact is good, but visiting him with the baby would pretty much seal your application. Could you ask family to help, or borrow money to do this?

 

[concrete]

I just wanted to pop back in here to give you some hope!

Our application arrived in Accra just last week and my Nigerian husband has already been given an interview date for August. Things are moving faster in Accra.

A couple thoughts, as i have been thinking about you since last night. I run a home daycare business (private dayhome) and was approved for sponsorship. Maybe that is an option for you for right after the baby is born? You could interview people this summer, and some could even start if they'd be willing to take a couple weeks off when you have the baby. That way you could start your application as early as October. You should be able to apply as soon as you have stopped assisstance and have a business or are working.

Is there any way you could take the baby to visit him? Having proof of your continued contact is good, but visiting him with the baby would pretty much seal your application. Could you ask family to help, or borrow money to do this?

Thank you so much for all the info. It is very hard for us good Nigerians. Some of the bad ones have really spoiled things for us. My usband never had intentions of staying as I have to go back and finish my internship this fall and he is mor than happy to be patient and wait out the full sponsorship confirmation (he's not too keen on leaving Nigeria. I'm forcing/begging him to give abroad a chance)

This I will definately be taking my baby to see him as soon as my doctors give me the ok to do so. I just wanted him to be here for the birth. He's really bummed about missing the birth

 

[concrete]

PMM offered some good answers.

I have nothing to add, but as one Niger Wife to another, I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry you are going through this difficult time alone. I know that for us, me getting pregnant while visiting him was one of our biggest fears.

I wish there wasn't such discrimination against Nigerians. My husband was also denied a TRV although he certainly would've returned to Nigeria. He just wanted to visit me and meet his step-children and my family before we got married.

I have heard recently of a case where a Nigerian spouse received their PR after only 1 month of processing in Accra. While this is obviously not to the norm, it does make me a bit hopeful that things are speeding up there.

Beyond having a child together (which the government does not see as proof of a genuine relationship) you are going to have to prove on your application that you are a genuine couple, and not just marrying him to get him into Canada. I do hope you took a lot of photos of your time together, and you must keep all of your phone/skype records as well as text messages, greeting cards/postcards, proof of your travel, photos from your wedding, communication between his family and you and your family and him etc. You will have to include all of this in your application. They may also ask for DNA testing to ensure the baby is his.

Although the idea was given above, I think it would NOT be a good idea to consider having the baby in Nigeria. As you were not born in Canada, your child born abroad would not be Canadian so you would also have to sponsor the child. While I think a normal pregnancy and delivery can happen in Nigeria, you certainly would not want to be there if you have any complications or require a c-section. Obviously if he is finishing his youth service he would not have the funds to secure you proper medical care.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all better for you. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk.

Laura

Hello

I have kept many of the text messges and such that he's sent sicne last year. Thank goodness for that. I also have tons of proof of my flights to and from Nigeria over the past year, which is also good

Thanks for all your support. It definately isn't easy

 

[RobsLuv]

I don't think your husband's visit visa would be approved . . . nor your sponsorship (although there is no income requirement for spousal sponsorship) and your husband immigration can be finalised before you give birth.

Didn't want this to slip through - the information here is incorrect, at least as far as what I interpret steaky to say. I am not aware of any reason that your sponsorship and your husband's immigration application couldn't be finalized simply because you are pregnant. An applicant can't be finalized, typically, until after the birth of a child because of the requirement for an immigration medical exam x-ray. But a sponsor can be pregnant without it affecting the application at all. If steaky is talking about the application probably not being finalized before the baby is born due to processing timelines, I agree - but it's not an impossibility. All depends on processing.

 

[bobshynoswife]

Your mailbox is full concrete!

I posted a new message on the forum for you, you'll have to find it.

Laura

 

[canadianwoman]

My questions/concerns are as follows:
1)how long do you guys recommend i work and show stable income for before we even think about applying? especially if one considers my being on government assitance just months prior

Get off social assistance before applying. You don't need a job or an income to sponsor a spouse, but if you've just gotten off welfare, working for a couple of months before applying would be a good idea.

2)how much money can one recommend i keep in my bank account?

You don't need any.

3)will his being rejected twice for visitation harm him?

I disagree with previous posters who say this doesn't matter. The visa officer will certainly be suspicious of any previous attempts to enter Canada. In the PR application provide proof that the two TRV applications were because he wanted to visit you. My husband, a Nigerian, applied for a TRV two times, both times to visit me - once in 2003 and once in 2007. The 2003 TRV refusal was still a bone of contention today, at his appeal hearing, 7 years later.

4)i'm scared his being from nigeria will once again affect him as nigerians have basically been blacklisted all over

I am assuming that you are of Nigerian heritage yourself. If so, don't worry. When both the husband and wife are black, the Accra visa officers seem more likely to grant the PR visa than when one is white and the other black.

6)how long can i expect the whole process to take? i keep hearing about a year but some have said it could be less

Accra has a bad reputation for taking a long time, but one forum member recently got a PR visa in basically a month, and two others got their interview dates within two months of their applications being received in Accra. The Accra office seems to be getting a lot faster.

 

[concrete]

^^^^^^^^^^^

thank you so much for your imput

I will definately work for about 2 months before applying

I really hope they don't hold it against him too much that he wanted to visit for our child's birth. we will definately provide the proof that he applied to see me and witness his child's birth

i'll keep my fingers crossed that Accra will still be moving fast by the time i get around to applying (which should be in a couple months)

and to answer your question, yes, i am nigerian as well. from the same state as well. glad that helps

 

[shikha99]

i think u shud just go to nigeria and visit him and have baby, dont worry ur child will eb canadian citizen

 

[bobshynoswife]

shikha99...the standard for medical care in Nigeria is very low. She has mentioned she has some complications which would make it even more dangerous to have the baby in Nigeria.

concrete - when I told my husband about you he said if it was us there is no way he would want me to come to Nigeria for the birth! He said as sad as he would be to miss it, he would call border security and have me put on the No Fly List if that was the only way to keep me home to have his baby. LOL.

You're doing the right thing. I'm looking forward to a few months from now when your app is in, and your baby is born!