Intent to Return - Who looks at this?

[Fencesitter]

Hi all,

I'm a bit confused. Who is responsible for approving the sponsor's intent to return to Canada? If CIC-O has approved the sponsor, doesn't that mean they are satisfied with the evidence presented proving the sponsor will return to Canada?

If it's the visa office abroad, why? I thought the visa office was mainly focused on the applicant and not the sponsor. Or do they focus on both? If they focus on both, then what's the point of sending our applications to CIC-M / O in Canada?

FS

 

[CharlieD10]

CPC-M looks at the bare minimum, so to speak, when it comes to the sponsor's eligibility. They confirm that they are over 18, not in jail, not an undischarged bankrupt, and not on social assistance for reasons other than disability etc. They don't do much more than that.

It is the visa office that examines the evidence presented in support of the sponsor's intent to return. They do this because if the sponsor does not present adequate support, or for any other reason does not meet the eligibility requirements to remain a sponsor, then the applicant is up a creek without a boat, as a family class applicant cannot be approved without a sponsor who meets ALL the requirements for eligibility from the day the application is made until the day a decision is made on the file (the applicant lands in Canada).

In other words, having a sponsor who meets all the requirements from day 1 of the application until the day they actually land in Canada is a requirement of the applicant's eligibility. This is why the VO will evaluate the sponsor's intent to return, as a part of their examination of the applicant's overall admissibility.

 

[ccunnington]

Hi all,

I'm a bit confused. Who is responsible for approving the sponsor's intent to return to Canada? If CIC-O has approved the sponsor, doesn't that mean they are satisfied with the evidence presented proving the sponsor will return to Canada?

If it's the visa office abroad, why? I thought the visa office was mainly focused on the applicant and not the sponsor. Or do they focus on both? If they focus on both, then what's the point of sending our applications to CIC-M / O in Canada?

FS

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm living in Colombia with my wife, and we've been approved for step 1, so I'm assuming the evidence I provided of intent to return to Canada is sufficient. If the VO also looks at that evidence, they're duplicating process that obviously leads to delay. It would make sense that the VO focuses on the applicant. However, does CIC really make sense or do they like creating red tape!

 

[Fencesitter]

So then it makes no sense to send the application to Canada. We should just send everything to the visa office to reduce the processing time. If CIC-M doesn't do very much, then it's kind of pointless.

I only hope that the evidence I have submitted will be sufficient.

There is really nothing else I can do to prove my intent to return except for purchasing our plane tickets, resigning, and organizing our departure.

FS

 

[OhCanadiana]

CPC-M looks at the bare minimum, so to speak, when it comes to the sponsor's eligibility. They confirm that they are over 18, not in jail, not an undischarged bankrupt, and not on social assistance for reasons other than disability etc. They don't do much more than that.

It is the visa office that examines the evidence presented in support of the sponsor's intent to return. They do this because if the sponsor does not present adequate support, or for any other reason does not meet the eligibility requirements to remain a sponsor, then the applicant is up a creek without a boat, as a family class applicant cannot be approved without a sponsor who meets ALL the requirements for eligibility from the day the application is made until the day a decision is made on the file (the applicant lands in Canada).

In other words, having a sponsor who meets all the requirements from day 1 of the application until the day they actually land in Canada is a requirement of the applicant's eligibility. This is why the VO will evaluate the sponsor's intent to return, as a part of their examination of the applicant's overall admissibility.

To build on this, OP-2 says:

"Officers must also be satisfied that sponsorship requirements are still met at the time of visa issuance. If a sponsor is no longer eligible, officers must refuse the application..."

Given that the sponsor must intend to return to Canada (and meet all other sponsor requirements at the time of visa issuance...the sponsor and applicant must still be married/in conjugal/common-law relationship, must still not have committed any violent crimes that would make the sponsor ineligible, etc.). The only way that the VO can be sure that they are abiding by the law when they issue the visa is to re-assess the sponsor's eligibility at the VO.

Ensuring compliance with the law is also why when you cross the border to land, the border officer will double check the essential requirements are still met during the landing interview. This final check is usually again at the "bare minimum" level, so to speak, with a series of questions asked. However, this final check can be done more in depth either for cause or randomly.

 

[CharlieD10]

So then it makes no sense to send the application to Canada. We should just send everything to the visa office to reduce the processing time. If CIC-M doesn't do very much, then it's kind of pointless.

I only hope that the evidence I have submitted will be sufficient.

There is really nothing else I can do to prove my intent to return except for purchasing our plane tickets, resigning, and organizing our departure.

FS

Your evidence will be fine. Don't make me get on a plane to China just to come bop you on the head and tell you to cease and desist this worry-wart of the year audition.

No, it's not pointless for the applications to go to CPC-M, there is information needed about sponsors that the visa offices cannot and do not have access to without going through diplomatic contortions, I am sure. Even then they probably wouldn't get that information due to privacy reasons. No, there is a point to having the sponsors assessed in Canada first. We won't ever know ALL the rationale behind it, but very few things are done by governments for the heck of it or just to waste our time!

 

[OhCanadiana]

So then it makes no sense to send the application to Canada. We should just send everything to the visa office to reduce the processing time. If CIC-M doesn't do very much, then it's kind of pointless.

I only hope that the evidence I have submitted will be sufficient.

There is really nothing else I can do to prove my intent to return except for purchasing our plane tickets, resigning, and organizing our departure.

FS

Canada used to process applications directly at visa offices. However, they have been moving much more to the centralized model to filter out applications that, even with a cursory look, are incomplete or don't qualify. This way, all applicants save time and the government saves money. Going through CPC-M saves you from having to stand in line behind a bunch of incomplete applications at the VO that are missing a bunch of forms and which require a lot of correspondence with the applicants at the visa office level. Instead, the limited staff at the visa office can focus on complete applications and processing them the first time around. And, a small central staff in Canada (not being paid overseas rates and who handle multiple visa offices) handles the first review of all applicants.

I haven't seen statistics comparing rejection rates before and after CPC-M opened, but the ones before and after CPC-S opened up were staggering. Remember, not all applicants are as diligent as those who are on here checking every part of their application is done correctly

 

[ccunnington]

Your evidence will be fine. Don't make me get on a plane to China just to come bop you on the head and tell you to cease and desist this worry-wart of the year audition.

No, it's not pointless for the applications to go to CPC-M, there is information needed about sponsors that the visa offices cannot and do not have access to without going through diplomatic contortions, I am sure. Even then they probably wouldn't get that information due to privacy reasons. No, there is a point to having the sponsors assessed in Canada first. We won't ever know ALL the rationale behind it, but very few things are done by governments for the heck of it or just to waste our time!

It would be interesting to know what information they have or find about us during this process whether its relevant to the immigration process or not...big brother is watching us!

 

[OhCanadiana]

So then it makes no sense to send the application to Canada. We should just send everything to the visa office to reduce the processing time. If CIC-M doesn't do very much, then it's kind of pointless.

I only hope that the evidence I have submitted will be sufficient.

There is really nothing else I can do to prove my intent to return except for purchasing our plane tickets, resigning, and organizing our departure.

FS

Canada used to process applications directly at visa offices. However, they have been moving much more to the centralized model to filter out applications that, even with a cursory look, are incomplete or don't qualify. This way, all applicants save time and the government saves money. Going through CPC-M saves you from having to stand in line behind a bunch of incomplete applications at the VO that are missing a bunch of forms and which require a lot of correspondence with the applicants at the visa office level. Instead, the limited staff at the visa office can focus on complete applications and processing them the first time around. And, a small central staff in Canada (not being paid overseas rates and who handle multiple visa offices) handles the first review of all applicants.

I haven't seen statistics comparing rejection rates before and after CPC-M opened, but the ones before and after CPC-S opened up were staggering. Remember, not all applicants are as diligent as those who are on here checking every part of their application is done correctly

 

[Fencesitter]

I am celebrating. I was just interested to know if I would be examined again for eligibility.

If they want to ensure I have not committed any crimes, wouldn't they need me to get a police clearance for my time in China?

In any event, nothing will change...our situation will remain the same in terms of marriage, living arrangements, my job, and our life in general.

It's not really about being a worry-wart...though I guess I sort of am. I just want to know what being approved from Canada really means. My wife thought that she would be the main focus at the visa office, but from what you guys are saying, both of us will be examined.

Thanks,
FS

 

[CharlieD10]

I am celebrating. I was just interested to know if I would be examined again for eligibility.

...My wife thought that she would be the main focus at the visa office, but from what you guys are saying, both of us will be examined.

Thanks,
FS

The sponsor is required to maintain eligibility for the life of the application. Being approved at CPC-M means you have submitted a complete application and that on the face of it, you are eligible to sponsor your wife. Once the application gets to the VO and the digging begins, your wife IS the focus, but her entire eligibility and admissibility will continue to hinge on you being eligible and remaining eligible until she lands. In other words, she could pass all the other avenues of examination, but if you don't remain eligible to sponsor her and if you don't convince them you are ready and willing to re-settle in Canada, she is going nowhere.

You'll be fine, though.

 

[bagelbagel81]

Along with everything else I have to worry about, this is of concern to me too. The only evidence I have is a letter from my partner's mom saying we will be living with her until we find an appropriate rental, and a rough quote for the cost of transporting our cat over to Canada.

There was really nothing else we could provide, as we both don't want to tell our workplaces we will be moving yet, and my Canadian partner is looking to eventually get a transfer with his organisation, but this isn't 100% guaranteed, and again we don't want to burn our bridges before they are even made!


First things first - I have to think about stage 1 before beginning to worry about this part!

 

[Fencesitter]

The sponsor is required to maintain eligibility for the life of the application. Being approved at CPC-M means you have submitted a complete application and that on the face of it, you are eligible to sponsor your wife. Once the application gets to the VO and the digging begins, your wife IS the focus, but her entire eligibility and admissibility will continue to hinge on you being eligible and remaining eligible until she lands. In other words, she could pass all the other avenues of examination, but if you don't remain eligible to sponsor her and if you don't convince them you are ready and willing to re-settle in Canada, she is going nowhere.

You'll be fine, though.

Thanks.

So if nothing changes with our situation, my eligibility would be the same, thus, I wouldn't need to be concerned about this posing a problem. The only thing that could throw a wrench in the works would be if the visa officer didn't believe my intention to re-establish in Canada, right? For me, this isn't a concern, because I know I have submitted a lot of evidence.

Do I need to provide a police clearance for my time in China? I mean, wouldn't the Canadian government want to make sure I haven't committed any crimes that would impact my sponsorship eligibility?

I'm asking mainly to get a better idea of how this process works and what steps the visa officer takes when assessing the applicant and the sponsor.

Thanks,
FS

 

[Galip]

You don't need to provide a police certificate in China as a sponsor. The V.O will check your background in China anyway.

If you have a job letter, family members, and financial documents such as a bank account, credit cards, rental agreement / mortgage / line of credit or school enrollement for you or your relative or children in Canada those will be good reasons to go back.

Also if you can go back to Canada during your immigration process for a short time for re-settlement matters and get some documents I mentioned above that will be very good for you on your interview. It will be costly but this will show that you intent to return.

 

[Fencesitter]

What kind of stuff would the visa officer be checking in terms of my background in China? You mean like calling my employer? What else might they check on? Visa status? My qualifications for my current employment? Just stuff related mainly to my work here? Would they also contact the police authorities to see if I have committed any criminal offenses? I'm totally clean and haven't done anything wrong, just curious to know what they might be checking on, as it's to do with my personal background here in China.

Going back is impossible. It's too expensive. I have a letter of employment, letters from family and friends, my student ID number to a Canadian university, letters from banks and realtors enquiring about mortages / houses, plans for my son to attend school, etc...

I don't have a credit card...but I have explained my plans for re-establishing in a fairly detailed letter. I'll take care of banking and other related stuff when we land in Canada (during the first week).

Anyone have more information on how they process the sponsor at the visa office???


Thanks,

FS