Just and FYI (and you can comment)...

[Eric Parker]

My wife and I have started the process of getting me to be with her in Alberta through the Family Stream. We are using Cohen et. al. to help us. At this time, we are still having the apps looked over before Her sponsorship apps are submitted - I hear that my apps will be submitted later after she is approved.

I hope these issues will not be stubling blocks - Since we have been courting since late 2001, engaged in 2002, just married last May, we have found it difficult to remember the exact dates we first met certain close friends and relatives as well as exact dates of some visits back and forth. It is also difficult to get documentation of our relationship (phone bills, airline tix, ect) before 2006 or so ( the usual 'security reasons' arguments from the companies involved). I am hoping that recent documentation and some pictures will suffice.

I hope to keep you all appraised of whats going on. Right now, it's a lookover by the lawyers before she has her apps submitted. I do not think that is going to be any problem since we both support ourselves very well (and I make more than she does).

I hope to get to Canada soon

Eric Parker

 

[mitamata]

I'm curious. Why did you choose to apply this way? You're from the US, you'd have an outland application done and finished with probably in 6 months. The processing times I've found for the Alberta Family Stream are waaaaay longer than that - found here: http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/immigrate/processingtimes.html

Just wondering what I'm missing, I've never heard of anyone sponsoring a spouse this way. What are the benefits?

And a note: posting in here, everyone will assume you're doing a regular spouse sponsorship, either inland or outland. If you have any questions later on, be sure to note how you're applying so people don't mislead you. And there is a subforum for provincial nomination programs, maybe folks there know more about this kind of stuff.

 

[Eric Parker]

We chose this way because it would be in our favor (with the CIC in mind) to do it this way. I have a job here in Oregon and she has her job in Alberta. I current am still here in Oregon, so it is already an outland application (if I understand it correctly). I am currently not in Alberta at the time. To stay in Alberta beyond the plane tix I had would be risky.

 

[mitamata]

Hope you don't mind me digging further, but I just don't see it.

If you did the regular spouse sponsorship application, you'd send everything to Mississauga, they'd approve sponsorship in a month, send your application to Buffalo and if everything is ok, you'd probably get the visa in 6 months or less.

With this thing, you first face several months of processing in Alberta (up to 19 months according to that page), then it's all sent to Buffalo and you face yet MORE months there - the processing times for provincial nominees are longer than for regular family class (spouse/common-law) application - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/04-provincial.asp

I must be missing something, because I certainly don't see why you'd volunteer for a 2 year process when you can have everything done in a quarter of that time.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hope you don't mind me digging further, but I just don't see it.

If you did the regular spouse sponsorship application, you'd send everything to Mississauga, they'd approve sponsorship in a month, send your application to Buffalo and if everything is ok, you'd probably get the visa in 6 months or less.

With this thing, you first face several months of processing in Alberta (up to 19 months according to that page), then it's all sent to Buffalo and you face yet MORE months there - the processing times for provincial nominees are longer than for regular family class (spouse/common-law) application - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/04-provincial.asp

I must be missing something, because I certainly don't see why you'd volunteer for a 2 year process when you can have everything done in a quarter of that time.

I second your opinion, this just a very weird way of trying to do a sponsorship, and AINP may not process since it could be done under Federal class.

PMM

 

[Eric Parker]

Um...we are doing the missisauga thing....she will have her app sent to missisauga then mine will go to Buffalo. No worries there. I guess i didn't explain correctly. We were told i should be with her in Alberta by New years at the least.

 

[mitamata]

Then you're not applying through the Alberta Family Stream. You're doing a regular sponsorship application, as you should be. It doesn't have absolutely anything to do with the Alberta Family Stream though, I don't know where you got that from.

One thing though... you said your apps will be submitted after her sponsorship is approved? That's not how it should be. You have to mail both the sponsorship application AND your application for permanent residence together to Mississauga. After the sponsorship is approved, they forward your application to Buffalo.

 

[RobsLuv]

I agree - and I'm a bit thrown by a lawyer that would tell you that they're going to do a "look over before she has her aps submitted".

You need this application package - all of the forms (sponsor's forms, applicant's forms) plus the supporting documentation for the relationship, your medical exam proof and your original criminal clearances will be submitted TOGETHER, at the same time, to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga. CPC-M will assess her eligibility to sponsor, then they will transfer the whole application file to the overseas visa office (Buffalo) where they assess the applicant (you) and finalize the file. CPC-M is currently taking about 35 days to assess the sponsor, and Buffalo is finalizing spousal applications in 4-9 months.

 

[Eric Parker]

You all are correct...My wife sometimes doesn't explain thouroughly. The apps are going together to Missasuga then to Bufflao (or how I understand). Everyhting will be sent by 7/7 since thats the earliest I can get police clearances back to me. We are not going the Alberta route since I am still here in Oregon.

 

[Eric Parker]

Just an update.

My wife and I are going to send off the remaining data we have to the lawyer to have them send to (First) Missisauga in hopes those peole send to Buffalo. This will include massive amounts of photos and e-mails as well as the medical exam (which I will be doing Friday (6/26)). I only hope the lawyer understands that the only items we do not have (yet) is the police clearences (State and FBI) because of the days needed for them to process the requests. I will be sending those clearences to the lawyer once I get them. I hope that it is permissable to send the certificates later to the CIC Missisauga office.

I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that even with all the evidence we have, and it is 8 years worth, on our relationship, they still will have to interview me since (if I were in the VO's shoes) I got married and applied through my wife after my previous application (using the FSW avenue) was sent back due to the change in NOC code procedures. I only did the FSW first because that was how I was advised to do so to properly come to Canada, then get married. But the new legislation changed that.

Any advice or warnings will be much appreciated.

 

[Eric Parker]

My wife arrived here for a visit yesterday. We plan to look over all of our documents and checklists to make sure we have everything (within reason) and send to the lawyer handling our case to submit to Missisauga, ON and begin the process.

The only item left is my clearence from the FBI. If I do not get it by Friday to send, I hope the lawyer is simpathetic and understanding and will send in the Application and then send the clearence document later since they are looking at my wife's items first before they get to my stuff, so I am hoping that they can get the clearence to my items before they get to Buffalo.

 

[Leon]

If you are supposed to send everything in one package, you should do so. Sending most of it and then sending something later just increases the chances that it will somehow go missing, not get added to your file somehow and will get you delayed.

 

[Eric Parker]

Well..it is sent to the lawyer. They assured us it will be sent to Missisauga.

I only hope that we sent enough pics and proof of our 8 years. I suspect, however, that, based on other aspects of my life like this, that a Visa Officer having a bad day and an uptight agenda will have our case and they will make it very difficult just because they can make it that way. At least that's what I get from reading other posts here on this forum. I have a feeling, even though both my Wife and I will be ultra honest, we will still have a difficult time of it simply because I am from the States.

We will find out when the time comes. We are hoping I am moved to Canada by Jan 1 or Feb 1.