Kingston,Jamaica

[Mrs Proper]

Suki- yup he's all packed!!!! Omg I can't believe this, when tomorrow hits it'll be 1 day till he's here, somebody pinch me!!!!

 

[CharlieD10]

Haha, cannot wait to post that final update! What a rollercoaster this has been for the Propers.

Come on, KG, don't stop there! NNEEXXTTT!!! Let's have some more great reunions made this week!

 

[SmoothiesQueen]

nae nae we are just happy they recieved the meds. So many medicals horror stories..that not knowing is the worst. I'm sure we will survive a little wait...it would just be nice to get the call so we can figure out how long we have, what date we would be leaving Jamaica, and start getting the house packed up. We have to figure out what to do with our vehicles, all of our furniture...our appliences, beds, everything lol!! Everyone we know of course wants dibs..but some stuff can't just be given away and needs to be sold!! Although I'm sure there will still be plenty a happy family n friends by the time we sort everything out!

And Mrs Proper...so glad he has it in hand!! Very very happy for you guys!! Cannot wait for the landing story!

 

[SmoothiesQueen]

Ok so a friend of mine was telling me tonight that if our spouses want to apply for Canadian citizenship..they have to give up their Jamaican...according to some new law passed in the last few years. This is the first I have ever heard about this....can someone please verify this for me...as I'm sure my husband along with the other yaadies...probably doesn't really want to give that up!!

 

[Admirable]

He won't have to give up his Jamaican Citizenship. He can be a dual citizen.

 

[Mrs Proper]

Good morning everyone! Well its yet another gloomy rainy day I'm so sick of rain, this october weather is really depressing. I'd rather snow than rain lol I was really hoping mr proper was coming to atleast a bit warmer temps but it looks like this weekend its suppose to be very cold. My family is from newfoundland and parts of it there got SNOW already.

Well its wednesday which means 1 more day

Come on kgn let's see some more updates today

 

[CharlieD10]

Morning everyone!

One more sleep for the Propers and then it's all over except for the crying (happy tears, of course)!

SQ - Jamaicans can be dual citizens. It is not necessary to surrender Jamaican citizenship in order to hold citizenship in another country. Additionally, Jamaica and Canada are both Commonwealth countries, and therefore there is no conflict for Jamaicans who already hold allegiance to the Queen and her heirs to swear allegiance in Canada, or any other Commonwealth country for that matter.

Hey Nae!!

Let's go, KG, waiting on some more good news this week! NNEEXXTTTTTTTTTTT!!!

 

[Mrs Proper]

Woot woooooot can't wait!

Charlie- do you know what that process is like? 2013 we are planning a trip to disney world, everyone in my family is going. Jus wondering how we should go about it. We are gonna wait atleast 6 mths before we start anything

 

[CharlieD10]

Mrs P - what process, citizenship? He needs 1,095 days or 3 years (out of the last 4) physical presence in Canada before he can apply for citizenship.

If you're referring to your other thread about Mr P needing a US visa, it's the same process as if he were applying from Jamaica. He needs proof of his ties to Canada, so a job, his name on the house title, his name on the car insurance, all those things would be good evidence to show he is not trying to run off to the US via Canada. Since the trip is in 2013, wait until he has been a PR for at least a year. So around this time next year, you can start the application process. It's very easy, in that it is all done and submitted online and then he goes for the appointment with his proof of ties. Unlike Canada, at least the US gives you an appointment date as soon as you submit the application, LOL.

 

[nae-nae]

hey charlie! ;D

SQ - yes it is nice to know KG has received the med's! it's unfortunate KG isn't consistent with their processes, one never knows what to expect with their application. The med's rec'd is supposed to be the final step. My MP told me the file goes for a final review after the med's are rec'd. I ordered the CAIPS notes and received them after the PPR call. The notes showed the med's were rec'd and a decision was made on Dec 16 and there was a note for them to call for the PP and issue the visa. My husband didn't get the call until Jan 3. I think the Christmas holidays caused a delay or perhaps the final review took awhile....who knows with KG. I hope your husband gets the call sooner than later, the waiting can drive one crazy! You have a lot to do before you can leave JA...I hope it goes smoothly for you

mrs p - I have looked into the US visa thing, you have to apply online and pay the fees and make the interview appt online at the same time. You have to go to the US Embassy in Toronto for the interview and they make their decision quickly. The visa is good for 10 years but as charlie said you do have to show ties to Canada in order for them to approve the application. It is recommended that you wait 1 year before applying so that it doesn't look like he came to Canada just to get into the US. Having children, assets, a full time job for a good period of time, among other things as charlie mentioned are beneficial for approval. Oh...almost forgot....if you are applying for a specific trip, they ask for the itinerary included with the application. Having a reason to enter the US other than "shopping" is also beneficial

you can find more information here

http://toronto.usconsulate.gov/visas/advice-for-visa-applicants.html

info requirements

http://canada.usembassy.gov/visas/visas/categories-and-requirements/tourist-travel.html

info on fees

http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/us_fee_payment_options

 

[canuck0469]

Good morning forum family and good morning nae, wats up, hows the family doing?

 

[Mrslwsn]

Good morning all...That is interesting to know that dual citizenship is still going on, as I too was uder the impression that the laws were changed a few years ago to where you had to pick a citizenship. Most of the Jamaican born ppl like myself who have lived here a while and are citizens travel on our canadian pp and nationality says canadian. I dont think it makes you less of a yardy. I book tickets for a lot of elderly j'cans here in Canada ( a volunteer service I do)..whom fly home for 2-6 months at a time, and all of there passport have canada as citizenship. It no big deal. To me at least

 

[CharlieD10]

The changes to Canadian citizenship laws back in 2009 do not affect PRs becoming Canadian citizens. They affect persons who inherit Canadian citizenship because they were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent. The change in the laws then made it impossible for such a person to pass on their Canadian citizenship to their children by inheritance (meaning the second generation born outside of Canada cannot inherit Canadian citizenship). The purpose of this law was to preserve the value of Canadian citizenship, as it was explained, so that you would not find generation after generation of Canadians who were born outside the country, never set foot in the country, and yet had claim to all the rights and privileges of being Canadian.

This does not affect naturalized Canadians, who would be able to pass on their citizenship to their children if they are born abroad. However, those children, in turn, cannot pass on citizenship to their children if they are born abroad, so the grandchild of a naturalized Canadian citizen must be born in Canada in order to claim citizenship by birth, because they will not get it by inheritance.

 

[SmoothiesQueen]

Mrslwsn...I don't think it makes you less of a yaadie either...but when I mentioned this was a possibility to my husband he about died!! LOL...seriously...you would have thought you told the man the world was ending in five minutes...he was about devestated and said he would prefer to stay a PR if that was the case.

However I want my husband to have the security of citizenship so he holds all the rights of a Canadian. I do understand his hesitation though since we really don't know what our retirement plans will be as thats so very far in the future!

So CharlieD...very very relieved that doesn't apply for spouses!!

I am disappointed about the US visa thing though! I had assumed it would be easy. My moms parents are in the US...and my grandpa doesnt have much time left and I know they would really like to meet my husband. So we had planned to apply right away for that purpose as my grandpa is not well enough to travel. But if you seriously have to fly out to Toronto for the interview...thats a big deal if your gonna get turned down for applying to soon!! Its seriously cheaper to fly all the way to Jamaica most times...than just to Toronto!

Mrs.Proper...I can only imagine whats going through your husbands mind today!! Is this his first time off the island? I imagine it would be exciting and terrifying all in one. He's probably in shock..and looking around at everything even more shocked to know that tonight is his last sleep..and tommorow morning is his last morning waking up with Jamaica as his surroundings! A good friend of mine married a Caribbean girl who is born n raised Canadian...and he couldn't wait to leave...and the last day before he left...his knees were literally shaking. He said he never realized the whole impact of really leaving the island. And I have to say...having lived in Jamaica for years now...I barely remember what living in Canada feels like...and I'm terrifed to leave. Terrified...and already feeling a wierd sense of loss!! So I imagine for our men/ or women it would be fifty times worse!! But he's lucky he's got his wife and kids to be coming to...it will make it so much easier and I imagine it will take a while for homesickness to kick in...and then he's got a good woman and family to see him through it. Wishing him a safe flight tommorow..and the happiest of well deserved reunited homecomings for your family!! Very excited for you!

 

[CharlieD10]

SQ - why don't you have him make the application for the US visa now while he's in Jamaica? It would be easier to show all of his ties here right now, so you may find it easier to get it now than having to wait a year after he gets to Canada. As I said before, it's all online, and while it takes a couple hours of concentrated effort to get it all done, you get an appointment date immediately. That way, he could have the US visa in hand before he leaves Jamaica.

They do ask you, if you have travel plans, to furnish an itinerary, but at the time all I knew was I was going on vacation in the summer and I wanted to visit my relatives, and I put down the month and cities I would be going to if I got the visa, so you don't necessarily need concrete plans, you just need to show where you are going and when you might go.