I have one of those complicated applications but it seem to be stuck. In 2007 I meet someone in Canada (I am an American citizen). I would travel back and forth to be with my "partner". I would stay few months at a time when visiting. We been doing this for about 2 years. We then hired a lawyer (2009) to help us with sponsorship application to help me move to Canada, I did mention to the lawyer I had a issue with local law agency many many (1987) years ago before I left. I was suppose to meet with the lawyer with all the paperwork the following Monday after I return from the USA. During this time we had no idea that such old history would cause a major issue.
At the border I was stopped and asked where I lived in March 2009. I said USA and Canada and I was going to see my partner. That statement caused the border agent to send me inside. I was brought into the office at Niagara falls and in a room and ran a check on me. Of course that issue came up, and I showed them the paperwork and that I was going to give to the lawyer the next day. I sat there for while as they looked for a comparable law in Canada to use on me. Well they found one that was created many years after I was released and it was an indictable offense (like most USA laws are). I was told to be "written up" and given a "return to the USA" paperwork. I ended up appealing this decision with my lawyer a few weeks later since I would not have any record if I was in Canada at the time of my conviction due to no related law.
The end result: My return "order to USA" was changed into a deportation order and was told I have to apply for rehab from the Judge. I did apply for the rehab and it was granted. I had to apply for ARC application for unlimited visits and to see my partner (this was granted in 3 months after my rehab approval on November 2010).
So we where Married in Canada in January in 2011. We applied for sponsorship in March of 2011. Our application was opened in November in Buffalo in 2011. I was given a new request requiring me to fill out a new ARC application for permanent residency, and this was needed by the end of February 2012. This application was send in before February deadline.
Sadly Buffalo consulate ended up closing and transferred our application to Ottawa before anything happend. From there it nothing happened again until November of 2012 when Ottawa transferred application to Los Angeles. Now its been sitting in Los Angeles (even though I live on the east cost) since November 2012. So far with no movement on either the ARC application or Permanent resident/sponsorship application. We are starting to wonder if CIC is deliberately delaying this application since we see so many other people being granted within a reasonable time on their applications (even though ours is a little complicated)
CIC call center is a waste of time since they know nothing and LA just wrote us back a few months ago "We are processing your application". LA does not seem to want to give any answers to the status of our application. Any suggestions? Why might they be dragging this out besides the obvious closing of other consulates?
) But it will show you notes they made, and again, have them actually look at your file and realize "Holy crap they have been waiting two years!"
