Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[Luckyman]

How about we all do it together?
Power in numbers......I'm in for that!

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

How about we all do it together?
Power in numbers......I'm in for that!

We do it in force by acting on our own unfortunately. If we create our own policy for what is acceptable and then burden our MP's and the Minister's office to show them just how broken their system is they will have to take measures to change it. I would like to form a lobby that acts on the behalf of Immigration applicants. Especially Canadian citizens who have married foreign nationals.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/adam-kingsmith/canada-freedom-of-press_b_2946418.html

Good article.

 

[Luckyman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/adam-kingsmith/canada-freedom-of-press_b_2946418.html

Good article.

+1

 

[scos]

Oh yes the old carbon copy the boss routine - that always gets results! Hey Jeep Guy, maybe if I email we can get some justice too After all we did apply before you

In that case how about...

cc: Stephen Harper

 

[scos]

It is not the job of CIC to turn me over and shake loose every penny it can get. That's Revenue Canada's job.

Love that one, hehe

 

[scos]

I think I better start listing dates for every correspondence as this may take a while. So far I have been juggling the dates in my cranium. I still think communicating with the MP without the "CC: Minister" is probably better initially (give them a chance to resolve it as a courtesy). Then add the minister if the initial response is not yielding good results. At least that's the way I am going.

The person I spoke with at the MP's office tried telling me the reason I didn't get a re-med request is because they will process everything else first, and leave that to the last step. But we can see from the spreadsheet and people's stories here that this is obviously false.

My application sat unopened all through stage 1. When my time went over and I called them and they said they never received my app. When I quoted Canada Post's receipt they "looked for it" and magically it appeared (but unopened and no info in the system). A week later I had my SA.

So I told them this at the MP's office and said that I believe my app is now sitting unopened in Manila. The meds are over 600 days old, if that app were opened the first thing they would do is order a re-med. The only other possible thing required would be the AOM. That's when she told me that bit about medicals and how busy that office is...

I sure hope something starts happening with it soon. I promised my wife when we submitted it that we would spend her birthday together at the end of July (it will be our first one). It will also mark almost the one year mark on our application (which based on the posted times was more than enough time to be done).

 

[Steph C]

I just phoned my MP's office in hopes that an inquiry from them will be the final prod that CEM needs to release his visa. They were super reluctant to do anything on my behalf until after the application was in Manila for 12 months.. that would be October 2013. I had to really insist that they inquire anyways and say that I had friends applying after me whose MP's were able to inquire on their behalf. They said it must have been for a different visa office and I said no, it's all Manila. Anyways, I insisted, and they finally listened.. I'm just hoping that when they are able to call, the visa office will say oh here's the medical exams, and make them pay special attention to our file for just a second to finalize whatever they're doing.

I guess the deal is that the MP can always inquire, but they are not entitled a response until it's after the posted processing times have expired.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

I just phoned my MP's office in hopes that an inquiry from them will be the final prod that CEM needs to release his visa. They were super reluctant to do anything on my behalf until after the application was in Manila for 12 months.. that would be October 2013. I had to really insist that they inquire anyways and say that I had friends applying after me whose MP's were able to inquire on their behalf. They said it must have been for a different visa office and I said no, it's all Manila. Anyways, I insisted, and they finally listened.. I'm just hoping that when they are able to call, the visa office will say oh here's the medical exams, and make them pay special attention to our file for just a second to finalize whatever they're doing.

I guess the deal is that the MP can always inquire, but they are not entitled a response until it's after the posted processing times have expired.

Everyone has to work within their comfort zone. Mine is broader than most. My focus is on results not who's feeling may get hurt. There is nothing wrong with escalating your efforts as Scos has suggested.

I think you did the right thing. Tell them that your application has exceeded two previous processing times already. Just because they move the bar changes nothing for you unless it affects all those applicants that came after you.
MP's can make inquiries whenever they want. They would rather not until the processing time has been exceeded because that would indicate a problem.

I try to leave a quip here and there. Its strategic. You can be as unreasonable as you like so long as leave them with a laugh. Its shows that you are not without a sense of humour and people will remember you a little more favourably.

 

[Steph C]

So guys, he's getting ready for the CFO seminar today.. he is cool as a cucumber, while I am a bundle of nerves!
I really hope he gets it.. otherwise we can just try again in Manila.

Jerry, how was your CFO seminar?

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

So guys, he's getting ready for the CFO seminar today.. he is cool as a cucumber, while I am a bundle of nerves!
I really hope he gets it.. otherwise we can just try again in Manila.

Jerry, how was your CFO seminar?

Can you fail it?

 

[Steph C]

Everyone has to work within their comfort zone. Mine is broader than most. My focus is on results not who's feeling may get hurt. There is nothing wrong with escalating your efforts as Scos has suggested.

I think you did the right thing. Tell them that your application has exceeded two previous processing times already. Just because they move the bar changes nothing for you unless it affects all those applicants that came after you.
MP's can make inquiries whenever they want. They would rather not until the processing time has been exceeded because that would indicate a problem.

I try to leave a quip here and there. Its strategic. You can be as unreasonable as you like so long as leave them with a laugh. Its shows that you are not without a sense of humour and people will remember you a little more favourably.

My strategy is completely different from yours.. you will strong arm them a bit, then joke. This is what works for me extremely well: (and this is why when people phone me for prices just shopping around they always end up booking with me) I act nice and a bit daffy just to disarm them. Let the conversation wind around for a few minutes. When I move in for the kill, they don't know what hit them. I call it killing them with honey.. it's always worked great for me.

 

[Steph C]

Can you fail it?

Yes, apparently you can. One lady on this forum just did hers in Cebu and they were super strict about her previous divorce. She had to actually go back there with a signed consent form from her ex husband. If we were asked for that, there's no way we could procure it.

 

[Luckyman]

My wife said 3 women that were attending with her didn't get a certificate.

I was under the impression you couldn't fail it either.... What a farce!

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Yes, apparently you can. One lady on this forum just did hers in Cebu and they were super strict about her previous divorce. She had to actually go back there with a signed consent form from her ex husband. If we were asked for that, there's no way we could procure it.

My wife did hers no problems in Manila. She thought it was funny.