Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[jarry96]

lol ...and on the flip-side....filipinos finally appreciate their skin tone when they move to Canada where they get so many compliments on their "tan" along with regular envious "check-outs" when at the beach.

 

[chuchuy0904]

Just checked my application to sponsor my parents and siblings. It says medical received and decision has been made... I'm still scared and dying to find out if its approved. Any ideas?

 

[Steph C]

lol ...and on the flip-side....filipinos finally appreciate their skin tone when they move to Canada where they get so many compliments on their "tan" along with regular envious "check-outs" when at the beach.

When I first heard a Filipino male friend criticize a lady for being 'dark' I was totally shocked! I couldn't even see the difference in skin tone. I never perceived shades of brown as they do. The range in skin tone is amazing too - my partner can go from a chinese white to quite brown, depending on if he's working inside or outside that week! If he's getting a bit dark he feels ashamed of himself.. I even caught him with whitening scrub .. at least I hope it was his! lol. Personally I think the browner shade is a bit cuter :
Yes, it's so great to see them finally being proud of their nice skin tone! Everybody deserves to be proud in their skin.

 

[Steph C]

Just checked my application to sponsor my parents and siblings. It says medical received and decision has been made... I'm still scared and dying to find out if its approved. Any ideas?

Do you check it every day? I'm not so sure of parental applications, but on spousal usually about 3 days after DM you will get a visa.

 

[jarry96]

Just checked my application to sponsor my parents and siblings. It says medical received and decision has been made... I'm still scared and dying to find out if its approved. Any ideas?

I find this interactive spreadsheet created by Steph C enormously helpful to monitor progress: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhYSbv3Vc0IzdFBrMlJtemcyNW96ZFpkamh6dnBvT0E#gid=0

 

[BCgirl2012]

I want to know how the Ankara VO is processing applications in 6 months to 7 months when the processing time says 16 months.

Hi,

Our visa office is Ankara, and I would like to know the same thing, actually. What has happened was Ankara had the processing time of 5 months, then 6, then 15, then 16 in the last update. Around March 2012, they transferred all files for Iranian applicants when Damascus was shut down, due to the situation in Syria. Then they increased the processing times.

What happened after that was interesting. Most of the current forum members who are going through Ankara are Iranians. There are 3-4 one of us whose spouses/partners are not from Iran. We were all put on hold till January .I ordered our GCMS notes, and also I inquired once in Damascus if they actually have our file after I saw pretty much all Iranian forum members who applied way after us went "In Process" on eCAS, and then they started receiving their visas.

So yes, absolutely, I also want to know the same. Also, I want to know why they didn't look at our file (and a few other people's) while they were processing the apps after us.

Sorry, didn't mean rant Just wanted to give you an idea that not everybody is having an easy ride with that VO. I especially feel bad for the transferred people. While they are processing the newer Iranian applicants, quite a few of the ones who were transferred from Damascus are still waiting for their turn.

Hope you guys receive the PPRs soon!

Best wishes.

 

[Steph C]

I find this interactive spreadsheet created by Steph C enormously helpful to monitor progress: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhYSbv3Vc0IzdFBrMlJtemcyNW96ZFpkamh6dnBvT0E#gid=0

Oh noes.. that's not mine! Plus, somebody kept deleting me from that one for the longest time! I follow Scos's nice spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtCLbbZupkY_dHJRT2R1alhXS2xaUzFTcHZsTUhVbHc#gid=0

 

[Steph C]

Hi,

Our visa office is Ankara, and I would like to know the same thing, actually. What has happened was Ankara had the processing time of 5 months, then 6, then 15, then 16 in the last update. Around March 2012, they transferred all files for Iranian applicants when Damascus was shut down, due to the situation in Syria. Then they increased the processing times.

What happened after that was interesting. Most of the current forum members who are going through Ankara are Iranians. There are 3-4 one of us whose spouses/partners are not from Iran. We were all put on hold till January (I ordered our GCMS notes, and also I inquired once in Damascus if they actually have our file after I saw pretty much all Iranian forum members who applied way after us went "In Process" on eCAS, and then they started receiving their visas.

So yes, absolutely, I also want to know the same. Also, I want to know why they didn't look at our file (and a few other people's) while they were processing the apps after us.

Sorry, didn't mean rant Just wanted to give you an idea that not everybody is having an easy ride with that VO. I especially feel back for the transferred people. While they are processing the newer Iranian applicants, quite a few of the ones who were transferred from Damascus are still waiting for their turn.

Hope you guys receive the PPRs soon!

Best wishes.

Ugh, what a mess! We all complain about our visa offices, but at this point I would rather have Manila then a place like Buffalo, seeing what happened to those individuals. Singapore sounds like its own special version of hell also.

 

[jarry96]

Oh noes.. that's not mine! Plus, somebody kept deleting me from that one for the longest time! I follow Scos's nice spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtCLbbZupkY_dHJRT2R1alhXS2xaUzFTcHZsTUhVbHc#gid=0

Oh! I always figured you created it! I wonder who created it?

I just checked out the link to Sco's spreadsheet. It is better in that it also has the old files from 2011...plus it keeps on going each month for new people. I wonder if anyone keeps the two in sync because I believe some applicants have their data entered but don't update.

 

[Steph C]

Oh! I always figured you created it! I wonder who created it?

I just checked out the link to Sco's spreadsheet. It is better in that it also has the old files from 2011...plus it keeps on going each month for new people. I wonder if anyone keeps the two in sync because I believe some applicants have their data entered but don't update.

Scos monitors the Tagalog thread.. maybe he can understand it - and I think users can update their own info as well. I think most people have jumped ship and are following his spreadsheet now, judging by some of the comments on the other thread.

 

[scos]

I check various threads and the monthly sheets to update it and fix any errors I find. People can update their info as well. So the sheet reflects pretty much what info is out there. The only tricky part lately is I think many have gone to Facebook and talk in there. I'm not a big Facebook fan so I miss any stuff from there that isn't reported here as well.

 

[Steph C]

I check various threads and the monthly sheets to update it and fix any errors I find. People can update their info as well. So the sheet reflects pretty much what info is out there. The only tricky part lately is I think many have gone to Facebook and talk in there. I'm not a big Facebook fan so I miss any stuff from there that isn't reported here as well.

I was in the FB group for awhile. But they were all speaking Tagalog and I got so frustrated, I couldn't understand a thing. So I left the group. I guess the thing about that is your real identity is out there. Well, same as the spreadsheet if you're signed in with google. Oh well, they could probably find us anyways : Maybe the group will have me back ;D

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

The Philippines has a lot of people! I see that as a problem... the Philippine's problem. That's not Japan's problem! I would hate to see Canada's population more then double. Of course there's more then enough room, but people like to live in major cities. In the Philippines it seems like they're running out of room to fit all those people. The farther we travel into the country, we still see thousands of people everywhere. It's a really claustrophobic feeling for somebody who's not used to it. You guys don't seem to mind it.. you seem to find comfort being among so many people. I just find it completely overwhelming and draining.

Here is the problem. Our population needs to grow but in order to do that successfully there has to be jobs available that pay middle class wages. With the application of modern technology requiring fewer people to do as much if not more work the growth in the job market is mostly low income. A low income job means you can't buy a house and cannot have more than one kid. This polarizes access to wealth and with that greater overall prosperity.

 

[gortandmugs]

Well,,,they really moving fast at the CEM... 6 PPR for the month of Feb so far...the average seems now to have moved up from 160 days to 180 for PPR from SA... I,m still hoping for mid April for our PPR ... that would put us at 185 days... our 1 yr ann is May 7/13 ... don,t look like she will be here by that time....thats 202 days with no PPR...so off to Manila again... can,t even ask about our application while I,m at my own Canadian Embassy... THATS OUR EMBASSY being Canadian and can,t go inside and inquire about your own file... or even see if its even there....sure glad I paid all the fees in advance... does it move any faster... I don,t think so....

 

[Steph C]

Here is the problem. Our population needs to grow but in order to do that successfully there has to be jobs available that pay middle class wages. With the application of modern technology requiring fewer people to do as much if not more work the growth in the job market is mostly low income. A low income job means you can't buy a house and cannot have more than one kid. This polarizes access to wealth and with that greater overall prosperity.

Right.. of course to sustain the pyramid we have built we constantly need people at the bottom.. otherwise the system would crumble. That's the basics they taught us in highschool ??? .. i remember now :