Mexico

[meeshy]

It sounds like you still have contact with the Mother. Is there any way you can convince her to let your husband (or a third party) take his child to get a medical exam done? If so, it would be in the child's best interest in the long run to do so as it gives your husband to later sponsor him/her later on if they decide it makes sense to do so or circumstances change (e.g., something happens to the Mother). You could explain to the Mother that the child could not immigrate without her permission. The medical exam is just to have the option of eventually being able to do so if she decides it makes sense.

Otherwise, in all likelihood, the declaration involves your husband sign a document saying he wants to exclude his child from being considered a family member and he will thus not be able to sponsor the child.

Oh trust me, we already tried that approach! we wanted to get them done, and we had the appointment and lawyers paid for, and the night before she said, never mind, she would rather we did it without her, and we explained it was better for the daughter but no hope. Anyways we will explain all this and theres nothing more we can do I guess.

 

[canadiangirl78]

Belated happy anniversary How time flies!

TD Bank considers your US credit history (if you print it out and submit it) if you don't have a Canadian credit history. Did your husband have a US-based card? If so, perhaps they will accept a letter from his credit card issuer. You probably don't want to cancel your card and start over (since how long you've had a card matters so be careful with planning to cancel his too) but otherwise you may be able to get a TD (or other bank that considers US history) credit card for yourself to both speed up your own credit history and reduce RBC's $1000 (or use some/all of the funds for your husband).

Another approach would be to look for new immigrant programs for your husband. Some banks (e.g., Scotiabank) have/had programs for new immigrants that allow them to open accouts and credit cards with benefits (e.g., no fees for first year). http://www.scotiabank.com/cda/content/0,1608,CID12961_LIDen,00.html#moneybackVISA

RBC ran his US credit and unfortunately he had a major problem with Verizon Wireless and refused to pay and they sent it to collections. I am so not like but we weren't married yet. So they said they couldn't give him a secured card. Probably will be the same at TD Bank. We won't cancel our credit cards - mine should go to unsecured but I have to fight them on the 18 months when it should have been 12 which ends in May.

I got a Capital One credit card for Sergio, secured, and I think the max they ask for is $300. So we are waiting to get it in the mail. It has an annual fee which I would never agree to normally but I think we can negotiate it away, I have done that with mileage point credit cards. Thanks for the advice!

 

[mc1234]

Just read this news article about another immigration fraud at work, it makes me so sad.

Incase anyone is interested:

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/1577414--marriage-to-cuban-leaves-woman-heartbroken

 

[Dazz13]

thanks canadiangirl78. I realize that "In Process" can mean anything happening during normal application assessment at the VO, so I think I'm still in for a long ride, still being early on in the process. There's this <a href="http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t40534.0.html"><b>thread</b></a> that discusses the subject in some detail.

Oh well, carry on we will.

hey Farfelu,

our online account showed "in process" on January 15th....I'm the same as you...wondering when the heck I'm gonna hear something. some days I go to the site and check it 3 times...hoping that there is a new message and hoping that the fact I didnt get an email update may mean nothing...other days I think...if something changes I will be notified by email first and then I will check the site...I just hope we are close!!!

 

[paquita]

Hi Could someone email me personal who has experience somewhat close to what I am experiencing.

My Mexican Fiance has overstayed his visa, and claimed Refugee a couple years ago, it was denied. We have a 3month old baby, and we are both in process to get our divorces,then hoping to be married and then start our paperworkd. I am canadian, have a great job etc....
My Mexican fiance doesn't want to leave me alone with our baby (obviously) as I dont want him to return to mexico as we are his family. But we dont know how this will look on paperwork.

Anyone can give me tips or help or advice on this situation?

thank you.

 

[Farfelu]

hey Farfelu,

our online account showed "in process" on January 15th....I'm the same as you...wondering when the heck I'm gonna hear something. some days I go to the site and check it 3 times...hoping that there is a new message and hoping that the fact I didnt get an email update may mean nothing...other days I think...if something changes I will be notified by email first and then I will check the site...I just hope we are close!!!

I sure hope so, Dazz. Our file went "In Process" on January 17 and to this day we haven't received any other news. Following another thread i'm hoping that in two-months time we'll receive some news, don't ask me how I know that, it's just a hunch. So we'll continue patiently waiting...

 

[bttmntl]

Just read this news article about another immigration fraud at work, it makes me so sad.

Incase anyone is interested:

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/1577414--marriage-to-cuban-leaves-woman-heartbroken

It is sad. I wonder if her intuition told her something was wrong and she ignored it? It sounds like she was really lonely and had a weak heart... otherwise why would she have invested so much in someone she met on a vacation?

I have mixed feelings of sympathy and frustration... thinking it could be easier to get my legitimate life partner into the country if there weren't so many cases of fraud. People need to have open hearts and be trusting in relationships but if there is a voice inside saying something is wrong, they should listen to it too.

 

[Chuladaa]

It is sad. I wonder if her intuition told her something was wrong and she ignored it? It sounds like she was really lonely and had a weak heart... otherwise why would she have invested so much in someone she met on a vacation?

I have mixed feelings of sympathy and frustration... thinking it could be easier to get my legitimate life partner into the country if there weren't so many cases of fraud. People need to have open hearts and be trusting in relationships but if there is a voice inside saying something is wrong, they should listen to it too.

Something like this could happen to anyone though..... I'm not sure wht you mean by "It sounds like she was really lonely and had a weak heart... otherwise why would she have invested so much in someone she met on a vacation?" ......... many of us here met our significant others on vacation.... no one goes into something like this thinking they are about to be involved in a fraud obviously she thought she had a legitimte life partner just like everyone does.. its just a sad story she shouldnt be judged.. or how anyone meets the person they love shouldnt be judged..

 

[bttmntl]

Something like this could happen to anyone though..... I'm not sure wht you mean by "It sounds like she was really lonely and had a weak heart... otherwise why would she have invested so much in someone she met on a vacation?" ......... many of us here met our significant others on vacation.... no one goes into something like this thinking they are about to be involved in a fraud obviously she thought she had a legitimte life partner just like everyone does.. its just a sad story she shouldnt be judged.. or how anyone meets the person they love shouldnt be judged..

You're right, she shouldn't be judged. I'm certainly not in a position to judge her. But I think she would want us all to stop and reflect on this and avoid what she went through.

Sponsors need to reflect a bit more on what they are signing up for. If you're right, you live happily ever after. If you're wrong, you may spend the next decade in debt with a broken heart.

Again, mixed feelings.. not trying to say I have it all figured out. But I believe sponsors need to listen to their heart - the whole thing - not just the voice that says "do it!" but also the voice that says "this doesn't feel right.."

If you are extra lonely, the voice that says "do it!" is going to be more powerful. Being lonely doesn't mean you are going to make the wrong decision but it puts you in a more vulnerable position. I know from experience, when I was younger, that it was easy to tolerate the "wrong" people in my life - friends and family - because I felt like there were no alternatives. I'm really lucky to have 100% certainty about sponsoring my spouse, but I did think about it very carefully and didn't let my heart make the decision on its own.

 

[Chuladaa]

You're right, she shouldn't be judged. I'm certainly not in a position to judge her. But I think she would want us all to stop and reflect on this and avoid what she went through.

Sponsors need to reflect a bit more on what they are signing up for. If you're right, you live happily ever after. If you're wrong, you may spend the next decade in debt with a broken heart.

Again, mixed feelings.. not trying to say I have it all figured out. But I believe sponsors need to listen to their heart - the whole thing - not just the voice that says "do it!" but also the voice that says "this doesn't feel right.."

If you are extra lonely, the voice that says "do it!" is going to be more powerful. Being lonely doesn't mean you are going to make the wrong decision but it puts you in a more vulnerable position. I know from experience, when I was younger, that it was easy to tolerate the "wrong" people in my life - friends and family - because I felt like there were no alternatives. I'm really lucky to have 100% certainty about sponsoring my spouse, but I did think about it very carefully and didn't let my heart make the decision on its own.

Well there’s no guarantees in life.. I just wanted to point out that many people meet on vacation and there’s nothing wrong with that and doesn’t mean they have a weak heart or that they are lonely.. destiny is destiny….
Thanks for clarifying your point

 

[pacostanley]

about how much money does it take to pay for applications, papers and lawyers, Of course Im gonna apply but need to know how much money I need

 

[bttmntl]

about how much money does it take to pay for applications, papers and lawyers, Of course Im gonna apply but need to know how much money I need

Lawyers can cost a LOT. Mine charged more than $3000 for the initial retainer and I'm pretty sure it would have cost another $1000-$2000 to finish things at the rate we were going. I ended up cancelling them because there was a lot of information on this forum and Citizenship and Immigration's website. It's not just money though... the lawyer approach takes a lot longer too. Time was the biggest factor in our decision to take over the project. If you decide not to go with a lawyer, be prepared to research the hell out of this before applying or you could make mistakes that will make it take significantly longer.

Other costs... this is not meant to give you a solid total, but things to think about:

Application... $1100ish

Medical exam... about $300.

Courier services for the following: 1.) sending your application package to the case processing centre in Canada. 2.) Prepaid waybill so the Embassy can send you a letter requesting one of the police checks (you can't get the certificate without this letter), 3.) Sending your passport to and from the Embassy (I believe you can go in person for this step but that would involve travel cost.)

Translations... Some documents must be translated AND notarized by a lawyer. Any document not in English or French needs to be translated. Look at the sponsor and sponsored spouse's checklists in the application package to get an idea of what this includes. $ varies.

Police checks... Not expensive... less than $50 I believe.

Travel to Mexico City: 1.) For the medical exam. 2.) To apply for the SSP and PGR police certificates. 3.) To pick up the PGR certificate after 10 or so days. 3.) Potentially for an interview if the Embassy decides they want it.

Photos for various parts... $10-$20

Anyone else have comments about the financial scale of this?

 

[Chuladaa]

about how much money does it take to pay for applications, papers and lawyers, Of course Im gonna apply but need to know how much money I need

I think bttmntl hit it bang on.. I had an immigration consultant and would highly recommended you don’t get one.. you will save yourself thousands and no one will work harder on your case than yourself
Depending on your case and where you live I would say maybe 2k-3k if you do it yourself.. depends if you need rcmp..arc.. and depending where you/your significant other is and if you will need to send a lot of couriers out or travel to mexico city it all really adds up

 

[mrscruz]

I am sponsoring my husband via outland. We received sponsorship approval on December 11,2012 and advised our file would e transferred to the embassy. Since then we have not recieved any new information nor have we been contacted by the embassy. I was just reading a few posts and saw that it seems everyone is sending a prepaid envelope to the embassy for the PGR. I did not send an envelope. Is it to late to send one? I am panicking that it is to late and we will have to rely on regular Mexican mail. What should we do? Thank you to anyone who can help.

 

[bttmntl]

I am sponsoring my husband via outland. We received sponsorship approval on December 11,2012 and advised our file would e transferred to the embassy. Since then we have not recieved any new information nor have we been contacted by the embassy. I was just reading a few posts and saw that it seems everyone is sending a prepaid envelope to the embassy for the PGR. I did not send an envelope. Is it to late to send one? I am panicking that it is to late and we will have to rely on regular Mexican mail. What should we do? Thank you to anyone who can help.

I believe the Embassy sends an email to acknowledge receipt and let you know they're sending a letter to request one of the police checks (PGR: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/north-america/mexico.asp)

Maybe someone else can comment but I would still send the prepaid shipping label. Make sure you specify that it's for the PGR police check request letter. I believe I read somewhee on here that if they sent it through regular mail they will send it again using your shipping label.

BTW... we received sponsor approval around Jan. 22. I'll let you know when something happens.