Need help: questions in forms and documents for spousal sponsorship

[cassandra10]

Hi,

My husband and I decided not to pursue his TRV application though I will give birth this October, we will just apply for spousal sponsorship instead. I have concerns regarding the forms and documents needed for this application, I need your expert advise regarding this matter:

1. IMM1344. Part 1 Application to Sponsor and Undertaking -
Q1. If you found ineligible to sponsor, indicate whether you want to: I selected "Withdraw your sponsorship application. All processing fees less $75 will be refunded." Am I correct?

2. Since I'm on mat leave now, am I eligible to sponsor my husband? This is my main problem, because I heard that to be a sponsor you have to have a work to support your sponsored person.

3. IMM5533. Document Checklist for Spouse. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q3. Do you (the sponsor) and the person you are sponsoring have (a) child(ren) together who may have a claim to Canadian citizenship? - Should I leave this blank? because our twins is not been born yet.

4. IMM5533. Document checklist. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q5. Employment/Source of Support - I am on maternity leave right now, can I submit my Record of Employment for maternity leave instead of Employment letter?

5. IMM5533. Document checklist. Q7. Proof of Relationship to Sponsor
Our proof of contact such as text messages and emails are in our native language, should we translate this in English?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Zuky]

Hi,

My husband and I decided not to pursue his TRV application though I will give birth this October, we will just apply for spousal sponsorship instead. I have concerns regarding the forms and documents needed for this application, I need your expert advise regarding this matter:

1. IMM1344. Part 1 Application to Sponsor and Undertaking -
Q1. If you found ineligible to sponsor, indicate whether you want to: I selected "Withdraw your sponsorship application. All processing fees less $75 will be refunded." Am I correct?

2. Since I'm on mat leave now, am I eligible to sponsor my husband? This is my main problem, because I heard that to be a sponsor you have to have a work to support your sponsored person.

3. IMM5533. Document Checklist for Spouse. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q3. Do you (the sponsor) and the person you are sponsoring have (a) child(ren) together who may have a claim to Canadian citizenship? - Should I leave this blank? because our twins is not been born yet.

4. IMM5533. Document checklist. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q5. Employment/Source of Support - I am on maternity leave right now, can I submit my Record of Employment for maternity leave instead of Employment letter?

5. IMM5533. Document checklist. Q7. Proof of Relationship to Sponsor
Our proof of contact such as text messages and emails are in our native language, should we translate this in English?

Thanks in advance.

I can't speak to everything, but I figured I'd at least answer what I do know.

1. That's what I selected and I'm assuming it's the most common selection.

2. This I don't know 100%, but I do know that there is no financial/income requirement for spousal sponsorship. The only requirement is that you're not on welfare. Maternity leave is not something I've ever seen mentioned, but someone else can probably give a more definite answer.

3. This I flat out have no idea on. Me and my wife have no dependents and she is not pregnant.

4. When I submitted my application I was a student and working part time at Cineplex. I didn't submit a letter from my employer because CIC asked for the letter to include salary, hours of work per week, etc, all of which I couldn't provide as a part time student. If being on maternity leave does not affect your ability to be a sponsor (in the way that being on welfare does - again, I don't think it does but I'm not actually sure), then yeah, submit that. Basically, submit anything you have, up to and including a letter you write yourself, that shows that you can/will be able to provide for your spouse.

5. Ours were also in our native language, and I did not translate them. My wife types in Russian using the Russian keyboard, but I reply in Russian but with the English keyboard, so translation would have been tough. I basically tried to use screenshots of the few times we did talk in English, and I also included some where there were heart/happy face emojis, since that is universally understood. I have also read elsewhere on these forums that translation is not necessary. However, I'm saying all this with the caveat that I'm not 100% sure. I also felt as though our relationship was pretty solid (no red flags, same age, same language, lots of good pictures, many trips back and forth, etc.), so I wasn't relying on our messages as much as someone in a different situation might. If you feel as though the content of the messages adds a lot to your case, though, then translate them!

I'll also add as a general note that you can write up a letter explaining anything you feel isn't well enough documented/explained in the forms. Like I mentioned, instead of a letter from an employer, I wrote my own letter saying that I was a student with x grades and good work experience, so while I don't currently have a steady job, I am confident that I'll be able to find one when I need it. If you feel as though you can't quite get something across in the forms, feel free to add a letter of explanation! Obviously you can't substitute a major form with a letter, and you probably shouldn't write 50 of them, but I just wanted to mention that you're not 100% bound by the questions the forms ask you in what you can convey to CIC.

My last point is that if it's possible, you can try contacting your local MLA's office for help. Mine had a person that was assigned to helping people with immigration issues. She was not an immigration lawyer by any means, but she had seen enough cases to know what can/can't be done and to give general guidance.

Hopefully I was able to offer a bit of insight and please keep in mind that I don't know what's best for you to do in your situation. Our applications are all different, but I wanted to at least let you know what has worked so far for me!

For what it's worth, I've been accepted as a sponsor, and our file is being worked on at the visa office overseas.

Good luck!

 

[cassandra10]

I can't speak to everything, but I figured I'd at least answer what I do know.

1. That's what I selected and I'm assuming it's the most common selection.

2. This I don't know 100%, but I do know that there is no financial/income requirement for spousal sponsorship. The only requirement is that you're not on welfare. Maternity leave is not something I've ever seen mentioned, but someone else can probably give a more definite answer.

3. This I flat out have no idea on. Me and my wife have no dependents and she is not pregnant.

4. When I submitted my application I was a student and working part time at Cineplex. I didn't submit a letter from my employer because CIC asked for the letter to include salary, hours of work per week, etc, all of which I couldn't provide as a part time student. If being on maternity leave does not affect your ability to be a sponsor (in the way that being on welfare does - again, I don't think it does but I'm not actually sure), then yeah, submit that. Basically, submit anything you have, up to and including a letter you write yourself, that shows that you can/will be able to provide for your spouse.

5. Ours were also in our native language, and I did not translate them. My wife types in Russian using the Russian keyboard, but I reply in Russian but with the English keyboard, so translation would have been tough. I basically tried to use screenshots of the few times we did talk in English, and I also included some where there were heart/happy face emojis, since that is universally understood. I have also read elsewhere on these forums that translation is not necessary. However, I'm saying all this with the caveat that I'm not 100% sure. I also felt as though our relationship was pretty solid (no red flags, same age, same language, lots of good pictures, many trips back and forth, etc.), so I wasn't relying on our messages as much as someone in a different situation might. If you feel as though the content of the messages adds a lot to your case, though, then translate them!

I'll also add as a general note that you can write up a letter explaining anything you feel isn't well enough documented/explained in the forms. Like I mentioned, instead of a letter from an employer, I wrote my own letter saying that I was a student with x grades and good work experience, so while I don't currently have a steady job, I am confident that I'll be able to find one when I need it. If you feel as though you can't quite get something across in the forms, feel free to add a letter of explanation! Obviously you can't substitute a major form with a letter, and you probably shouldn't write 50 of them, but I just wanted to mention that you're not 100% bound by the questions the forms ask you in what you can convey to CIC.

My last point is that if it's possible, you can try contacting your local MLA's office for help. Mine had a person that was assigned to helping people with immigration issues. She was not an immigration lawyer by any means, but she had seen enough cases to know what can/can't be done and to give general guidance.

Hopefully I was able to offer a bit of insight and please keep in mind that I don't know what's best for you to do in your situation. Our applications are all different, but I wanted to at least let you know what has worked so far for me!

For what it's worth, I've been accepted as a sponsor, and our file is being worked on at the visa office overseas.

Good luck!

Thank you so much Zuky, I really appreciate your reply and insights. By the way, I am currently working on those supporting letters for our application.. I hope will be approved as a sponsor.. I can also add that I was able to finish my school here and will able to find a suitable job.

And also the severance pay of my husband in our home country will help us a good start here, I will include this in our financial plan letter.

And lastly, I will ask a letter from my sister regarding accomodation since I am still living with my sister.

I do hope that everything will be okay. Thanks again Zuky.

 

[Zuky]

Thank you so much Zuky, I really appreciate your reply and insights. By the way, I am currently working on those supporting letters for our application.. I hope will be approved as a sponsor.. I can also add that I was able to finish my school here and will able to find a suitable job.

And also the severance pay of my husband in our home country will help us a good start here, I will include this in our financial plan letter.

And lastly, I will ask a letter from my sister regarding accomodation since I am still living with my sister.

I do hope that everything will be okay. Thanks again Zuky.

You're welcome

You may also benefit from at least an initial consultation with an immigration consultant/lawyer, even if all you do is ask these same questions. I don't know what your financial situation is, but if a few hundred dollars is worth the peace of mind you'd get speaking to a specialist, it may be worth it. You could also just wait a bit and see if anyone who knows more than I do posts anything here!

 

[cassandra10]

You're welcome

You may also benefit from at least an initial consultation with an immigration consultant/lawyer, even if all you do is ask these same questions. I don't know what your financial situation is, but if a few hundred dollars is worth the peace of mind you'd get speaking to a specialist, it may be worth it. You could also just wait a bit and see if anyone who knows more than I do posts anything here!

Thanks again for your help Zuky
Actually there's an office here near in our area regarding immigration that we can ask with no fee. I'll reach out to them this week..

 

[Zuky]

Thanks again for your help Zuky
Actually there's an office here near in our area regarding immigration that we can ask with no fee. I'll reach out to them this week..

That's a great idea, and you're very welcome!

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

On translations..it does say that anything not in English or French needs to be translated.

 

[kingfintan]

Hi,

My husband and I decided not to pursue his TRV application though I will give birth this October, we will just apply for spousal sponsorship instead. I have concerns regarding the forms and documents needed for this application, I need your expert advise regarding this matter:

1. IMM1344. Part 1 Application to Sponsor and Undertaking -
Q1. If you found ineligible to sponsor, indicate whether you want to: I selected "Withdraw your sponsorship application. All processing fees less $75 will be refunded." Am I correct?

2. Since I'm on mat leave now, am I eligible to sponsor my husband? This is my main problem, because I heard that to be a sponsor you have to have a work to support your sponsored person.

3. IMM5533. Document Checklist for Spouse. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q3. Do you (the sponsor) and the person you are sponsoring have (a) child(ren) together who may have a claim to Canadian citizenship? - Should I leave this blank? because our twins is not been born yet.

4. IMM5533. Document checklist. Supporting Documents for Sponsor
Q5. Employment/Source of Support - I am on maternity leave right now, can I submit my Record of Employment for maternity leave instead of Employment letter?

5. IMM5533. Document checklist. Q7. Proof of Relationship to Sponsor
Our proof of contact such as text messages and emails are in our native language, should we translate this in English?

Thanks in advance.

Hi, please I would like to know if you were approved as a sponsor when you were on mat leave?