Non-biological Daughter and multiple birth-certificates!?

[ufa]

I'm sponsoring my husband from Samoa. He has three children from a previous relationship and we are really hoping to get their medicals done so that if they ever want to, or need to come live with us, they can.

The issue is, one of his daughter's is not his biological daughter, but he was listed on the birth certificate as the father. I don't think she is the biological daughter of his ex either, but she's the one with custody, but she has been living with my husbands extended family. This is just the way things are done there - my husband himself was brought up by various extensions of the family.

I've been argueing with a friend who immigrated from Africa who claims that blood-tests are done to verify parenthood. But i can't imagine this being the case - is it? Will that make the lack of no adoption papers an issue?

Also - i recently found out that my husband has mutliple birth-certificates - a result of being 'passed-around' as a kid, and the families trying to show that he was trully a member of the family. So each one has either a different name (first AND last), different parents listed, or even the wrong birth day! Fortunately, he has only ever used the 'first' one for any official document (pass port, drivers license etc...), so should we just stick with that one? Apparantly he did use a different name during primary school - but is that a problem?

I'll go to the CIC with these questions directly, but i'm impatient for answers

 

[HoneyBird]

i have heard of DNA testing when the father is NOT listed on the birth certificate... but that is not your case.

if it were me, i won't say a thing, multiple birth certificates..spells trouble with cic for example security checks and so forth.

but i think a more knowledgeable poster should be advising you better!

btw...please do not go to cic with these questions!

 

[fleo]

I would definitely stick with the birth certificate that matches your husband's passport, anything else screams 'trouble'.

And if your husband is listed as the father on his daughter's birth certificate, why should anyone think he is not also her biological father? That is one of the reasons birth certificates exist - so that parents wouldn't have to prove parenthood every single time they want to exercise their rights and duties. I highly doubt that every parent with a child listed in their PR application is subjected to DNA testing upon filing the application, so unless there is some sort of proof that your husband is not the girl's father I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[ufa]

btw...please do not go to cic with these questions!

Why not ask CIC? Especially the question about the DNA testing?

 

[canadianwoman]

I've been argueing with a friend who immigrated from Africa who claims that blood-tests are done to verify parenthood. But i can't imagine this being the case - is it? Will that make the lack of no adoption papers an issue?

Sometimes the visa officer will ask for a DNA test to determine paternity. If the VO is suspicious for some reason, he or she may ask for one. Usually they don't ask for one, however. So don't include anything in the application that might make the VO suspicious. Since your husband is listed as the father on the birth certificate, that will usually be good enough.

Also - i recently found out that my husband has mutliple birth-certificates - a result of being 'passed-around' as a kid, and the families trying to show that he was trully a member of the family. So each one has either a different name (first AND last), different parents listed, or even the wrong birth day! Fortunately, he has only ever used the 'first' one for any official document (pass port, drivers license etc...), so should we just stick with that one? Apparantly he did use a different name during primary school - but is that a problem?

Use the first birth certificate, and don't mention the others. Multiple birth certificates will make the VO very suspicious. Do you have to submit info about your husband's primary school? If not, it won't be a problem.

I'll go to the CIC with these questions directly, but i'm impatient for answers

Phoning the CIC help line with these questions - anonymously - would be OK, but don't identify yourself. I'd even try to keep the country name out of the questions. You don't want them to find out about the problems with your husband's application

 

[ufa]

Thanks! I did ask today - somewhat anonymously. They essentially said the same thing - they couldn't say whether DNA testing would be done - as that apparently depends on the visa office for the region, but that if the name on a birth certificate is sufficient to prove fatherhood in his home country - then it would be considered sufficient for the visa process, and that the visa office responsible would know what is appropriate for each country. I think we're good.

Thanks for the advice!