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notarizing documents even if not required?

toby

Champion Member
Sep 29, 2009
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Hong Kong
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November 2009
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4 April 2011
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4 April 2011
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7 July 2011
LANDED..........
15 July 2011
To show my trips to meet my wife in China, I will provide copies of my passport showing entry and exit stamps. The Immigration website calls for copies only, but these will just be pages without any tie to me -- unless I get the copies notarized as true copies of my passport.

Has anyone dealt with this issue? How, please?
 

wilson

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Oct 11, 2008
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Hi,
For your satisfaction you can send notorised copies. There is nothing wrong.
 

ariell

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Oct 9, 2008
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Aren't your entry and exit stamps placed on the page opposite of your visa in your passport? That's how it is in mine. So they are "tied" to you.

You can notarize them if you want to but it's totally not necessary. I've never heard of anyone doing this -- everyone that I know has just submitted regular photocopies.
 

toby

Champion Member
Sep 29, 2009
1,671
105
Category........
Visa Office......
Hong Kong
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
November 2009
Med's Done....
October 2009 and 15 April 2011
Interview........
4 April 2011
Passport Req..
4 April 2011
VISA ISSUED...
7 July 2011
LANDED..........
15 July 2011
It would be too easy if the entry/exit stamps were adjacent to the visa page.

On my first trip to China, the China visa is on page 9, the other entry/exit stamps appear on page 7 and 8.

In trip # 2 I had to exit China after a month, then re-enter for the second month. The visa is on page 12, and the various stamps appear on pages 7, 10, and 13. In each trip I entered Hong Kong and exited for Chna. So lots of entry/exit stamps.

Still, though don't know, though, why they can't group the stamps better.

Nonetheless, given that some page copies from my passport don't show my name at all, if I don't assure the IO that they do indeed come from my passport (via notarizing the copies), I feel I might be inviting an interview just to give an IO the chance to verify the copies.

Toby
 

rjessome

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Feb 24, 2009
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Toby, are you in Canada now? You can also get a "certified true copy" if you are. Might be a bit cheaper than notarizing but I'm not sure. And to avoid that altogether, include your boarding passes (if you have them) or copies of your intineraries (if you have them) as they should match the dates on your passport stamps.

Anyway, interview rates are high in China so be prepared. I know you are VERY early into this but with immigration, hope for the best and prepare for the worst my friend!
 

toby

Champion Member
Sep 29, 2009
1,671
105
Category........
Visa Office......
Hong Kong
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
November 2009
Med's Done....
October 2009 and 15 April 2011
Interview........
4 April 2011
Passport Req..
4 April 2011
VISA ISSUED...
7 July 2011
LANDED..........
15 July 2011
I am living in China with my wife, Rjessome. If we must go to an interview, fortunately it recently became easier for my wife to get a visa to Hong Kong, where the Canadian consulate is close by. The alternative is the embassy in Beijing -- a long way away.

But the police report is still a pain. My wife must go to Enshi, in the interior of China, to get the report. Then, she'll probably have to renew it, again in Enshi, because the police report expires in 6 months and the visa process will likely take longer than that.

Or did I read somewhere that Canada does not require renewal of a police report as long as it was valid when submitted to Mississauga? The learning curve is steep at the beginning, and I am getting a bit confused.






.

a prepared for he interview, rjessome. FOrtunately
 

rjessome

VIP Member
Feb 24, 2009
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The police clearance requirement is harder to predict than the medical. You know that if the medical is more than a year old then a new one will be required at the time the decision is made. There are a few people on the other forum you are on that have sponsored spouses through China so they might be able to tell you more about whether or not another police clearance was required at the time of an interview/decision being made. If you are able to avoid the interview, it's doubtful another police clearance will be required.

And just an FYI, the police clearance can't be more than 3 months old when submitted to Mississauga so don't confuse the country's expiry date with the timelines you need to follow with CIC.

Don't get too bent on any obstacles right now. The system is really confusing at first but the key seems to lie in being well prepared, anticipating and addressing issues at the outset, and keeping a calm head. You are asking good questions and learning a lot right now. Pretty soon you will be one of the experts and surprisingly enough, you might also see how some of this makes sense when you read other stories about just what some people will do to get to Canada. It doesn't make it any easier on you as, like me, you probably never considered or concerned yourself with immigration law until it applied to your own personal life. I've now decided to make it my career and help others navigate these muddy waters!!! As Canadians, MOST of our systems make sense and follow a logical format. We are used to transparency, timely communication, and reasonable timeframes. This one is different and the logic is hidden away and takes awhile to see. And even when you see it, it can frustrate the hell out of you. So be patient, read more, and ask more good questions. You and your wife will be fine. At the end of the day, it's all worth it.
 

toby

Champion Member
Sep 29, 2009
1,671
105
Category........
Visa Office......
Hong Kong
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
November 2009
Med's Done....
October 2009 and 15 April 2011
Interview........
4 April 2011
Passport Req..
4 April 2011
VISA ISSUED...
7 July 2011
LANDED..........
15 July 2011
Will you become an immigration lawyer, or join the CSIC?

In any event, good luck with yor new career!!

Me, I can make more money and help at least two people (my wife and me) trading gold and oil (hopefully at the right time!!).

Toby
 

Liuzhou

Full Member
Apr 11, 2009
32
1
Don't waste your money on notarized copies of your entry and exit stamps in your passport. Even if they are not adjacent to your visa/bio page.

I am certain the embassy has easy access to the data. Send a copy of the bio page and a copy of the entry/exit stamps. They will validate it when verifying your travel data.

If we must go to an interview, fortunately it recently became easier for my wife to get a visa to Hong Kong, where the Canadian consulate is close by. The alternative is the embassy in Beijing -- a long way away.
Easier in Hong Kong ? If you can avoid that embassy, I recommend it. (Only in special situations are you able to choose your embassy...see the application).

People wait from about 6-12 months, and there is a rejection rate of 48%.