I really hope so! I had a dream last night everyone here had decision made on their application! Wouldn't that be great. Wishful thinking!fromadistance said:
Well tell her to at least pass some of the money my way! This process has made us all a little poorer!millslu said:
Immigration consultants, lawyers,, HELL FKN NO! You know how much PEOPLE have gone to them for help, spend money and end up screwed anyways..some of my family members r living proof of that..Uh uh...Im very knowledgeable when it comes to this immigration thing you know, and im happy we took our time to put everything together the right way than rush like everyone else.. I just want to make sure im on the right track and my ideas match to the outcomes of all of you.. Ive always thought of doing a cover letter but the way how my package is fat already I dont want to over do anything.. so now I know the more the better and how you present it too right.. I got his pic today so im organizing the papers for the 100th time and maybe thursday we can mail them inZouk Princesse said:Haha you're not the only one, but unfortunately it will draw scrutiny as their inclination will be to say that he married you to get back into Canada. Sad but true. It doesn't necessarily have to mean an interview though, again, it's all how you present it. The reason for calling for interview would be for you to prove that your relationship naturally progressed to marriage, and was not done to gain entry to Canada. Your job is to prove this up front in your application, so that they won't have anything additional to ask. Sadly, babies don't mean anything to CIC. They have stated quite clearly that "all a baby proves is that two people had sex". If your case looks weak to them, a baby won't help. HOWEVER... if you've got a strong case, having a baby on top of that can only make you stronger. It's all in the presentation
Also YES, you should definitely include a cover letter separate from the forms! It's one of those things that they don't tell you but earns big points. For one, it shows you're super organized, which they interpret as a sign of a genuine relationship (fraudsters won't put in that much effort). Second, it gives you the opportunity to present your case the way you want them to see it, to guide them through all your evidence and frame your story for them. Think of it as the opening statement in a trial. It's also the opportunity to point out any potential red flags and address them head on, rather than leaving the VO to come to his/her own twisted conclusion. Finally, it allows you to walk them through how you organized your application, so they can find everything quickly, as likely your package will include things that are not on the CIC checklist.
Another suggestion... while it usually isn't worth the $2000-$3000 an immigration consultant will charge to represent you, it is totally worth the $200 or so they'll charge you to look over your case. Most consultants offer this service. You simply bring in your completed package and they will look over it through the eyes of a VO and give you any feedback on how to make it better. It's soooo worth a couple hundred bucks. If you can do this, I'd strongly recommend it!
Oh yeah... I forgot lol. Yeah, you're on the last leg brother, don't worry
Brit... That's great that everything is ready to go. It is hard to stop organizing and re-organizing, even when it's out of your hands you will think (or at least I did) and think I should have added that or this.Brit_Edwards said:
Hahaha like everything else, you have to weed out the bad from the good. For example, the first consultant we went to quoted us $5,000 for representation. When I asked why it was so high, she explained that if we are refused, she will represent us in the appeal for free, so essentially the appeal fee was built in. So I said cool, if we are approved and don't need to appeal, do we get a portion back? She gave me a LOOK. Leaving her office, I also wondered why she was planning for us to be rejected, what kinda consultant is she??? Again, I'm not suggesting that you pay $$$ for full representation, only the $200 or so for an application review. A qualified consultant can be extremely helpful in that capacity and can point out little things that even the most organized among us may not know. For example, it was our (new) consultant who told us about using a cover letter. The choice is yours, but if you do due diligence and use them appropriately, they can be the difference between a quick process and one full of delays. Spousal sponsorship is different from any other immigration category, so even being familiar with other classes doesn't fully prepare you for this.Brit_Edwards said:
my opinion in this case is that i would not advice her to get a lawyer unless her case is a very unique case....as long as you read the guideline about the application then i dont see you needing a lawyer for that...me and my wife did our application by ourselves and the only thing that i left out was my signature on one of the form that the applicant and sponsor had to sign together....it cost me $3,400 jmd just to send that one piece of paper to my wife in canada.millslu said:
Don't hurt your head over those posted numbers... the only thing they should mean to you is to let you know when it's ok to have your MP demand answers. Remember that they refer to 80% of cases, including the really difficult long drawn out ones. It's also based on the past... so they could very well speed things up going forwardCdnandTrini said:
Thanks Zouk Princesse - for the perspective and encouragement. Blessings.Zouk Princesse said:Don't hurt your hurt over those posted numbers... the only thing they should mean to you is to let you know when it's ok to have your MP demand answers. Remember that they refer to 80% of cases, including the really difficult long drawn out ones. It's also based on the past... so they could very well speed things up going forward
