Port of Spain Office, Trinidad and Tobago

[Star apple]

Thanks for the advise. My husband told me yesterday that he has received a letter from Port of Spain requesting an interview. But they asked for my proof of marriage to my previous husband, even though I provided them already with proof of divorce. I have a problem though because when I got my divorce the lawyer took away the marriage certificate & said I was not allowed to keep it. What should I do know?

 

[Star apple]

Can someone tell me what type of questions they are going to ask at the interview besides the obvious onces. I really want my husband to be prepared for anything because we are shortly going to have a new addition to our family.

 

[HoneyBird]

Thanks for the advise. My husband told me yesterday that he has received a letter from Port of Spain requesting an interview. But they asked for my proof of marriage to my previous husband, even though I provided them already with proof of divorce. I have a problem though because when I got my divorce the lawyer took away the marriage certificate & said I was not allowed to keep it. What should I do know?

I am confused why your lawyer would keep your marriage certificate. Please speak to someone perhaps in the legal aid department of your government or another lawyer. this seems too weird.

 

[HoneyBird]

Can someone tell me what type of questions they are going to ask at the interview besides the obvious onces. I really want my husband to be prepared for anything because we are shortly going to have a new addition to our family.

Can you share your time line with us? i.e. how long it took you to get to interview point (by the way when is the interview?) from the initial application?

Here are a list of standard interview questions for spousal sponsorships. They can ask all or none of these questions. They will tailor them to your application. That is they usually ask questions that they have asked already on the application and cross check your answers given at the interview to determine truthfulness. The best thing to do is identify any red flags in your relationship (ex. age difference, lack of time spent together, etc.) and prepare appropriate, truthful answers.

1. When and where did you meet your spouse for the first time?
2. How did you meet your spouse?
3. How old is your spouse? What is your spouse's birth date?
4. What does your spouse do for a living?
5. Where did your spouse go to school?
6. What degrees or formal training does your spouse have?
7. How did your spouse immigrate to Canada?
8. Where does your spouse work?
9. What is the name of the company? What position does your spouse hold? How long has
your spouse worked there?
10. What does the job entail?
11. Does your spouse like his or her job?
12. What is the salary?
13. Where does your spouse live?
14. Whom does your spouse live with?
15. Where are you going to live when you go to Canada?
16. Please explain the type of relationship you have had since your first meeting.
17. What is your religion?
18. What is the religion of your spouse?
19. Do you have any hobbies? Describe them.
20. Does your spouse have any hobbies? Describe them?
21. What type of music do you enjoy?
22. What type of music does your spouse enjoy?
23. What kind of movies do you enjoy?
24. What kind of movies does your spouse enjoy?
25. What kind of books do you read?
26. What kind of books does your spouse read?
27. Have you and your spouse ever exchanged gifts? Explain.
28. When and where did the marriage proposal take place?
29. Was your marriage arranged?
30. If it was arranged, describe how it was arranged and by whom.
31. Did you have an engagement ceremony?
32. Where was it held?
33. When was it held?
34. Describe the marriage and ceremony?
35. Did it conform to your own religious and cultural beliefs? Explain.
36. When did you get married?
37. Where did you get married?
38. Who was at the wedding?
39. What family members were there?
40. How many people were at the ceremony?
41. What day was the ceremony held on?
42. Who performed the ceremony?
43. Do you have pictures of the ceremony?
44. Who was at the wedding from you side?
45. Who was at the wedding from you spouse's side?
46. Were any friends present?
47. How many friends were present?
48. Were your parents at the wedding? If not, why not?
49. Are your parents aware of the wedding? If not, why not?
50. Were your spouse's parents at the wedding? If not, why not?
51. Were your spouse's parents aware of the wedding? If not, why not?
52. Was a reception held? When and where was it held?
53. Who was present at the reception?
54. Did you receive any wedding gifts? Describe them.
55. Did you go on a honeymoon? Where did you go and for how long?
56. Can you show me pictures and receipts from the honeymoon, wedding and reception?
57. Have you or your spouse been married before?
58. Why was that relationship dissolved?
59. Do you have any children from your current relationship or marriage?
60. How many children?
61. What are their names and birth dates?
62. Where are the children now?
63. Who looks after the children?
64. Do any other family members reside with you and your spouse? If yes, please indicate their names and relationship.
65. What relatives do you have in Canada?
66. What are their names and where do they live?
67. What relatives do you have outside of Canada?
68. Has your spouse met any of your relatives or friends? Who have they met and when did they meet them?
69. Have you met your spouse's relatives or friends? Whom have you met and when did you meet them?
70. In terms of education, would you say that you and your spouse's educational backgrounds are compatible?
71. What will you do when you go to Canada?
72. Why did you marry your spouse?
73. Since your marriage have you seen your spouse? If not, why not?
74. Do your family members (parents, siblings) want to immigrate to Canada?
75. Did you marry your spouse so that you could sponsor your parents as landed immigrants of Canada?
76. How do you correspond with your spouse?
77. How often do you talk on the phone?
78. Do you have phone bills, e-mails, cards, etc., and can I see them?
79. Tell me why this marriage or relationship is genuine.
80. What makes your relationship with your spouse different from that of a female/male friend?
81. Does your spouse support you financially?
82. What are the names of your spouse's parents? Brothers & sisters?
83. Have you met them? Describe the meeting?
84. What do they think of your relationship with your spouse?
85. If I refuse this application, what will you do?

 

[confusednscared]

Those questions are helpful but I don't recommend knowing the answer to them all by heart. Study most of that which is written in your application and be sure to be able to answer questions that may arise from the information you provided with your package.

IOs can only question you on the information available in front of them. For instance if you are using the questions above as a reference, I wouldn't bother bursting my head thinking about the type of music my spouse enjoys if we haven't mentioned anything like that in our application. You and your spouse may have a preference in music but as long there is no documentation before the IO that would make him/her question you on the type of music you both enjoy .... then you should worry less.

The interview is really short and based on common sense knowledge and if you are truly hiding something from the IO then you will be caught. If you know deep down inside you that your relationship with your spouse is real and not fraud then you have nothing to worry about. Speak from your heart to the best of your knowledge keeping in mind the information you have presented in the application. Another example, if you have stated in your application that you and your spouse have met at the Harborfront Centre in Toronto during the X-Mas tree light up in 2008 and blah blah blah happened, then say it how it happened. Just remember not to sound as if you've memorized the entire application. It's alright to make mistakes and we all do.

If you are uncertain of a question being asked by the IO, ask him/her to perhaps rephrase the question or if you don't know the answer, simply say you can't give a definite answer. Though, you must not make it a practice saying "I don't know the answer" to 10/12 questions the IO asks.

I did another post about interviewing in another thread about my true experience going through the POS office. Will try to pull it up if any of you are interested.

Hope this helps!

 

[keeping_the_faith_in_God]

Hello To everyone.......

Star Apple.........Everyone response regarding the interview is correct.....My husband did it interview in August You can read what I wrote.... Best advice be honest and truthful...As confusednscared said the questions they ask you is what you put
on the application...They just want to make sure that the responses match.....You said you were married I am about 99% sure they will ask your x-husband...Cause they asked my husband about my ex-husband they started off like...
was your sponsor ever married.....Then when he says yes then they will ask things like...

What is your x-husband name?
Did you sponsor your x-husband?
year of divorce
Why did you guys break up?

Again if your relationship is true and geuine certain things you will tell your husband so dont worry....He does not have to know first and last name but just the basics...If they were suppose to ask a question about favorite color or your hobbies really that is
something that your husband should already know about you....but anyways they will ask only to see what his reaction is....

Me and my husband lived together so certain things he should know. normally they only go into details of questions when it is an
appeal....(my friend went through the appeal because first they denied the sponsorship during the appeal process you would be
amazed the type of questions they asked...and favorite color was one of them..but she won the appeal and he is now in Canada...)

With regards to the marraige certificate from your previous spouse that weird that they would request it...when you provided the divorce certificate....They did nto request that for me they asked for the original marriage certificate with my husband...but anyways if that is what they requested contact your lawyer letting them know that you need it...why A lawyer would keep it that makes no sense unless their is more to the story....but anyways if you have a hard time try and get another marriage certificate....GOOD LUCK

 

[confusednscared]

another day and nothing from POS. Sometimes I wonder what the heck is up with this office because no one is getting any sort of communication from them :S

 

[Patroya]

Just read in the Jamaican forum that an applicant was told by CHC Jamaica that their visa quota for the year is finished. I wonder if that's the case with POS?

 

[Star apple]

Thanks for all the info. My lawyer told me that it's common practice for immigration to ask for orginal marriage certificate from a divorce party. So I was upset at him for not telling me to keep a copy of it when he sent it in to the court. So he told me I could get a copy from service Canada. I spoke to representative & was told that they always keep the original on file but will mail me a copy. So I paid the fee on line. my husband has told me that they also want my original birth certificate. I don't get it because when I sent in my package to sponsor him I provided a copy of it. Plus they want proof of live birth for our expected baby. I won't be able to get a birth papers in time before his interview but I was thinking that I could send him the health paper & the baby band that u get when u deliver. What do u think? Plus he has a child who is in Canada that they have requested a live birth paper for him but him & the mother on bad terms & she won't send him the paper. What should he tell IO. I feel so frustrasted over the who thing & because the timing is so close for me to give birth & for his interview to take place.

 

[HoneyBird]

Just read in the Jamaican forum that an applicant was told by CHC Jamaica that their visa quota for the year is finished. I wonder if that's the case with POS?

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
I hope this is not the case!!!!
That sounds crazy!

 

[confusednscared]

I know that VOs close off issuance of visas at a certain time of the year because they usually have a quota that they must reach on a yearly basis. I think if you haven't heard from them regarding doc request or an interview by now you must assume you will be processed out in the beginning of 2011 within the first few months.

I am thinking too that I have fallen into that category or not. We will see but with the way things are going at the moment I don't see anything coming before the holidays.

@ Star: The interview letter always asks for you to bring orig documents such as legal birth stuff at the interview if you haven't already submitted them with your application. In all honesty, the letters are very standardized and IOs hardly ever look or ask for those things at the interview once you have already submitted them with your application. If you have them, walk with it just in case a situation arises and they need to see proof.

 

[HoneyBird]

well i am beginning to think i will be processed at the beginning of next year. if thats the case then i plan to stay in trinidad until june. thats the end of my work contract and i stand to get 20% gratuity for my total contract period which is really good amount to start school and to live in Canada without asking hubby for every little thing for at least 3 months.

I was really hoping to get through this year...but i feel the shimmer is dimmer...they had my paperwork for like August 10. i submitted additional info towards the end of september and now its been almost 2 months and nada...nothing on the e-cas..i cant even log on! its eerie..its like i don't exist...i hope this does not mean someone has forgotton me. my reminder date is december 16. (which is pretty late in the game...who is gonna be interested in my file at that late date? eveyone is on christmas mode and going home)

i am feeling sad. I guess if i we don' t hear anything by the end of november, they are officially closed off?

We haven't heard from Man=Crab either..and he is the closest one to me with the timing of the application I hope he comes on and give an update.

 

[confusednscared]

Awww Honey, you are so cute, funny and seem so worried.

I really wish at the time of receipt of our applications they would tell us exactly when they would grant us PR and not have us wait along in the game thinking that this will be the day.

It will soon be a year since I came back here and I am not used to sitting at home, not studying and doing absolutely nothing. I tried finding employment here but it's very difficult and there aren't too many big companies over here that would want me. I'd rather work for someplace recognizable then a retail outlet that puts my life at more risks/danger. There has been a lot of in store killings and robberies in this place lately.

I would have loved to work for a period of time in my field of studies but it just so seems that it wouldn't work out for me. I actually had an interview in September for a position in my field of study but they didn't bother hire me because I wasn't certain of my future in the company. I could have had someone pulled a few strings for me and gotten me into the company but all this happened at the same time I had my interview and after being approved I didn't bother stress too much over the position because I had all intentions that this is going to be over with by December so I will be able to go back in Canada to begin a new school semester in January. Now, I regret not making a wiser decision because I could have been working on some project in my field that would have surely helped me with future employment and studies in Canada.

The decisions that we all have to make when CIC is involved is just too much at times. I guess it always happens for a good reason and in the end we reap more than we sowed.

 

[Vinnigurl]

Hey guys....hope everyone is doing well...
Hubby just got an email from POS and they have rescheduled my interview date yet again. It will be later in Jan and in Port of spain instead of Guyana, they said they will send out a letter in 2 weeks stating the specifics. I guess POS is still doing some work and they haven't break for the holidays yet.

 

[keeping_the_faith_in_God]

Hello Everyone.........

Keep the faith I to wonder with what's going on with the POS office. All I am doing is keeping the faith knowing that my
break through is near....

Hopefully we all hear something soon.........It would be so nice for my husband to be with the family before Christmas.......

All we can do is pray and believe in God....."Father whatever you are doing in this season please dont do it without me..Hear the cries of children OH LORD..."