Procedural fairness letter(PFL)

[Nema1920]

I was issued a PFL. I am citizen of Canada. Travelled to Cameroon and go married to my wife 6 months after we were in continuous contact. Through our continuous interaction, grow to love each. When I travelled to Cameroon after 6 months of getting fun of each other, we got married. I return to Canada and submitted her application to sponsor to come meet me. I received a PFL that:
1) The immigration office stated that I did not provide enough information about communication between us when we were apart
2) the office stated that the married seem arranged marriage as the relationship grew too fast
3) the officer believed I did not travel back home to meet my wife since me got married and therefore the relationship is not genuine.
-Has anyone had similar experiences? Our marriage is truthful and it was not arranged marriage: what should I do?
- I did not travel back home because I expected my wife’s papers to be approved without doubt within 12 months. I was rather preparing a home to receive her just to receive PFL: how can I resolve this given I was very truthful in answers?

 

[scylla]

I was issued a PFL. I am citizen of Canada. Travelled to Cameroon and go married to my wife 6 months after we were in continuous contact. Through our continuous interaction, grow to love each. When I travelled to Cameroon after 6 months of getting fun of each other, we got married. I return to Canada and submitted her application to sponsor to come meet me. I received a PFL that:
1) The immigration office stated that I did not provide enough information about communication between us when we were apart
2) the office stated that the married seem arranged marriage as the relationship grew too fast
3) the officer believed I did not travel back home to meet my wife since me got married and therefore the relationship is not genuine.
-Has anyone had similar experiences? Our marriage is truthful and it was not arranged marriage: what should I do?
- I did not travel back home because I expected my wife’s papers to be approved without doubt within 12 months. I was rather preparing a home to receive her just to receive PFL: how can I resolve this given I was very truthful in answers?

It sounds like you may have gotten married the first time you met each other in person. If so, this can be a red flag to immigration of an arranged marriage / marriage of convenience. It is quite strange that you did not visit your wife at all after marrying her. Most people would want to see their spouse in person and would make this a priority. This isn't really normal to be honest. Did she apply for a TRV to visit you?

What evidence did you provide in the application to prove your relationship is genuine? Is there anything else you have that you did not include as evidence in your application?

 

[Nema1920]

I have more information about our continuous conversation I can provide to the office.

 

[Nema1920]

Thank you for your reply. That is right. We met and got married for the first. Because of economic instability back home I did not travel again. I was almost kidnapped but I narrowed escape. My wife and I planned to meet in Nigeria this December but my father in law advised me not to travel as there was economic instability back home because upcoming presidential election. Besides it will be my first time to travel to Nigeria and my father in law lives in Cameroon.

I provided our court marriage photos. I got confessions from friends who attended the wedding. I provided a few snapshots of whatapp conversation.
This December, I paid a flight to Nigeria to rather meet with my wife there for the first time and and cancelled. My wife could not use the roads as it was so risky. I was told that Upcoming elections in Nigeria was very unstable for me to travel and I cancel the fight.

 

[scylla]

I have more information about our continuous conversation I can provide to the office.

Anything apart from continuous conversations?

Did your spouse try applying for a TRV so that she could come visit you while you waited for the application to be processed? Any joint property or joint bank accounts?

You should include as much additional evidence as you can when you respond to the PFL and you'll also need to explain why you haven't taken any further trips to visit your spouse. If you have so far only traveled to see each other once (the trip where you got married), that makes your application quite weak unfortunately.

 

[Nema1920]

She did not apply for TRV. However, I send money to her every month.

 

[scylla]

She did not apply for TRV. However, I send money to her every month.

Definitely show evidence that you are sending her money.

A PFL is an intent to refuse your application. So you need to put forward a strong argument against this with as much evidence as you can to show the relationship is genuine. If you're not confident responding yourself, consider hiring an immigration lawyer to help you. You really have one shot at this (i.e. one chance to respond) and IRCC will then make a decision based on your response.

IMO the very very big thing working against you is the fact you've only visited each other once and got married on that first trip. So you need to try to overcome that big issue.

 

[Nema1920]

Anything apart from continuous conversations?

Did your spouse try applying for a TRV so that she could come visit you while you waited for the application to be processed? Any joint property or joint bank accounts?

You should include as much additional evidence as you can when you respond to the PFL and you'll also need to explain why you haven't taken any further trips to visit your spouse. If you have so far only traveled to see each other once (the trip where you got married), that makes your application quite weak unfortunately.

Definitely show evidence that you are sending her money.

A PFL is an intent to refuse your application. So you need to put forward a strong argument against this with as much evidence as you can to show the relationship is genuine. If you're not confident responding yourself, consider hiring an immigration lawyer to help you. You really have one shot at this (i.e. one chance to respond) and IRCC will then make a decision based on your response.

IMO the very very big thing working against you is the fact you've only visited each other once and got married on that first trip. So you need to try to overcome that big issue.

thank you a lot for you reply. I have been pulling my hair apart after the PFL. I only planned to visit this December to go but to Nigeria for the first time. My father in-law was based in Cameroon and refused that I should not travel because of economic instability. As I was not a Nigerian I cancelled my flight for fear of my life. I did plan to hold an out door event which was not appropriate given the atmosphere in Nigeria this election season.

 

[Nema1920]

thank you a lot for you reply. I have been pulling my hair apart after the PFL. I only planned to visit this December to go but to Nigeria for the first time. My father in-law was based in Cameroon and refused that I should not travel because of economic instability. As I was not a Nigerian I cancelled my flight for fear of my life. I did plan to hold an out door event which was not appropriate given the atmosphere in Nigeria this election season.

Also, I did hire a lawyer to put in a strong argument for me.

 

[scylla]

thank you a lot for you reply. I have been pulling my hair apart after the PFL. I only planned to visit this December to go but to Nigeria for the first time. My father in-law was based in Cameroon and refused that I should not travel because of economic instability. As I was not a Nigerian I cancelled my flight for fear of my life. I did plan to hold an out door event which was not appropriate given the atmosphere in Nigeria this election season.

If you could go back in time, the very very strong advice all of us here would have given you is not to marry on your first trip to see each other in person. This is unfortunately a huge red flag for a marriage of convenience. The fact you haven't visited each other since is another very big red flag.

Anyway, what's done is done. All you can do now is try to put together a strong response and hope for the best. Good luck.

 

[Nema1920]

Thank you so much for you reply. This was very helpful. I will try to explain this to the officer.
I will update the outcome in due time. This is the most frustrating thing I have had. Just hoping they come through for ma.

 

[armoured]

thank you a lot for you reply. I have been pulling my hair apart after the PFL. I only planned to visit this December to go but to Nigeria for the first time. My father in-law was based in Cameroon and refused that I should not travel because of economic instability. As I was not a Nigerian I cancelled my flight for fear of my life. I did plan to hold an out door event which was not appropriate given the atmosphere in Nigeria this election season.

You can certainly provide in your response information that planned visits to meet did not happen because of external events. Keep it as factual as possible, show evidence that you made actual plans (cancelled tickets or whatever you have), if you can refer to outside sources about eg security situation, that may help.

This is secondary to other evidence though about contacts and communication, support.

 

[Nema1920]

You can certainly provide in your response information that planned visits to meet did not happen because of external events. Keep it as factual as possible, show evidence that you made actual plans (cancelled tickets or whatever you have), if you can refer to outside sources about eg security situation, that may help.

This is secondary to other evidence though about contacts and communication, support.

Wow this is good advise. I’ll keep you updated.

 

[Ketobaby]

Can you maybe meet up in Ghana or any other visa free country for Nigerians? I assume your wife is Nigerian hence why the plan to travel to Nigeria is December.

I support that travelling to Nigeria in December is very risky and with the election fast approaching it is even more dangerous so looking into meeting up somewhere else ... And I strongly advice against road travelling in Nigeria at any time...

Accra Ghana is a 45mins flight from Lagos.

 

[Nema1920]

Hello Everyone. I wish to thank you all for the advise you gave me. I sought legal advise from Matkowski immigration firm to represent me in this final step. My wife got her visa today.