PREGNANCY
At this point I was very pregnant, with our daughter. It was almost 2 years waiting, and I told the officer that I strongly desired to give birth in Canada, with my husband and our son by my side. He actually advised me to go ahead and wait for my husband there. I couldn't do that. We're a very close family. Our separation when I I went to Spain was traumatic for my son, who yearned for his dad too badly. I couldn't do that to him again.
Still waiting
Our daughter was born. Shortly after my husband had retinal detachment and almost lost his vision due to horrible experiences in public hospitals. We used the money we were saving for Canada to pay for a private operation. Then he couldn't work for a few months. I had just given birth and couldn't work much. We were losing money quick. I was robbed at gun point and kidnapped in a fake taxi. I survived, but I wanted to get my family the heck out of there, and back to my home. I missed my parents too much. I missed my friends. I missed Canada. I was READY, ready, ready to move back home with my family. We were living as cheaply as possible, to save our last savings for Canada.
Divorce
His ex finally agreed to divorce, i.e. agreed to what little we had left, and they switched to a simple process for mutually agreed divorces. I took in paperwork proving the 3 month process had begun. At this point, we were really running out of money. But I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel, with the divorce, with my husband's successful operation and eye site coming back, and believing that we'd be off to Canada in any moment.
REFUSAL, INADMISSIBLE TO CANADA
Then we received the refusal letter, due to criminal inadmissibility. Using a fake identity to enter Japan was considered an offence.
I sobbed. My son was shaken by seeing me sob. Not one time that I had gone to the Embassy did they hint that the visa would be refused. Again, total SHOCK. And pain, as you can imagine. Through the tears we noticed that a second letter said he could apply for criminal inadmissibility after 5 years of having left Japan. There was a sliver of hope, but at that time, before the 5 years, we had to change our life plans.
A month after this was our marriage (FINALLY!), so things were looking up.
Luckily with my EU passport we could come to the UK. We told ALL the truth in his application for an entry permit, both Japan and the Canadian refusal. After only 2 weeks his permit was approved. We are extremely grateful. But we can't talk badly about Canada, because their strictness with immigration is beneficial to society. They are protecting their citizens, although my husband would never do anything wrong ever gain. But I can't judge.
We came here with our LAST savings, almost starting from zero. Here in England my husband and kids soon received their residency visas. I found work. Then the demand for my husband's amazing decorating skills took off. Now we run a business partnership and live a comfortable life. I don't take anything for granted anymore, and am always grateful.
When the 5 years passed, I put together an application for his criminal rehabilitation. I really wanted to visit my mom (my dad travels and visited us in Japan and here, but my mom can't travel), and she really wants to meet my husband, along with the kids. She has become frail, and we needed his admissibility.
REHABILITATION, ADMISSIBILITY
I worked on his application on my own. There wasn't much I could include, since he never had any charges or arrests or anything at all, anywhere. I just included the laws in Japan, equivalent laws in Canada. An article from an academic journal about the fake nikkei scam from Peru to Japan. A letter, explaining every single detail. By him, translated by me. And a cover letter by me. I think that's about it. I can't remember now. I sent it off in a November, expecting to not hear anything for at least a year. And just before Xmas, the next month, we received by email a letter declaring him admissible and eligible to apply for a visa!!!!! I screamed for joy. It was really such a great feeling.
Second application for pr
We were going to travel just to visit, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to move to Canada. This place has been wonderful to us. But I want to raise my kids in Canada. And I want to be near my family. Finally, we decided to apply for his pr, instead of going to visit. We're aiming for Ontario, as it's more affordable than Vancouver, and I went to uni in Toronto. And a few more reasons.
PSYCHIATRIC EXAM, TRANSLATION ERROR
This time his daughters are adults. One is over the dependent age, and the other is under. She cooperated with us and went for her medical. They found scars on her arms and asked her about it. She confided that she had tried to commit suicide as a child, after abuse by a male family member. We had NO IDEA. And she had kept this a secret all these years, even from her mother. It really saddened us. We received an email that she was to return to the medical centre. There they asked for a psychiatric report, with a deadline. This turned out to include several sessions. Public hospitals were taking forever to get appointments, so she went for a private option. This also took long, and she received the report just a couple of days before the due date. We ordered the official translation. She took it in. Then she was called by the clinic. There was an error in the translation (and acronym was translated as is, without saying what it stood for). We managed to get that fixed and sent in on the due date. Phew. Make sure you always check translations thoroughly.
It's really tragic what his daughter has been through, but thanks to Canadian immigration, she was able to release this episode and talk about it with both her father and a psychiatrist. Thankfully she no longer has suicidal thoughts.
CHANGING A NON-ACCOMPANYING DEPENDENT TO ACCOMPANYING
After much discussion, we decided to do this. And thanks to advice in this forum! We're hoping for his daughter to join us in Canada as soon as possible. I sent a message to the Embassy, and they replied with requested documents.
PRE-ARRIVAL LETTER
The first time around we never received this elusive letter, because we didn't receive the elusive visa/pr. Last week I received an email. It was one of those "donotreply" emails that I almost deleted, thinking it was yet another email from the bank! Luckily I checked, as it was from cic. It said we had a message in gckey. I checked and there was the pre-arrival letter. I shed a bucket full of tears. It's been an emotional roller coaster since 2012 when I first sent in an application. I'm trying not to burst into further tears of joy, until we get the pp request and know for sure.
This is where we are at, and I knew I had to share all of this now, just in case another refusal comes, and I wouldn't want to recall all this. This forum has helped me tons throughout the years so I hope my post can be of help too.
Btw, I wonder IF he gets pr if I should train to be an immigration consultant in Canada, with my wealth of experience?
If anyone has any tips or info about that, let me know. I wonder if there's too much competition. Anyway, if he gets pr, I will start career planning for Canada.
