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lenardparnold

Star Member
Sep 5, 2010
162
10
124
Canada/Thailand
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
20/10/2010 sent to Canada
File Transfer...
29/11/2010 Sponsorship approved, PR app sent to Singapore
"The weird thing is if you apply for PR under skilled workers category, the processing time is 14 months, you would probably end up in canada much faster than coming through family class. weird country and weird immigration."

Thats how many of my philipino co-workers got in.. Boss got them work visa from overseas without even meeting them.. Easy as pie. Less wait time then my wife... It's way quicker then the processing time for someone's wife.
 

Bangkokcanuck

Hero Member
May 2, 2010
356
13
Bangkapi, Thailand
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-02-2011
File Transfer...
17-03-2011
Med's Done....
07-12-2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
20-07-2011
VISA ISSUED...
08-08-2011
LANDED..........
03-11-2011
lenardparnold said:
So this just must mean that in cases like ours that take 3 - 4 times as long as others, they believe we are fraudulent criminals and need to conduct extensive background checks or something.
You know I have read a number of your posts where the frustration level is clearly very high and you are obviously very upset with the process and that is understandable as it's a very strict and inflexible one. BUT having said that I do think you need to just back up a bit take a few deep breaths and relax. Getting yourself upset is not going to help your application nor is it for that matter going to help your physical or mental health. I do really wish I wrote this to you prior to receiving our PPR as I know you are just going to dismiss what I say by thinking "easy for him to say he has Visa" but truth is even while waiting the times when I did feel more stress coming on (usually after reading this forum haha) I learned to step back stop reading for a few days and just calm down. It takes what it takes and once we have accepted that there is no rhyme or reason that we personally can see they do things how they do them. The system clearly needs to change I think everyone can agree with that, but I don't believe you working yourself up will help that change happen nor does it do you as I said physically or mentally any favors.

Just because YOU or some one else finds their application taking a "different" amount of time compared to other applications it does not mean they think your wife is "whore" or you and her are "criminals". What it might mean is that your application is more complicated in some way based on how they do their processing. I don't know your whole story but that might very well be the case.

Our application was done in four months but it was very very easy and straight forward in a number of ways. How that compares to yours I don't know but it is something to consider. Plus assume your application does take four times as long and you are done is 16 months, that is still 4 months below what they are calling average processing time now. Plus in the big picture of your life as hard as 16 months is and I imagine it is hellish being apart from loved ones it really is not that long in the grand scheme of your life. Saying that of course I still think 20 months is obscene but it is what it is right now until enough political pressure can come to bear to have changes made, but that will not happen by posting in this forum of that I am sure.

I also want to point out I am not picking on you I just happened to see your post today and after seeing a few of late where you clearly seem to be on the razor's edge I thought I would comment and hopefully help you gain some perspective. Once I posted about our PPR I received quite a number of PM's most were very nice and offered good wishes etc, some OTOH were rather snippy and borderline rude more or less implying it wasn't fair we got our PPR after waiting such a short period of time, when they had been waiting so long.

Almost to a person when I asked them details about their application it was clear to me anyway why it would take longer compared to ours. Things like talking to someone for three months online and marrying them first time they meet. Or marrying then spending six months at a time apart. I am well aware that being apart is something that MUST be done in some cases, but you still have to look at it from the VO's side of things. You might feel undying love and devotion to your spouse, but if you are apart for three or six or whatever months at a time it really is impossible for your relationship to mature and grow in the most needed manner which is face to face time. It is one thing to talk to someone online every day and think about how much you miss them for months at a time, it is quite another to wake up beside that person every day for those six months.

Nobody is perfect we all have our little faults and quirks and that is what makes us human, so the goal in life is not to find someone that is perfect but rather someone that is perfect for US. The person who thinks our quirks are cute and endearing, that is just not something you can do over the internet. The net is filled with tales of people that "thought" they were madly in love and longed endlessly to be with the object of their affection in real life after months or years of waiting they found after a few months of face time they really couldn't deal with that person 24/7. I don't say this to imply this is the case with you, just to point out that the VO's have seen a LOT of applications come across their desks over time and each of them must have their own personal set of red flags that makes them go hmmmm better dig deeper on this one... whether right or wrong that too is human nature.

I won't list why I think our application was "easy" notice the word when I say easy I mean easy for the VO to quickly look at the facts contained within and verify what is there easily and quickly. But after hearing so many other details from the people that PM'd I really do believe I have a better understanding as to why ours was done so much faster than the stated average. Again that does mean it was right just that humans being what they are, I can see how it could have happened.

Time to step off the soapbox now I do have work to get done, but I hope you will read what I've written and take any of it to heart that might relate to you and just relax a bit and bring your stress down... and I am sure before you know it, you too will get your PPR and all this nonsense will be behind you soon enough. Good luck... my fingers are crossed for you... but you really should get CharlieD to do that.. she is very good at crossing fingers. :p
 

Bangkokcanuck

Hero Member
May 2, 2010
356
13
Bangkapi, Thailand
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-02-2011
File Transfer...
17-03-2011
Med's Done....
07-12-2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
20-07-2011
VISA ISSUED...
08-08-2011
LANDED..........
03-11-2011
hello-kitty said:
Congrats Bangkokcanuck ;) I am so happy for you.

Unfortunately,I need to re-do medical exam again, hopefully my case will finish within 2 months, It has been almost 10 months already :(

Hope to see you here in BC :)

You are very lucky, I'm jealous ;D
Thanks for the well wishes, we are obviously very happy and have been in a whirlwind of activity the last couple of days planning a trip to SG and of course to Canada in the fall to officially land... we agree we are indeed very lucky and I hope yours finishes up as soon as possible so you can put this ordeal behind you.
 

Amy612

Hero Member
Aug 5, 2010
495
6
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Interview........
N/A
ssskkk said:
Yes, we're from Bangladesh. Perhaps I should consider myself lucky. Or it could be that they're trying to expedite the process. But then again, a friend of mine applied about 12 months ago and the case is still in process. It is really hard to see any pattern. But I think 'medical results have been received' is an indication that the processing is almost complete. Be patient and pray and hope for the best. I understand the pain we all going through..
Hi,
I am so happy to see your time line. I am from Bangladesh and will apply for my husband and son.I applied for the TRV for my son and got refused. So now I have no other option. I have to go to Canada leaving my son in Bangladesh and sponsor for them. Every day I read all the new posts regarding the singapore time line, just to get an idea about their processing time. I was looking for some one who got visa within six months. Now I hope that my son and husband may get their visa within six months. Otherwise How can I stay 20 months in canda without my little son I dont know.
Again thanks a lot for sharing your good news with us.
Amy612
 

MapleBear

Member
Feb 10, 2011
16
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
27-09-2010
AOR Received.
26-10-2010
File Transfer...
03-11-2010
Passport Req..
17-09-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-10-2011
Bangkokcanuck said:
The system clearly needs to change I think everyone can agree with that, but I don't believe you working yourself up will help that change happen nor does it do you as I said physically or mentally any favors.
Yes, the system does need to change. After 8 months, our file finally went "into process" at the beginning of July. My husband received a letter requesting a police certificate for the UK where he stayed for 3 months in 2008 and 4.5 months in 2009. It clearly states on all CIC documentation that police certificates are only required for countries where the applicant lived for six consecutive months or longer since reaching the age of 18. My husband never lived in the UK for six consecutive months. I am annoyed because it feels like they have changed the rules of the game on us. However, you can't reason with the faceless bureacrats at the Singapore office, so we have no choice but to get the police certificate and wait another ??? months.

It's really such a shame the way the Canadian Immigration works for spousal applications. Today I will visit my local MP's office.

There was a time when my husband was really looking forward to coming to Canada, but that is fading with each day.
 

Bangkokcanuck

Hero Member
May 2, 2010
356
13
Bangkapi, Thailand
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-02-2011
File Transfer...
17-03-2011
Med's Done....
07-12-2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
20-07-2011
VISA ISSUED...
08-08-2011
LANDED..........
03-11-2011
MapleBear said:
Yes, the system does need to change. After 8 months, our file finally went "into process" at the beginning of July. My husband received a letter requesting a police certificate for the UK where he stayed for 3 months in 2008 and 4.5 months in 2009. It clearly states on all CIC documentation that police certificates are only required for countries where the applicant lived for six consecutive months or longer since reaching the age of 18. My husband never lived in the UK for six consecutive months. I am annoyed because it feels like they have changed the rules of the game on us. However, you can't reason with the faceless bureacrats at the Singapore office, so we have no choice but to get the police certificate and wait another ??? months.

It's really such a shame the way the Canadian Immigration works for spousal applications. Today I will visit my local MP's office.

There was a time when my husband was really looking forward to coming to Canada, but that is fading with each day.
I am sorry to hear about your issues again just underlines the problems that exist in the current broken system. Hopefully somewhere somehow there can be changes to get some sort of uniform application vetting process but in the meantime we must deal with this one however broken it is.

I will say this to you and I realize it's of little comfort but believe me when I say the Canadian system is FAR from the worst you will have to deal with. I know this having lived in Thailand for going on four years now the Canadian system is like a Swiss watch in its perfection compared to what they have here that passes for Immigration law and processes.

As many people told me when I was still in that waiting game as hard as it is to do just keep trying to remind yourself that this broken system is "trying" to make sure only real couples get through it's not trying to make it hard for real couples but sadly yes they do sometimes get caught up in the wake.

Hang in there...
 

arunkumar_c

Full Member
Apr 30, 2011
35
0
bangkokcanuck, nice, long and a sensible post. Appreciate taking time to write that out and happy landing.

I am just pissed at the system, not at people who get their PPRs processed really fast.

If the VOs dont see a standard pattern of how boy meets a girl and gets married, then they consider it as a suspicious case i guess. I just cannot understand how or why the system thinks that by not processing it for many months, the case would have become any different. I would rather the VO process it but with necessary precaution and checks to ensure that it is infact a genuine case, instead of the case collecting dust in a corner and the couples go their separate ways after 20 months of waiting.
 

Bangkokcanuck

Hero Member
May 2, 2010
356
13
Bangkapi, Thailand
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-02-2011
File Transfer...
17-03-2011
Med's Done....
07-12-2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
20-07-2011
VISA ISSUED...
08-08-2011
LANDED..........
03-11-2011
arunkumar_c said:
bangkokcanuck, nice, long and a sensible post. Appreciate taking time to write that out and happy landing.
Thanks...

I am just pissed at the system, not at people who get their PPRs processed really fast.
Agreed as it should be nobody who gets their PPR sooner or later has any control over the process.

If the VOs dont see a standard pattern of how boy meets a girl and gets married, then they consider it as a suspicious case i guess. I just cannot understand how or why the system thinks that by not processing it for many months, the case would have become any different. I would rather the VO process it but with necessary precaution and checks to ensure that it is infact a genuine case, instead of the case collecting dust in a corner and the couples go their separate ways after 20 months of waiting.
I guess this is what I was trying to say because more and more these days people are not meeting in the traditional ways of the past it opens up things to abuse more. Like it is very easy to assume that a couple that talks for three months online gets married the first time they meet and then spend the next year apart do not have a "real" marriage by conventional standards, but truth is they could be very much in love and when together might be married the next 60 years. The point is it is becoming harder and harder to determine what is real and what is not and the more red flags that show up I think the longer the processing time ends up being even if you or me can't imagine why something might be considered a red flag.

I also very much agree with you that if files are being looked over once or twice determined gosh that is going to be a lot of work and then sit collecting dust that in no way makes sense. I guess it comes back to the same old thing I have been saying since I first applied, I wish someone in authority could just put out there a process that we all know is being followed and with regular updates.. the being in the dark is the hardest thing.

Good luck with your case
 

ssskkk

Newbie
Jul 26, 2011
4
0
blues said:
you should consider yourslef EXTREMELY lucky! r u kidding. i have never heard of anyone getting their visa so fast. min i heard was 6 months in general.

i am so jealousssssssssss!! im gonna call CIC once i go back and sort this thing.
I couldn't answer your questions there, getting some errors posting them - 'not allowed!!'

1) I applied myself, no assistance of lawyer
2) Nothing out of the ordinary - pics, phone bills with the call log, biyer card, receipt that I send money to support
3) No; I didn't; neither did they
 

lenardparnold

Star Member
Sep 5, 2010
162
10
124
Canada/Thailand
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
20/10/2010 sent to Canada
File Transfer...
29/11/2010 Sponsorship approved, PR app sent to Singapore
Thanks bangkokcanuk. Actually, the other night there were a couple more posted that I deleted like 30 mins after writting them. ;) I was very unhealthy yesterday. Probably one of my lowest days. My first day off in a long time too. Now just working for money and heading back to Thailand on Aug 7th. The childish emotional part of me can get very upset about unfairness and be very self-centered but the rational part of me understands.

I can think of reasons that ours would take longer than a perfect stereotypical marriage. 1. I am 22 and she is 30. 2. There was no big wedding party. But everything else is fine. Been living together for 2.5 years (minus this first 2 month trip back to Canada for work), though documention of this is a bit shaky because we weren't exactly planning on coming here before. I was going to study in Thailand. We have photos of us with both sides of the family after the marriage occured but just no photos that include us and BOTH SIDES of the family. Just us with my side and then others with us and her side. We have gone on various trips around asia all with photos and passport stamps, we have phone records from the time we were together, emails with family referencing all events and my addresses in Thailand, documentation of transfering money between our accounts from 2 years ago and forward, and a joint account in Thailand that was made at the last minute because I though it would help the application.

My activity in Thailand is documented fairly well because i took a year a university, but her activity and job situation may not be be documented very well. At the time I met her she had been studying japnese for a year as she was going to work at her ex's japanese company but shortly after meeting me she was unemployed for maybe half a year and then we started up a little laundry business for extra cash but the business itself is not documented well (unformal business in thailand...) besides a rental lease that we showed proof of buying and then selling right before we sent the application.

The age things shouldn't really matter (in fact when we first met i thought she was younger and she thought i was older :) ) , but could cause suspicion when they see a lack of wedding cerimony, but I just explained that I was a full time student and she was working with the laundry business and we didn't have much time or money for a big wedding, nor was it too important to us. This might have been a big mistake. :( But we are legit so we weren't trying to scheme our way in and weren't really concerned. I read all about the process and the requirments, etc, and wasn't too worried. But now I'm starting to go crazy thinking about all the what ifs.

But I guess Canadian immigration is better than Thai immigration. It's almost impossible to become a Thai citizen as a forigner. I just happened to get one of the slower offices that represent Canada.
 

Lifer

Star Member
Jun 30, 2010
77
1
MapleBear said:
After 8 months, our file finally went "into process" at the beginning of July.
Yeah me too. It's so frustrating knowing that our application package sat on a desk in Singapore for over 8 months before they even looked at it. We pay over $1000 in 'processing fees' for this? Oh well, at least now I know our stuff wasn't lost or something.

We received ___________'s application for permanent residence on November 3, 2010.

We started processing ___________'s application on July 18, 2011.
 

arunkumar_c

Full Member
Apr 30, 2011
35
0
People from the may 2011 thread have already received letters asking for their passports.

I should stop visiting this forum. Good bye everyone.
 

lenardparnold

Star Member
Sep 5, 2010
162
10
124
Canada/Thailand
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
20/10/2010 sent to Canada
File Transfer...
29/11/2010 Sponsorship approved, PR app sent to Singapore
:( There is a reason. A red flag went up for the office and they need to do extra checks for some cases.:(

Just plan for a wait of about 2 years and if it's faster it will be a gift I guess. If we have to wait another year I guess I'm ready. I will just spend 3 months in Thailand with her and then 3 back here working, and then 3 there, 3 here, etc, etc. Until she can come then we can really start our life and saving, studying, or opening a business.

I don't think it will take 2 years in total, but probably more than 1 year. I'd plan for about 1.5 years actually. (not including the first sponsorship approval in Missisauga. That takes about 2 months total including mail time for Singapore to recieve it.
 

Bangkokcanuck

Hero Member
May 2, 2010
356
13
Bangkapi, Thailand
Category........
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-02-2011
File Transfer...
17-03-2011
Med's Done....
07-12-2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
20-07-2011
VISA ISSUED...
08-08-2011
LANDED..........
03-11-2011
lenardparnold said:
:( There is a reason. A red flag went up for the office and they need to do extra checks for some cases.:(
Exactly and the key is what they consider a red flag often times will be nothing and have a simple explanation and they will move on, but it does seem any time a red flag pops up the files move off the regular track of processing to another person or another dept. and that is where the slowdown come in.

Just plan for a wait of about 2 years and if it's faster it will be a gift I guess. If we have to wait another year I guess I'm ready. I will just spend 3 months in Thailand with her and then 3 back here working, and then 3 there, 3 here, etc, etc. Until she can come then we can really start our life and saving, studying, or opening a business.
Exactly for the first two years I spent 2 months in Canada, then a month in Thailand of course I was lucky enough to be self employed at the time so getting time off was easy and I was able to do work online from Thailand but we do what we have to do.

I don't think it will take 2 years in total, but probably more than 1 year. I'd plan for about 1.5 years actually. (not including the first sponsorship approval in Missisauga. That takes about 2 months total including mail time for Singapore to recieve it.
My wife and I planned that the process was going to take 20 months as it said on the web site we made a pact we would just go about our regular day to day and not stress or focus on the process or who got their application approved before us. Again we were lucky to be living in Thailand together full time at that point so that takes away the one major stress. We run our businesses, raise our son and as far as we were concerned the process would take as long as it takes.. quite honestly the real issue for me was to avoid reading this forum wow it gets ya worked up when you see people being approved before you, or even just people putting down things they did or didn't do in their application they you start second guessing what you did or didn't do... I had to make a deal with myself to not check in here more than once a week and to only read threads I was directly involved in. I broke the rule a couple of times and then got back on track.

I can't express how respect I have for the people that in here day in day out slogging it out and give good detailed worthwhile answers to the same questions over and over again calming people down that are on the edge etc.. it can not be an easy task but my proverbial hat is off to them. I won't name names as I don't want to miss anyone and cause any hurt feelings but I am sure most of you will know who I speak of.. they are the unsung heroes of this mind numbing process.
 

blues

Star Member
Jul 6, 2010
61
1
Visa Office......
Singapore
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
30-11-2010
File Transfer...
13-01-2011
ssskkk said:
I couldn't answer your questions there, getting some errors posting them - 'not allowed!!'

1) I applied myself, no assistance of lawyer
2) Nothing out of the ordinary - pics, phone bills with the call log, biyer card, receipt that I send money to support
3) No; I didn't; neither did they
thanks ssskk! err i must have had some weird settings for my inbox. i really cant remember what my 3rd question was to u.. can u tell me what it was :|