Sponsoring husband from Morocco

[dair2dv8103100]

A very good question. Have you done either of those things or gotten the GCMS notes yet, Dair?

No ... there is no point. I am not over the 8 month mark yet. If there is no word at the end of April... then I will start all those things.

But I was curious because my pastor seems to think that if you annoy them with these things they are less likely to want to look at your file than someone who just shuts up and puts up. But I find that hard to believe. I mean how many people are just wanting to sit around and do nothing and wait even longer to be with their spouses??

 

[ddobro2]

I think it's a balancing act between those two extremes. I'm about to order my 4th set of GCMS notes. I've watched them change at glacial speed from having my medicals in progress, to passed, to my criminality in progress, to them writing that we met in a chatroom and the relationship appears bona fide and the IO requests the interview be waived. I know a lot of people who would have had to wait longer if it were not for seeing something that was missing or incorrect or suspicious in those notes and asking about it.

No ... there is no point. I am not over the 8 month mark yet. If there is no word at the end of April... then I will start all those things.

But I was curious because my pastor seems to think that if you annoy them with these things they are less likely to want to look at your file than someone who just shuts up and puts up. But I find that hard to believe. I mean how many people are just wanting to sit around and do nothing and wait even longer to be with their spouses??

 

[dair2dv8103100]

I think it's a balancing act between those two extremes. I'm about to order my 4th set of GCMS notes. I've watched them change at glacial speed from having my medicals in progress, to passed, to my criminality in progress, to them writing that we met in a chatroom and the relationship appears bona fide and the IO requests the interview be waived. I know a lot of people who would have had to wait longer if it were not for seeing something that was missing or incorrect or suspicious in those notes and asking about it.

Well that is interesting, and you are not over your processing time??

Because if that is the case... maybe it would be good to order them just for a look.

But I think my husband has to sign something???

 

[ddobro2]

I'm at over 8 months but I'm within the 80% of applicants processed within 11 months for Buffalo. The problem with Buffalo is that they have absolutely no interest in being consistent or fair as to the order in which they deal with applications. The latest-applying people to have already received PPR with our VO had their files at Buffalo in August and their PPRs 2 to 3 months later. On the other hand, there have been people whose files have been at Buffalo for 7 months or more before they get PPR. There is a reason why people in the Buffalo thread joke that they tack up applications onto a bulletin board and throw darts on them to figure out who they'll work on exclusively first. This experience evidences that when CIC writes in its operations manual that it processes applications in the order it receives them, they are not exactly being honest.

Yeah, your husband would sign IMM5475.

Well that is interesting, and you are not over your processing time??

Because if that is the case... maybe it would be good to order them just for a look.

But I think my husband has to sign something???

 

[dair2dv8103100]

I'm at over 8 months but I'm within the 80% of applicants processed within 11 months for Buffalo. The problem with Buffalo is that they have absolutely no interest in being consistent or fair as to the order in which they deal with applications. The latest-applying people to have already received PPR with our VO had their files at Buffalo in August and their PPRs 2 to 3 months later. On the other hand, there have been people whose files have been at Buffalo for 7 months or more before they get PPR. There is a reason why people in the Buffalo thread joke that they tack up applications onto a bulletin board and throw darts on them to figure out who they'll work on exclusively first. This experience evidences that when CIC writes in its operations manual that it processes applications in the order it receives them, they are not exactly being honest.

Yeah, your husband would sign IMM5475.

Ok so I found the page finally where I can order the notes... but will they accept a copy of the page my husband has to sign or do they need the original?

Should I order just the GCMS notes or can I also order the visa file...does anyone know the difference??

 

[ddobro2]

The form I mentioned is the consent form for the GCMS notes that would be sent to the Access to Information and Privacy Act office of CIC. It's called Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual. The form you are talking about that you included with you application was the Use of a Representative Form. The former document allows an individual someone designates to be able to obtain information on that person's case file, such as the status of his or her application, but does not make that person a representative who can conduct business on his or her behalf with CIC. For that you need the Use of Representative Form, which you say you already sent in. In short, they're different, and they accomplish different things.

Like I said, it would be easier if he were in Canada because he'd only need to do the IMM5563, the main form, but since he's not y'all need to do that as well as the consent and credit card forms ($5 charge). But really - worth it in the grand scheme of things. Did you read the Immipedia page I linked to before (http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes)? Seriously, if you read that, I think the majority of the process would be cleared up for you.

And by the way, you said yesterday that the loss of the relationship evidence you had stored only on your computer is going to be a real problem for your application.......didn't you send all the relationship evidence initially when you sent the package to Mississauga? This is what I did, after making a complete copy of the documents that I included for my records. It's true that when they ask for an interview they'll often put in the interview request letter that you should bring additional proof of relationship (although you have to keep in mind that they use a form letter so most of the language there is not an individual request), but the point is, the vast majority of the relationship evidence would have already been included in the application, and hence the file Rabat received from Ontario, and you would have photocopies of it all in case they did something like lose it (gasp, I know, so unheard of with CIC :).

Without actually looking I am sure we sent one of these in with our application so that I could be his representative.

I am looking and searching on the CIC website for the forms needed to apply for GCMS notes and I can't seem to find them.... ... nothing like making it easy for us or anything.

Of course I probably just don't know where to look.

What does GCMS stand for... that might help in the search.

 

[ddobro2]

Oh good.

Like I said, the person who's the principal applicant (i.e., who is the subject of the notes) cannot request for his or herself if that person is not physically in Canada or a Canadian PR or citizen, so it would be you, the spouse, who would fill out the form. But since you're requesting notes for someone who is not you, you have to have the PA fill out the consent form. That would make it a little bit more cumbersome, as he'd have to mail you the form he signed so you can enclose it in the envelope (I have no idea how the ATIP office approaches digital signatures). Then you'd fill out the credit card form for $5. See? Much much easier when the PA is already in Canada, but what can ya do?

Leave "requestor's reference number" blank, write his name and DOB and check off "consent included," check off Access to Info Act, you may want to request them electronically as that would reduce your wait by a bit, and for section B, check off "GCMS." You don't want to check off the next one down which is "visa file" because that will actually entail them accessing your physical file in Rabat versus simply printing off what they can already see in the GCMS computer system. As you can imagine, that would negatively affect your processing time. Enter "Rabat" and the Fxxxxxxxxx or Bxxxxxxxxx file number for your file. Everything else, is pretty self-explanatory. You can read the page on Immipedia I already talked about, which also has the links to the consent and credit card forms, if you need more help: http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes.

Ok so I found the page finally where I can order the notes... but will they accept a copy of the page my husband has to sign or do they need the original?

Should I order just the GCMS notes or can I also order the visa file...does anyone know the difference??

 

[ddobro2]

Oh, that's right. Okay, here's the thing I know about Moroccans: they tend to have lots of family members and people they know in their communities and are more than willing to share resources. So I'm sure he can find someone to give him access to a computer with a webcam for one night - the night of his anniversary (plenty of Westerners, let alone North Africans, would do that without even batting an eye). Hell, he can even barter for it if it doesn't come by way of charity.

As for the date night.....that would be great....but he has to go to a cyber cafe. They wont allow food there...but...we could look at watching a film together and sharing a "Coka"....lol

 

[dair2dv8103100]

And by the way, you said yesterday that the loss of the relationship evidence you had stored only on your computer is going to be a real problem for your application.......didn't you send all the relationship evidence initially when you sent the package to Mississauga? This is what I did, after making a complete copy of the documents that I included for my records. It's true that when they ask for an interview they'll often put in the interview request letter that you should bring additional proof of relationship (although you have to keep in mind that they use a form letter so most of the language there is not an individual request), but the point is, the vast majority of the relationship evidence would have already been included in the application, and hence the file Rabat received from Ontario, and you would have photocopies of it all in case they did something like lose it (gasp, I know, so unheard of with CIC :).

Yes, we put all the evidence we had of our relationship as it pertained up to the marriage. and whatever time after till the application was sent... but often they want proof that you have maintained contact after the application was sent. To prove that you are actually maintaining a romantic relationship and not just attempting to get someone in the country.

So all the conversations I saved for this whole year are potentially gone... but there is still hope until I can get the harddrive to my friend and see if it is salvagable.

I have printed out the forms... I really wish rjessome was around.. I am sure she could tell me if they would take a digital copy of the release form or not... if they won't it will be a pain in the butt and take forever and by the time the notes come we might have already heard from them... haha

Sometimes I think it would be easier to just.... oh never mind.... I might get myself booted off the board if I put a lot of things on here that I think in my head... haha

 

[ddobro2]

You can try about the digital signature thing, or get rjessome's opinion, or contact the ATIP office, but I personally think it's safer to get it in ink. Does it really take that much time to mail from Morocco to Ontario? Remember, you don't have to mail him the form, just as long as he has access to a printer in that cyber cafe he goes to (and speaking of which, assuming they let people save documents off the computers in the cyber cafe, perhaps he should start carrying a diskette or flash drive every time he goes in there to chat just to be on the safe side) he will print off the consent form and sign it before mailing it to you. You handle the rest and it is an iota of a fraction of the work to complete any of the forms you filled out for the PR application itself, as I mentioned. I tried to put as complete instructions as I could in my last post so let me know if you still have questions. Yes, you might have PPR a month from now but what happens if you don't and become curious? I also think the same thing - why do I need to mail this damn thing again, I could have PPR by the time ATIP responds? I thought that the last times I requested but I ended up getting the notes and continuing waiting. So I think it doesn't hurt at all to do it.

Yes, we put all the evidence we had of our relationship as it pertained up to the marriage. and whatever time after till the application was sent... but often they want proof that you have maintained contact after the application was sent. To prove that you are actually maintaining a romantic relationship and not just attempting to get someone in the country.

So all the conversations I saved for this whole year are potentially gone... but there is still hope until I can get the harddrive to my friend and see if it is salvagable.

I have printed out the forms... I really wish rjessome was around.. I am sure she could tell me if they would take a digital copy of the release form or not... if they won't it will be a pain in the butt and take forever and by the time the notes come we might have already heard from them... haha

Sometimes I think it would be easier to just.... oh never mind.... I might get myself booted off the board if I put a lot of things on here that I think in my head... haha

 

[dair2dv8103100]

Leave "requestor's reference number" blank, write his name and DOB and check off "consent included," check off Access to Info Act, you may want to request them electronically as that would reduce your wait by a bit, and for section B, check off "GCMS." You don't want to check off the next one down which is "visa file" because that will actually entail them accessing your physical file in Rabat versus simply printing off what they can already see in the GCMS computer system. As you can imagine, that would negatively affect your processing time. Enter "Rabat" and the Fxxxxxxxxx or Bxxxxxxxxx file number for your file. Everything else, is pretty self-explanatory. You can read the page on Immipedia I already talked about, which also has the links to the consent and credit card forms, if you need more help: http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes.

Ok.. I was wondering what the difference was between just the GCMS notes and visa file. But makes sense to just get the GCMS...also because it is still early.

Also, I would need it in English... I wonder if that means it will take longer too.

Thanks for your help... I am going to tell my husband about it tonight and get this going. I am curious what is being done and said so far.

 

[dair2dv8103100]

You can try about the digital signature thing, or get rjessome's opinion, or contact the ATIP office, but I personally think it's safer to get it in ink. Does it really take that much time to mail from Morocco to Ontario? Remember, you don't have to mail him the form, just as long as he has access to a printer in that cyber cafe he goes to (and speaking of which, assuming they let people save documents off the computers in the cyber cafe, perhaps he should start carrying a diskette or flash drive every time he goes in there to chat just to be on the safe side) he will print off the consent form and sign it before mailing it to you. You handle the rest and it is an iota of a fraction of the work to complete any of the forms you filled out for the PR application itself, as I mentioned. I tried to put as complete instructions as I could in my last post so let me know if you still have questions. Yes, you might have PPR a month from now but what happens if you don't and become curious? I also think the same thing - why do I need to mail this damn thing again, I could have PPR by the time ATIP responds? I thought that the last times I requested but I ended up getting the notes and continuing waiting. So I think it doesn't hurt at all to do it.

Well... the last time my husband sent me just 5 or 6 pages it cost him half a months wages and took a couple weeks to get here.... it was insane!! Of course he sent them Fed Ex because it was legal documents. And this time he could just sent it regular post. But I will talk with him about this tonight.

Yes, he started bringing a thumb drive a while ago because he realised that I often have things I send to him..hahaha

 

[dair2dv8103100]

Oh... and in Rabat they don't issue PPR's... they just call the applicant to come in with it and stamp it the same day... one thing I DO like about Rabat... hahaha

 

[ddobro2]

Like I said, the difference is that the GCMS, or Global Case Management System, is the computer system they use to code apsects of the file and its processing (in other words, the ATIP office in Ottawa has access to it and they essentially send you printscreens from the GCMS system for your file) whereas the "visa file (information abroad)" option would in addition to the electronic files, include the physical file, i.e. the information from the visa office abroad. You don't want that. That would obviously entail ATIP accessing the physical file from Rabat. This will affect the processing of your file. The electronic notes only would not. You can always order the physical file, or FOSS notes, or the information from the medical exam after your husband lands as PR (we hope).

You can select "English" for the language you want the documentation to be in. I tick off "as is" for the language I want to examine the information in, because I'm sure it will be in English anyway and even if it is in French I would be able to read it. I doubt any of it would be in Arabic for your file......

Ok.. I was wondering what the difference was between just the GCMS notes and visa file. But makes sense to just get the GCMS...also because it is still early.

Also, I would need it in English... I wonder if that means it will take longer too.

Thanks for your help... I am going to tell my husband about it tonight and get this going. I am curious what is being done and said so far.

 

[ddobro2]

Oh ok. So how many weeks and how many dirhams for just a single page sent in a regular envelope non-priority?

Well... the last time my husband sent me just 5 or 6 pages it cost him half a months wages and took a couple weeks to get here.... it was insane!! Of course he sent them Fed Ex because it was legal documents. And this time he could just sent it regular post. But I will talk with him about this tonight.

Yes, he started bringing a thumb drive a while ago because he realised that I often have things I send to him..hahaha