Sponsoring my Korean wife for permanent residency

[Korea2Canada]

Medical Exam: How much is it? Any good experiences with particular hospitals in Seoul?

 

[Korea2Canada]

Letters from friends/family for proof of legitimate relationship: from sponsor and applicant families right?

 

[Rob_TO]

Yes, I was very impressed with your timeline!

I don't remember if you revealed the information (and if it isn't too personal), how long did you know each other, how long were you common-law and where?

Well our entire time knowing each other has been here in Toronto. She was here on study permit visa, and we met/started dating in Dec 2010. In Feb 2011 she moved in with me... it was supposed to be temporary while she looked for new apartment, but it just turned out to be so much easier. So we became common-law in Feb 2012. We took a while getting started on the application and putting it together, so didn't send that in until July 2012. So in total we we officially common-law for around 5 months at time we submitted the app, and during this entire time we were living together in Toronto.

As for proofs, we didn't include a whole lot. Back on page 6 of this thread I itemized all the proofs we had. Had i read much of this forum before we did the app, I probably would have tried to include more!

The Seoul office stopped receiving application on January 28 this year. So if you filed back in October, your file is actually being processed in Seoul and not Manila. I would imagine they are eager to push all the apps through to close them out, so you should be getting some feedback any day now.

When it comes to being approved, lots of it is pure luck and dependent on how the VO is feeling. VOs are expected to maintain a certain level of approved and rejected applications. If they haven't rejected one in a very long time, they'll need to scrutinize more to find one they can possibly deny... so just need to hope you're not one of those! In total though the Seoul office approves 95% of all applications, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

[Rob_TO]

Letters from friends/family for proof of legitimate relationship: from sponsor and applicant families right?

Yes, it's totally up to you.

 

[costaudjoe]

The Seoul office stopped receiving application on January 28 this year. So if you filed back in October, your file is actually being processed in Seoul and not Manila. I would imagine they are eager to push all the apps through to close them out, so you should be getting some feedback any day now.

When it comes to being approved, lots of it is pure luck and dependent on how the VO is feeling. VOs are expected to maintain a certain level of approved and rejected applications. If they haven't rejected one in a very long time, they'll need to scrutinize more to find one they can possibly deny... so just need to hope you're not one of those! In total though the Seoul office approves 95% of all applications, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Except we received a message saying that our file was being transferred to Manila. Maybe they are only working on those "in progress". Ours still says application received.

Thanks for the info!

 

[bartjones]

Medical Exam: How much is it? Any good experiences with particular hospitals in Seoul?

My wife tells me it was around 170,000 won for the exam and another 25,000 won for the cost of couriering the results to Manilla. She went to Severance Hospital. The doctor forgot to give her the copy of the form you need to include with your application and we had to wait a few days for it to arrive in the mail, so make sure your wife knows that she needs to get that document before she leaves the clinic.

 

[Korea2Canada]

So the Dr. has the form and we get a photocopy of it? correct? tks.

 

[Rob_TO]

My wife tells me it was around 170,000 won for the exam and another 25,000 won for the cost of couriering the results to Manilla. She went to Severance Hospital. The doctor forgot to give her the copy of the form you need to include with your application and we had to wait a few days for it to arrive in the mail, so make sure your wife knows that she needs to get that document before she leaves the clinic.

There shouldn't be couriering of anything. The doctor is responsible for sending the medical results to the CIC regional medical office (RMO). As far as i know, this is all done electronically and nothing is done with snail-mail anymore. The RMO actually analyzes your medical results, and then they send the final result for PR purposes, to the visa office that will actually be processing the application.

So the Dr. has the form and we get a photocopy of it? correct? tks.

It's not a photocopy, its a carbon copy of the IMM1017 form. See item #27 in the checklist, this is the exact doc you will get from doctor. Make sure it says 1017 on it!

 

[bartjones]

There shouldn't be couriering of anything. The doctor is responsible for sending the medical results to the CIC regional medical office (RMO). As far as i know, this is all done electronically and nothing is done with snail-mail anymore. The RMO actually analyzes your medical results, and then they send the final result for PR purposes, to the visa office that will actually be processing the application.

It's not a photocopy, its a carbon copy of the IMM1017 form. See item #27 in the checklist, this is the exact doc you will get from doctor. Make sure it says 1017 on it!

Hmm. The doctor told my wife their office would have to courier the results to Manilla and that she was responsible for that cost. I'd be interested in knowing what others' experiences were, to see if we got hosed. If we did, I'll be making some angry phone calls.

Yes, it's copy 2 of the form IMM1017. It's an original not a photocopy.

Also, when she goes to the medical don't forget, she will have to bring some recent photos with her.

 

[Rob_TO]

Hmm. The doctor told my wife their office would have to courier the results to Manilla and that she was responsible for that cost. I'd be interested in knowing what others' experiences were, to see if we got hosed. If we did, I'll be making some angry phone calls.

You can read some basic info here, but it doesn't say too much: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob471.asp

There is an eMedical system used in CIC that allows electronic transfers of data, but not all doctors in the world are set up on this. Perhaps doctors can decide if they want to continue using paper-based system, or transfer over to the fully electronic system. You'd think in Korea they're pretty far ahead technologically so would be all over the electronic way, but who knows.

 

[bartjones]

You can read some basic info here, but it doesn't say too much: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob471.asp

There is an eMedical system used in CIC that allows electronic transfers of data, but not all doctors in the world are set up on this. Perhaps doctors can decide if they want to continue using paper-based system, or transfer over to the fully electronic system. You'd think in Korea they're pretty far ahead technologically so would be all over the electronic way, but who knows.

Interesting. Maybe the clinic at Severance didn't get the memo. Like you say, as one of the most wired countries in the world, you'd think in Korea they'd be doing it all electronically.

 

[Daantaat]

My husband had his medical done on October 2. We paid 180,000 won, at Severance in Seoul. We also had to pay the additional 16,000 won courier fee for the documents to be sent to Manilla. We had to return to the clinic at Severance one week later to pick up the copy we needed for the visa application.

 

[costaudjoe]

My husband had his medical done on October 2. We paid 180,000 won, at Severance in Seoul. We also had to pay the additional 16,000 won courier fee for the documents to be sent to Manilla. We had to return to the clinic at Severance one week later to pick up the copy we needed for the visa application.

That's what we paid at Severance Hospital in July 2012. We also had to return a week later to pick up the copy to submit with the application.

 

[Korea2Canada]

What to include for wifes ID / Travel docs? Only copy of passport? Her national ID card is in Korean. Official translation for that? Thanks!

 

[Rob_TO]

What to include for wifes ID / Travel docs? Only copy of passport? Her national ID card is in Korean. Official translation for that? Thanks!

We included photocopies of her passport and national ID card. Though since the ID card is not even a required doc, we didn't bother with the translation. Since we went through the Seoul office, they were more lenient on translations since they were used to seeing tons of Korean documents pass through.

Since you are going through Manila it might be good to get it translated, if you decide to include it. If you are getting all your other Korean docs translated anyways, it will probably just be a minor extra amount to throw the small ID card in as well.

Note if you include a photocopy of a Korean doc with a translation, you are supposed to have the photocopy certified true.