Sponsoring my Korean wife for permanent residency

[JRPW]

Thank you very much for your prompt reply! It's good to know that it simply varies on the time frame (meaning, if it's taking longer, I shouldn't have to worry)

I was looking at the processing time a few months back, and it said "9 months" Why has the process slowed? I'm assuming there are several factors involved, perhaps more applicants etc.

Anyways, I appreciate the candidness. I sure would love to fast-forward to where you are now

Nine months was the time stated when we applied in 2012. It jumped to 14 months a little while later (two months later). There was a strike by VOs that occurred between April and September 2013 (more or less). During this time, no spousal visas, or very few, were being worked on. Finally, Typhoon Haiyan. Filipinos, who had applied for Canadian visas in the affected areas, are getting their visas fast tracked.

 

[Rob_TO]

Question about timeline: It says "14 months" for Manila. I'm assuming that is all the visa cases clumped together to come out with that average?

That number is NOT an "average". It is worst case scenario for 80% of apps. So basically 80% of apps were done in less than 14 months, and 20% were done in more than 14 months.

By downloading an excel spreadsheet from the data.gc site ( http://data.gc.ca/data/en/dataset/427337d0-7c36-4fed-8428-c6a63f8c19b3 ), you can see the 50% times, which to me show a better "average" of applications.

For Manila the latest 50% time for spousal category, is 9 months.

 

[Marticus]

That number is NOT an "average". It is worst case scenario for 80% of apps. So basically 80% of apps were done in less than 14 months, and 20% were done in more than 14 months.

By downloading an excel spreadsheet from the data.gc site ( http://data.gc.ca/data/en/dataset/427337d0-7c36-4fed-8428-c6a63f8c19b3 ), you can see the 50% times, which to me show a better "average" of applications.

For Manila the latest 50% time for spousal category, is 9 months.

Thanks very much Rob!

A follow-up question, how do I track to progress of my application? Do I have to register on the website, or can I follow it online (I noticed there was a link online to follow your application status online, and I tried it out, but it just kept leading me to various scroll down menus that really didn't lead me to an application status page)

Also, I'm having trouble figuring out all the abbreviations. First I send my application to Mississauga (check), next I wait for sponsorship approval (approx. 1 month)... and then?

Thank you again for all your help,
Marticus

 

[bartjones]

Thanks very much Rob!

A follow-up question, how do I track to progress of my application? Do I have to register on the website, or can I follow it online (I noticed there was a link online to follow your application status online, and I tried it out, but it just kept leading me to various scroll down menus that really didn't lead me to an application status page)

You can track it here http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/my_application/status.asp using the numbers you will get when CIC acknowledges receipt of your application.

Also, I'm having trouble figuring out all the abbreviations. First I send my application to Mississauga (check), next I wait for sponsorship approval (approx. 1 month)... and then?

Then CIC Mississauga sends the file to Manila and you wait 5 or 6 months to hear something from them.

 

[mikemckell84]

Received Decision Made over the weekend.

 

[bartjones]

Received Decision Made over the weekend.

Congratulations.

 

[hwanlj]

Received Decision Made over the weekend.

CONGRATS!!
축하해요!

 

[CanNZ]

Congrats

 

[Marticus]

Hi everyone,

My package has been received by Mississauga, yay!

Will I receive confirmation that they have "approved" me as a sponsor via email? (I wrote my email on the forms, giving them permission to do so) just wondering how / where to find my UCI and/or client numbers once they look through my application package...

Also, super terrifying right? Like, I'm having these 'oh SH%&' moments, thinking like i forgot to attach something or sign something haha. Will they 'check' my package to see if I've included all that needs to be included and signed? Like, when i get my first confirmation, that should ease my worries that i forgot to include something? or is that Manila's job to go through the package to check for signatures and N/A's etc? (basically paranoia has set in, and we are freaking out that we might have missed some minor detail... even thought we quadruple checked everything)

Like worst case scenario, we forgot to tick a box or something - would they contact us right away, and say "hey, re-send us this form asap, you forgot to check a box"

 

[bartjones]

Hi everyone,

My package has been received by Mississauga, yay!

Will I receive confirmation that they have "approved" me as a sponsor via email? (I wrote my email on the forms, giving them permission to do so) just wondering how / where to find my UCI and/or client numbers once they look through my application package...

Acknowledgment of receipt will probably come by email. You'll see the UCI and file numbers pretty clearly at the top. Sponsorship approval might come by email or by regular mail. Different people have had different experiences on this so it's hard to say.

Also, super terrifying right? Like, I'm having these 'oh SH%&' moments, thinking like i forgot to attach something or sign something haha. Will they 'check' my package to see if I've included all that needs to be included and signed? Like, when i get my first confirmation, that should ease my worries that i forgot to include something? or is that Manila's job to go through the package to check for signatures and N/A's etc? (basically paranoia has set in, and we are freaking out that we might have missed some minor detail... even thought we quadruple checked everything)

Like worst case scenario, we forgot to tick a box or something - would they contact us right away, and say "hey, re-send us this form asap, you forgot to check a box"

Unfortunately, you can never really rest assured that your application is all in order until they grant you PR. At any point they could ask for this document or take issue with that document. It's probably best, for your own sanity, not to worry too much about it now. You've submitted your application after careful preparation and review. Now, just sit back and wait and see what happens next.

 

[Rob_TO]

Received Decision Made over the weekend.

Congrats.. you should receive the COPRs within a few weeks now in in the mail, then it's another drive down to the US to land!

 

[Marticus]

Thanks again bartjones!

However, through my paranoia, it ends up we DID make a mistake! (at least I think we did):



We followed Appendix B, photograph specificiations -

However, I think we may have missed something? Some folks are saying that we need to have the person's name / studio name / date written on the back? (appendix B mentions nothing about this, but apparently I may have missed another set of instructions somewhere?... not sure why BOTH sets of instructions aren't just on Appendix B...)

It didn't mention anything in the Appendix B section of adding info to the back - so we put them in an envelope, attached the envelope to the Appendix B information sheet, and sent them in with the rest of our application.

Are we okay?

If not, what happens - when they are processing, would they simply ask for us to re-do the photos, and only the photos and send it to them asap (that would be cool, if that was the case!)?

 

[Rob_TO]

Some folks are saying that we need to have the person's name / studio name / date written on the back? (appendix B mentions nothing about this, but apparently I may have missed another set of instructions somewhere?... not sure why BOTH sets of instructions aren't just on Appendix B...)

I think you are fine. I don't think we had any name or place written on back of photos. I can't find this requirement anywhere in the application guide, and if it's not there, its not required.

Worst case scenario if they really did want it, they would send you a request to submit new photos.

 

[Marticus]

I think you are fine. I don't think we had any name or place written on back of photos. I can't find this requirement anywhere in the application guide, and if it's not there, its not required.

Worst case scenario if they really did want it, they would send you a request to submit new photos.

Thanks Rob_TO.

Here is where I read the info:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/photospecs-cit.asp

But, as I read it over, it's clearly not for permanent residency applications... (photo numbers don't even match, and it says 'citizenship')

I'll relax ... starting... now haha!

 

[CanAsian]

When shipping your things back home by ship, did you guys label the boxes in any special ways? Or did you just put "used ______". I'm planning to go back in March but I want to start shipping soon.

Also, any thing I should worry about when putting down the value of the goods?