Sponsoring my spouse in Iran - Shenas Nameh Question

[CanadianDude]

Hi All,

Does anyone have any experience sponsoring from Iran? I am a Canadian Iranian. Born and raised in Canada, and do not have a "Shenas Nameh" or Iranian birth certificate. However, through decent (from Father and Mother passed on to me) the Iranian Embassy in Ottawa has given me an ID number. When completing the forms I came across this:

If the sponsor is a permanent resident of Canada, you must provide a copy of his/her Immigrant or Permanent Resident Visa or Card. Residents of Iran must also provide a copy of sponsor’s “Shenas Nameh”.

I have provided a copy of my (sponsor) Canadian Birth Certificate. Is this enough?

 

[iarblue]

Well seeing as you are born in Canada then you would not have an Iranian birth certificate you werent born there,you are also not a permanent resident you were born here so your Canadian birth certificate is the only one you can give.???

 

[CanadianDude]

That's what I thought. However, by decent, the government in Iran issues birth certificates, and national id cards to all it's citizens. I have the numbers for my Iranian documents, however, my parents never requested the embassy of Iran in Canada to send my documents. I am worried about this, because I called the Iranian embassy and they said it can take up to 6 months for them to issue an Iranian Birth Certificate, that would contain the exact same info as my Canadian one, with one exception: Iranian Birth Certificates are in booklet format and list your current and previous (if applicable) marriages.

 

[irajmirza]

Hi, salam,

In my opinion, you dont need to provide your "shenasnameh" since you are born here in canada. Is your marriage canadian? if so provide your canadian marriage certificate, its ok. I have been in this process for 18 months!!! but everything depends on your chance.

good luck

 

[CanadianDude]

So I finally got an answer on this...and it kind of makes sense.

CIC agents told me, that since in Iran an Iranian (even by decent) cannot get married without a Shenas Nameh that I must have one. They are not requesting my (the sponsor) shenas nameh to prove that I am not Canadian (as I was born in Canada) in fact the contrary. Not supplying my shenas nameh can delay our application, because that is one tool to prove that we are in fact married. Iranian birth certificates or Shenas Nameh's have a page in which your past and current marriages if applicable are listed. Thus they want to make sure both our Iranian Birth Certificates have us listed as each others spouse.

I called the Iranian Embassy in Ottawa, and to obtain my shenas nameh can take up to 6 months, and then it has to go to City Hall ("Mahzar") to have our names validated in eachother's shenas nameh as spouses. However, after my wife called officials in Iran, they said they can arrange for it to be in her hands within 2-3 weeks. In the meantime CIC has asked me to mail my application with a letter indicating a translated copy of my shenas nameh will be forwarded to them ASAP.