Sponsoring my wife (WITHOUT WEDDING), help ( ImmOfficer, PM, Leon)

[Al.Abed]

I am a Canadian citizen (been here for 11 years) and originally from Jordan. I just went back to Jordan in March for a visit and ended up getting married (not planned). I knew the girl from before (11 years ago) and my parents are very close to hers. I wanted to just get engaged but I knew I can't start the process by being "engaged" so we got married without a wedding. We just wrote the contract and produced the paperwork. I only had a few days on vacation before having to come back to work so there was no time for a ceremony/wedding/party etc, all we did was a small gathering (10 people of her family) and I only have a few pictures. The application asked for a lot of documents (emails, phone records, receipts etc) which I don't have because it all happened so quick. The plan is for me to come back to Jordan when her paperwork is done, have a full wedding, and bring her back with me.

Here is my timeline so far.

Sent full application to Canada office May 2, 2009
application to sponsor approved and sent to Damascus Syria
on the CIC website it says "In process, app received July 13"

my questions:

1. Do they send a letter saying they have received the application in Syria to my wife in Jordan? (we had a change of address so im hoping they didn't send to old one)
2. Since I didn't have a full wedding, don't have many pictures, don't have emails/letters, receipts, etc, will they reject my application? IE what's worse case scenario?

3. Anyone done an app from Syria and can tell me how long the process is ?

Thank you all in advance, sorry if this was long.

 

[mitamata]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

Others might know better, but yes, I believe Damascus does send an AOR letter after they receive the application. If it didn't arrive, you might want to contact them to make sure they have the right address. When did you change it?

You will probably not be rejected right away, but with so little proof and with how quick it was, it's possible your wife will be called for an interview.

 

[Al.Abed]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

I she changed the address (PO BOX) about 2 week after they got the application. On the site it says "your current address is" and shows the correct one so they have the right one now, but I just hope they didnt send it before they changed the address. When they send the letter, should'nt that show in the status of "In Process"?

 

[mitamata]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

No, very few things show up under the "In Process". You'll only see "We received your application..." and later "Medical results have been received..." and possible "An interview was held on...". At the end, you'll see "A decision has been made..."

Anything other than that will not show up there. If you send them anything or they send you anything, you won't see a note about it there.

Just wondering, the address that shows up is yours or your wife's? I mean, how are you logging into e-cas, with your information or your wife's?
I ask because they have two addresses on file, one for the sponsor and one for the applicant and the letter would've gone to the applicant's address, not the sponsor's.

 

[Al.Abed]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

I am the sponsor,
me and my wife log on using HER information and its HER address, so whatever they send from now on will be to that address.

Im reading some stories of rejected applications on here and it deosnt look too good. THAT WOULD SUCK!

 

[mingus]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

Hello Mitamata,
1st let me say welcome to the wonderful would of immigrating via the Damascus/Jordan embassy!

I have been in the process of sponsoring my husband from Jordan for over a year now.  He was refused and we are currently getting ready for our appeal hearing in November.

It took Damascus about 4 months to review his paperwork and arrange an interview for him in Amman.  It was at the interview that he was told that he was being refused because they believed that the only reason we got married was so he could come to Canada.

Both of you should get a copy of the AOR letter. It just may take a long time for you to get it.  I have found that if you email the office in Damascus and ask them to email you a copy they are usually really good about getting it to you.


Inshallah you will have a much easier time with your wife's application.  Since you are both from Jordan and quick marriage are not outside the norm, hopefully you will not have any issues.  I know in my husband's family, it is not unusual for someone to marry within a month of just meeting.  My brother-in-law met and signed his marriage contract within weeks of 1st meeting his wife.  They plan on holding their formal wedding party next year. I see this as a form of engagement, but that is just me.

I would think that it is very likely that she will have an interview in Amman. Personally, if we had our time back, we would have asked if the interview could have been held in Damascus, but that is a whole other story.  I would start planning for it. Keep all records of contact between the two of you since your wedding.  Letters,emails, chat logs, copies of phone bills that show you talk.  Copies of any money transfers you send to her.  Copies of anything you have put in both of your names such as insurance policies.

I would also write out a complete history of how you met years ago, how you both decided to marry while you were home, that your families are in favour of the match. I would also tell them of your plans for a tradition Nikka/wedding when you return to Jordan. I would also see if some of the guests who were at your wedding would write you a letter of support telling how they know you and your wife, that they attended your wedding and that how it was a traditional match.
I would get all of this together and make sure that your wife has copies just in case she gets called in for an interview.

Like I said, I hope that because you are both from the same country/background/religion and such that you will not have any problems.  You do not seem to have any of the problems we have in proving that our marriage is real except how quick it happened.

if you have any questions please feel free to email me. Sorry for the information overload!

Salam

 

[Al.Abed]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

Mingus,

Im the original poster, not Mitamata , but its ok

thanks for the info, sorry to hear about what happened in your case and inshallah your appeal will be good and you will be approved.

I did provide explaination of why it was quick and why we dont have "proof" in the application, but its probably a good idea to keep "proof" of stuff after we sent the application. Are you suggesting when she gets the interview to take all this proof with her? (seems like a good idea to keep it in a bag IF they seem like they are going to refuse)

also, if u dont mind me asking, did they give u a reason to why yours was rejected?

Thanks, I appreciate your input

 

[MARLENA]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

Al. Abed, I sponsored my husband from Lebanon and his application was sent to Damascus. After 1st stage approval CIC-M will send it to Damascus which they will update ecas PR status first and your wife will receive AOR afterward.
The following is an update in ecas for PR
We started processing xxxxxxxxapplication on xxxxx, 2009.
Medical results have been received.
After the update if everything goes well it should be finalized not more than 90 days of the most.
Mine was received by Damascus AOR was received May 17, additional documents requested July 12, Passport request July 21, Passport lost for a week and received afterward...July 28.

Usually if they need anything they will send the applicant a letter requesting any additional documents.
In conclusion Damascus embassy is the greatest!!! My experience was excellent with them. They are very professional.

Good luck!!!!

 

[mingus]

Re: Sponsoring my wife from Jordan (WITHOUT WEDDING), help

Sorry Al.Abed I must have just looked at the wrong name.

They refused my husband because they did not believe that our marriage is real, that the only reason he married me was to get into Canada. I am a Canadian by birth and have not cultural or religious ties to Jordan. Also we met on the internet and married rather quickly after we met . The fact that I married him the 1st time I travelled to Jordan which like you wasn't planned also was questioned. All of this plus a few things more caused red flags for them.

Also, my husband had some issuses with the interview that I would rather not go into here. Needless to say, if we had our time back and knew then what we know now, we would have requested that his interview be held in Damascus and I would have made sure I was there with him.

IF your wife gets called for an interview she will be able to give them any additional "proof" she has. She may also be asked to bring in some additional papers when she gets her request. Nothing major, just something ithat maybe missing from the application.

Ramandan Kaarem

 

[Al.Abed]

I need some input from any people the know the system well...
after reading some of the horror stories im extremely freaked out... I dont know what I'd do if this gets denied...

 

[Al.Abed]

guess the popular people are super busy or not around

 

[MARLENA]

What kind of information are you looking.?????
What you need is PROOF PROOF PROOF such emails, msn chat, phone calls, pictures, boarding passes, greeting cards etc. Anything you think of that can demonstrate to VO that your relationship is genuine and not MOC. You don't provide them proof only since you are married but rather since your relationship begin.
The more you explain in the application and the more you provide them with what they have asked with logic and complete answers the more your chances is to be approved.
If your application is organized in my opinion you shouldn't have a problem. The less information you send the less chances you have.
As long you are honest and answering all the questions If I were you I should not worry. There is no exception to the rules especially when it comes to VO. They can read between the line and make a decision. Perhaps it may not be perfect or not the decison that you need to receive and have a bad luck with one of them but the majority are decent and human they base their decison on what it was provided and how accurate you are with your answers.
Again Good luckkkkkkk!!!

 

[Al.Abed]

I have nothing prior to marriage and my app is already sent. All I can do is send them stuff from after marraige.
Im only worried cuz I didn't have a wedding and I havent heard of anyone applying without a wedding... I just want to know if that is a big deal cuz if it is I can just go have a wedding and send them pix/vids, but i'd prefer to leave that till she's approved.

 

[MARLENA]

Sorry NO wedding NO approval unless you are a in a common law relationship and you continually lived with her for one year..
When u said no wedding based on what criteria did you sponsor her????

 

[Al.Abed]

we got married at the judge's office or whatever its called here (where u sign the contract etc) and then produced all the documents (marriage certificate and such). by no wedding i mean we did not have a fullout party cuz i was leaving in a few days and everything happened all of a sudden. we just had a small gathering at her place. My visit to Jordan was not so I can get married, I was just visiting. We are gonna have the full wedding when paperwork is done.