- Jun 7, 2011
- 2
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Singapore
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- 07-06-2011
- AOR Received.
- 25-07-2011
- File Transfer...
- 08-08-2011
- Med's Done....
- 14-04-2011
- Interview........
- N/A
- Passport Req..
- 20-03-2012
- VISA ISSUED...
- 03-04-2012
- LANDED..........
- 10-04-2012
During the process of filling out our application, I contacted the CIC call centre several times, just to get answers about various aspects of filling out the forms. Some of the questions I asked are very straightforward and may seem silly, but I think many of us understand the uncertainty that comes with navigating this mess of a process, so at the time, it was really a big deal to get these questions answered. I've also seen these questions pop up on these forums now and then, so I figured it'd be useful to share some of the answers with everyone here.
Also note: we submitted in June 2011, before the recent changes to the forms used (e.g. we filled out IMM 0008 Schedule 1, rather than Schedule A), so some these questions might be out of date.
Some of our supporting evidence (tickets, receipts, correspondence) is stapled, some of it isn't. The forms themselves (IMM5540, IMM5490, etc) are not stapled, although some of them are held together with paperclips. Is this OK? Our understanding was that not stapling things allowed the officers to arrange things to their liking, but it might take a long time to "un-staple" some of the supporting evidence we're sending. Does it matter?
No staples, no paperclips. If you absolutely need to hold pages together, fold over the top corner. Regardless, you can just put everything in your envelope in order and it should be fine; the people who process your application will be able to keep everything in that order.
The document checklist tells us to indicate which files we are sending, but also states "if you do not enclose all the required forms and documents, your entire application will be returned to you". Are we right in assuming that if a particular form (i.e. IMM5476, "Use of a Representative"; or IMM5409, "Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union") does not apply in our case, it is not "required" and therefore should not be sent?
You should send the forms even if they don't apply, just so that they know you acknowledge those forms. If they don't apply, you should put a diagonal line through them and write “Not Applicable” on them. Another solution could be to write an appendix to the Document Checklist and explicitly state that you are not including those forms because they are not applicable to your situation. Or you can do both.
In some cases, I helped my wife to answer certain questions, either by suggesting ranges of possible answers or by providing her with an outline she could follow. I know that some of the sections she is submitting as part of appendices to the forms still contain passages that were written by me in those suggestions and outlines. Is this permissible? Will it cause a problem for our application? Should I simply make a note to indicate that I've helped her with her answers?
No, this will not cause a problem for your application. You are allowed to help each other out in this way.
Regarding irregularities in the sponsored person's passport (specifically, exit/entry visas mistakenly stamped on the “Observations” page of said passport; this had been raised as a concern during a earlier failed attempt to secure a temporary residence visa for my spouse).
If there are problems with a passport, then explaining them in an appendix should be sufficient. If those processing the application need further clarification, they will contact you.
I've had to make a few corrections to my spouse's forms, and in doing so I've crossed out or written over her answers, replacing them the corrected versions (i.e. "widowed" instead of "married"). Should I make a note to explain my changes in an appendix to the form? At least two of these forms have such a change. Should I make a separate appendix for each form?
In this case, the person filling out the form needs to sign off on any changes made to the form. So if the sponsor makes changes to the form filled out and signed by the sponsored person (I.E. IMM 0008 or others), the sponsored person would need to initial those changes to show that they are aware of them. A better way to do it would just be to fill out the form again with the changes incorporated.
On form IMM 5490—Q27, "cohabitation"—do we count even a period of a few weeks between the marriage and my return to Canada?
Any periods of cohabitation. It's not specified whether this is after or before, so it's fair to give all the periods we lived together under the same roof.
On the sponsor form IMM5540—Q8, "living outside of Canada"—should I count the time that I was visiting Vietnam, or should I disregard that time?
The question asks about “residing” in countries, not “visiting”. Reside: To dwell permanently or for a considerable time; to have a settled abode for a time; to remain for a long time; To have a seat or fixed position. So staying in certain places on a temporary basis (for visiting) probably wouldn't count.
Attaching photos— when answering the questions about wedding, engagement, etc— it says to "attach photos". Should these photos be physically attached to the appendix we use to answer the form? or should we simply submit any and all photos, say, in an envelope, number them, and refer to them by their numbers in the appendix? In short, how "attached" should the photos be?
There is a chance that physical attachment (i.e. staples, tape or paperclips) might damage the photos. Since the photos should be “loose”, it might be a better idea to put them into envelopes.
Can we write notes on the backs of photos (either in pen, or with labels/stickers) to explain the context of each photo?
Writing on the back of photos is OK, as would be labels/stickers, as long as the image isn't messed up or damaged.
On form IMM 5540, Q. 14: "Has your spouse met any of your close friends or family?" — does this count only meeting in person, or does talking online via Skype count too?
Meeting in person. Skype doesn't count.
If we need extra space to answer certain questions, can we put all those answers on one page?
If you need extra space to answer more than one question, you should give space for each question on its own separate page. On each separate page, you would indicate which question (and which form) that page relates to. You would then submit each of those pages as appendices to your form.
Regarding the expiration date of police reports.
3 months is the expiration date for police reports. As long as an application is received before the expiration date, the police report (and your application) will still be considered valid. If the VO needs any further documents later on, they'll let you know.
Is it OK to write "PRESENT" in the "To" field in Question 11 (IMM 0008)?
Yes, it's OK. “Present”, “Now” are both OK.
"Do you have family / relatives living in Canada?" (IMM 5490) Does this include extended family (i.e. mother's cousin, etc), even if you're not regularly in touch with them?
Yes, this includes any extended family members, as long as you know or can find their names and addresses.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 15: Addresses—in Vietnam, certain cities function at the level of provinces (HCMC, Danang, Hanoi). Should we repeat the name of the city twice, for "city" and "province"?
In the case of a province-level city, the “province” column can be blank.
The office in Singapore will have people who understand the Vietnamese system and will certify that what you've entered is correct.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 12: Name of the organization is too long and runs onto several lines. Can she write "as above" to avoid having to write the same name twice?
As long as the visa office will understand what you're writing. If a friend can understand it, then they probably will too.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 12: If you've been a member of a certain religious group since you were 15, but you started volunteering / working for that religious group only recently, how should this be indicated?
Your membership in a religious organization should go in this box, as well as simple membership in any other social, professional or student organization (as stated on the form). If you spent time working or volunteering for that organization, this should be noted under No. 11, not here, since that then becomes part of your personal (work) history. You can indicate work and volunteering separately: for example, if you served a certain religious community, say, as training coordinator without being paid for it, simply put “training coordinator (volunteering)” under “Activity” in Question 11.
For the legalization of documents from Vietnam: what does she have to do in order for CIC to accept her documents? Translate, notarize, legalize—what order, and with who? Canadian Consulate and Foreign Affairs? Or are the two one and the same?
Translations have to be done by a professional, accredited translator. It's not acceptable to have a family member or friend translate your documents (unless they have this accreditation). When choosing a translator, you have to ask them if they are able to certify their translations. Each of their translations should be accompanied by an affidavit certifying it as a true and accurate translation. Once the translations are certified, that's all that needs to be done with them before sending them—no need to notarize the documents, or submit them to or get them stamped by anyone else in Vietnam. The Consulate or the Visa office may be able to recommend a translator to you (not sure).
Also note: we submitted in June 2011, before the recent changes to the forms used (e.g. we filled out IMM 0008 Schedule 1, rather than Schedule A), so some these questions might be out of date.
Some of our supporting evidence (tickets, receipts, correspondence) is stapled, some of it isn't. The forms themselves (IMM5540, IMM5490, etc) are not stapled, although some of them are held together with paperclips. Is this OK? Our understanding was that not stapling things allowed the officers to arrange things to their liking, but it might take a long time to "un-staple" some of the supporting evidence we're sending. Does it matter?
No staples, no paperclips. If you absolutely need to hold pages together, fold over the top corner. Regardless, you can just put everything in your envelope in order and it should be fine; the people who process your application will be able to keep everything in that order.
The document checklist tells us to indicate which files we are sending, but also states "if you do not enclose all the required forms and documents, your entire application will be returned to you". Are we right in assuming that if a particular form (i.e. IMM5476, "Use of a Representative"; or IMM5409, "Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union") does not apply in our case, it is not "required" and therefore should not be sent?
You should send the forms even if they don't apply, just so that they know you acknowledge those forms. If they don't apply, you should put a diagonal line through them and write “Not Applicable” on them. Another solution could be to write an appendix to the Document Checklist and explicitly state that you are not including those forms because they are not applicable to your situation. Or you can do both.
In some cases, I helped my wife to answer certain questions, either by suggesting ranges of possible answers or by providing her with an outline she could follow. I know that some of the sections she is submitting as part of appendices to the forms still contain passages that were written by me in those suggestions and outlines. Is this permissible? Will it cause a problem for our application? Should I simply make a note to indicate that I've helped her with her answers?
No, this will not cause a problem for your application. You are allowed to help each other out in this way.
Regarding irregularities in the sponsored person's passport (specifically, exit/entry visas mistakenly stamped on the “Observations” page of said passport; this had been raised as a concern during a earlier failed attempt to secure a temporary residence visa for my spouse).
If there are problems with a passport, then explaining them in an appendix should be sufficient. If those processing the application need further clarification, they will contact you.
I've had to make a few corrections to my spouse's forms, and in doing so I've crossed out or written over her answers, replacing them the corrected versions (i.e. "widowed" instead of "married"). Should I make a note to explain my changes in an appendix to the form? At least two of these forms have such a change. Should I make a separate appendix for each form?
In this case, the person filling out the form needs to sign off on any changes made to the form. So if the sponsor makes changes to the form filled out and signed by the sponsored person (I.E. IMM 0008 or others), the sponsored person would need to initial those changes to show that they are aware of them. A better way to do it would just be to fill out the form again with the changes incorporated.
On form IMM 5490—Q27, "cohabitation"—do we count even a period of a few weeks between the marriage and my return to Canada?
Any periods of cohabitation. It's not specified whether this is after or before, so it's fair to give all the periods we lived together under the same roof.
On the sponsor form IMM5540—Q8, "living outside of Canada"—should I count the time that I was visiting Vietnam, or should I disregard that time?
The question asks about “residing” in countries, not “visiting”. Reside: To dwell permanently or for a considerable time; to have a settled abode for a time; to remain for a long time; To have a seat or fixed position. So staying in certain places on a temporary basis (for visiting) probably wouldn't count.
Attaching photos— when answering the questions about wedding, engagement, etc— it says to "attach photos". Should these photos be physically attached to the appendix we use to answer the form? or should we simply submit any and all photos, say, in an envelope, number them, and refer to them by their numbers in the appendix? In short, how "attached" should the photos be?
There is a chance that physical attachment (i.e. staples, tape or paperclips) might damage the photos. Since the photos should be “loose”, it might be a better idea to put them into envelopes.
Can we write notes on the backs of photos (either in pen, or with labels/stickers) to explain the context of each photo?
Writing on the back of photos is OK, as would be labels/stickers, as long as the image isn't messed up or damaged.
On form IMM 5540, Q. 14: "Has your spouse met any of your close friends or family?" — does this count only meeting in person, or does talking online via Skype count too?
Meeting in person. Skype doesn't count.
If we need extra space to answer certain questions, can we put all those answers on one page?
If you need extra space to answer more than one question, you should give space for each question on its own separate page. On each separate page, you would indicate which question (and which form) that page relates to. You would then submit each of those pages as appendices to your form.
Regarding the expiration date of police reports.
3 months is the expiration date for police reports. As long as an application is received before the expiration date, the police report (and your application) will still be considered valid. If the VO needs any further documents later on, they'll let you know.
Is it OK to write "PRESENT" in the "To" field in Question 11 (IMM 0008)?
Yes, it's OK. “Present”, “Now” are both OK.
"Do you have family / relatives living in Canada?" (IMM 5490) Does this include extended family (i.e. mother's cousin, etc), even if you're not regularly in touch with them?
Yes, this includes any extended family members, as long as you know or can find their names and addresses.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 15: Addresses—in Vietnam, certain cities function at the level of provinces (HCMC, Danang, Hanoi). Should we repeat the name of the city twice, for "city" and "province"?
In the case of a province-level city, the “province” column can be blank.
The office in Singapore will have people who understand the Vietnamese system and will certify that what you've entered is correct.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 12: Name of the organization is too long and runs onto several lines. Can she write "as above" to avoid having to write the same name twice?
As long as the visa office will understand what you're writing. If a friend can understand it, then they probably will too.
(IMM 0008 Sched. 1) No. 12: If you've been a member of a certain religious group since you were 15, but you started volunteering / working for that religious group only recently, how should this be indicated?
Your membership in a religious organization should go in this box, as well as simple membership in any other social, professional or student organization (as stated on the form). If you spent time working or volunteering for that organization, this should be noted under No. 11, not here, since that then becomes part of your personal (work) history. You can indicate work and volunteering separately: for example, if you served a certain religious community, say, as training coordinator without being paid for it, simply put “training coordinator (volunteering)” under “Activity” in Question 11.
For the legalization of documents from Vietnam: what does she have to do in order for CIC to accept her documents? Translate, notarize, legalize—what order, and with who? Canadian Consulate and Foreign Affairs? Or are the two one and the same?
Translations have to be done by a professional, accredited translator. It's not acceptable to have a family member or friend translate your documents (unless they have this accreditation). When choosing a translator, you have to ask them if they are able to certify their translations. Each of their translations should be accompanied by an affidavit certifying it as a true and accurate translation. Once the translations are certified, that's all that needs to be done with them before sending them—no need to notarize the documents, or submit them to or get them stamped by anyone else in Vietnam. The Consulate or the Visa office may be able to recommend a translator to you (not sure).
