Supporting Documents - How much is too much ?

[cfoisy]

When submitting supporting documents, is there a limit to how much the CIC wants to see ?

How many pictures ? How many letters, emails, and transcripts do they want to see ?

Also, should this be put together in a small binder or just neatly organized and clipped together ?

Thanks

 

[sk]

send a generous amount of valid support doc's
they need clear doc's without folds n staples.

 

[Leon]

Some people printed out their photos 4 per page, some printed out a screenshot of their email inbox showing volume of emails in there with different dates etc. Maybe that gives you some ideas.

 

[joecreosta]

but do these things really matter to the damn immigration officer?
for christ sake man and woman get married and they ahve a marrige certificate.what else they wants?

 

[joecreosta]

i never talk to my wife on MSN or emails never.we only do talkings on the phone.so what should I do?

 

[Leon]

Send copies of phone bills. It's not enough just to get married. You have to prove that you married for love, not for PR.

 

[hoping75]

I sent about 10 conversations for each month, about 150 pictures, all the phone bills, cards and letters and Emails . I also listed that we have many more conversations from each month if they need them.

I figured too much evidence was better than not enough, and an Agent when I called the CIC told me the same thing.

I paper clipped the evidence that went with the application questions to the back of each section of the application.

You can write who was in the pictures, and where you were at the time.

The pictures you can put in labeled envelopes from each event, such as the wedding, trips there, etc.

There is no set way to do it, just be sure it is organized and easy for the agent to understand.


The agents assess your relationship by how much proof you give them showing that you really do have an ongoing relationship. If you don't give them enough evidence of that, what do they have to judge it by.

Good luck and take care.

 

[ddunbar]

I sent in pictures, emails, letter, detailed phone bills and well text messages. We text messaged eachother alot, because there was no way for me to print my text messages from my phone; I used my digital camera and took a picture of each text message on my phone (the picture came out very clear). The text message shows the person you texted the date and time, as well as the message. I have both the messages my husband sent me and the messages I sent him from my phone. I downloaded the pictures to my computer and put 9 per page on a Borderbund program in my computer and printed them out.

 

[canthai]

It says on my checklist (Appendix A) to send photos loose. I don't know if they would accept printed photos 4 or 9 to a sheet but some in this forum have done it in the past. Better safe than sorry...

Note: Photos must be loose; do not send them in binders, albums,
frames or other such containers.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3906e.pdf

canthai

 

[med]

i agree with canthai

 

[Anatolia]

When they say "photos loose" they mean, copied to a page that is loose or the actual pic. They just don't want Bulky heavy things, such as frames or albums.

I send two pics per page with "entretaining" explanations of each pic!

I actually photocopied everything into paper. Airline tickets, some emails, poems, letters, phone bills...etc. It was nice colourful AND light.

 

[AMB]

The officer processing your app doesn't want any binders/covers etc- just put everything together in a paper clip, and maybe put the pictures into an envelope. Photocopies are okay, but make sure they're clear. You won't get anything back... I sent original photos, though.

There's a fine line between proving your relationship and overwhelming the officer with information. I certainly don't think you need to print all, or even half, the conversations you have on MSN or email or whatever, especially since these kind of things can be manipulated/manufactured with the help of technology, and the IO knows that. Get in the mind of the officer- they see so many applications and they want to see what makes your relationship different and special. If you have lived together and shared a life, evidence from this is the best. Send a variety of pictures, letters from family/friends, airline tickets, evidence of holidays/trips, joint bank accounts or leases, insurance, listed beneficiary etc. I didn't send more than 20 pictures. Just a variety from the past years.

 

[ddunbar]

A co-worker where I work hired a lawyer to help him and his wife with their application and his lawyer informed him the more evidence you supply the better. He said he sent in over 300 pictures, airline tickets, reciepts for all the gifts he bought her, emails, phone records, receipts of the money he sent her, etc. They filed the beginning of April 08 and she received her visa the beginning of Sept 08. I also have another friend who only had a few photos, no phone records because they used calling cards, and 2 airline tickets as evidence. He got an interview within 6 months from applying and was refused, he appealed and got another interview 6 months later and showed up with alot more pictures, phone records, and one more airline ticket and finally got approved. So based on these two seperate cases I think more is better.

 

[Anatolia]

ON a side note: If you have calling cards...put 10 to a page and color photocopy them. They look pretty and they are persuasive

 

[Anatolia]

Also, do choose the best pics that represent different months or weeks (the BEST PICS) and write a little story (a few lines) about each event or situation. For example:

I put two pics in a page. One of it is of close up of our hands , touching with both our wedding rings and the other as close up of my red rose bouquet that my partner and I made. Very lovely pics, actually. Then BEtWEEN, I wrote the following: (GOD, this is embarrasing, but I just want to help ppl out.. LOL)

"We are sentimental people and although we didn't have much money, we wanted to make every detail in our wedding count. Our rings are platinum, his from Tiffany and Co, bought on an online auction and mine is an 80 year old Art Deco Platinum Wedding band with old cut diamonds. We got it for a steal! My bouquet, which I was obsessed with, was made with $80.00 worth of fresh-cut roses, wrapped with a burgundy velvet ribbon and pearl-like pins. We made it together in our kitchen! It was simply gorgeous! It is dried and kept inside our China Cabinet."

Sappy, Vogue-ish and over-descriptive? Yes! But it is excitement that is Hard to fake, I think.