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Telephone Marriage

Amanda F

Newbie
Sep 20, 2013
3
0
Hi, I'm wondering if someone could help me. I am a Canadian citizen soon to get married to a Palestinian man born and raised in Saudi Arabia. We have a wonderful relationship that has grown over time from first my Arabic teacher who I met through a mutual Muslim sister who I trust, this grew into good friendship of speaking daily to each other for hours on email and Skype, and want to marry. We have decided to do telephone marriage first for a few reasons.

First, if I decide to travel to Saudi Arabia so we can meet in person I will need to be married to him since I am a Muslim revert and I do not have a male family member who can travel with me, but we are hoping instead he will be able to come here first for his vacation time in January 2014. We explored options for him to come here on a visitor's visa to meet and to marry here but realized this may be very difficult as they may deny him believing he will not return to Saudi Arabia after his visit.

Once we are married I will be applying to bring him here on a spousal sponsorship for his permanent residence. We plan on him staying in Saudi Arabia at the company he has worked at for 4 years until his PR is approved. Then I will fly to Saudi Arabia to visit him when I am able for a month visit and then return home to Canada. He would also like to be able to visit Canada during holidays and his vacation.

I called Canadian Immigration and spoke with an officer. I was told if we get married he will not be allowed to apply to visit Canada to see me on his vacations while he is waiting for his PR to be processed. I find this strange since we will be married and need to also show proof this is a genuine marriage through photographs, time spent together, etc and cannot do this unless we have the opportunity to spend person to person time together.

My question is, is this true that he will be denied any visits to Canada if we are married and he is waiting for PR?

Thank you in advance for any information you can offer me.
 

zardoz

VIP Member
Feb 2, 2013
13,298
2,167
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
16-02-2013
VISA ISSUED...
31-07-2013
LANDED..........
09-11-2013
Yes, it is true that he is unlikely to be granted a visit visa once you are married and/or have applied for sponsorship.
Visa officers take the view that the risk of overstay is too high... It's not 100% guaranteed to be a refusal, but close.

I have to be honest and say that from a Visa Office view point, your plan would raise a number of red flags.

I'm sure that others on here with more experience of the religious/cultural issues regarding travel and marriage will be able to provide a better insight than I can.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,906
22,152
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
It's extremely important that you meet at least once - preferably several times before you submit the application to sponsor him for PR. If you submit the application having never met him in person and having married him over the telephone, I think it's going to be extremely difficult for you to prove your relationship is genuine.
 

Amanda F

Newbie
Sep 20, 2013
3
0
Yes, this process will take time and not be easy but we hope we will have success. We both have strong belief in God and because we are honest about our intentions toward each other and our future we believe we will be rewarded for this and we will eventually spend our life together daily. We believe because it's for all right reasons and no wrong reasons to be together it will be success Insha'Allah, we just have to apply patience. Thank you both for your time, help and sound advice, this is greatly appreciated. :)

Jazak'Allah Khairan
 

zardoz

VIP Member
Feb 2, 2013
13,298
2,167
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
16-02-2013
VISA ISSUED...
31-07-2013
LANDED..........
09-11-2013
We look forward to further updates on your progress. Bon chance...
 

brighthope

Newbie
Sep 26, 2013
6
0
I'm a US citizen and married my Afghan citizen husband by proxy. It was over Skype, without ever meeting in person, then a month later we met and honeymooned in the UAE. I don't know the rules in your home country, but maybe looking into getting married by proxy (a person is appointed by the absent spouse to stand in for a legal ceremony) is an option? Is there an option through your respective mosques to do nikah ceremony and then sign legalities while you are both still overseas? It might be best to meet in a third country that has easier marriage laws but will enable you to still marry in the Islamic faith so it is legal in Saudi. I don't know my advice has been helpful, but best of luck to you both.
 

zardoz

VIP Member
Feb 2, 2013
13,298
2,167
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
16-02-2013
VISA ISSUED...
31-07-2013
LANDED..........
09-11-2013
In another thread, it has been determined that Canada doesn't recognize proxy marriages for immigration purposes.