I also truly hope AVO continue with this awesome pace and resolve the rest of files on time.
Thread for Acrra Ghana applicants
- Thread starter palomadiego
- Start date
Nope still in the waiting game. Had to send it through VFS. I was not given an option. Actually my letter said this about it:
"As of May 1, 2018, all original documents, including passports, must be submitted via the VAC.
Please see: http://www.vfsglobal.ca/canada/ and follow the instructions under the
“Passport Transmission Services” section."
They received it Friday June 1st. Still haven't gotten it back.
Lol - he asked our daughter to read it for him and she couldn't either because she was shaking just as much
Now that we are almost at the end of the journey, I wanted to provide some information on what I learnt along the process:
Your journey is your journey
I think a lot of us use the forum to watch other people’s journey’s as if we are all going to hear from AVO at the same time. And then we get disheartened when others hear before us.
But everyone’s story is unique. There are different reasons why some files may take longer than others – people may have different “flags” that need further investigation.
We need to be honest with ourselves and our stories. Be honest with yourself as to whether your case will probably be straightforward, or if your case has some flags that will make it more complicated. Having flags does not necessarily mean an interview or being denied, but it may lead to the processing time being longer than average. Being honest with yourself about your application will mean that you can manage your expectations better.
HOWEVER, with that being said, the visa office does seem to process applications in batches. The straightforward cases seem to happen early in the three month batch timeframe, which the more complicated cases seem to go over the 12 months. At least currently – though that may change as the process becomes more and more streamlined.
The process is intrusive
Our application was more complicated than most. I refrained from telling everyone here all the details as this process is intrusive enough. We already have visa officers who are seeing small snapshots of who we are scrutinizing our histories. I chose to share the same details with only a few trusted people.
I have seen people here ask for details on other cases. But your responsibility is to your spouse and family first – not to strangers here. Don’t feel pressured to share details if you are uncomfortable doing so.
I found comfort from finding a small group of people that I am now lucky enough to call friends. Find support, but don’t get so sucked up in the process that it becomes all consuming.
You are being watched
Visa officers look at your social media to help make decisions on genuineness of your relationship – which we have seen in cases here. So, be smart about what you post. And be smart by letting them see if you have nothing to hide.
If your relationship is genuine, why are you worried?
So this is a really tough one for me. As I said, our case was more complicated than others. So while I know with absolute certainty that my marriage with my husband is genuine and will last for the rest of our lives, I was terrified that the other issues would overshadow this.
But my husband had an interview and the officer was able to see through our photos and our correspondence that we are two people deeply in love.
So I believe that if you are truly in love with your spouse, and you have applied to come to Canada because you can’t stand to spend any more time away from them, the visa officers see that.
There ARE people that will use this forum and be disingenuous but try to make out that they have been targeted by AVO and act all confused. These people (one probably knows I am referring to them) make it more difficult for everyone else, and scare the rest of us into worrying about how the officers are treating our files.
Only the officers know what is in the files of others. Take certain sob stories with a grain of salt and don’t let their issues scare you.
AVO IS busy and the officers are human
As I mentioned, my husband attended an in-person interview at Accra. He said that everyone was BUSY – EVERYONE – no one was sitting around with their feet up on their desks taking a nap. And he was treated with total respect and compassion.
Remember – the officers aren’t necessarily from Ghana. And as a white woman who has visited Nigeria three times – it isn’t easy. I mean I realize it isn’t easy to live in many of those countries even if you are from there either. So the officers have chosen to serve people in an environment totally foreign to them. That, to me, shows dedication and humanity.
I have seen so many people curse and BLAME the visa officers when applications aren’t processed in the speed we want them to be. And to be honest, I started to feel that way as the time progressed. But I don’t think I have once seen someone show any sense of gratitude to the VISA OFFICERS when the files are processed – instead everyone gives credit to god. This just leaves me shaking my head at the lack of empathy for these officers that did complete the files – even if not in the time frame you were hoping for.
Leave them to do their work
Because they are busy, “we” should try to limit the amount of distractions. This means to keep unnecessary correspondence to a minimum. And yeah, I am a hypocrite as I didn’t always follow this, but as this post suggests – it is something I learnt along the way.
Every email that is sent unnecessarily that has to be responded to means an officer is pulling a file and responding when they could be working on approving an application.
Also, sending additional documentation may make the officers wonder what you are compensating for and why you feel the need to send additional information. I had sent additional information after reading our case notes. The officer then questioned my husband as to why I felt the need to do so.
An interview isn’t always a bad thing
An interview is an opportunity to present your relationship in a way that you can’t through the application alone. If your relationship is genuine, then why are you worried? Walk in with confidence and be proud to be able to present your relationship to the officer. You may not know the answer to every question, but you should be able to tell the story behind it. We hear stories where people were denied because they failed to answer one question – but I think the concerns go deeper than that. Remember, there were already doubts as a result of the application – so coupled with the applicant seeming nervous, or unsure, AND not being able to answer questions….it is not just ONE thing.
An interview may also be called to simply confirm some information, as was the case for us. Yes, it is a hassle having to go to Ghana if you were requested to do so, but it is a small sacrifice for the return.
And remember – the officer (in EVERY visa office around the world) is actually trying to protect Canadians from being victims of scammers.
This is still your relationship
So we all feel the ways I described above – sad, lonely, frustrated, etc.
But our relationships with our spouses are still our relationships and our reality. Because we are apart from them doesn’t make our relationships any less real or valid.
This process is part of your relationships journey. Try not to wallow in the negative feelings and forget to enjoy the relationship. Yes, it is difficult when you aren’t with that person physically but you are still married to the loves of your lives and that should be celebrated every day.
Keep busy
Even though my husband and kids aren’t here, I still have a life that needs to be lived. So I tried to continue to live it, even on those days I didn’t want to get out of bed.
But along with that came a sense of guilt – I felt guilty whenever I caught myself feeling happy without my husband around. I think that is natural and should be recognized.
But when you get out and do things – it makes the time go faster and it gives you more to talk about with your spouse.
It will end
Throughout this process I have felt angry, depressed, sad, terrified, impatient, frustrated, etc. But now as it is almost at an end, all those feels are gone.
THIS WILL END.
Everyone will hear from AVO at some time. It may not be in the timeframe you want, but you will hear.
You may watch others getting approved and wonder why the and not you. But – you aren't so special that you will never hear even though everyone else does. It will end.
There is probably more, but this feels well and truly enough
Your journey is your journey
I think a lot of us use the forum to watch other people’s journey’s as if we are all going to hear from AVO at the same time. And then we get disheartened when others hear before us.
But everyone’s story is unique. There are different reasons why some files may take longer than others – people may have different “flags” that need further investigation.
We need to be honest with ourselves and our stories. Be honest with yourself as to whether your case will probably be straightforward, or if your case has some flags that will make it more complicated. Having flags does not necessarily mean an interview or being denied, but it may lead to the processing time being longer than average. Being honest with yourself about your application will mean that you can manage your expectations better.
HOWEVER, with that being said, the visa office does seem to process applications in batches. The straightforward cases seem to happen early in the three month batch timeframe, which the more complicated cases seem to go over the 12 months. At least currently – though that may change as the process becomes more and more streamlined.
The process is intrusive
Our application was more complicated than most. I refrained from telling everyone here all the details as this process is intrusive enough. We already have visa officers who are seeing small snapshots of who we are scrutinizing our histories. I chose to share the same details with only a few trusted people.
I have seen people here ask for details on other cases. But your responsibility is to your spouse and family first – not to strangers here. Don’t feel pressured to share details if you are uncomfortable doing so.
I found comfort from finding a small group of people that I am now lucky enough to call friends. Find support, but don’t get so sucked up in the process that it becomes all consuming.
You are being watched
Visa officers look at your social media to help make decisions on genuineness of your relationship – which we have seen in cases here. So, be smart about what you post. And be smart by letting them see if you have nothing to hide.
If your relationship is genuine, why are you worried?
So this is a really tough one for me. As I said, our case was more complicated than others. So while I know with absolute certainty that my marriage with my husband is genuine and will last for the rest of our lives, I was terrified that the other issues would overshadow this.
But my husband had an interview and the officer was able to see through our photos and our correspondence that we are two people deeply in love.
So I believe that if you are truly in love with your spouse, and you have applied to come to Canada because you can’t stand to spend any more time away from them, the visa officers see that.
There ARE people that will use this forum and be disingenuous but try to make out that they have been targeted by AVO and act all confused. These people (one probably knows I am referring to them) make it more difficult for everyone else, and scare the rest of us into worrying about how the officers are treating our files.
Only the officers know what is in the files of others. Take certain sob stories with a grain of salt and don’t let their issues scare you.
AVO IS busy and the officers are human
As I mentioned, my husband attended an in-person interview at Accra. He said that everyone was BUSY – EVERYONE – no one was sitting around with their feet up on their desks taking a nap. And he was treated with total respect and compassion.
Remember – the officers aren’t necessarily from Ghana. And as a white woman who has visited Nigeria three times – it isn’t easy. I mean I realize it isn’t easy to live in many of those countries even if you are from there either. So the officers have chosen to serve people in an environment totally foreign to them. That, to me, shows dedication and humanity.
I have seen so many people curse and BLAME the visa officers when applications aren’t processed in the speed we want them to be. And to be honest, I started to feel that way as the time progressed. But I don’t think I have once seen someone show any sense of gratitude to the VISA OFFICERS when the files are processed – instead everyone gives credit to god. This just leaves me shaking my head at the lack of empathy for these officers that did complete the files – even if not in the time frame you were hoping for.
Leave them to do their work
Because they are busy, “we” should try to limit the amount of distractions. This means to keep unnecessary correspondence to a minimum. And yeah, I am a hypocrite as I didn’t always follow this, but as this post suggests – it is something I learnt along the way.
Every email that is sent unnecessarily that has to be responded to means an officer is pulling a file and responding when they could be working on approving an application.
Also, sending additional documentation may make the officers wonder what you are compensating for and why you feel the need to send additional information. I had sent additional information after reading our case notes. The officer then questioned my husband as to why I felt the need to do so.
An interview isn’t always a bad thing
An interview is an opportunity to present your relationship in a way that you can’t through the application alone. If your relationship is genuine, then why are you worried? Walk in with confidence and be proud to be able to present your relationship to the officer. You may not know the answer to every question, but you should be able to tell the story behind it. We hear stories where people were denied because they failed to answer one question – but I think the concerns go deeper than that. Remember, there were already doubts as a result of the application – so coupled with the applicant seeming nervous, or unsure, AND not being able to answer questions….it is not just ONE thing.
An interview may also be called to simply confirm some information, as was the case for us. Yes, it is a hassle having to go to Ghana if you were requested to do so, but it is a small sacrifice for the return.
And remember – the officer (in EVERY visa office around the world) is actually trying to protect Canadians from being victims of scammers.
This is still your relationship
So we all feel the ways I described above – sad, lonely, frustrated, etc.
But our relationships with our spouses are still our relationships and our reality. Because we are apart from them doesn’t make our relationships any less real or valid.
This process is part of your relationships journey. Try not to wallow in the negative feelings and forget to enjoy the relationship. Yes, it is difficult when you aren’t with that person physically but you are still married to the loves of your lives and that should be celebrated every day.
Keep busy
Even though my husband and kids aren’t here, I still have a life that needs to be lived. So I tried to continue to live it, even on those days I didn’t want to get out of bed.
But along with that came a sense of guilt – I felt guilty whenever I caught myself feeling happy without my husband around. I think that is natural and should be recognized.
But when you get out and do things – it makes the time go faster and it gives you more to talk about with your spouse.
It will end
Throughout this process I have felt angry, depressed, sad, terrified, impatient, frustrated, etc. But now as it is almost at an end, all those feels are gone.
THIS WILL END.
Everyone will hear from AVO at some time. It may not be in the timeframe you want, but you will hear.
You may watch others getting approved and wonder why the and not you. But – you aren't so special that you will never hear even though everyone else does. It will end.
There is probably more, but this feels well and truly enough
@RoamingSpirit am so proud to call you my friend. This summarizes everything I'm going through and most of us too. So glad your journey is at an end and a new chapter of your lives begins now!
I'm glad you recognized yourself as one of the friends I mentioned
This is really deep and helpful. Thanks for taking your time to share.
I'm an Oct applicant and still same thing...I'm hoping by Augus
Why won't he! I'm sure he danced evenThank you .My husband was shaking when the email came in
This is very true. I'm a June applicant and I'm hoping I hear latest by July ending. You can be optimistic but leave room in your heart for reality so it doesn't hit you n give u heartache
Congratulations!!!!! We all know how difficult n hair ripping this wait has been. The dream will soon come true. Congrats!!!
We learnt a lot too