Thread for Acrra Ghana applicants

[waitingInTO]

Pls I have an important question.

Anyone here that had a course to do a name change for any reason? We submitted our app in my maiden name reason being that we got married in US and couldn't do all that process then but we sure needed to push out the application. Now am in Nigeria and we think we should do it now since my passport is about to expire too so we can change everything once. It saves us time and money I'll get my PR card in my husbands name now rather than having to start doing the process afterwards

Now I know normally " change of name" isn't such a big deal but can't say exactly for this process. I've read CIC site but still want practical ideas. Pls any useful info would be appreciated. Thanks

@Sugarcoconut, seeing how your are an August applicant, I'd say leave it alone unless your passport is going to expire before December. Reason is, that even though I went through the trouble of changing my name and everything before we applied for my husband last October...CIC still corresponds to me and identifies me using my maiden name from when I came here as a kid with my parents almost 30 years ago!! They don't care. My GCMS notes show them changing the married name back to my maiden name before approving my sponsorship application.

For those who are wondering about the UCI number, I believe it's almost like your "SIN card" with CRA. If you have ever interacted with them (e.g. for TRV or any other immigration purposes) and supplied demographic information about yourself, they assign you a UCI number and that is somewhat permanent. They will find that number and associate the information with you if your apply for anything else in the future.

 

[Sugarcoconut]

@Sugarcoconut, seeing how your are an August applicant, I'd say leave it alone unless your passport is going to expire before December. Reason is, that even though I went through the trouble of changing my name and everything before we applied for my husband last October...CIC still corresponds to me and identifies me using my maiden name from when I came here as a kid with my parents almost 30 years ago!! They don't care. My GCMS notes show them changing the married name back to my maiden name before approving my sponsorship application.

For those who are wondering about the UCI number, I believe it's almost like your "SIN card" with CRA. If you have ever interacted with them (e.g. for TRV or any other immigration purposes) and supplied demographic information about yourself, they assign you a UCI number and that is somewhat permanent. They will find that number and associate the information with you if your apply for anything else in the future.

Thanks for ur response. Am Nov 2nd applicant not Aug and my passport expires in February. So knowing it expires soon and obviously I won't be landing too long before that my hubby said it would be best to get a new one in naija rather than having to renew it in Canada. It saves us stress of traveling to Ottawa and money too. So it's certain I'll renew my passport before traveling cos I can get a new one once it's 6months or less validity left.

Am only torn in between going ahead to renew with my maiden name or just do the change of name once since it's still something I'll do in no distant time. It saves me stress but I'll bear the stress if changing will affect my application in any way, maybe delay.

So that's my major concern, the process I'll have to go through with CIC, if it's worth it or not. In ur case u are the sponsor so whether they change ur name or not makes no much difference but am the principal applicant.

 

[Ugoswife]

I'm in the same situation as you. We got married in the US and sent our app out. My passport expires in September and I have already gotten a new one with my maiden name on it. Wè decided not to do anything at the moment to complicate the process and think about those after I land. Wè can always do it at our convenience, I'm going to have the last name forever so a few extra months don't really matter lol. But it's up to you. I'm not sure how name change affects the length of the application but on a lot of forums I saw people just by pass it until they finished with the immigration process.

Thanks for ur response. Am Nov 2nd applicant not Aug and my passport expires in February. So knowing it expires soon and obviously I won't be landing too long before that my hubby said it would be best to get a new one in naija rather than having to renew it in Canada. It saves us stress of traveling to Ottawa and money too. So it's certain I'll renew my passport before traveling cos I can get a new one once it's 6months or less validity left.

Am only torn in between going ahead to renew with my maiden name or just do the change of name once since it's still something I'll do in no distant time. It saves me stress but I'll bear the stress if changing will affect my application in any way, maybe delay.

So that's my major concern, the process I'll have to go through with CIC, if it's worth it or not. In ur case u are the sponsor so whether they change ur name or not makes no much difference but am the principal applicant.

 

[Denne]

I hope they do

I pray they do

 

[becos]

I pray they do

Are you Ghana or Nigeria app?

 

[becos]

@ooao have you done your medical yet?

 

[Denne]

Are you Ghana or Nigeria app?

Nigeria

 

[Denne]

Nigeria

What about you and when did you apply?

 

[becos]

What about you and when did you apply?

Ghana, August 23rd

 

[Denne]

Ghana, August 23rd

OK.

 

[ooao]

@ooao have you done your medical yet?

no, but we are booked for early next week. that was the earliest we could get.

 

[ooao]

I'm in the same situation as you. We got married in the US and sent our app out. My passport expires in September and I have already gotten a new one with my maiden name on it. Wè decided not to do anything at the moment to complicate the process and think about those after I land. Wè can always do it at our convenience, I'm going to have the last name forever so a few extra months don't really matter lol. But it's up to you. I'm not sure how name change affects the length of the application but on a lot of forums I saw people just by pass it until they finished with the immigration process.

You are right, I kept my maiden name as well until the application is over. That way they will not be adding extra processing time to something that is already long enough. I will have the last name forever ,so what is the rush...

 

[Denne]

no, but we are booked for early next week. that was the earliest we c

no, but we are booked for early next week. that was the earliest we could get.

Please when did you apply?

ould get.

 

[Denne]

Please when did you apply?

 

[becos]

Please when did you apply?

@ooao applied on August 10th 2016 and got their re medical request on August 8th this past week.