Forum Friends,
Here is our information right from the beginning until landing this afternoon here in Niagara Falls, Ontario...!
Brief Background - COMMON LAW/SAME SEX SPONSORSHIP APPLICATION (Outland-Buffalo, NY)
My partner came to Canada from Philippines as a Temporary Foreign Worker on a 2-year work permit in November 2007. We met online in Edmonton on July 18, 2008 and we moved in together on August 23, 2008. I know it was fast, but we moved in together. It was wasn't until approximately 2 years after that move-in date that I decided to surprise him with telling him I was willing to sponsor him. In December 2010, we began the application process and forwarded it off to CPC Missisauga and the rest of the dates are to the left of this posting...Haha! I totally understand that we could of applied INLAND through Vegreville, AB, but we wanted to go the Buffalo route as it cut the waiting/processing time in half, plus my partner has a 10-year US visitor visa so it would be a nice little 1-week getaway!
On September 23, 2011, my partner received an email stating that "an initial assessment of your application has been completed, and expect to finalize your application without a personal interview. While an interview does not appear necessary at this time, we reserve the right to call you to an interview, should this become necessary at some future stage in processing. That SAME afternoon, we received a letter via Canada Post that was dated September 15, 2011 that an interview was scheduled on December 7, 2011 and that we both would have to attend. Due to the immediate confusion, I scanned the copy of the letter we received in the mail and attached it to an email reply questioning the discrepancy. In less than 3 days, an actual person had emailed me back stating Please be advised that despite previous communication from our office, the officer reviewing your file has decided that an interview is required. The notification you received in the mail is accurate, and an interview has been scheduled for you on December 7, 2011 at 10am. We immediately began planning the trip from Edmonton to Buffalo.
The Interview (December 7, 2011)
The interview was scheduled for 1000 hours and we actually showed up at 0915 hours. We were told by the HSBC Centre security desk that we were early and would not be allowed to check into the consolute until 1000 hours sharp. NOTE: Do NOT show up early, because they won't let you in! We were greeted by a SUPER FRIENDLY lady behind the desk that told us we were number 1 and would be called shortly. At 1010 hours, by partner was called into Interview Booth 4 by IMMIGRATION OFFICER JOHN and here is a summation of the questions that were asked:
1. Where do you live?
2. When/Where did you first meet?
3. What did we do on our first date?
4. When did we move in with each other?
5. Why did you move in together so quickly?
6. Where does your sponsor work?
7. Where did he work before you met?
8. How many years did your partner live in Alberta before you met?
9. Do you have family (other than sponsor) already in Canada?
10. Where does your family members live?
11. What types of future plans have you made?
12. Why have you never wed your current partner or anyone before him?
After their last little discussion on number 12, the Immigration Officer told my partner that the reason the interview was called was because he was concerned that the reason we had moved in with each other so quickly was because he wondered if it was because my partner did not want to have to return to the Philippines. My partner explained that was definitely not the case and at that point, my partner showed up in the waiting area and called me into the booth. The Immigration Officer (who was SUPER friendly, cordial and personable) introduced himself and told me to have a seat. He explained the reason he called for the interview and explained his concern to me. He asked me to convince him "why" we moved into together after less than 2 months of dating. After some discussion, I come to realized that my partner hadn't given him any of our new proof, moreso the 15 + letters of reference we had brought with us. These letters were from friends, the CEO of my company, my department manager, my direct supervisor, my brother, his sister, and a whole lot of friends. After looking at this and with my explanation of why we moved in together so quickly, he looked through the very thick glass that seperated us and said, "I'm satisfied that you've answered my questions and am ready to release your visa." We both INSTANTLY began sobbing like babies (sooooo embarassing). We told us he leave so we could gather our composure and he would print the visa and attach it to my partners passport. The interview ended at 1055 hours! We went into the waiting area and within 5 minutes were called to the desk. The RPRF was already paid and the lady hand us the passport with the visa attached and some other paperwork to give to the border agents.
Landing (Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls, Ontario - 1910 hours)
We arrived at the border and I drove up to the wicket where we were greeted by another friendly official! I told her my partner was landing and she directed us to stop at the office and officially land. We went inside (no one ahead of us) and was called immediately to the desk. The Border Officer asked for the passport with the Immigrant visa and the other paperwork. He didn't ask ANYTHING, but stamped the appropriate things, got my partner to sign in several places, told him to visit a Service Canada Office to change his SIN status from temporary foreign worker to Permanent Resident and said what I had wanted to hear: "WELCOME TO CANADA!" At 1935 hours, we pulled away from Canada Customs and drove to Hard Rock Cafe-Niagara Falls and drank beers and ate wings!!!
Folks, it truly was a PAINLESS process (the interview and landing). The worst part of this whole process was the waiting. I didn't order the notes from my file, so we went blinded but decided as a couple to do it that way. We had NOTHING to hide or coverup and knew that we were going to do fine because the truth always comes out on top!
We will be heading back to Edmonton this Sunday where he will continue to work his current job, but I've already lined him up with a job at my company for almost 3 times the pay, to which we are both EXTREMELY excited!!! If you don't mind, I'd like to stay around and check in once in a while and say hello. If you have any questions that might help you and you don't want to ask on the blog for everyone to see, private message me and I won't mind sharing anything about us or our file. I'm an open book...Haha!!!
Thanks to you ALL for the support and encouragement on here. You'll never know how much I appreciated coming on here and venting, asking questions, and just adding a few cents here and there. There are probably a million typos on here because I was SUPER long-winded but I'm not gonna check for errors because it's past midnight and I'm heading to bed with Canada's NEWEST Permanent Resident, my life partner...!!!!!!!
Cheers and we'll talk to you all again soon!
