time for wife visa from China, reality ?

[tedk]

Hi, I've been living in China and wanted to bring my girl friend to see my home in Ontario Canada. This seems like a rational thing to do rather than get married only to find she does not like Canada. We did a visa application, she doesn't own anything, but I did put money in her account. I did an invitation letter offering to put my house and savings up as collateral that she (we) would return in September. I documnted owning a house, bills, bank statements, income for myself. And of course she was refused. I'm really insulted that my government is run by such as**oles that this is not possible.
We did not want to get married right away as we both realized there are cultural differences etc, which we need to sort out and would she like Canada. We took a break as I had to come home and will probably get married when I return to China. I read that a family sponsorship may take 6 to 8 months to get a visa for a wife, but anyone that I have met told me it took them about three years to get approval. They felt that the visa process was there just to make them give up. It was that much trouble to get a visa. So do many have trouble getting a spouse back to Canada or does it usually go smoothly. I just want some knowledge as to what is the reality of getting a wife back to Canada quickly.
I like living in China, but I own a home and need a house sitter to look after my pets. This last one failed, my house is damaged and dirty when I came home, plus its expensive owning a home. I can't live in China forever. I could sell the house but might be unable to but another when I came home if prices go up. The pets, I can't get rid of. thanks for any replies.

 

[Isometry]

You can get the detailed statistics here: http://www.data.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=5175A6F0-1&xsl=datacataloguerecord&metaxsl=datacataloguerecord&formid=427337D0-7C36-4FED-8428-C6A63F8C19B3

How smoothly it will go depends on your circumstances and how well you prepare the application. When you're ready to start the application for your future wife's PR, this forum is actually a good resource to make sure that you're doing everything you should be to help make it go smoothly.

 

[steaky]

In order to get visiting visa for your girl friend, your girl friend must give evidence to show that she would return to China after the intended trip. The things you mentioned in the visa application doesn't show this. If she doesn't own a home in China, she can include other things. My father-in-law is also from China, currently visiting us in Vancouver. He doesn't own a home, but he still managed to get a visa after a failed attempt. You shouldn't blame the government when you cannot get a visa for your girl friend. Try again later when you can gather more supporting evidence.

In regards to your pet and house in Canada, why don't you bring your pet to China? Are you concern of the quarantine? For the house, you can always rent out your home while you are in China or use it as a second home and left it dirty while you are in China?

 

[tedk]

I showed my girl friend had a job, letter from employer giving her vacation time, apatment lease, family, her mothers 60th birthday is in Sept, so there is a family party.
I can't bring a pet to China on a tourist visa, I have 6 Maine Coon cats and a Collie. It is a hard trip for a pet. What if they die in transit? Heat , when the plane lands and is turned off, so is the air in the hold.
So any idea on the reality of a date for a spouse visa, 6 months or 3 years?

 

[R151NG5UN]

I showed my girl friend had a job, letter from employer giving her vacation time, apatment lease, family, her mothers 60th birthday is in Sept, so there is a family party.
I can't bring a pet to China on a tourist visa, I have 6 Maine Coon cats and a Collie. It is a hard trip for a pet. What if they die in transit? Heat , when the plane lands and is turned off, so is the air in the hold.
So any idea on the reality of a date for a spouse visa, 6 months or 3 years?

As some have said, every case is unique and a time line is so hard to predict. If your wife's Visa office is China they are currently processing 80% of applications within 6 months plus the 3 months for sponsor approval. If your case is relatively straight forward you should be looking at somewhere between 7 months - 1 year. This really is an immaterial guideline though as many factors determine how long it will take but if I was you, I would be looking somewhere close to a year period. Hope this helps

That 1 year guideline is based on a married couple and not a Conjugal partnership or BF/ GF relationship. These 2 types of relationships will significantly increase that time period.

 

[AnaMaria]

It also depends on which visa office you are going to apply to. Beijing is quicker but HKG is very long. I think someone in this forum mentioned that applicants from southern provinces in China will need to go through HKG VO. Plus you will need to add stage 1 processing time, which is currently, according to CIC, 86 days.

 

[MissDominica]

Hi, I've been living in China and wanted to bring my girl friend to see my home in Ontario Canada. This seems like a rational thing to do rather than get married only to find she does not like Canada. We did a visa application, she doesn't own anything, but I did put money in her account. I did an invitation letter offering to put my house and savings up as collateral that she (we) would return in September. I documnted owning a house, bills, bank statements, income for myself. And of course she was refused. I'm really insulted that my government is run by such as**oles that this is not possible.
We did not want to get married right away as we both realized there are cultural differences etc, which we need to sort out and would she like Canada. We took a break as I had to come home and will probably get married when I return to China. I read that a family sponsorship may take 6 to 8 months to get a visa for a wife, but anyone that I have met told me it took them about three years to get approval. They felt that the visa process was there just to make them give up. It was that much trouble to get a visa. So do many have trouble getting a spouse back to Canada or does it usually go smoothly. I just want some knowledge as to what is the reality of getting a wife back to Canada quickly.
I like living in China, but I own a home and need a house sitter to look after my pets. This last one failed, my house is damaged and dirty when I came home, plus its expensive owning a home. I can't live in China forever. I could sell the house but might be unable to but another when I came home if prices go up. The pets, I can't get rid of. thanks for any replies.

I feel your pain. I had a similar experience trying to get a TRV for my common-law spouse to visit me in Canada. I proved as much as I could that he would return to his home country (he's a student so he had paid his tuition for the upcoming semester at home, had notarized letters stating from his family that he would be living with them, the list goes on...). It all sucks. But the most frustrating part is - that when your spouse is from a "culturally different" country, one red flag to the VO is that your spouse may not like Canada/want to stay/etc if they do not know what it is REALLY like. ... ... But... How could they ever know what it's really like if they are so hell-bent on not letting people in relationships with a Canadian, visit Canada, without MASSIVE amounts of proof that are not possible for many (non-visa-exempt) partners. It's like "we think your spouse may not like Canada and it's suspicious he would want to move to a country he has never experienced, but if you ask us to let them experience it, they are too high risk to stay, so we won't allow it (most of the time)." So backwards. I guess some would argue it's necessary to be cautious to keep people out who plan on over-staying... but it hurts those of us with true intentions who throw all the proof we have.. and still get shut out. My spouse is a student. He's not going to buy a house just to get a TRV to Canada for a few weeks to make a visa officer happy.. Grr. Anyway. I'm venting.. because I know how you feel. In our application for permenant residence, we mentioned that my spouse was as educated on Canada as one could be without ever having been allowed to visit (and included his rejected TRV letter). It shows we TRIED to experience Canada together before filing.. that's all we can do for now.. we are both students and no amount of proof we have (with our current situations) will allow us to get a TRV. Good luck.. stay strong!

 

[tedk]

Thankyou for replying. My GF lives in Guangxi province which is in the south. Curious tho, the TVR for visitor went by Beijing. I"ve been to China 3 times. I know Chinese can be liars, but I'm Canadain (Ukrainian decent), I'm really insulted as after all the work to do the visa and expense (about $350) I feel they are calling me a liar and cheated me out of my money by systematically refusing her. I should have used PLAN B: Put her in me suitcase.
Before I left for China last time I repainted and had the house looking like new (not that old anyway), even installed a hot tub for her visit.

 

[steaky]

I showed my girl friend had a job, letter from employer giving her vacation time, apatment lease, family, her mothers 60th birthday is in Sept, so there is a family party.
I can't bring a pet to China on a tourist visa, I have 6 Maine Coon cats and a Collie. It is a hard trip for a pet. What if they die in transit? Heat , when the plane lands and is turned off, so is the air in the hold.
So any idea on the reality of a date for a spouse visa, 6 months or 3 years?

She also need to show how much she has in her bank account (even it's your money!). How many times did she apply and failed? In your invitation letter, you can say the purpose of the trip is to visit your house and take her to Canada's Wonderland and Niagara Falls, etc.? ;D

I read somewhere that temporary residents in China can bring their pets to the country. Some cities require quarantine and others doesn't. You might want to check with the relevant authorities. I know it's a hard trip for a pet. As for heat, you can always wait for the land to cool and avoid summer travel. Don't worry about the air, it's the same as in our compartment in the plane. Can't you take a direct flight, say, Toronto to HKG and then get a land transportation / pet relocation company to carry you and your pets to Guangxi from HKG?

 

[tedk]

We applied only once. It cost about $350 to apply. I showed her bank account. My application package was over 2 inches thick. i had travel agenda everything i could think of , even applied for the 10 year, stating that she might want to come back.
RE: Pets, plane lands, plane shuts down, passengers get off, no air conditioning in hold, passengers go into AC building, pets are in hold then sitting on the tarmac,,,heat kills dogs.. You need a permanent resident permit to import a pet, quarantine can be reduced to one week and three weeks at my home in China, depends on where you land. If I land in HG, quarantine the pet 1 week, I can walk across the border with it, but if I could bring a pet, it would be only one. Chinese in general are afraid of dogs. In most cities now you can only have certain kinds of big dogs, not German Sheppards etc.

 

[steaky]

No, after the plane landed, pets and their cages are delivered to the over-sized baggage claim area of the airport. It's air conditioned. No need to worry about the heat. Some Chinese are afraid of dogs but not everyone. The last time I was in Shanghai, HK and Guangdong, I saw big breeds such as German Shepard, Golden Retrievers, Great Dane and Labradors. A lot Chinese are pet lovers. You can often find dog grooming shops. It might be true that you need a permanent resident permit to import a pet in your hometown and can only bring one. But there might be chances that a neighbouring municipality doesn't have such requirement to import a pet and the number of pets. You might need to make more research on this.

Does your girl friend has any previous travel history? In the invitation letter, don't state that she might want to come back. This actually goes against it. The VO wants to make sure the applicant will return to her home country at the end of such visit. You should revise your letter if you want your gf to apply again.

 

[OhCanadiana]

I showed my girl friend had a job, letter from employer giving her vacation time, apatment lease, family, her mothers 60th birthday is in Sept, so there is a family party.
I can't bring a pet to China on a tourist visa, I have 6 Maine Coon cats and a Collie. It is a hard trip for a pet. What if they die in transit? Heat , when the plane lands and is turned off, so is the air in the hold.
So any idea on the reality of a date for a spouse visa, 6 months or 3 years?

The 2011 statistics for the Hong Kong visa office were:

Hong Kong: 20% of cases completed within 7 months, 30% in 8 mo., 50% in 11 mo., 70% in 16 mo., 80% in 19 mo.

Add to that 3 months for step 1 and you're looking at between 10 months and 22 months if you fall within the 80% of applicants.

Source: http://www.data.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=5175A6F0-1&xsl=datacataloguerecord&metaxsl=datacataloguerecord&formid=427337D0-7C36-4FED-8428-C6A63F8C19B3

 

[clubcanada]

@tedk:
welcome to the club.... It's more than difficult to get your girl friend a visitor visa. As others have already stated you need to prove that she'll be returning to China. Having a job, an apartment, etc. will help but these things are no gurantees at all. About 3 years ago I was in excatly the same situation as you're today. I wanted to show my fiancee Canada to figure out whether she'd like it or not. Even though she had a job and an apartment in a tier 2 city, her visa request was rejected. The only thng you basically can do is to get married. In this case the whole process is relatively simple and in our case it went surprisingly smooth and quick. Within less than 2 months we got her PR visa through the Beijing office (plus about 5 weeks for the sponsorship approval). The only challenge is to get the paper work done...

good luck!

 

[tedk]

I knew they looked at travel history for Chinese, I had to leave as only had 90 day stay, so I took her to HG and Thailand, I gave her travel history in her passport. Is there any sense in reapplying for a visitor visa? nothing has changed, I covered every base I could think of, it is ridiculous that she got turned down. I live rural, not like she could escape and go into hiding. there isn't even a bus close to me.

 

[steaky]

My father-in-law 's visitor visa application was refused the first time. A few months later, he tried again with new invitation letter and this time it was approved. Same supporting document but the result was different. He lives in urban and I live suburbia. You have to accept the ridiculous and try again or get marry and sponsor her for permanent residency in order to take her to Canada.