US outland applicants' thread :)

[Decoy24601]

Hello, my boyfriend and I are planning on getting married in November and we have started looking into the overwhelming process of applying for permanent get residency. I'm from the US and he is from Canada. We started out in a long distance relationship for a year and a half and I recently came to visit him for two months. We have started gathering evidence of our relationship, but there's a problem. We have literally a thousand pages of phone records, which is obviously way too much to send in an envelope. Should we select excerpts over that time and send them? Is there a limit to how many pages of phone records we can actually send them?

I have also been worried that we don't have enough proof, and I want to find out if I'm just paranoid. I don't want to end up being denied and having to spend another half year or more separated after we have already been married and applied once. We have all of those phone records, letters, pictures of us on visits, pictures of when I met his family and when he met mine, and we will have more pictures of when we get married. We will also have letters from our parents describing our relationship. Do you think our chances look good? Are there generally issues with people who met online on forums and the like?

 

[Sunset0505]

All US citizens have to get the "real thing" now. They added this rule to the website sometime around the beginning of March. We just got really lucky, I assume they let us use the channeler because our application was dated before they changed the website rules. Or, they just weren't paying attention that day.

Someone asked what the differences were between the channeler's paper and the FBI version, so I posted the response the channeler I used gave me.

I think you could still safely take the chance and use a channeler as long as you order the FBI one at the same time.. Worst case scenario CIC will request the FBI version, and by then you should have the "real" one. Might still save some time if you are ready to send in your application except for the FBI report.

For sure if you use a channeler order the FBI at the same time...Worst case scenario CIC will request the FBI version?..its taking 12 to 16 weeks for the FBI one and for us that would another HUGE waiting period, its bad enough that nothing was done for so long in our case 3 to 4 months just to get a piece of paper that may not be looked at for 9 months once rec'd is insane and I know ours may not be the norm but its our reality and can happen to anyone.....

 

[Majromax]

I have also been worried that we don't have enough proof, and I want to find out if I'm just paranoid.

You're being paranoid. US/Canadian couples are not treated skeptically, because there is essentially no economic motive for marriage fraud. Americans don't vastly improve their quality of life by moving to Canada.

Relationship proof for married couples focuses on establishing that a marriage is "legitimate" and not a front for immigration. That means CIC will look for a few things:

• Evidence of contact before the marriage itself. A relationship where the spouse and applicant met for the first time at the wedding and have had no contact since would be a "red flag" for further investigation, since it would look like a "mail-order-bride [husband]." In your case, you'd want to show that there was a reasonable courtship. (A thousand pages of phone records is still way too much! Try ten. Or two.)
• Evidence of visits, in particular. Travel itineraries/boarding passes, if you or your partner took a plane. A few pictures, if you have any.
• For a spousal sponsorship, evidence that there was an actual wedding. For those from highly religious or traditional communities, evidence that the wedding was within the norms for the culture. This establishes that the marriage certificate you submit is probably not itself a fraud. (Again, this is unlikely for a US applicant.)
• Evidence that the relationship is being presented to the world -- that you have met your partner's friends/family and vice versa. A couple of letters from said friends and family would be more than sufficient proof, as would pictures with you/partner and friends/family.
• Evidence that, insofar as it is possible over the distance, that you have merged your finances and households. This would cover joint bank accounts, making each other insurance beneficiaries, that sort of thing.

Again, there's no need to go overboard with the proof. What will CIC possibly learn from page 37 of your phone records that they did not learn from page 1-36?

If you want to, troll through the many pages of this thread. You'll find a lot of people frustrated at the paperwork and delay of the process, but I don't think you'll find any married applicants who have had the legitimacy of their relationship in doubt. (Just don't apply as "conjugal partners". That's the class for "my partner and I would be married but it's not legal/safe for us to live together.")

Common-law applicants have to meet an additional burden of proof of cohabitation, since a legitimate relationship can still fail to meet the standard of one year's cohabitation. You do not have to care about this one because of the entire "marriage" thing.

 

[dbentley1313]

Hello, my boyfriend and I are planning on getting married in November and we have started looking into the overwhelming process of applying for permanent get residency. I'm from the US and he is from Canada. We started out in a long distance relationship for a year and a half and I recently came to visit him for two months. We have started gathering evidence of our relationship, but there's a problem. We have literally a thousand pages of phone records, which is obviously way too much to send in an envelope. Should we select excerpts over that time and send them? Is there a limit to how many pages of phone records we can actually send them?

I have also been worried that we don't have enough proof, and I want to find out if I'm just paranoid. I don't want to end up being denied and having to spend another half year or more separated after we have already been married and applied once. We have all of those phone records, letters, pictures of us on visits, pictures of when I met his family and when he met mine, and we will have more pictures of when we get married. We will also have letters from our parents describing our relationship. Do you think our chances look good? Are there generally issues with people who met online on forums and the like?

Don't worry! It sounds like you already are able to prove your relationship from the beginning. Having travel records of visits are good. I agree with Majromax with all they said. You won't be scrutinized. My husband & I also sent in our receipts from our wedding so they could see how much we "committed" to our relationship...haha!! You can also "see your friendship" on Facebook (I'm assuming you are friends there if you use FB) and that can help prove your relationship too.

It all seems very daunting in the beginning, the worst part really is just the waiting...

 

[Aquakitty]

Worst case scenario CIC will request the FBI version?..its taking 12 to 16 weeks for the FBI one and for us that would another HUGE waiting period, its bad enough that nothing was done for so long in our case 3 to 4 months just to get a piece of paper that may not be looked at for 9 months once rec'd is insane and I know ours may not be the norm but its our reality and can happen to anyone.....

Yes, I stated clearly if you were to attempt to use a channeler, the point is to send away for the FBI version at the same time, and send 2 copies of prints just to be sure. DO NOT send just a channeler police certificate without starting the FBI process. If you are saying you used a channeller, you might be just fine, but you should send away for the FBI version just in case ASAP.

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time caught in the system, I really do feel for your situation, I wonder is it something to do with having your case sent to LA? Isn't that really unusual?

Hello, my boyfriend and I are planning on getting married in November and we have started looking into the overwhelming process of applying for permanent get residency. I'm from the US and he is from Canada. We started out in a long distance relationship for a year and a half and I recently came to visit him for two months. We have started gathering evidence of our relationship, but there's a problem. We have literally a thousand pages of phone records, which is obviously way too much to send in an envelope. Should we select excerpts over that time and send them? Is there a limit to how many pages of phone records we can actually send them?

I have also been worried that we don't have enough proof, and I want to find out if I'm just paranoid. I don't want to end up being denied and having to spend another half year or more separated after we have already been married and applied once. We have all of those phone records, letters, pictures of us on visits, pictures of when I met his family and when he met mine, and we will have more pictures of when we get married. We will also have letters from our parents describing our relationship. Do you think our chances look good? Are there generally issues with people who met online on forums and the like?

Keep the phone logs short and relevant, pick out a few pages that show you two just being normal people, it doesn't have to be just the lovey dovey text. You just want to show an overall picture of your relationship.

Someone said they sent 20 pages of text logs and they ordered notes, on the notes it said "shredded excess chat logs" so that gives you an idea of what would happen if you sent in 1000 pages of logs, lol.

Yes there are thousands of people that meet online these days, it's not unusual at all. I met my husband in World of Warcraft. He's American, he got his PR in under 4 months start to finish.

If you plan to apply in November or December, order your FBI police certificate in the next month, it takes 3 months to receive at the moment.

 

[Sunset0505]

At this point we just want CIC to respond to the CIC Dr....again I am so grateful the Dr office is working with us...I really want to see action in Aug because last year the case was touched in Aug and then not again until end of May...I am thinking that our case manager may only work 6 months out of the year and the case is not resigned...this would support the 29 months waiting period for LA, which for budgeting makes 100% sense but they are dealing with lives....I am lucky I have been able to Travel back home to Vancouver twice and to travel to see my Dad in Montreal once this year but all the money spent on travel could go to better use in Canada for mortgage payments...

 

[Sunset0505]

Oh Yeah we have been in process since 23JUN2015....at this points means nothing at all...

 

[Aquakitty]

Oh Yeah we have been in process since 23JUN2015....at this points means nothing at all...

Someone on the Ottawa thread calculated the IP to DM averages



There is not a lot of info as most people have not written both dates on the fields. But when looking at the ones that have, the average from IP to DM is 16 days or 12,5 workdays.

The fastest was 4 days while the longest was around 60 days.

So hopefully people will start getting DMs in the next few weeks.

Keep in mind this is just stats, not truths!

So I hope this is relevant to you, you might get your DM in the next few weeks. I forgot you are being processed in LA

 

[jamsham12]

If i am not mistaken Sunset's application is being processed in LA not Ottawa so those IP - DM timelines would probably not fit.

 

[Aquakitty]

If i am not mistaken Sunset's application is being processed in LA not Ottawa so those IP - DM timelines would probably not fit.

Oh yea, duh... I even commented on her being processed in LA. Time for more morning coffee.

Oh well, it should be relevant to others in the thread since most Americans are processed in Ottawa.

 

[Sunset0505]

Yes your right our case is irrelevant.. Time for morning coffee ... Thanks for the support...

 

[Decoy24601]

Alright, thank you for letting me know. I think I needed to hear I was being paranoid. I will keep lurking this thread throughout the process.

 

[jamsham12]

Yes your right our case is irrelevant.. Time for morning coffee ... Thanks for the support...

I'm just curious why CIC has requested 3 medicals, I feel for you if anyone deserves their COPR it's you.

 

[CamL-W]

Funny thing....I finally (!) got my SA letter. The SA letter is dated August 6th, the same day my Ecas changed my Husband's side (PR) to IP....Wonder if that means anything?!

 

[Brewbrew85]

Funny thing....I finally (!) got my SA letter. The SA letter is dated August 6th, the same day my Ecas changed my Husband's side (PR) to IP....Wonder if that means anything?!

A lot of people are saying that IP means your case is being looked at and worked in but I honestly don't know what to think as too many people have had their cases changed to IP on the same day (Aug 6) . Mine still only says they Recieved my file on the 29th of May. It doesn't say that it's been in process since _______ date, even tho it says "In Process". So I'm thinking it doesn't mean much. I'm not getting my hopes up.