Family Sponsorship

[oabushaban]

Dear all,

I am writing this email disparately seeking an advise on my family sponsorship application. I've communicated the visa office requesting for the clarifications with no positive feedback provided!

I am a (Canadian PR holder) residing in Montreal, QC and have applied for my family (wife and kids) for sponsorship last November 2011 as they were based in Syria. The application was sent with full requirements (Forms, Supportive Documents, Medicals, Police Clearances ...etc.).

Dec, 2011 --> Received an acknowledgement from the CIC.
Jan, 2012 --> Received a letter telling me that the application has passed the 1st stage (assessing me a sponsor and I've met the federal requirements)
In
Feb, 2012 --> Canadian Embassy and Visa office in Syria closed due to violence and risky situation there (They have mentioned that the visa office will operate from Jordan & Lebanon)

Till now I didn't receive any feedback from them!.
I've called them twice (on Jordan office) and they were always pushing me to communicate with them through email only!
So far, I've sent 2-3 emails (sent on Feb and May) with neither a feedback nor a response!


Would someone advise on:
- How can I reach the visa office to check on the status of the application?
- Usually, how long it will take to finalize the application?
- Is there a chance to fast track the application processing?
- Any other valuable advice?

[G-Mo]

Why are you harassing them for feedback? The average processing time for step 1 (assessment of sponsor) is 91 days, but the average processing time for step 2 (assessment of persons being sponsored) is on average about 14 MONTHS... You have almost a year to go.

[oabushaban]

I don't have any intentions of harassing. I just want to know where is the case now after closing the Canadian visa office on Syria.
And, I have moved my family from there due to the unstable situation (war).
And, I want to update the case as I want to add my new baby born (who wasn't born at the time of the application submission)

[G-Mo]

Originally Posted by oabushaban

I don't have any intentions of harassing. I just want to know where is the case now after closing the Canadian visa office on Syria.
And, I have moved my family from there due to the unstable situation (war).
And, I want to update the case as I want to add my new baby born (who wasn't born at the time of the application submission)

You didn't mention any of that in your post, all you mentioning the OP is that you haven't had any feedback and want to know the status of your application.

If you have your case number, I world email (they have already indicated this is the preferred form of communication) and post updated information making sure to include your case number; other than that, all you can do is wait. As I said in my previous post, processing times for your area average 14 months for step 2, YMMV. Right now you should expect not to hear anything until early 2013. This was the case for us, no communication at all, stock responses when called, until we heard my wife had approval.

[oabushaban]

G-Mo,

thanks mate, may I ask what do you mean by YMMV?

So, shall I send an update to the visa office now? or wait till they ask?
What format and/or forms shall I use?
Do I need to include the medical test results for my new baby born along with the update?

[G-Mo]

Originally Posted by oabushaban

thanks mate, may I ask what do you mean by YMMV?

So, shall I send an update to the visa office now? or wait till they ask?
What format and/or forms shall I use?
Do I need to include the medical test results for my new baby born along with the update?

YMMV = Your Milage May Vary

I don't need think children under 15 need medical tests.

[WestCoastCanadianGirl]

Originally Posted by oabushaban

Dear all,

I am writing this email disparately seeking an advise on my family sponsorship application. I've communicated the visa office requesting for the clarifications with no positive feedback provided!

I am a (Canadian PR holder) residing in Montreal, QC and have applied for my family (wife and kids) for sponsorship last November 2011 as they were based in Syria. The application was sent with full requirements (Forms, Supportive Documents, Medicals, Police Clearances ...etc.).

Dec, 2011 --> Received an acknowledgement from the CIC.
Jan, 2012 --> Received a letter telling me that the application has passed the 1st stage (assessing me a sponsor and I've met the federal requirements)
Feb, 2012 --> Canadian Embassy and Visa office in Syria closed due to violence and risky situation there (They have mentioned that the visa office will operate from Jordan & Lebanon)

Till now I didn't receive any feedback from them!.
I've called them twice (on Jordan office) and they were always pushing me to communicate with them through email only!
So far, I've sent 2-3 emails (sent on Feb and May) with neither a feedback nor a response!


Would someone advise on:
- How can I reach the visa office to check on the status of the application?
- Usually, how long it will take to finalize the application?
- Is there a chance to fast track the application processing?
- Any other valuable advice?

1) Like what GMo said.... don't bother asking them about your application, as they're not inclined or obliged to answer you. They clearly know who you are (or else they'd not have acknowledged your application or told you that your family made it to step 2) and if they need more information, they'll contact you.

The brush off that you're getting is nothing personal against you, I promise you this (I work in the public sector)... if they took the time to answer every phone call that they got, they'd never be able to get any work done.

I know for a fact that this "hurry up and wait for us to contact you" business is easier said than done and that a wait of any length is nervewracking, especially when one hears nothing about the status of one's application... I'm currently at the half way point in my own wait as the United Kingdom Border Authority considers my application for a fiancée visa so I can move to England and get married to my fiancé this fall, and while the wait is short (in the grand scheme of things), every day of waiting feels like an eternity..

2) It will take as long as it takes for the Visa office to review your application and make the necessary inquiries, consider the supporting documentation and render a decision... every country's processing timeline is different and every application within the system is different, therefore there can be no specific timeline for any given application, thus the reason why most governments give an "average processing time."

3) Don't know the answer to this, sorry, and for some reason I doubt that there is a fast-track program... I know that the UK has fast tracking at exactly ONE office in the entire world, and that happens to be available only to applicants from Canada and the United States.

4) Keep your chin up and know that you're not alone in the queues out there. There are hundreds of people at various stages of the waiting game, and we're all just as anxious to get the green light as you are.

Have faith that "no news is good news" and that every day that you don't hear anything negative towards your application means that you're one day closer to having your wife and kids with you here in Canada.

If you're feeling particularly lonely one day, go out and have a look around and make a list/take pictures of everywhere and everything that you want to show your wife and kids... look at the architecture in Vieux Montreal... feed the pigeons at Place Jaques Cartier... go to Mont Royal and climb the staircase at St. Joseph's Oratory (but don't do this until the weather cools down... the humidity is insane at this time of year!)... pretend that you've never been to Montreal before and make lists of all of the things you see that you think the family would like... moi, j'adore Montréal and I think that you're awfully lucky to be living there.

Before you know it, it will be Christmas (brrrr.... c'est froid à Montréal) and then 2013 will be here and then you'll hear from the Visa centre in Jordan and your family will be that much closer to being a family again - hopefully, here in Canada!


In regards to where your application will be processed, given the troubles in Syria... as annoyingly slow as the Canadian government can be, I'm sure that they've taken every precaution to ensure that their Syrian offices have been properly packed up and all of the documentation that you and others in your situation have sent to their onward destination in Jordan.


Good luck to you and your application... I hope that you get a positive response sooner than you expect!

[oabushaban]

Thanks G-Mo,

is there any specific form to be used to update the case? or just a normal covering letter?