April 2011 Applicants share their views here

[uccemebug]

It seems that other visa offices work very fast than mine. My visa office is Damascus and till April i am waiting for a reply. But no respond.
 

I've just received this.
=======

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, just issued the following statement regarding Syria:

 

“The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. With additional sanctions imposed by the Arab League reducing flights out of Damascus taking effect today, there may soon be fewer options for Canadians in Syria to leave safely.

“Our best advice is to leave Syria immediately, by any available means and while options exist. To help, we have directed officials to undertake a voluntary evacuation over the next month. Essentially, this will open an express lane across government departments to help Canadians obtain the documentation they need to leave Syria.

“As the security situation evolves, embassy services may be reduced without warning. We therefore urge Canadian citizens, their spouses and dependent children to apply for travel documents, and leave Syria immediately.”

A backgrounder detailing the actions of our voluntary evacuation follows.

Canadian citizens in Syria requiring consular assistance should contact the Canadian Embassy in Damascus at 963 (11) 611-6692, 611-6851, or 611-6870, or call Foreign Affairs Canada's Emergency Operations Centre collect at 613-944-2471.  An email can also be sent to sos @ international.gc.ca.

Again, to all our members living in Syria or should you know of anyone living in Syria, please forward this email to them.

[ddobro2]

Thanks for posting this.

FYI for Damacsus people, this is also listed on the DFAIT website here: http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/376.aspx?lang=eng&view=d (there's even a link to an Arabic version). Note the part related to CIC: "Citizenship and Immigration Canada will work closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to process the vast majority of visa applications for non-Canadian spouses and dependent children of Canadian citizens in five calendar days."

I've just received this.
=======

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, just issued the following statement regarding Syria:

 

“The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. With additional sanctions imposed by the Arab League reducing flights out of Damascus taking effect today, there may soon be fewer options for Canadians in Syria to leave safely.

“Our best advice is to leave Syria immediately, by any available means and while options exist. To help, we have directed officials to undertake a voluntary evacuation over the next month. Essentially, this will open an express lane across government departments to help Canadians obtain the documentation they need to leave Syria.

“As the security situation evolves, embassy services may be reduced without warning. We therefore urge Canadian citizens, their spouses and dependent children to apply for travel documents, and leave Syria immediately.”

A backgrounder detailing the actions of our voluntary evacuation follows.

Canadian citizens in Syria requiring consular assistance should contact the Canadian Embassy in Damascus at 963 (11) 611-6692, 611-6851, or 611-6870, or call Foreign Affairs Canada's Emergency Operations Centre collect at 613-944-2471.  An email can also be sent to sos  @  international.gc.ca.

Again, to all our members living in Syria or should you know of anyone living in Syria, please forward this email to them.

[uccemebug]

"Citizenship and Immigration Canada will work closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to process the vast majority of visa applications for non-Canadian spouses and dependent children of Canadian citizens in five calendar days."

Nicely spotted!!

[ddobro2]

Thanks. It's very sad when dictators can't even learn from each other's mistakes, ain't it? Sigh.....

Nicely spotted!!

[Arezou]

I've just received this.
=======

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, just issued the following statement regarding Syria:

 

“The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. With additional sanctions imposed by the Arab League reducing flights out of Damascus taking effect today, there may soon be fewer options for Canadians in Syria to leave safely.

“Our best advice is to leave Syria immediately, by any available means and while options exist. To help, we have directed officials to undertake a voluntary evacuation over the next month. Essentially, this will open an express lane across government departments to help Canadians obtain the documentation they need to leave Syria.

“As the security situation evolves, embassy services may be reduced without warning. We therefore urge Canadian citizens, their spouses and dependent children to apply for travel documents, and leave Syria immediately.”

A backgrounder detailing the actions of our voluntary evacuation follows.

Canadian citizens in Syria requiring consular assistance should contact the Canadian Embassy in Damascus at 963 (11) 611-6692, 611-6851, or 611-6870, or call Foreign Affairs Canada's Emergency Operations Centre collect at 613-944-2471.  An email can also be sent to sos  @  international.gc.ca.

Again, to all our members living in Syria or should you know of anyone living in Syria, please forward this email to them.

Thank you for your attention! If you receive more info about Damascus please share with me. We really do not know what will happen to our files.

[uccemebug]

Thank you for your attention! If you receive more info about Damascus please share with me. We really do not know what will happen to our files.

Did you see the note from ddobro2 above? There has been an important development - the Canadian government is accelerating spousal visa applications from Syria. See this announcement in Arabic (from ddbobro2's link). http://www.international.gc.ca/media/assets/pdfs/joint_statement_backgrounder_baird_ablonczy_syria_arabic.pdf

[alo]

Hey April forum friends

just wanted to give you guys the update. so my husband got his visa on December 12. which is super exciting. he has until feb 23 to leave trinidad (which is when his medical expires) but i am not waiting that long. I am heading donw on the 20th of january and we are coming back the 29th which is a week before more 30th birthday. so i mean it doesnt get much better then that.

i will update again when we come into canada so you all can hear our entrance story. right now i have just been running around buying stuff so that i can keep the man warm.

have a good weekend and hopefully more people get reunited soon

[dyj2010]

Hi people!

I need help! lol Ive been trying to find something I read about awhile ago and I cant put my finger (or my mouse) on it! I remember reading about a new law for the permanent residents..?? Something like it would take more time for them to be able to be citizen? Im scared that if my husband comes in the first weeks of January we will be screwed by some date for a new law.. Someone could help? Thank you!!

[Futurista]

Hi dyj2010 -

Here they are:

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-04-02/html/reg3-eng.html

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-04-02/html/reg3-eng.html

Futurista

[Dragoon]

So, I received my 3rd CAIP notes and the initial assessement is done, still nothing done with meds, security or background checks.

Basically, they found it suspicious that we married too early, that because I am Vietnamese it is suspicious to want to marry someone older (my wife is 2 years older) and was already divorced. Also, they are suspicious that since our parents knew each other why they would object, which I already explained as my parents do not want me to marry someone who has a daughter and was married already.

I am not sure what being Vietnamese has to do with anything as I have been living in Canada since 1986 and my values and belief has nothing to do with being Vietnamese. This report was full of prejudice already.

[uccemebug]

So, I received my 3rd CAIP notes and the initial assessement is done, still nothing done with meds, security or background checks.

Basically, they found it suspicious that we married too early, that because I am Vietnamese it is suspicious to want to marry someone older (my wife is 2 years older) and was already divorced. Also, they are suspicious that since our parents knew each other why they would object, which I already explained as my parents do not want me to marry someone who has a daughter and was married already.

I am not sure what being Vietnamese has to do with anything as I have been living in Canada since 1986 and my values and belief has nothing to do with being Vietnamese. This report was full of prejudice already.

Very sorry to hear it, Dragoon. Every time I read a story like this I wonder, is CIC: stupid; racist; or just callously bureaucratic. Any way you look at it, it doesn't add up well. Surely they realize that there's more to the way parents worry about their children than how things will look on a CIC application?

So now it's time to wait for an interview, then?

[uccemebug]

so my husband got his visa on December 12.

Yay! My ISP cut me off for a long period, I would have responded earlier. Congrats to you both.

Here they are:

+1

[Dragoon]

Very sorry to hear it, Dragoon. Every time I read a story like this I wonder, is CIC: stupid; racist; or just callously bureaucratic. Any way you look at it, it doesn't add up well. Surely they realize that there's more to the way parents worry about their children than how things will look on a CIC application?

So now it's time to wait for an interview, then?

Yes, it's the waiting game now. However, we will apply for TRV and we'll see how it goes. "Up" to 2 years is way too long for an interview and I want her to come over and see Canada.

Ah yes, forgot to mention they CAPITALIZE certain things. They wrote "DO NOT APPEAR COMPATIBLE"!

[trungngan]

Yes, it's the waiting game now. However, we will apply for TRV and we'll see how it goes. "Up" to 2 years is way too long for an interview and I want her to come over and see Canada.

Ah yes, forgot to mention they CAPITALIZE certain things. They wrote "DO NOT APPEAR COMPATIBLE"!

hey dragoon, sorry to hear that man. We are so lucky. Our CAIP also indicated SG saying not many picture of wedding day, but there are a lot of pictures with friends. They also mention I got letter of recommendation from MP

Did you consider to ask them to be interview at Singapore ? you need to pay all the expense, but I hear it's faster

[peoples_champ]

Hello everyone,

Didn't know there is a group for April applicants
Filed applicant in Mississauga office in April 2011.
Approved and file sent to Islamabad- Pakistan office in May 2011.
Haven't heard anything on case since May 2011.

Any tips on what I should be doing to check status on the case. It is just to hard to live far away from family, especially when I have a 14 months old daughter.