Damascus/Spousal since Jan 2010 or late 2009

[Alchemist2929]

Ok... So I started filling the documents and it got way confusing... Starting with the requester's reference on 5563E?! Couldn't decide whether i should go for GCMS or CAIPS since they said that after June 2010 all files outside Canada will be processed through GCMS... Another thing is the principal applicant is not the sponsor right? So if I'm the principal applicant since my husband is sponsoring me and I'm filling the form then why do I need to fill the other consent form... Maybe today is one of my "slow" days! Just seems too confusing!!!

Hi Still Waiting,
The sponsor is requesting the information on behalf of the applicant, since the sponsor is in Canada and the applicant is not. So your husband is sending the application on your behalf and your consent should be taken.
I ticked CAIPS.

[Alchemist2929]

Thanks for sharing the news Alchemist
In that part that says "Basic items for starting a request", the first one is a "formal request", what is that exactly? Like writing a letter that I need CAIPS?! That's weird because I thought filling out the forms already means that I need the notes! 2 lines before that it says if you are using this form please do not accompany it with a letter! Is this the same letter they are talking about?!
Thank you.

You are welcome vivi2.
The formal request is form 5563E but you don't have to stick to it (you can write your own letter as a formal request).
Good luck

[still waiting]

Hi Still Waiting,
The sponsor is requesting the information on behalf of the applicant, since the sponsor is in Canada and the applicant is not. So your husband is sending the application on your behalf and your consent should be taken.
I ticked CAIPS.

Thanks heaps for you help! Truly appreciate it! Good luck back:)

[substone]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-03-09.asp

News Release – Conditional permanent residence proposed to deter marriages of convenience




Ottawa, March 9, 2012 — Today, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney announced measures to further strengthen the Government of Canada's ability to crack down on marriage fraud.

Under the new proposal, now open for further public input, a spouse or partner from abroad being sponsored by a Canadian or permanent resident would be required to live together with their sponsor in a legitimate relationship for two years following receipt of their permanent resident status in Canada. If these steps are not pursued, the sponsored spouse or partner's status could be revoked, possibly leading to their removal and in some instances, criminal charges could also be laid. For all legitimate relationships, the condition would cease to apply once the conditional period has elapsed.

The proposed conditional measure would help deter people from engaging in a relationship, such as a marriage or a common law partnership, for the purpose of acquiring status or privilege under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This measure would apply to all spouses in relationships of two years or less who have no children with their sponsor at the time of the sponsorship application.

“Our objective is to weed out people trying to use a phony marriage as a quick and easy route to Canada,” said Minister Kenney. “In town hall meetings I held in 2010 with victims of marriage fraud, I heard first-hand from victims who were still suffering the consequences years later. They implored me to do something to stop this from happening to others.”

This follows on the heels of a separate measure last week.  Effective March 2, sponsored spouses or partners are ineligible to sponsor a new spouse or partner for five years from the day that they are granted permanent residence status in Canada.

“The problem of marriage fraud is serious and will only get worse if we don't put measures in place that protect the integrity of our immigration system while deterring people from trying to use a marriage of convenience to cheat their way into Canada,” added Minister Kenney.

Other countries, such as Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, use a form of conditional status as a deterrent against marriage fraud and the lack of a similar measure increases Canada's vulnerability to this type of unlawful activity.

The proposed regulations, which were prepublished today on the Canada Gazette website, will appear in the March 10 edition of the Canada Gazette (Part I) and are open for further public input for a 30-day comment period, ending April 9, 2012.

A Notice of Intent proposing the development of this conditional measure was published in the Canada Gazette on March 26, 2011. A number of respondents expressed concern that a conditional measure could increase the vulnerability of sponsored spouses and partners who are in abusive relationships.

Given these concerns, the proposed condition would cease to apply in instances where there is evidence of abuse or neglect, or of a failure to protect from abuse or neglect by a person related to the sponsor, whether that person is residing in the household or not, during the conditional period. Working with stakeholders and other interested parties, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is also developing guidelines to assist spouses and partners who could be victims of abuse or neglect in such situations.

For additional information on the proposed conditional permanent residence measure or to provide comments, please visit the Canada Gazette.

[siavashf]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-03-09.asp

News Release – Conditional permanent residence proposed to deter marriages of convenience




Ottawa, March 9, 2012 — Today, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney announced measures to further strengthen the Government of Canada's ability to crack down on marriage fraud.

Under the new proposal, now open for further public input, a spouse or partner from abroad being sponsored by a Canadian or permanent resident would be required to live together with their sponsor in a legitimate relationship for two years following receipt of their permanent resident status in Canada. If these steps are not pursued, the sponsored spouse or partner's status could be revoked, possibly leading to their removal and in some instances, criminal charges could also be laid. For all legitimate relationships, the condition would cease to apply once the conditional period has elapsed.

The proposed conditional measure would help deter people from engaging in a relationship, such as a marriage or a common law partnership, for the purpose of acquiring status or privilege under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This measure would apply to all spouses in relationships of two years or less who have no children with their sponsor at the time of the sponsorship application.

“Our objective is to weed out people trying to use a phony marriage as a quick and easy route to Canada,” said Minister Kenney. “In town hall meetings I held in 2010 with victims of marriage fraud, I heard first-hand from victims who were still suffering the consequences years later. They implored me to do something to stop this from happening to others.”

This follows on the heels of a separate measure last week.  Effective March 2, sponsored spouses or partners are ineligible to sponsor a new spouse or partner for five years from the day that they are granted permanent residence status in Canada.

“The problem of marriage fraud is serious and will only get worse if we don't put measures in place that protect the integrity of our immigration system while deterring people from trying to use a marriage of convenience to cheat their way into Canada,” added Minister Kenney.

Other countries, such as Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, use a form of conditional status as a deterrent against marriage fraud and the lack of a similar measure increases Canada's vulnerability to this type of unlawful activity.

The proposed regulations, which were prepublished today on the Canada Gazette website, will appear in the March 10 edition of the Canada Gazette (Part I) and are open for further public input for a 30-day comment period, ending April 9, 2012.

A Notice of Intent proposing the development of this conditional measure was published in the Canada Gazette on March 26, 2011. A number of respondents expressed concern that a conditional measure could increase the vulnerability of sponsored spouses and partners who are in abusive relationships.

Given these concerns, the proposed condition would cease to apply in instances where there is evidence of abuse or neglect, or of a failure to protect from abuse or neglect by a person related to the sponsor, whether that person is residing in the household or not, during the conditional period. Working with stakeholders and other interested parties, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is also developing guidelines to assist spouses and partners who could be victims of abuse or neglect in such situations.

For additional information on the proposed conditional permanent residence measure or to provide comments, please visit the Canada Gazette.

Jason Kenney can go to hell. If he wants to do something, he'd better to start with speeding up the sponsorship processing time!

[Bilaldxb]

Jason Kenney can go to hell. If he wants to do something, he'd better to start with speeding up the sponsorship processing time!

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

[missmini]

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

it's true that it's not nice and me too i'm tired of people who keep complaininh but we need to understand their frustrations....also we don't choose who we fall inlove we just do....i'm sure many of us here didn't enter in this process voluntarely (in the sense that yes it's cool to wait for someone for 2 years let me just take a trip and find a guy/lady outside Canada, or go online, or go back home and search - some do but not all); for many of us it just happenned and we r not in the best situation but this is how it is and we have to overcome it
abt the voting the Canadian voting system is outdated like hell!!! even if u vote for many that vote won't matter; so if the election law continues to stay the same ur / my vote will still not make any diiference in the next election or the one after!!
as for the packing?! what abt the Canadian sponsors born there who cry, r lonely, far from their spouses and feel betrayed of the only country they call home? where should they go?!

[yetAnotherSilentReader]

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

hold your horses bro. You should indeed be sorry for your comments, this is just adding salt to the injury. I rarely make comments here, but I couldn't resist not to here ...  I speak for myself, but when I started the process, 9 months was the processing times for 80% of the application, so I set my life plans and expectation of myself, and more importantly the spouse (who trusts me with my plans) then when the government comes and keeps increasing processing times, months after months and we are yet to know if that is the actual processing time, it does hurt ... 
And you know what; Forget about us ... I want to take you to another perspective, say YOU are the government, YOU decide that you 'need' immigration to 'better' your country (for various reasons), then to 'select' the best people to be your new citizens you set the rules, you wanna make sure they have money, they have education, they are in 'good' health, then YOU (the government) play the rules in such a way that frustrates people, and messes their mental health and life plans, jobs, etc. ... the result is that YOU (the government) are defeating your sole purpose!! (i.e. acquiring the 'best' citizens!)

[laleh_d]

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

I don't know about you but most sane people don't simply choose where to find their spouse. They fall in love and decide to marry each other. Also I don't understand how keeping a job and paying taxes in a country is comparable with simply being a guest. Yes we are from Middle East but we didn't happen to move to Canada based on a charity program. We applied for immigration, met the qualification THEY needed and became residents not guests.It is totally fine to have legitimate expectations and it is understandable to feel frustrated when those expectations are not met.Nobody is in a position to give people options!!!
BTW I think your comment was rude.

[vivi2]

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

In addition to Missmini, SilentReader and Laleh's comments, I wanted to say that you stay away from your wife for a year and then talk about your feelings for the government! What we are going through is not even comparable to the situation of the people living together during the process and if I'm right you are living with your wife, so don't be rude to the people who are sick and frustrated with the process and who have waited and been away from their loved one for a year or more for NO NEWS, NO VISA and NOTHING!

[vivi2]

You are welcome vivi2.
The formal request is form 5563E but you don't have to stick to it (you can write your own letter as a formal request).
Good luck

Great, thanks so much.

[Arezou]

Where are you my friends?
Sohrab? Farid? arezoo

I am in the queue and i am still waiting! 

[missmini]

Hi everybody,
can you tell us when should we start counting?
now have passed14 month from they said in my ecase " we started processing your application on 10-jan- 2011"
but before that they told my husband they transfered my file to damascus on Oct. 2010.
On Dec.2010  they send me mail asking for more papers

oct 2010 is the start of ur count dear lele...ignore the dates on the e-cas they r not reliable!!! the only good thing is that when there is a change in e-cas it means they worked more on ur file, one more check completed at their side

by the way for the ones ordering ur caips notes later, i would check both gcms (the new system notes) and caips (the old system notes)...just to be on the safe side

and dear Alchemist or Farid i would like to know in ur notes do they mention observations from the step 1 also (the sponsor approval) or just step 2? if let's say i want to see what notes they put during that stage would i need to make two orders? thank u (shoukran)

[A+M]

Hi everybody,
can you tell us when should we start counting?
now have passed14 month from they said in my ecase " we started processing your application on 10-jan- 2011"
but before that they told my husband they transfered my file to damascus on Oct. 2010.
On Dec.2010  they send me mail asking for more papers

Hi Lele,
you should start counting from the day Damascus recieves your file... so you are in process since Oct 2010.... so you are in process 17 months. That is so long:( I pray you hear news this month!

[siavashf]

If you have a problem with the current processing time. then marry someone in Canada.

Sorry if I'm rude this is the system in Canada, I'm just tired of people bad mouthing people in the government like this. They have given us a country that everyone in the world wish's to live in, and this is what we do.
Do you go to a house as a guest and bad mouth them, I guess not, then don't do it here...

if you have a problem with the current system, then you have 2 options.
1-Try to change it with voting.
OR
2-Pack up your bags and move back to your country ( oh wait..... its worst then hell in the middle east )

Dear bilaldxb,

U said "Sorry if I'm rude.....", my recommendation to u is that when u know that u r rude stay silent. And fyi, yes u r VERY rude.
Just remember that u r in no place neither to judge me nor to remind all the members in this forum that they are living in hell. Middle east is not worst than hell (as u said) but ppl like u r turning it into hell!
Btw, I fell in love with a girl who happened to be a permanent resident of Canada so thanks for ur suggestion! I have already married with someone in canada.
I believe the greatest gift of canada to me and others is the freedom of speech, to be able to curse those who r legislating absurd laws that make life difficult for immigrants like me.... U have a problem hearing an opposition opinion, u'd better to work on ur tolerance!