Hello all. The more I read on this site the more hopeless I am beginning to feel ... am hoping anyone with experience with getting a visa for someone from Africa can help me out ....
My fiancee (we are to be married in October) lives in Tanzania. I am Canadian. The distance is brutal (we all know that). Ultimately we are planning to apply for a spousal sponsorship for permanant residency (after the marriage) but seeing as that can take up to a year (or more) I was considering applying for a visitor's visa so that he could at least spend some time here with me in Canada (I have spent 2 months in Africa already this year and am going to go back for another 5 months in the Fall). Obviously this is impacting my work / career / finances and life... From what I am reading on this site, it is practically impossible to get a visitor's visa for an African (he has a menial job, he does own land but he is young - 27 - and has not travelled outside Tanzania ever, not much in his bank account etc.). When I speak to immigration, they are vague about his chances ("everyone is given rightful consideration") but I am beginning to think, by reading this forum, that his chances are slim to none. Is there anyone out there who has succesfully and / or unsuccesfully applied for a visitor or permanent resident visa for an African who can give me some details of their experience? It seems like there are so many unwritten rules to this game. How do people cope in relationships with so much distance and time ahead of them? What helps this visa process? What hinders it? Any words of wisdom from people who have been through it (or are going through it) would really help me out! Thanks!
My fiancee (we are to be married in October) lives in Tanzania. I am Canadian. The distance is brutal (we all know that). Ultimately we are planning to apply for a spousal sponsorship for permanant residency (after the marriage) but seeing as that can take up to a year (or more) I was considering applying for a visitor's visa so that he could at least spend some time here with me in Canada (I have spent 2 months in Africa already this year and am going to go back for another 5 months in the Fall). Obviously this is impacting my work / career / finances and life... From what I am reading on this site, it is practically impossible to get a visitor's visa for an African (he has a menial job, he does own land but he is young - 27 - and has not travelled outside Tanzania ever, not much in his bank account etc.). When I speak to immigration, they are vague about his chances ("everyone is given rightful consideration") but I am beginning to think, by reading this forum, that his chances are slim to none. Is there anyone out there who has succesfully and / or unsuccesfully applied for a visitor or permanent resident visa for an African who can give me some details of their experience? It seems like there are so many unwritten rules to this game. How do people cope in relationships with so much distance and time ahead of them? What helps this visa process? What hinders it? Any words of wisdom from people who have been through it (or are going through it) would really help me out! Thanks!