My winding road of immigration to Canada still afoot...

[Chen Yiyang]

I submitted my federal immigration application in the category of Quebec Skilled Worker in Nov. 2016. The HK office took over my immigration application since 2017. They answered to my enquiry in 2018 saying the background check is underway, and afterward I started a difficult 6-year immigration journey. I was requested to update the medical examination in 2017, 2020 and 2022, and to update the police certificates from China in 2017, 2020. In 2020 I included my wife into my application for accompaniment. In Nov. 2022 I was again requested to submit the police certificate both from China and Canada, plus an updated personal history after the age of 18. My immigration road seems endless. For example, the CIC website in 2017 showed that my application status was already 100% complete. However, I received additional requests in 2018 to provide transcripts and professor information during the undergraduate and postgraduate periods in China. In mid January 2023, IRCC required another CV from me again, and asked me with certitude to provide my military record because they spotted my postgraduate major (Cryptography) in Shanghai Jiaotong University had been classified into military science category. In return, I had to submit a solemn declaration to IRCC stating that I have not joined any party or entered into any form of military service after the age of 18.

Finally, IRCC Hongkong gave up. In February 9 2023, IRCC Hongkong asked me to submit my travel documents in preparation for the issuance of a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).

However, a tragedy just hit me. My wife and I do not work in the same city. In 2022 Shanghai's strict lockdown, we could not see each other for a long time, resulting in our mutual emotional indifference. Also, the long delay in the processing of my immigration application confused and disappointed my wife. She worries that we might encounter new difficulties and become helpless after going to Canada. So, she does not want to go to Canada anymore. But I long for a life of freedom and remain steadfast in my desire to immigrate to Canada. My wife made a proposal to me to divorce during the Chinese Spring Festival. Thus, we could only choose to start the separation and then go to divorce.

As soon as I received the letter from IRCC Hongkong for travel documents submission, I reported my marital status to IRCC and requested that my wife's application for accompaniment be revoked. On February 22, I received another email from IRCC Hongkong. In addition to updating General Application Form for Canada and Family Information Form, I was required to submit a divorce certificate and a new medical examination report within one month. But it takes time for my wife and I to divorce. First, our divorcement involves negotiation to settle a lot of financial problems. Second, my wife has been busy at work, she may be not available to come to the marriage registration center in Shanghai before 23 March. Moreover, according to the new marriage law in China, we may obtain a certificate of filing the divorce application at the day we start the process, but it will take another month of cooling-off period before we get the official divorce certificate. This certificate must also be notarized at a notary office to be acceptable by IRCC. It all takes time. So, I admit that my wife and I plan to divorce, but we will not guarantee to divorce before 23 March, 2023. Moreover, I shall update the necessary materials for my individual application, but I am not sure if it is necessary for me to take the fifth medical examination (the last medical examination was completed on June 13, 2022). I will provide my divorce certificate to IRCC within a few months, but I hope IRCC will not delay the processing of my individual application again just because my marital status will change in the near future.

Frankly speaking, I am exhausted by the long waiting and the repeated updating of materials in the processing of my permanent residence application. I also have an ongoing bank account issue in Canada. My bank funds were frozen after a long period of inactivity, and my bank account password was lost after online bank software update. I have to go to Canada as soon as possible to solve these problems myself. I cannot help feel sorry for my encounters, so I share my story to let you hear. I think there must be others who are even more unlucky than I am. Thank you for reading, and good luck to you all.

 

[steaky]

I submitted my federal immigration application in the category of Quebec Skilled Worker in Nov. 2016. The HK office took over my immigration application since 2017. They answered to my enquiry in 2018 saying the background check is underway, and afterward I started a difficult 6-year immigration journey. I was requested to update the medical examination in 2017, 2020 and 2022, and to update the police certificates from China in 2017, 2020. In 2020 I included my wife into my application for accompaniment. In Nov. 2022 I was again requested to submit the police certificate both from China and Canada, plus an updated personal history after the age of 18. My immigration road seems endless. For example, the CIC website in 2017 showed that my application status was already 100% complete. However, I received additional requests in 2018 to provide transcripts and professor information during the undergraduate and postgraduate periods in China. In mid January 2023, IRCC required another CV from me again, and asked me with certitude to provide my military record because they spotted my postgraduate major (Cryptography) in Shanghai Jiaotong University had been classified into military science category. In return, I had to submit a solemn declaration to IRCC stating that I have not joined any party or entered into any form of military service after the age of 18.

Finally, IRCC Hongkong gave up. In February 9 2023, IRCC Hongkong asked me to submit my travel documents in preparation for the issuance of a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).

However, a tragedy just hit me. My wife and I do not work in the same city. In 2022 Shanghai's strict lockdown, we could not see each other for a long time, resulting in our mutual emotional indifference. Also, the long delay in the processing of my immigration application confused and disappointed my wife. She worries that we might encounter new difficulties and become helpless after going to Canada. So, she does not want to go to Canada anymore. But I long for a life of freedom and remain steadfast in my desire to immigrate to Canada. My wife made a proposal to me to divorce during the Chinese Spring Festival. Thus, we could only choose to start the separation and then go to divorce.

As soon as I received the letter from IRCC Hongkong for travel documents submission, I reported my marital status to IRCC and requested that my wife's application for accompaniment be revoked. On February 22, I received another email from IRCC Hongkong. In addition to updating General Application Form for Canada and Family Information Form, I was required to submit a divorce certificate and a new medical examination report within one month. But it takes time for my wife and I to divorce. First, our divorcement involves negotiation to settle a lot of financial problems. Second, my wife has been busy at work, she may be not available to come to the marriage registration center in Shanghai before 23 March. Moreover, according to the new marriage law in China, we may obtain a certificate of filing the divorce application at the day we start the process, but it will take another month of cooling-off period before we get the official divorce certificate. This certificate must also be notarized at a notary office to be acceptable by IRCC. It all takes time. So, I admit that my wife and I plan to divorce, but we will not guarantee to divorce before 23 March, 2023. Moreover, I shall update the necessary materials for my individual application, but I am not sure if it is necessary for me to take the fifth medical examination (the last medical examination was completed on June 13, 2022). I will provide my divorce certificate to IRCC within a few months, but I hope IRCC will not delay the processing of my individual application again just because my marital status will change in the near future.

Frankly speaking, I am exhausted by the long waiting and the repeated updating of materials in the processing of my permanent residence application. I also have an ongoing bank account issue in Canada. My bank funds were frozen after a long period of inactivity, and my bank account password was lost after online bank software update. I have to go to Canada as soon as possible to solve these problems myself. I cannot help feel sorry for my encounters, so I share my story to let you hear. I think there must be others who are even more unlucky than I am. Thank you for reading, and good luck to you all.

Assume you are the principal applicant, you can proceed to provide your passport to get the COPR. You can land alone. Later, if your wife changed her mind, you can become the sponsor for her immigration.

However, I'm not sure if it still works if you reported your marital status to IRCC and requested that your wife's application for accompaniment be revoked. I think you should explain to them that you cannot guarantee the divorce before 23 March 2023.

Do your wife know that after becoming PR, she don't have to stay in Canada for good and can still return to China? She can use this opportunity for a vacation in Canada - to see Niagara Falls for example.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

Assume you are the principal applicant, you can proceed to provide your passport to get the COPR. You can land alone. Later, if your wife changed her mind, you can become the sponsor for her immigration.

However, I'm not sure if it still works if you reported your marital status to IRCC and requested that your wife's application for accompaniment be revoked. I think you should explain to them that you cannot guarantee the divorce before 23 March 2023.

Do your wife know that after becoming PR, she don't have to stay in Canada for good and can still return to China? She can use this opportunity for a vacation in Canada - to see Niagara Falls for example.

Thank you very much for your advice. I am the principle applicant. Had I asked this question earlier on the forum, I may have tried the solution you suggested. But now, IRCC HongKong is quite intent on letting me update my application and do the medical exam. Also, my wife has made up her mind, and is adamant on proceeding to divorce. That is a sad story. I've also written to the prime minister office about my plight, and I hope I can get some help by doing so.

 

[Hamza Sabri]

نعمYes, I am very interested and want to help

 

[furrukhrao]

Thank you very much for your advice. I am the principle applicant. Had I asked this question earlier on the forum, I may have tried the solution you suggested. But now, IRCC HongKong is quite intent on letting me update my application and do the medical exam. Also, my wife has made up her mind, and is adamant on proceeding to divorce. That is a sad story. I've also written to the prime minister office about my plight, and I hope I can get some help by doing so.

Medical is not a problem you can do that and they will extend the COPR if you would had spoke on this forum before we recommend you to Land alone and later submit the divorce letter. You need to get the divorce certificate but submit the Medical at least so they can give your COPR also you can explain that to IRCC that you are having problems while getting Divorce Certificate.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

نعمYes, I am very interested and want to help

Thank you for your kind words. If you offer legal service, would you mind giving me your contact information? I will contact you in case IRCC refuses to help solve the problem in a reasonable way.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

Medical is not a problem you can do that and they will extend the COPR if you would had spoke on this forum before we recommend you to Land alone and later submit the divorce letter. You need to get the divorce certificate but submit the Medical at least so they can give your COPR also you can explain that to IRCC that you are having problems while getting Divorce Certificate.

Thank you very much for your advice. I have written to IRCC two weeks ago, stating that I will have to do the medical exam again if necessary but I have difficulties to divorce hastily within a month. I was a newbie in handling such accident within my family, so I possibly failed to find an optimal lightweight solution at first. On the other hand, HongKong IRCC's constant demand for document and procrastination had been weighing heavily on my mind. I just wanted to report to them my vision of coming changes in order to avoid further delay, but their reply lacking in explanation confused me again.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

The IRCC's reply came, only extending the deadline of providing the divorce certificate by two months. Now I have to prioritize the matter and schedule the date of divorce application submission with my wife. My life has become so hard, after all the cycles of hope and despair in the past six years. I just hope my parents, in their late sixties, to not feel too anxious about such events. My parents were forced to stay with me during the Shanghai lockdown, when they looked forward to good news IRCC might deliver to us. Now I just want my parents to take care of their health, and think more of the positive side in life.

 

[Islander216]

I feel for you, it's been a difficult road.

All I can say is appeal to your ex-wife to be's sentiments, and tell her this is something you really wanted and that you would appreciate her cooperation in the matter. Try to push through the divorce as soon as possible and meet the 2 month deadline. If it's not possible then write them to let them know things are in process but not yet finalized, and you can provide documentation to that effect.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

I feel for you, it's been a difficult road.

All I can say is appeal to your ex-wife to be's sentiments, and tell her this is something you really wanted and that you would appreciate her cooperation in the matter. Try to push through the divorce as soon as possible and meet the 2 month deadline. If it's not possible then write them to let them know things are in process but not yet finalized, and you can provide documentation to that effect.

Thank you for your feeling. I appreciate your suggestion.

I hope things will turn up for people deserving a better life. I felt joy of the future when I would bring my wife to a free country and start a new life. We treated well of each other, we had a happy memory together, but at last, the fate led us apart.

The gravity of reality is the first thing to deal with. Thank you for your compassionate words, that helps me lighten the burden a bit.

 

[Islander216]

Unfortunately, I've met many people who have split with their partners over immigration.

It's more common than you might think.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

Unfortunately, I've met many people who have split with their partners over immigration.

It's more common than you might think.

Maybe, from your experienced view. But one may feel worse than ever when pushed from many sides, by different matters occuring in life.

Thank you again for your soothing words.

 

[canuck78]

You should change your wife to non-accompanying and explain that divorce settlement will take some time. I would include proof that you have been living separately for a long time. Now that you have informed IRCC that you are separated and plan to divorce you may not be able to just land with her as accompanying on your application. Want to stress that you received immigration your parents did not. Parents are not guaranteed PR and there is huge demand for limited spots. PGP is evaluated yearly so there ca. be changes to the program every year. Being an only child does not guarantee your parents will be able to move to Canada with you at a certain point so you need a plan B and they need to be aware of this fact. Many are under the false impression that their parents can get PR after 3 years of living in Canada. Others view supervisa as a permanent move while many will need to return home to reestablish their lives in their home country after a long visit in Canada. If you get sick you are expected to return home for treatment in an supervisa because your supervisa insurance is unlikely to be renewed if you need ongoing treatment. Although some may get extremely lucky most wait substantially longer than 3 years to get selected for PGP followed by years of processing. Some never get approved at all. The delays in your applications are likely due to many things like changes in Quebec policies, concerns about whether you are a member of the CPP under cover, involvement in cryptocurrency which is not always on the up and up ( lots of criminality, money laundering, scamming, etc.), Covid delays especially in China, sounds like you may already have accounts in Canada which could have raised concerns, etc.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

You should change your wife to non-accompanying and explain that divorce settlement will take some time. I would include proof that you have been living separately for a long time. Now that you have informed IRCC that you are separated and plan to divorce you may not be able to just land with her as accompanying on your application. Want to stress that you received immigration your parents did not. Parents are not guaranteed PR and there is huge demand for limited spots. PGP is evaluated yearly so there ca. be changes to the program every year. Being an only child does not guarantee your parents will be able to move to Canada with you at a certain point so you need a plan B and they need to be aware of this fact. Many are under the false impression that their parents can get PR after 3 years of living in Canada. Others view supervisa as a permanent move while many will need to return home to reestablish their lives in their home country after a long visit in Canada. If you get sick you are expected to return home for treatment in an supervisa because your supervisa insurance is unlikely to be renewed if you need ongoing treatment. Although some may get extremely lucky most wait substantially longer than 3 years to get selected for PGP followed by years of processing. Some never get approved at all. The delays in your applications are likely due to many things like changes in Quebec policies, concerns about whether you are a member of the CPP under cover, involvement in cryptocurrency which is not always on the up and up ( lots of criminality, money laundering, scamming, etc.), Covid delays especially in China, sounds like you may already have accounts in Canada which could have raised concerns, etc.

Thank you for your precious advice.

My parents do not expect to come with me to Canada. They think Canada is too cold and prefer to go to South-East Asia for long stay. They were restricted at home last year by the COVID lockdown, and they could not help feel depressed from time to time. They are also concerned about my feelings. Unfair policies from domestic, unfair treatment from IRCC, and at last the incomprehension from my wife came one after another. I think I am strong, but my parents are anxious in their old age. That is not good for their health.

The last point you mentioned is a good point. I faced many challenges in Canada when I was a MSc student in UdeM, including language difficulties and monetary fraud by some indecent landlord. But I have been struggling to look to the bright side of life. I thought Canada is a free country with many problems. It has its bottom line for ensuring basic wellbeing of an individual. So, before I left Canada, I just kept my deposit in the bank and expected to return shortly after. I have been upright to date, but the identity of being Chinese mainlander may be a factor that led down the winding path. Especially in recent years, people around me become more aware of the hurting truth.

Thank you again for your information.

 

[Chen Yiyang]

I finally finished the divorce procedure with my wife. I submitted my divorce certificate before the deadline.

This trip really tired me out. I just kept watching technical videos online to release myself temporarily from the negative feelings from it.

Years of yearning turned into loss and disappointment. Sometimes I have the desire to cry before going to sleep...