Which country-specific document checklist to use for Chinese mainland wife?

[toby]

My wife lives in mainland China.  We expect her visa application will be processed in Hong Kong, not Beijing,because we live in Zhuhai, close to Hong Kong.

Both the Hong Kong checklist and the one for mainland China call for basically the same information, but I assume the Hong Kong people are more familiar with the their own version, so I am using it.

But if Mississauga sends the visa application to Beijing, this could backfire.

Any thoughts?

[Liuzhou]

If you want to add a couple months of delay by using the wrong form, then send the Hong Kong one.

However, I strongly recommend you follow the check list exactly and send the correct form based on the instructions in the guide.   If your wife's province is covered by Hong Kong (check the guide), send the proper forms.

For mainlanders, use the form they tell you to use.

Mississauga will not send the app to Beijing if your wife's province is handled by Hong Kong.  They know where to send the application.

Seems like you are making assumptions.  Don't assume anything....research and make sure you know what you are doing.  Hong Kong loves to reject applications (48% of them last year).  Don't give them a reason to reject yours.

[ariell]

Sounds like your application will be processed in Hong Kong. So use the Hong Kong checklist.

This is from the Beijing visa office website:

"3. Beijing or Hong Kong: Which visa office will process my family member's application for a permanent resident visa?

The Canadian Consulate General, Hong Kong is responsible for processing applicants being sponsored in the Family Class who reside in the following regions of South China:

    * Fujian Province
    * Guangdong Province
    * Guangxi Autonomous Region (Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu)
    * Hainan Province
    * Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
    * Macau Special Administrative Region

Applicants residing in other parts of the PRC and in Mongolia will be processed at the Canadian Embassy, Beijing. "

http://geo.international.gc.ca/asia/china/immigration/beijing/family-class-en.aspx

[Liuzhou]

Clarification:

There are two checklists...one for Hong Kong Citizens, one for Mainland China Citizens.

My interpretation of the question is whether or not the Hong Kong Citizen checklist can be used instead of the Mainland checklist because the people will understand the Hong Kong one better (the embassy being in Hong Kong).

If a mainlander uses the checklist intended to be used by a Hong Kong citizen, and vise versa, there will probably be delays.

I believe the main differance between the two have to do with the back ground documents to be submitted.

[ariell]

Really? I only see one guideline for China here http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp which includes instructions of PRC, HongKong and Macau. There's only one document checklist inside, with some slightly different requirements for PRC vs. Hong Kong residents.

[toby]

I am sorry for the confusion. I think I have the answer.

There are two checklists:  IMM 3903 for citizens of China, Hong Kong, and Macau.  This checklist seems to be the correct checklist to use, whether the application will be processed in Hong Kong or Beijing.

But there is also IMM 3019 (Visa Office Specific Instructions), which I thought was for applications being processed in Hong Kong. However, on sobre second thought, the Hong Kong checklist (IMM 3019) is designed for "Sponsorship of parents, grandparents, adopted children and other relatives", not for spouses. It does not include mention of IMM5490 (Spouse/partner qustionnaire).


So, again, sorry for raising a question based on faulty reading of the forms.