Help! Our Sponsorship Application Was Returned...

[ToughNuggets]

Hi,

I'm really confused. I'm Canadian and sponsoring my American husband. We sent in our sponsorship application in March. Today we received the application back with a note saying we forgot the following:

Schedule A - Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) Form
-Not signed by Principal Applicant

Insufficient processing fees were provided with your application

The thing is, I checked that form and we typed my husband's name in the signature box and he also signed in pen beside it, which it said to do in the checklist. And I paid the $1040 in processing fees, plus an open work permit fee, and included those receipts with our application. And according to their website, my husband is not required to pay a biometric fee for fingerprints. So now I'm really confused. Can anyone help us figure out what happened? Did someone mess up and send it back to us by accident?

 

[k.h.p.]

So in the application package they sent back to you, was Schedule A there and properly signed?

With the OWP, did you pay $100 or $255? There is the OWP fee and the OWP application fee. Based on the $1040 number, you only paid the PR application fee ($550) the RPRF ($490).

 

[ToughNuggets]

Hi! Thanks for commenting. We thought it was properly signed - we typed his name in the box as required, and he signed beside it (they highlighted this part of the document checklist). Hubby's signature is a bit chicken-scratchy, so we're wondering if maybe it wasn't legible enough.

As for the OWP, we only paid the $100. I wasn't aware there was a seperate application fee! That's probably why they indicated that. Thank you!

 

[k.h.p.]

That fee is the reason why the OWP portion of the application was returned. As to the Schedule, I'm not too sure. They are very picky about where and how people sign things.

 

[ToughNuggets]

I just paid the additional $155 fee for the OWP. Tomorrow I'm gonna give them a call and ask for clarification about the signature.

See attached link pictures of what they highlighted and we submitted (with identifying information removed of course!). I really can't wrap my head around this one.

I guess my other concern is any other elements of the application that we might need to update. When we sent the application in, we also applied to extend husband's visitor visa status, which was granted last week and is good until October. So I'll photocopy that and include it, but hopefully they don't expect much more in the way of updated information.

 

[k.h.p.]

Okay, so if you've extended his visitor status you can re-apply immediately and include the OWP application.

Be aware that the forms may or may not have changed since you submitted them - verify that they are all still the same.

Unfortunately, the attached image didn't make it - you may wish to call. Hopefully there are some notes that the call centre officer can view and tell you what was wrong.

 

[StephanH]

Hi,

I'm really confused. I'm Canadian and sponsoring my American husband. We sent in our sponsorship application in March. Today we received the application back with a note saying we forgot the following:

Schedule A - Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) Form
-Not signed by Principal Applicant

Insufficient processing fees were provided with your application

The thing is, I checked that form and we typed my husband's name in the signature box and he also signed in pen beside it, which it said to do in the checklist. And I paid the $1040 in processing fees, plus an open work permit fee, and included those receipts with our application. And according to their website, my husband is not required to pay a biometric fee for fingerprints. So now I'm really confused. Can anyone help us figure out what happened? Did someone mess up and send it back to us by accident?

Hm, confusing to say the least. If you said that your husband PRINTED IS NAME and signed his signature beside it. You said WE typed my husband's name? Did you fill out the form using a computer or you filled it out by hand?

 

[StephanH]

So in the application package they sent back to you, was Schedule A there and properly signed?

With the OWP, did you pay $100 or $255? There is the OWP fee and the OWP application fee. Based on the $1040 number, you only paid the PR application fee ($550) the RPRF ($490).

They should be fine with the 1040.00

Sponsorship fee ($75), principal applicant processing fee ($475) and right of permanent residence fee ($490)

 

[k.h.p.]

He had to sign other forms, right? Does his signature look like yours?

 

[ToughNuggets]

We typed his name into the box on a computer, and then he also physically signed inside the box with a blue ink pen. (see photos here: https://imgur.com/a/UFD8tX1). Our signatures are VERY different, mine you can actually read my name lol. I'm hoping to call tomorrow for clarification, maybe the signature wasn't legible enough and part of it is SLIGHTLY outside of the box, but if that's the case, they should be clear about that in their instructions.

The missing fee has to be the OWP application as we paid and included the receipt for the $1040, that's all I can think of... when I call tomorrow, I want to see if they'll let us simply correct the signature and include the OWP application fee and send our application back, rather than redo everything again. Fingers crossed.

 

[k.h.p.]

Yeah, I wonder if it's because he signed outside the box. Very strange.

 

[StephanH]

We typed his name into the box on a computer, and then he also physically signed inside the box with a blue ink pen. (see photos here: https://imgur.com/a/UFD8tX1). Our signatures are VERY different, mine you can actually read my name lol. I'm hoping to call tomorrow for clarification, maybe the signature wasn't legible enough and part of it is SLIGHTLY outside of the box, but if that's the case, they should be clear about that in their instructions.

The missing fee has to be the OWP application as we paid and included the receipt for the $1040, that's all I can think of... when I call tomorrow, I want to see if they'll let us simply correct the signature and include the OWP application fee and send our application back, rather than redo everything again. Fingers crossed.

A signature is a signature, we all have unique ways to sign our names, they will not return documents if that is the way he signs things. Does his signature match other signatures he signed on other forms? They said "Not Signed By Principal Applicant" How would they know this?

 

[Smarties17]

A signature is a signature, we all have unique ways to sign our names, they will not return documents if that is the way he signs things. Does his signature match other signatures he signed on other forms? They said "Not Signed By Principal Applicant" How would they know this?

This is what I would think too. I’m following this one for sure to see what the results are. OP please keep us updated.

I just submitted our app on May 2 and my signature is also not legible and it goes a little outside the box. But it’s MY signature...looks like every other doc I’ve signed in the last 20 yrs of my life. There’s a big defect in their system if they’re returning apps because they don’t like someone’s sig...

 

[Smarties17]

We typed his name into the box on a computer, and then he also physically signed inside the box with a blue ink pen. (see photos here: https://imgur.com/a/UFD8tX1). Our signatures are VERY different, mine you can actually read my name lol. I'm hoping to call tomorrow for clarification, maybe the signature wasn't legible enough and part of it is SLIGHTLY outside of the box, but if that's the case, they should be clear about that in their instructions.

The missing fee has to be the OWP application as we paid and included the receipt for the $1040, that's all I can think of... when I call tomorrow, I want to see if they'll let us simply correct the signature and include the OWP application fee and send our application back, rather than redo everything again. Fingers crossed.

I’m betting my money on this being the main issue. You missed the $100 for the OWP fee. It’s easy to miss, I think they could stand to be slightly more clear about it in the instructions

 

[ToughNuggets]

So, update: I did speak to an agent at the call centre who wasn't very helpful and seemed confused as to why my husband's signature wasn't accepted. He said the only reason he could think of is that the signature was older than 90 days (which it wasn't, we printed and sent everything off in March). He said it was my call as to whether or not I wanted to reprint everything or just correct what they identified. I decided to print everything off again and re-date it (the document checklist was the only thing that had changed since March). Husband and I resigned everything, and included a letter to the front of the application saying we had our previous application returned due to an issue with the signature on the Schedule A Background Check and the OWP receipt, but that both of these issues had been rectified and everything updated as required. We'll be sending it off again tomorrow. Thanks for all your feedback and help!