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:-D I wish you all could see the HUGE grin on my face!!! I'm so glad it *clicked* for me today! I'm so glad I've been able to help too!

I decided I'm going to put our timelines in Appendix C: Sponsor and Applicant Supporting Documents. So it now looks like:
1. Explanation of Organization for Appendix C
2. Sponsor Timeline
3. Applicant Timeline - with references to the proofs listed below

And we'll just keep our letters of genuine/continuing relationship behind the forms. I think that makes sense! Well then... *PHEW*!
 
I owe you a coffee when we both succeed - if you and your man get through first then I still owe you the celebratory beverage of you choice!

Considering your diligence, I had better gas up the Jeep :-)
 
Hahaha! Sounds like a plan! ;D

No doubt this is the happiest day I've had in quite some time... and I haven't even sent my application out yet! I should probably stop adding to the outline though, I'm at 5-6 pages. Essentially, I'm just labelling EVERYTHING in the proofs section. I may go back and re-do that part and leave it as I originally posted on here if I think it's going to be too much.
 
You are ahead of where you thought you'd be so either way, you have time.

I'm pleased that you are happy with what you've done. What you have accomplished is extraordinary!

Go relax, you've certainly earned it, and that grin :D
 
Nyssa, would you mind terribly if I used the general idea for yours for ours?

Just regarding the layout/folders/tabs, etc.

Also, when we're ready to start putting it together can I run it by you for some opinions?

What you've put together is really something else!
 
Wow, Nyssa, that was a ton of work. Good for you!

Just a couple questions: Where you've written CROSSED OUT, what does that mean exactly? Are you including the form with a line through it? If so, you don't need to include any forms that are optional or not applicable, like the Use of Representative Form or the Statutory Declaration of CL Union or the no minimum income requirement. You can just write N/A or not applicable on the actual document checklist and then you don't include those.

Unless I'm misunderstanding, it looks like you are writing a separate letter and signing it each time an item on the checklist doesn't apply to you, like the fact that you have no children. That is not necessary. You don't need to write a letter for each non-applicable item. You can just put N/A on the checklist. Don't make it more work than it needs to be! :-) Speaking of the checklist, are you actually including that? Because you should be. I couldn't tell from the way you've written this.

I think it may be a little confusing to the IO if you have separate appendices. I would personally stick to using what they ask -- to attach a separate sheet with your name, page number, form name and number. Should one of your sheets become separated from your application, like if they accidentally dropped something on the floor, they would have to go back through your application to figure out what appendix a or b meant. I would really encourage you to just put the form name and number rather than creating a whole other filing system. Also, because they have their own appendices, like appendix a is actually the document checklist, I think having your own appendices could cause some confusion.

Other than that, it looks good!

And this is just for anyone starting out, who looks at this and feels inadequate in their efforts....you can certainly go to the extent of putting things in folders and colour coding everything if you want but it's totally not necessary. I certainly didn't do that or have a timeline with cross-referencing to my proof and I was approved with no problems. That's not a criticism of you Nyssa! :) Everyone has their own way of doing things, but i think if I looked at your list when I was just starting out I would have been totally overwhelmed by having to make it perfect. I just put in everything that was asked in the order it was requested and it worked fine. I sometimes wonder if putting things in separate folders and putting tabs will just irk them since they likely have their own way of organizing things and having tabs etc. could just slow them down when they want to photocopy. Who knows? In the end, everyone has to submit the application that they're happy with.

It looks like you have everything ready to go!!
 
ariell said:
Wow, Nyssa, that was a ton of work. Good for you!

Just a couple questions: Where you've written CROSSED OUT, what does that mean exactly? Are you including the form with a line through it? If so, you don't need to include any forms that are optional or not applicable, like the Use of Representative Form or the Statutory Declaration of CL Union or the no minimum income requirement. You can just write N/A or not applicable on the actual document checklist and then you don't include those.

Unless I'm misunderstanding, it looks like you are writing a separate letter and signing it each time an item on the checklist doesn't apply to you, like the fact that you have no children. That is not necessary. You don't need to write a letter for each non-applicable item. You can just put N/A on the checklist. Don't make it more work than it needs to be! :-) Speaking of the checklist, are you actually including that? Because you should be. I couldn't tell from the way you've written this.

I think it may be a little confusing to the IO if you have separate appendices. I would personally stick to using what they ask -- to attach a separate sheet with your name, page number, form name and number. Should one of your sheets become separated from your application, like if they accidentally dropped something on the floor, they would have to go back through your application to figure out what appendix a or b meant. I would really encourage you to just put the form name and number rather than creating a whole other filing system. Also, because they have their own appendices, like appendix a is actually the document checklist, I think having your own appendices could cause some confusion.

Other than that, it looks good!

And this is just for anyone starting out, who looks at this and feels inadequate in their efforts....you can certainly go to the extent of putting things in folders and colour coding everything if you want but it's totally not necessary. I certainly didn't do that or have a timeline with cross-referencing to my proof and I was approved with no problems. That's not a criticism of you Nyssa! :) Everyone has their own way of doing things, but i think if I looked at your list when I was just starting out I would have been totally overwhelmed by having to make it perfect. I just put in everything that was asked in the order it was requested and it worked fine. I sometimes wonder if putting things in separate folders and putting tabs will just irk them since they likely have their own way of organizing things and having tabs etc. could just slow them down when they want to photocopy. Who knows? In the end, everyone has to submit the application that they're happy with.

It looks like you have everything ready to go!!

Very true ariell, and thanks for the reminder. I'm my case it will help me stay organized and feel confident (so yes, I am intimidated, and feel inadequate, during this process - ME exactly - and this process and detailing will help me overcome this)!
 
First, thank you all so much for your kind words!!! And ariell, thank you for addressing one of my concerns with my outline. I too see the flaw in that. I have omitted Appendix A and Appendix B from Folder #1: Sponsor and Folder #2 Applicant. We will be attaching our responses to the questions in the Sponsor and Sponsor/Partner Questionarre behind those forms. However, the relationship timeline still gets to me.

I THINK I will be attaching the Relationship Timeline to the back of the Sponsor/Partner Questionarre for the Applicant. And there I will be following TLH's method of:
First Meeting
"Explanation of first meeting"
See Folder #5 - Support of the Sponsor and Applicant:
1. Tab #4, section a: First Meeting
a. MySpace Entry dated xxxx
b. Pictures


The above is just an example of course. I'm just looking to find a way to piece our relationship together.

But again, THANK YOU all SO MCUH for your support, and I"m so glad my outline has helped!!!
 
So I went to Staples today, folks! Picked up 25 file jackets with reinforced tabs (secure closed sides to hold papers in place, manila. And 10 of the same thing but they're multi-colored. I also purchased 2 bulldog clips, 36 3-different colored tabbed clips and post-it mini multi-colored "flags".

Here's what I'm planning to do with them.

Manila Folder 1 - Sponsor's Forms & Supporting Documents (checklist + outline in the beginning)
Manila Folder 2 - Applicant's Forms & Supporting Documents (checklist + outline in the beginning).
(if the supporting docs don't fit, this will be put into 4 folders.)

I will put the Relationship Timeline (what was originaly titled Appendix B in my previous posts) behind the Sponsor/Partner Questionnare. The Relationship Timeline is basically just answering the Sponsor/Partner Questionarre.

Relationship Timeline #1 - First Meeting & First Contact
Relationship Timeline #2 - Development of Relationship (basically, everything within 2 years up until he got refused entry in April of 2009) up until the marriage - including all the trips
Relationship Timeline #3 - Wedding, Reception and Honeymoon

Each segment of the Relationship Timeline will have references to its appropriate Proof of Relationship. Proof of Relationship will be divided into 6 folders (perhaps the multi-colored ones). LONG DISTANCE DATING AND TRIPS, LIVING TOGETHER (1 YR here/1 YR there in the US), TRIPS TO CANADA, WEDDING/RECEPTION/HONEYMOON, COMMUNICATION, PROOF OF JOINT FUNDS AND PACKAGES SENT, SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

In response to the Sponsor/Partner Questionnare, I will just say “Please see Proof of Relationship Folder #5: COMMUNICATION”. I really hope this makes sense. Again, I hope I help someone when it comes to organization. However, if it turns out I'm just being confusing, I will promptly delete this post... I think I'm confusing myself ;-)

Alternatively, I may put Relationship Timeline #4 - Maintaining Contact and make that the outline and explanation for each chapter of communication in our seperation and say at the end "Please see Proof of Relationship: Folder #5 for Proof of Communication".
 
nyssa said:
36 3-different colored tabbed clips and post-it mini multi-colored "flags".

Hey nyssa,
sounds like you are super-organised, nice work!

I just wonder, as ariell mentioned, what if they need to photocopy all or part of your file? If once-upon-a-time we thought they didn't want staples I think it might have been for ease of photocopying.... then too many tabs could also bug them. and they say no plastic sleeves, so I would be wary of anything too difficult for them to get things out of.

I didn't think it was easy to sort through our stuff or reference things because of lack of tabs, but on the other hand, it was in three separate bundles, each with a checklist of cover sheet listing it's contents,and they were in order within that, with a descriptive title written by hand on the top of each page of PoR. So although the PoR bundle was a couple cm thick, I guess they would probably keep it in order and go through it once or twice hopefully, when they review the app.

Also re: your question about referencing the docs from different parts of the application, we just wrote "see COMMUNICATION in attachments" or something, no page or section numbers or anything. Not sure if that's enough detail for them to find it, but again,just what we did. We found that in our PoR package we addresses several areas of the application, so in our cover page for the PoR package we wrote on the top of the 5-page story of relationship letter:

Proof or relationship and relationship timeline
for the application of "Hans the Kraut" [not his real name!], sponsored by "the Littlest Hobo"
These documents are in suppport of
Form XXX, section AA
Form YYY, section BB
Form ZZZ, secion CC

and our names. Dunno if that was the right thing to do but it saved us putting in the same proof twice.

Cheers,
TLH