Hello everyone,
We are a group of over 200 people whose sponsorship (PR) applications are currently being processed at the IRCC office in Abu Dhabi.
Unfortunately, this visa office has been experiencing significant and unexplained delays, well beyond standard timelines. Many of us are spouses of Canadian citizens, separated from our loves for months or even years, with no updates from IRCC.
We believe these delays are unfair—especially when other visa offices like those in India and the Philippines are processing much faster.
We have written a professional, respectful letter to the Minister of Immigration to ask for immediate action.
If your file is with the Abu Dhabi office, we urge you to join us by sending the same email to the Minister.
Here’s what to do:
1. Copy the below email
2. Add your name, application number (optional), and send it to:
ircc.minister-ministre.ircc@cic.gc.ca
Together, we can amplify our voices and push for accountability, transparency, and fair treatment.
Let’s stand up for our right to reunite with our families in Canada.
email
Subject: Family Reunification Delays at IRCC Abu Dhabi Office
Dear Minister,
I am writing on behalf of a group of over 200 individuals whose sponsorship applications are currently under processing at the IRCC office in Abu Dhabi. A significant number of us are spouses of Canadian citizens and legal residents, seeking to reunite with our loves in Canada.
We are gravely concerned about the prolonged delays in the processing of our applications at this visa office. Many files have remained stagnant well beyond standard processing times—some for over a year—despite repeated attempts to obtain status updates through IRCC web forms, MPs’ offices, and the IRCC portal. This lack of transparency and prolonged separation from our Canadian spouses and children is placing an enormous emotional and financial strain on our families.
Family Reunification is a Protected Right
Canada has long upheld the principle that family reunification is a core objective of its immigration system. This is enshrined in both the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which recognizes the importance of preserving family unity. The current delays at the Abu Dhabi office, however, are effectively denying many Canadian citizens the right to live with their spouse and children.
Inequity Across Visa Offices
We are also concerned about the growing disparity in application timelines between regions. Applicants through visa offices such as in India, the Philippines, and several others are reporting significantly faster processing, while those routed through the Abu Dhabi office are subject to prolonged, uncommunicated delays. This inconsistency undermines confidence in the fairness and equity of Canada’s immigration system.
Request for Ministerial Attention
We respectfully request the following:
1. A review and address the backlog of family class applications at the IRCC Abu Dhabi office.
2. Assurance of consistent and equitable treatment of applications, regardless of regional assignment.
3. Prioritization of family reunification cases, especially where Canadian spouses and children remain separated from their loved ones.
We fully recognize the pressures on IRCC operations and appreciate the complexity of immigration processes. However, these delays are having real human consequences. We urge your office to take swift and direct action to resolve this issue and restore the trust and confidence of Canadian families affected by this situation.
We thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and look forward to your leadership in ensuring timely and fair processing for all applicants.
Respectfully,
We are a group of over 200 people whose sponsorship (PR) applications are currently being processed at the IRCC office in Abu Dhabi.
Unfortunately, this visa office has been experiencing significant and unexplained delays, well beyond standard timelines. Many of us are spouses of Canadian citizens, separated from our loves for months or even years, with no updates from IRCC.
We believe these delays are unfair—especially when other visa offices like those in India and the Philippines are processing much faster.
We have written a professional, respectful letter to the Minister of Immigration to ask for immediate action.
If your file is with the Abu Dhabi office, we urge you to join us by sending the same email to the Minister.
Here’s what to do:
1. Copy the below email
2. Add your name, application number (optional), and send it to:
ircc.minister-ministre.ircc@cic.gc.ca
Together, we can amplify our voices and push for accountability, transparency, and fair treatment.
Let’s stand up for our right to reunite with our families in Canada.
Subject: Family Reunification Delays at IRCC Abu Dhabi Office
Dear Minister,
I am writing on behalf of a group of over 200 individuals whose sponsorship applications are currently under processing at the IRCC office in Abu Dhabi. A significant number of us are spouses of Canadian citizens and legal residents, seeking to reunite with our loves in Canada.
We are gravely concerned about the prolonged delays in the processing of our applications at this visa office. Many files have remained stagnant well beyond standard processing times—some for over a year—despite repeated attempts to obtain status updates through IRCC web forms, MPs’ offices, and the IRCC portal. This lack of transparency and prolonged separation from our Canadian spouses and children is placing an enormous emotional and financial strain on our families.
Family Reunification is a Protected Right
Canada has long upheld the principle that family reunification is a core objective of its immigration system. This is enshrined in both the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which recognizes the importance of preserving family unity. The current delays at the Abu Dhabi office, however, are effectively denying many Canadian citizens the right to live with their spouse and children.
Inequity Across Visa Offices
We are also concerned about the growing disparity in application timelines between regions. Applicants through visa offices such as in India, the Philippines, and several others are reporting significantly faster processing, while those routed through the Abu Dhabi office are subject to prolonged, uncommunicated delays. This inconsistency undermines confidence in the fairness and equity of Canada’s immigration system.
Request for Ministerial Attention
We respectfully request the following:
1. A review and address the backlog of family class applications at the IRCC Abu Dhabi office.
2. Assurance of consistent and equitable treatment of applications, regardless of regional assignment.
3. Prioritization of family reunification cases, especially where Canadian spouses and children remain separated from their loved ones.
We fully recognize the pressures on IRCC operations and appreciate the complexity of immigration processes. However, these delays are having real human consequences. We urge your office to take swift and direct action to resolve this issue and restore the trust and confidence of Canadian families affected by this situation.
We thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and look forward to your leadership in ensuring timely and fair processing for all applicants.
Respectfully,
