Canadian student sponsor Chinese wife - Is it hopeless?

[SamN4]

Hi,

I've sifted through the forums and haven't been able to piece my situation together.

Break down.

I am a 26 yr. old Canadian citizen by birth, Caucasian Male, (Education 0-12) preparing to sponsor my soon to be wife, who is Female, Chinese National 26 yr. old. (education is 0-12) . She currently works in the service industry in China while i'm a student in Canada.

I lived in China 03-07 (not teaching English), she lived with me while in China for 2.5 years.

I returned to Canada for College/University (3 yr. college + 2 yr. Uni-program) and expect to graduate in 2012. I receive Gov't assistance in Ontario to pay for my education.

We have been in daily contact (with ''paper proof'') since I moved back to Canada from China in 07. I have since gone back to China to be with her 1 time for a period of 1 month, with plenty of plane ticket photographic evidence etc.

She has been refused a visitor visa based on ''not meeting requirements'' 1 time, this year in summer 09.

I am going to marry her in China in Feb 09 and proceed with her immigration application once I return to Canada.


Our relationship is genuine, I believe proving that will be the less difficult part. Because I'm a student, and she works for minimum wage in China our financial situation is…. Not great, and that portion is what concerns me most in regard to her application.



Question????

Because I'm a student is this hopeless? Do I have options for ''co-sponsors'', i.e asking one of my family members to help ''co-sign'' the financial portion of the application.


Very grateful for any related experiences or advice.

 

[fallenstar831]

It's not... Keeping in mind my husband is coming in from England and I am not 100% sure that there are different rules if they are coming from different geographical areas - I called not to long ago with some minimum income questions to the CIC toll free number. They told me that when you are sponsering a spouse you are exempt from the minimum income requirements, as it is expected they will be capable of work.

The CIC agent on the phone's specific example was "you could be a student on OSAP living in your momma's basement and you'd be fine"!


Best of luck to you and don't lose hope!

 

[ariell]

Not hopeless at all! I am a student and I successfully sponsored my husband this spring. You don't need to meet any income requirement. Not only do you not need, but you cannot have a co-sponsor for a spousal application. Good luck.

PS: I also called CIC and was given the same line about "you could be living in your parents' basement and still be able to sponsor". Maybe it was the same person? Oh, and the requirements are the same, regardless of what country your spouse is applying from.

 

[rollinsc]

It makes me feel a lot better hearing that other students have sponsored their spouses too. I am also a student, 22 years old and going to marry my peruvian fiance in February 2009 who is 23 years old and also a student. I have racked up a few student lines of credit myself so I was a bit nervous about if it was a hopeless case for me to sponsor my future husband too! Our relationship is completely genuine too and he was ALSO rejected a visa to come here this year (2 times) because he didn't meet the requirements (aka he had no 'ties' that made them believe he would return to Peru such as a family, a job or a house).

Just a hint SamN4... start preparing for your immigration stuff now. Although you can't fill out some of the application form now, you can at least start them so then after you get married you'll be able to send it in quicker, as immigration can take a very long time. I've been doing a lot of research on this website as well as just reading the immigration guide for sponsoring a spouse on the Canadian government website... Good luck with everything!

 

[SamN4]

Thank you to the above, you have all granted me some relief

Hi rollinsc,

What sort of things could I start doing now? Just penning in the applications you mean? I've gone though the application kit but haven't made a list of the 3rd party documents I have to start gathering. I.e police checks etc.

Do you have a cheat sheet of ''must get docs'' or advice on key documents that always take extraordinary amounts of time to obtain?

I would like to get on top of as much paperwork as I can, as I know the process can be arduous.

 

[faisaljee2]

No minimum income requirement for sponsoring wife but make sure you dont owe govt. any thing or on welfare

 

[Suin]

if your relationship is genuine you will have no problem to prove it in Visa Office. if you have the evidence of that you are a student, you should prove that you are not on welfare otherwise they will not approve your sponsorship in Mississauga and your file will be returned back to you.

 

[rachelleb1]

im also a student and was approved as a sponsor a month ago, so you'll be fine good luck with everything!

 

[SamN4]

...but make sure you dont owe govt. any thing or on welfare

Because currently I'm a student that relies on OSAP (OSAP is Gov't loan for school in Ontario), I do owe the Gov't money, however I'm not on any kind of social assistance (welfare), I don't know if social assistance,i.e welfare and student loan are considered the same in the grand scheme of things? Are they?? Will this effect the outcome because I am on OSAP?

if you have the evidence of that you are a student, you should prove that you are not on welfare otherwise they will not approve your sponsorship in Mississauga and your file will be returned back to you.

Is there a specific document that I have to acquire stating that I am not on any kind of social assistance?

im also a student and was approved as a sponsor a month ago, so you'll be fine good luck with everything!

rachelleb1 - Do you receive OSAP or student loan from the Gov't in your province??


Thank you so much, this information is extremely helpful. I hope after my process I can contribute as much as everyone is for me.

 

[diddagirl]

I am also a student who has taken out student loans and was applied to sponsor...

 

[Karlshammar]

There is no income requirement. You simply must not be on welfare (social assistance). OSAP is not welfare.

 

[ariell]

Sam: Option C printout is what the gov't will check to make sure you are not on welfare. Just send them that. You don't need to do anything else. And not to worry, OSAP is definitely NOT social assistance, since you have to pay it back (unfortunately! ;-0)

 

[rachelleb1]

sorry for the delayed response! no, i don't have osap or any student loans and i never have. i'm on a full scholarship and live with my mom at the mo. but i don't think student loans qualify as social assistance, so you should be fine! although i am not an expert, so you may want to double check that.

 

[ariell]

Student loans absolutely, 100% are NOT social assistance. They are a LOAN that you have to repay. You don't repay social assistance.

 

[snolan]

Bump for this..

my situation is very similar BUT I do not believe my spouse is that employable (no formal education aside from grade school, age of 13). I do believe she would be able to do any of the service style jobs in Canada (ie serving food ect).

Would they still see her as being able to / expected to work herself?

I am in my momma's basement (she had a stroke, help take care of her a lot and it is a big thing for the wifey too. Her and my mother have met several times and the wife is actually excited about the prospect to be able come and help her) and do have income from 2007 that is $39,000 $33,000 in 2008 and it should be $39,000ish again in 2009 (as per tax returns, of course I don't have 2009 yet though!)

But I am overly stressed as I am not employed due to enrollment in university and spending half of each of the previous years living with her, and I don't see her as being a prime "qualified" target due to her education and I generally have taken care of her (joint bank account) for the past year and a half (maybe closer to 2 years now). I generally made my money through stocks and working 3-4 months per year as an accountant.

Anyone have any insight? I believe it is very similar to the original posters question minus the education exception. I am going to have an ulcer reading all the conflicting explanations on the internet!