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Chance of visitor visa approval for spouse

akshayar640

Full Member
Jan 16, 2018
36
8
I have never heard of being able to ascertain the identity of any individual VO or the ability to call them up and urge them on.

Processing time is now shown as about 5.5 months. I went through this recently with someone from another country. Time was shown as 37 days when the application was submitted in March. The decision came in July. By that standard, you might face a lot more than 5.5 months.
I agree with the processing times timeline but in reality, I see random processing times from IRCC. Some vv applications are getting approved in just a week or 2. I was hoping they would follow first come - first serve kind of a system. On top of that, some tourist visa applications from my country are getting approved sooner and people like me who just want to see their spouse have to wait for months. Its just not fair, honestly.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
39,640
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I agree with the processing times timeline but in reality, I see random processing times from IRCC. Some vv applications are getting approved in just a week or 2. I was hoping they would follow first come - first serve kind of a system. On top of that, some tourist visa applications from my country are getting approved sooner and people like me who just want to see their spouse have to wait for months. Its just not fair, honestly.
So you still haven’t started the spousal sponsorship process? You should be also focusing on that.
 
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canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
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And I agree there is a lot of unfairness in the system. Spouses seem to get the worst consideration in many ways.

Overall, I think best to follow Naturgrl's advice and start spousal sponsorship process. I recognize you have been hoping for TRV at an early date and then apply inland. But, it's costing you time and, in the end, a denial is quite likely unless your spouse is able to present a very strong application, meaning a good job to which to return, assets, especially land title, strong family ties, a record of travel to places like U.S., etc.
It is to try and prevent immigration fraud. In cases where arranged marriages are standard and there is minimal proof of a relationship before marriage it would be very easy for people to get married, get a TRV and then once in Canada go their separate ways. It is very hard to get deported from Canada. People are offered many chances to apply to stay and often free legal aid. In places where it is easy to deport someone, like the US, it is easier for a spouse to visit. They can be put on a flight tomorrow if the US finds out they aren’t a couple.
 
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canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
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Then we should be adopting the American model. Stop offering many chances to stay. Do not give free legal aid. Deport swiftly. Treat the overstayers as the criminals they are. Don't punish the many innocents for the sins of the few fraudsters.
There is minimal chance that the whole immigration system will be overhauled. Canada is upfront with the fact that if you marry someone who lives in another country it will take around a year to sponsor them. If future spouses have jobs, good savings, previous international travel history they can try to apply for a TRV. In terms of arranged marriages there is nothing stopping people from arranging a marriage with someone already in Canada. Most are unwilling to do so because potential immigration is seen as a benefit that someone can offer a future spouse.
 
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canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
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I have no expectation of any overhaul. Indeed, it will only go downhill. And Canada is now upfront about it taking 2 years (not one year) to sponsor a spouse and, if that is what they say online, you can bet 3 years will be more likely. They readily admit that one year has become 2 years and it's only a matter of time until they will concede it's 3 years. The plan is to discourage spousal sponsorship altogether. They want to send a strong message that one should not even think about marrying someone who lives in another country. The clear intent is to promote the idea that one should marry only someone who is here now, legally.

As for TRV, I see the existing practice as so artificial. Jobs and savings really mean nothing. A "good job" in many countries pays peanuts. As for showing land ownership, so what? For one thing, does the IRCC send out an appraiser to see that the land/house is worth? Again, houses in many countries cost a fraction of what they do here. And savings don't mean much and can easily be faked, by some benefactor making regular deposits well in advance. I am not talking about a clumsy large deposit being made shortly before applying for a TRV.

If someone seriously wants to come to Canada, giving up a low-paying job elsewhere is nothing. Besides, jobs are ephemeral. Often they do not last. That's certainly the modern experience in Canada. A lots of employers do not feel loyalty to an employee (and vice versa). No one has a job for life anymore.

As for property ownership, it can be sold and the proceeds brought here. It's not a tie at all. Apart from travel history, mostly what the IRCC wants to see is a show of finances. Hardly something to cause one to want to go home in many cases. And, if it's all about the money, then why not allow applicants to put up money? I would happily make a cash deposit of $500,000 to ensure a spouse I was bringing over on a TRV respects the terms of the visa. If the spouse does not go home when the visa expires, the government forfeits the money. That would keep most folks honest, far more than showing $10,000 or some pittance in the bank.

Also, often it is said here that the IRCC is slow to approve TRVs for spouses, or for a boyfriend or girlfriend, out of fear they will show up, then apply inland. Well, if that's such a concern, why allow that to happen? Make it a clear rule that if you arrive on a TRV, you are forbidden to apply inland and, if you do, the application will be summarily rejected and a 5-year ban imposed. Also make it a rule that, if you overstay, even a later outland application will be subject to a 5-year (or longer) ban.
There are still plenty of applications for sponsorship being approved in a year. It really depends on where you are applying from. The system got overwhelmed by Covid so wait times will likely go down slowly for places where wait times have increased. Putting up a large sum of money and forfeiting it would not work because one can legally apply for inland sponsorship or apply to extend a TRV. You can be in Canada for a variety of reasons and then apply for inland sponsorship. It would also be a huge undertaking for the government to obtain deposits from people, return them, monitor who is remaining in Canada or leaving not to mention that any type of financial deposit would be challenged in court as discrimination. Even if there was a deposit system if people lost their deposit there would likely still be court challenges fighting forfeiture. The huge expense and drain on resources would not make sense.

Applications for TRVs are approved based on many things. Longterm good employment is one big one, savings, property, previous travel, family in your home country, etc. Having longterm employment is one of the major factors. Canada has a huge amount of spousal sponsorship. There is no threat of it going away any time soon. If people want a guarantee that they can live together in Canada as soon as they get married marrying someone who isn’t already in Canada either as a citizen, PR, student, work permit holder, etc. may not be the best option.
 
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akshayar640

Full Member
Jan 16, 2018
36
8
And I agree there is a lot of unfairness in the system. Spouses seem to get the worst consideration in many ways.

Overall, I think best to follow Naturgrl's advice and start spousal sponsorship process. I recognize you have been hoping for TRV at an early date and then apply inland. But, it's costing you time and, in the end, a denial is quite likely unless your spouse is able to present a very strong application, meaning a good job to which to return, assets, especially land title, strong family ties, a record of travel to places like U.S., etc.
Yes, I will wait till the end of this month and then my wife and I will apply for a spousal sponsorship application. As you said, I feel like the wait is just costing me time too.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
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I'll have to take your word for that. But I'll take it that the IRCC would not tell the world to expect 2 years if any significant numbers get through in a year. Moreover, whatever the posted processing time, they put up more roadblocks to extend it well beyond that.

Take the Philippines for example. To even start the sponsorship process, one requires a Philippines Statistics Authority marriage certificate. It's very easy to provide proof in the form of the marriage certificates one can get from the Office of the Civil Registrar General right after the wedding. But the IRCC knows it can take 6 months to get the PSA certificate. It offers no weightier proof, just a lot longer to get, so the IRCC demands it, to delay the application by many months. It has to be there the day you file the sponsorship application, even though no one will even look at that application for months. Of course, they won't let you apply and send in the PSA certificate upon receipt. That would be too considerate. Similarly, if they started the application before the certificate was filed, they could send a form saying no further processing will be done until received. Instead, they will reject the application out of hand, forcing one to start over and pay the fees a second time.


I was talking not about the variety of reasons, but only the case of someone coming in on a TRV and then applying inland. It would be easy to adopt a rule precluding that manoeuvre.



I disagree it would be such a huge burden. I was talking about allowing it to be done for those willing to put up some serious money. That's why I said $500,000 or so. If too many takers at that level, raise it to $1 million. I suspect the numbers willing (or able) to come up with that kind of coin would be legion in their numbers. Just let those who can pay the freight do it. No more discriminatory than saying if you don't have "longterm good employment" you don't count. It's all discrimination. The law does not forbid discrimination. Where addressed by legislation, it always sets out "prohibited grounds" of discrimination. Can you point to some legislation, binding the IRCC, that would prohibit the type of discrimination I am talking about.
Requiring documentation that involves wait time in someone’s home country can’t be blamed on IRCC. Requiring a marriage certificate is very standard documentation and is required in all countries. There have always been certain countries that have an over one year processing time. This is usually due to didficulties ith background checks for example. Canada has good relationships and partnerships with certain countries while not in others. It can also take longer to verify information in some countries versus other. For exam processing sponsorships from Iran have always taken over 6 months. Certain offices are also busier than others. Although IRCC does try and redistribute files to even out workload it isn’t a perfect system. Requiring someone to put down a huge deposit to allow a spouse to enter Canada to do inland sponsorship will be challenged in court due to discrimination. There are laws that require Canada not to discriminate on the basis of various factors. Requiring someone to have a very large sum of money will only benefit the very wealthy. Having to prove that one has longterm good employment to increase your chances of getting a TRV is very different than requiring a very large deposit that wouldn’t be an option for most in Canada. I can only imagine that many will try to get the money in a variety of ways that will put their longterm finial stability at risk. There would be I’ll have to be a lot of resources to determine how the money was obtained, making sure the money is received, returning the money, court challenges if there is a forfeiture, etc. The system will never happen. There are always challenges about IRCC fees putting burden on the new immigrants especially refugees so If there are challenges based on that fact I can only imagine what the outrage would be Canada allowed a 500k to 1M deposit option.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
QUOTE="canuck78, post: 10193970, member: 678500"]
Requiring documentation that involves wait time in someone’s home country can’t be blamed on IRCC. Requiring a marriage certificate is very standard documentation and is required in all countries.
Yes, it can be blamed on the IRCC. As I said the Office of the Civil Registrar General will issue a marriage certificate. It is available on providing the marriage licence and proof that the marriage took place. The same things required to get the PSA certificate. Just that the latter takes much longer. So why require it? Many countries (Canada included) do not have such registries. When I was married in Canada, all that we got was a simple certificate filled in by the person who performed the marriage.

Can you cite any law prohibiting the type of "discrimination" of which I speak?

Until recently, Canada had an immigration investment program. The U.S. still does. Very discriminatory. Tsk tsk.

You do not have to tell me the system will never change, of course it won't. I am not suggesting there will be any change except to make things more rigorous. That has been the trend for a long time and it will continue.
[/QUOTE]

The investment policy has had a lot of controversy which is why most of the programs across Canada have shut down. Due to the fact that it is considered as providing an investment to Canada it is viewed differently then just providing cash for status. Don’t remember all the details for each program but most require you to employ Canadians, lend the money to Canada/the province, purchase a business, etc.
 

akshayar640

Full Member
Jan 16, 2018
36
8
Guys, I want to share some good news with you all. My wife's visitor visa has been approved and PPR received. Thank you to this amazing group and whoever jumped in this thread for the support and advice. Especially @Kaibigan. I owe you a beer or two at least my friend.
 

natasha1522

Newbie
Oct 31, 2019
9
1
Guys, I want to share some good news with you all. My wife's visitor visa has been approved and PPR received. Thank you to this amazing group and whoever jumped in this thread for the support and advice. Especially @Kaibigan. I owe you a beer or two at least my friend.
Hi, how long was the validity of the TRV? I was considering going through the same process. But i read online that you can get a TRV for a single visit and they can decide the amount of months to be there? Is that true that i may not get a 10 year multiple entry visa?
 

akshayar640

Full Member
Jan 16, 2018
36
8
Hi, how long was the validity of the TRV? I was considering going through the same process. But i read online that you can get a TRV for a single visit and they can decide the amount of months to be there? Is that true that i may not get a 10 year multiple entry visa?
The passport is yet to be submitted so I think I have to wait to see how long the visa is valid for till its back.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Hi, how long was the validity of the TRV? I was considering going through the same process. But i read online that you can get a TRV for a single visit and they can decide the amount of months to be there? Is that true that i may not get a 10 year multiple entry visa?
Yes it is always up to the VO to decide how long your visa is and whether it is single or multiple entry. If there are concerns about your application you are often given a shorter visa. It is somewhat of a trial visa. If you follow the Immigration rules and visit as specified then you get a longer visa the second time. How long you can stay in Canada can also be determined when you enter Canada. If there are concerns about your profile like lack of funds, concerns that you may try to work as a visitor, etc. you can be given less than 6 months entry.