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Do the paperwork/apps solo, or hire someone to help?

akimmel

Newbie
Aug 3, 2018
7
0
31
Oklahoma, US
Good morning, everyone!

I'm currently living in the US where I am working on my associates in Biology. I have a year left and hope to attend the University of Guelph to work on my bachelors on a student visa.

There of course is SO much paperwork and documentation to gather to apply for any kind of immigration into Canada, temporary or otherwise. And while I'm sure I can make sure I get it all together with ample research, I'm afraid I might mess something up that would result in my being declined a study permit. I very much want to go to Guelph for zoology and would be heart-broken if I was unable to due to bungling some paperwork or documents by mistake.

So I was wondering. Those of you that have experience, or know what might be the best way to approach it, did you hire someone to assist with the whole process (a representative of sorts, or a lawyer?) to ensure it was done in the best ways possible or did you do it on your own? I'm hesitant to pay someone a potentially large sum of money because I'm afraid that the whole process just LOOKS intimidating, but isn't too terrible in practice.

Thank you in advance!
 

Anna828

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2018
223
69
Good morning, everyone!

I'm currently living in the US where I am working on my associates in Biology. I have a year left and hope to attend the University of Guelph to work on my bachelors on a student visa.

There of course is SO much paperwork and documentation to gather to apply for any kind of immigration into Canada, temporary or otherwise. And while I'm sure I can make sure I get it all together with ample research, I'm afraid I might mess something up that would result in my being declined a study permit. I very much want to go to Guelph for zoology and would be heart-broken if I was unable to due to bungling some paperwork or documents by mistake.

So I was wondering. Those of you that have experience, or know what might be the best way to approach it, did you hire someone to assist with the whole process (a representative of sorts, or a lawyer?) to ensure it was done in the best ways possible or did you do it on your own? I'm hesitant to pay someone a potentially large sum of money because I'm afraid that the whole process just LOOKS intimidating, but isn't too terrible in practice.

Thank you in advance!

Hey, so I applied for a TRP and a study permit, so my case is a little different, but I think I would still recommend hiring a lawyer if it doesn't completely brake the bank. I was skeptikal before the process, but the embassy reached out to my lawyer before contacting me when they had a question, and my lawyer also requested expedited processing last week and I got my visa last night. Whether there is a connection, or my application would have been approved anyway, I don't know, but I believe it makes a difference.

Plus, I have read lots of cases from students in the US trying to go to Canada and the majority gets it rejected (at least the ones who are active in this forum). I don't know how long you have been here and how strong your ties are to your home country, but if you cannot convince the officer that you will return home, it will be very hard to get it accepted I believe.

I am sure that other people will tell you to do it on your own, and if you have an easy case with strong ties and a good reason to go to Canada, then go for it. But I do not regret hiring a lawyer to help me. I think in the end it depends on whether you are willing to spend the money and how straight forward your case is. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions re: lawyer.
 

akimmel

Newbie
Aug 3, 2018
7
0
31
Oklahoma, US
Hey, so I applied for a TRP and a study permit, so my case is a little different, but I think I would still recommend hiring a lawyer if it doesn't completely brake the bank. I was skeptikal before the process, but the embassy reached out to my lawyer before contacting me when they had a question, and my lawyer also requested expedited processing last week and I got my visa last night. Whether there is a connection, or my application would have been approved anyway, I don't know, but I believe it makes a difference.

Plus, I have read lots of cases from students in the US trying to go to Canada and the majority gets it rejected (at least the ones who are active in this forum). I don't know how long you have been here and how strong your ties are to your home country, but if you cannot convince the officer that you will return home, it will be very hard to get it accepted I believe.

I am sure that other people will tell you to do it on your own, and if you have an easy case with strong ties and a good reason to go to Canada, then go for it. But I do not regret hiring a lawyer to help me. I think in the end it depends on whether you are willing to spend the money and how straight forward your case is. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions re: lawyer.
Thank you for the advice, Anna!

I'm 25 and have lived in the town I currently live in since I was born. Both of my parents live here, and my husband has family just a ways up north in a neighboring state. We don't own any property, as we have been planning to move for several years now and didn't want to buy a house just to turn around and sell it when we were ready to go. Hopefully our family ties here and my having lived in the same town my entire life will suffice, though I am unsure. Fingers crossed!

Additionally, I'm hoping to attend a Canadian college due to the price of colleges in our area. There are not any reputable colleges for zoology in my state, and the price for it as an out of state resident in other states is absolutely insane. It's much cheaper to attend college in Canada for sure, even with all the fees and whatnot.
 

Anna828

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2018
223
69
Thank you for the advice, Anna!

I'm 25 and have lived in the town I currently live in since I was born. Both of my parents live here, and my husband has family just a ways up north in a neighboring state. We don't own any property, as we have been planning to move for several years now and didn't want to buy a house just to turn around and sell it when we were ready to go. Hopefully our family ties here and my having lived in the same town my entire life will suffice, though I am unsure. Fingers crossed!

Additionally, I'm hoping to attend a Canadian college due to the price of colleges in our area. There are not any reputable colleges for zoology in my state, and the price for it as an out of state resident in other states is absolutely insane. It's much cheaper to attend college in Canada for sure, even with all the fees and whatnot.
Hey, so you’re a U.S. citizen?
 

Anna828

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2018
223
69
I am, yes. Lived in this one town my whole life.
Then you shouldn’t worry at all. You can even take your stuff and apply at the border. I don’t think they will reject the application if you have all the required documents. My reply was based on intl. students who apply in the U.S. but it still doesn’t hurt to show strong ties to your home town when you attach a letter (in case you will submit it online or by mail).
 

akimmel

Newbie
Aug 3, 2018
7
0
31
Oklahoma, US
Then you shouldn’t worry at all. You can even take your stuff and apply at the border. I don’t think they will reject the application if you have all the required documents. My reply was based on intl. students who apply in the U.S. but it still doesn’t hurt to show strong ties to your home town when you attach a letter (in case you will submit it online or by mail).
Oh awesome! Thank you very much. :) I didn't think to clarify that I'm a US Citizen, not just attending the school here in the US, I apologize! Fingers crossed! I'm definitely going to go over everything with a fine toothed comb, I'm just a little nervous I'll fill something out incorrectly. But I appreciate your input! Doing it all sans emigration consultant or attorney will definitely save us a pretty penny when we're already saving for the big move!
 

AnitaJ577

Newbie
Jun 17, 2019
3
0
Hey, so I applied for a TRP and a study permit, so my case is a little different, but I think I would still recommend hiring a lawyer if it doesn't completely brake the bank. I was skeptikal before the process, but the embassy reached out to my lawyer before contacting me when they had a question, and my lawyer also requested expedited processing last week and I got my visa last night. Whether there is a connection, or my application would have been approved anyway, I don't know, but I believe it makes a difference.

Plus, I have read lots of cases from students in the US trying to go to Canada and the majority gets it rejected (at least the ones who are active in this forum). I don't know how long you have been here and how strong your ties are to your home country, but if you cannot convince the officer that you will return home, it will be very hard to get it accepted I believe.

I am sure that other people will tell you to do it on your own, and if you have an easy case with strong ties and a good reason to go to Canada, then go for it. But I do not regret hiring a lawyer to help me. I think in the end it depends on whether you are willing to spend the money and how straight forward your case is. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions re: lawyer.

Hi Anna can you please share the contact info of your attorney with me? I have read most of your posts and we are in such similar situations... I almost give up applying for a study permit before I read your stuff because several immigration attorneys I consulted were all discouraging and told me the chance of getting a TRP & Study permit is very low.. Please let me know! You can dm me on this forum :))
 

Anna828

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2018
223
69
Hi Anna can you please share the contact info of your attorney with me? I have read most of your posts and we are in such similar situations... I almost give up applying for a study permit before I read your stuff because several immigration attorneys I consulted were all discouraging and told me the chance of getting a TRP & Study permit is very low.. Please let me know! You can dm me on this forum :))

Hi! Why did they say that? I got it with no issues. However, getting a TRP is a lengthy process, and I am almost sure that it is too late now to start in September. Most likely January next year. I applied in May and got it at the beginning of August. I used the lawyer here from this forum. You can easily contact them. You can (and have to) apply for both at the same time (you cannot get one without the other one). I got the TRP for two years and I am now applying for Criminal Rehabilitation. Which you should also consider if it's been more than 5 years. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions, I am happy to help!
 

AnitaJ577

Newbie
Jun 17, 2019
3
0
Hi! Why did they say that? I got it with no issues. However, getting a TRP is a lengthy process, and I am almost sure that it is too late now to start in September. Most likely January next year. I applied in May and got it at the beginning of August. I used the lawyer here from this forum. You can easily contact them. You can (and have to) apply for both at the same time (you cannot get one without the other one). I got the TRP for two years and I am now applying for Criminal Rehabilitation. Which you should also consider if it's been more than 5 years. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions, I am happy to help!

Hi Anna! Thank you! Would you mind to dm me the name/contact of the exact attorney who represented your case? Thank you so so much!

Well anyways I still want to give it a try even though it's late to apply I know.. my situation is probably a bit worse than yours because my U.S. visa has been rejected once as well.. :(
 

AnitaJ577

Newbie
Jun 17, 2019
3
0
Hi! Why did they say that? I got it with no issues. However, getting a TRP is a lengthy process, and I am almost sure that it is too late now to start in September. Most likely January next year. I applied in May and got it at the beginning of August. I used the lawyer here from this forum. You can easily contact them. You can (and have to) apply for both at the same time (you cannot get one without the other one). I got the TRP for two years and I am now applying for Criminal Rehabilitation. Which you should also consider if it's been more than 5 years. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions, I am happy to help!
Also, when you were preparing the documents, did you get a background summary form from both FBI and the State?
 

Anna828

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2018
223
69
Also, when you were preparing the documents, did you get a background summary form from both FBI and the State?
Sorry! I’m just seeing this. Yes, you have to get background checks from the FBI, the state you have lived in and the state where the “crime” happened.