done waiting.

[ELOH]

I am out of options. With 2000 miles between us, my husband and I cannot continue to live this limbo waiting for cic to get their act together. It has been almost 16 months.

Either I move there illegally or end my marriage. Thanks for the options, CIC.

 

[gsize]

I can appreciate where you are coming from. Why give up now ? you think 16 months is too long ? Im at 3 1/2 years (having gone through negative decision and then successful appeal) You must continue to fight for those you love. Your partner will be here eventually. You must try to keep busy !

 

[mameelynn]

I see that you are going through Buffalo originally. If that is because the sponsor is Canadian and your spouse is American you can legally visit in each other's countries for up to 6 months at a time. I know it might not be ideal but what if they were to have a long visit and if their PR happened to come while you were visiting then all the better!

 

[dair2dv8103100]

I am out of options. With 2000 miles between us, my husband and I cannot continue to live this limbo waiting for cic to get their act together. It has been almost 16 months.

Either I move there illegally or end my marriage. Thanks for the options, CIC.

I know people that have been at this a lot longer (3 yrs & 5 yrs). That being said I can't speak for individual situations. I encourage you to hang in there.

 

[ELOH]

Thank you, but I have been with my husband for four years. We live 2054 miles apart. IT costs thousands of dollars everytime we visit. I am in temporary housing because I cannot sign a long term lease in case I hear from CIC.

ALso, I am 49 years old. Not 20. Or even 30. This wait has been too long. Yes, we love each other. But we cannot live like this anymore.

 

[ELOH]

THe other problem is that we both need to work. Visiting for 6 months is not an option. AGain, please look at my age. Hanging in there is harder than you might think. We met more than four years ago. And the point is, everything was fine with the application. We were all but approved in MARCH 2012! THen Buffalo closed and we didn't even get transferred to Ottawa until JULY. They are taking 12 months to process according to the website.

 

[gsize]

is the glass half empty or half full. ?

I would be thrilled to say I am waiting for 16 months (instead of 42) You need patience. If you dont have it......then yes........its a very big problem for you !

 

[Sweden]

THe other problem is that we both need to work. Visiting for 6 months is not an option. AGain, please look at my age. Hanging in there is harder than you might think. We met more than four years ago. And the point is, everything was fine with the application. We were all but approved in MARCH 2012! THen Buffalo closed and we didn't even get transferred to Ottawa until JULY. They are taking 12 months to process according to the website.

Try and talk to your MP and have him investigate what is going on, as some people have been approved and applied in APril. I am not sure he can do much but sometimes having somebody investigate helps the process... Also order your GCMS notes to see if there is any hold up in your file and what are the details.
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[R151NG5UN]

You can certainly look in to legal proceedings. However given that the VO is Ottawa I am not sure exactly how you would stand with that specific VO. They are now posting 12 months, has your file been in 2nd stage over 12 months? At that point you can consult a lawyer and ask about mandamus. From what I hear, it is basically a draconian method to ensure they get their butts in to gear and process your application before they are hauled up in front of a judge.

However this said, I am unsure because it is Ottawa, any other VO who has posted processing times then it would be clearer but Ottawa is a merky situation.

 

[dair2dv8103100]

Thank you, but I have been with my husband for four years. We live 2054 miles apart. IT costs thousands of dollars everytime we visit. I am in temporary housing because I cannot sign a long term lease in case I hear from CIC.

ALso, I am 49 years old. Not 20. Or even 30. This wait has been too long. Yes, we love each other. But we cannot live like this anymore.

I appreciate and understand so well this situation. For us it was 18 months apart and 6400 km away! Knew him for 2 years before marrying...and now married almost 2 years but only actually together 4 months. Also, I am 38 and we want a child. We also had no option for visiting...no word from immigration for months at a time. It really feels like you are spinning your tires. I hear you loud and clear.

You keep mentioning your age...but what will you do if you end it? You will then have to go out and start all over again! Or maybe you are thinking to stay single...I don't know. In the end you have to do what is best for you. I truly wish you the best but as another poster said....we need a lot of patience to endure this process.

Have you contacted CIC to find out if transferred files are getting preferred treatment? It baffles my mind that they would make you go the the "bottom" of the list so to speak just because the their change. Has your husband contacted an MP to assess the situation? I know my MP was able to find out somethings that I could not otherwise.

 

[achander]

THe other problem is that we both need to work. Visiting for 6 months is not an option. AGain, please look at my age. Hanging in there is harder than you might think. We met more than four years ago. And the point is, everything was fine with the application. We were all but approved in MARCH 2012! THen Buffalo closed and we didn't even get transferred to Ottawa until JULY. They are taking 12 months to process according to the website.

Well you are almost there. 12 Months in Ottawa shouldn't take 12 months, you will probably get yours earlier than that. I don't think divorce is an option, it actually sounds ridiculous. Moving to Canada illegally sounds stupid especially coming from someone living in the US. You can always visit since you are visa exempt. You are employed, that i understand, but so is everyone else and people wait for years and years.
I think you are almost 75% there...it's just the last stretch.

cheers

 

[tinytortoise]

IT costs thousands of dollars everytime we visit.

Why does it cost so much to visit from the US?! I'm American and live 1,600 miles from my husband and it averages $800 or less a visit for a flight and parking cost.

I really hope you hang in there, you married him because you love him and it's hard to be apart (we all know this) but in the end doesn't it make the reward (being with him forever) that much sweeter? Wishing you all the best.

 

[lunas]

I understand why you are frustrated but I'm sure you both talked about the potential problems. I hope you did. On the brighter side, you have won more than half the battle. It's not years but a few more months to wait. I don't want to be insensitive, but as you can see, who else can understand better but all of us who have a long wait or those who have been waiting for a few years already.

 

[ELOH]

I appreciate the responses. Thank you. Yes, my husband has contacted his MP. Twice. They found out that our file was transferred to Ottawa. Otherwise we would not have known. THat is all they have done besides advise us to write the Minister of Immigration. Which we did. No response. I have also written my congressman. They can't do anything. Of course, I knew that.

Yes, divorce sounds ridiculous. But this whole mess has been nothing less than ridiculous. Did I mention that they lost my husband's sponsorship application for the first four months? Then approved him over the phone on the spot after he told them what color my son's eyes were. Ridiculous? Yep. Living there illegally is NOT an option for me, so of course that's out. It is expensive because Once we both take time off work, and pay for flights and parking, it adds up to usually more than $2000.

So, I know there are people who have waited longer. But our file was straightforward and our interview was waived. We were so close to being done last March that I had the opportunity to commit to a really good job and a really good place to live, but turned them both down because I didn't think I could commit to a year or more with both. At that point, I thought I only had another month or two, maybe four at the longest.

I don't feel like I'm whining or asking the unreasonable. After all, it was CIC that said on their website that it was an average of 8-10 months from the time they received the application. They also said that files transferred would be kept in order of receipt so we wouldn't lose our place in line, but that is also false. I can't tell you how bad it feels to watch people from the US file applications Five and Six months ago and be landing in Canada already.

My husband lost his mom last year and has had to grieve without me. I couldn't even be there because it was so far away. We expected to wait as long as a year. It has been too long with no end in sight.

However, thank you for the encouragement. Until you've been separated and lived like we have lived, you don't understand, right?

 

[aerogurl87]

Why does it cost so much to visit from the US?! I'm American and live 1,600 miles from my husband and it averages $800 or less a visit for a flight and parking cost.

I really hope you hang in there, you married him because you love him and it's hard to be apart (we all know this) but in the end doesn't it make the reward (being with him forever) that much sweeter? Wishing you all the best.

I was wondering the same thing. I'm originally from North Carolina and my boyfriend is from Alberta, yet it only costs me $800 for a roundtrip to my hometown which is a small city. ELOH if I were you I would get in contact with my MP and find out what's going on. Order your GMCS notes, make a case specific inquiry, do something other than throw in the towel. You've waited this long, no point in giving up now.