I am really lost, I don't know what to do

[medellinguy]

Ok here is the story.

In 2006, my best friend and neighbor travelled to Colombia where he met some people and had a good time. He then came back and we decided to do a trip there together. In the meantime, he presented me my fiancé today through msn in 2006. I started talking to her then by internet, almost everyday, about 2-3 hours minimum. Often, we would chat until 6 or 7 in the morning. The thing is as I lived in Mexico before, I am fluent in Spanish and I can speak as good French and Spanish. We were friends during that time, obviously there was tension and flirting going on but it never get more than this because I was with someone here in Canada and she was with someone in her country.

As things move on, we distanced each other for a couple months because we were all busy with our personal things. We started chatting back again like we used to and well, as we were both single at that time, I decided to make a move and go visit her in august 2009. When I arrive there, it was love at first sight. We had so much fun, traveled some parts of the country together, have nice dinners, I stayed with her family at their house, they provided me everything I needed etc. She even did a 22 hour long bus ride to left me in Bogota at the airport! Anyways, when I was there in August, we decided to be a couple after all these years of interest and flirting and there we go.

At the end of September 2009, she asks her father that she would like to come to Canada to visit me. He said sure but he knew that it was very hard to get a visa to Canada. He still decided to pay for her visa and see what happens. I wrote an invitation letter saying that I will provide everything she needs and how we met, but I said we were only friends, because otherwise I know the visa would have been refused So, we sent in the application at Bogota and we wait. We waited until early december, I guess something happened there but we will never know, but it took 3 months for the government of Canada to finally give her to tourist visa valid for 6 months! But, I already bought a plane ticket to go to Colombia and celebrate christmas and New years with her. So, in december 2009, I visited her and stayed with her family for 5 weeks until mid January! I know all of her friends, her extended family etc..It was awesome, I was part of her life and we had a great great time.

So, in April 2010, she comes to Canada for 2 weeks, she couldn't longer due to work restrictions and she meets my family, my friends etc. She touches snow for the first time and well, everything is perfect. We had a super nice time.

Now, I am leaving to Colombia on August 28th 2010 until September 18th 2010. We are getting married on September 3rd and have a honey moon in San Andrés islands, paid by her parents. All her family is invited and also friends of mine from Canada are coming with me. I am sure we will take plenty of pictures of the wedding day and the honey moon.

She is graduating from University in december 2010. I am supposed to go to her graduation day and everything, but we decided that we want to live in Canada, even though she is afraid because she doesn't speak French or English that well. She says we should live in Colombia for a while but I am kind of afraid with what is going on. I mean, it's nice when you go a couple weeks to visit, but to live there, it's another story. Salaries are so low, can't really save up. Her family is not poor, far from that, they are higher middle class!

Here is the dilemma: I don't know if it's better to do Inland or Outland. I saw the delays of the Bogota Embassy and the lowest is 12 months, that's 1 whole year, which is pretty hard for us right now and it is as long as doing it inland, because everytime we separate, it's very hard on her and on me, and we are tired of this. So I told her we could maybe ask for a tourist visa and explain in my invitation letter everything with pictures, photo calls log (skype), emails, receipts from wedding etc. that we want to do the PR application but we do not want to be separate. Do you guys think they will grant her? Some guy I know lived in colombia for 6 months, married his wife, applied for the visa tourist and explain the story like mine, and they granted her and they did the process here.

I know we can't appeal with the inland process. But, what kind of proofs do you need for a genuine wedding/relation. Here is what I have:

pictures of us, family (both), friends (both) etc.. (like 2000)
pictures of wedding + honeymoon (coming)
Stamps in passport of my trips there
Tourist visa in her passport
Skype calls log (unlimited plan to colombia..i call her phone line) we talk about 30 minutes or more everyday
Chat logs (4 years)
Receipts of wedding, honeymoon, plane tickets
Cards I wrote her and she wrote me
Testimonials of my friends and family at the wedding

Is there something I am missing? Is it good enough??

So the big question, what should I do? What's your advice.

I know this is a long post, but thank you very much, im pretty lost

 

[IrishApplicant]

nope that all seems fine.

make sure to index and list everything clearly and coherently.

IA

 

[medellinguy]

but do you think we might have a chance for the tourist visa??
Would you apply inland or outland??

 

[bobshynoswife]

Your proof is very good, it should be a straight-forward case, whether inland or outland. The problem is that once you are married she will have a VERY slim chance of getting a TRV (visit visa).

In the meantime, encourage her to learn English. It's great that the 2 of you can communicate in Spanish, but it will be an easier beginning for her in Canada if she can speak English.

 

[medellinguy]

the thing is, she can't leave colombia before february because she has a work contract and she graduates in december. So, even though I ask for the visa right now, it will pass the six month mark and won't be usable again.

Why is it so bad to ask a TRV when we are married? I don't get it. Of course we are gonna do the PR thing even if she is in colombia or canada, so the result is the same and they will see in my invitation letter from canada for the TRV all the proofs that I have, so they won't be able to really justify a refusal?

or maybe I am just blind...

 

[bobshynoswife]

To get a TRV, you must show significant ties to the home country to ensure you will return. Having a Canadian husband shows that her ties to Canada would be significantly stronger than her ties to home.

Also, if she was in Canada and your application was refused, you could apply for PR under humanitarian and compassionate grounds, which can only be done by someone in Canada, so CIC does not want to risk that happening.

It's unfortunate, because I would love for my husband to come visit here and meet my family (and his step-children!) while the application is in progress. He would go back to Nigeria too, to wait, but we could never convince CIC of that. So when he lands in Canada as a permanent resident, it will be the first time he ever sets foot on Canadian soil, and the first time he ever meets his new family.

It sucks, but that's the way it is.

 

[medellinguy]

then why my friend who got married in colombia and lived there 6 months with explaining the whole story gave his wife the TRV? she has bigger ties in Canada with her husband than in Colombia then?

So, you tell me I really have to wait for the 12 months because bogota is the slowest embassy ever

 

[bobshynoswife]

I'm not saying she has no chance of getting a TRV, obviously it's possible since you know someone. I am just saying it is a VERY SLIM chance, so by all means, do what you want to do but don't plan on it coming through. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Yes, Bogota is slow, but by no means the slowest office. Nairobi is generally over 2 years, and Accra is usually 10-20 months for an application. Many people on this forum wait for a year or two to be with their spouse, and many have gone up to a year or more without seeing their spouse while their application is in process!

I will also warn you that failed attempts at obtaining a TRV do put red flags on your application. If she applies to come visit a 'friend' and is denied, it will look like she is trying to get into Canada by any means necessary, including a marriage of convenience.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there are many hoops you have to jump through to immigrate to Canada. It isn't easy. Most of the time for those from countries that require visas (so South America, Africa, Asia) it means that there will be long periods of separation.

Another option is to apply through Bogota, and then you could go visit her for a few months while the application is in process.

 

[medellinguy]

as I stated in my initial story, she already was granted a Temporary visa this year, and she came back to Colombia. Just to make sure I understand, they will probably deny her second visa? I thought once u had one, it was easier to get another one since they don't do all the check ups...

I don't know why you say that we will ask her to come as a "friend"; it's more like we want to tell the whole story about our marriage and stuff

 

[bonbon9]

I think she was not denied because you said she's your friend. Now that you include your marriage and relationship proofs, there is a big chance she will be denied.
It is still worth to attempt to get another TRV. Just make sure she sends a lot of proof of ties to her home country. It is really worth the try, and some of us (like me!) get lucky and actually get it
By all means, don't lie and don't say she's just a friend. This could affect your future PR.
And I believe that if her TRV is refused, it won't really affect her future PR, because it is proof that you guys are trying to be together. This is why you should really say the truth.

 

[BeShoo]

I agree, don't lie about your relationship status. That could cause all sorts of problems in the future. The fact that she has travelled to Canada before and returned (twice?) before her visa expired is highly in her favour. It's certainly worth trying to get her a visa, but be honest in your visa application.

 

[medellinguy]

if you guys read my post, i never said I had the intention to lie. I did for the first visa tourist because otherwise they would have refused her if I said she was my girlfriend. Now that we will be married, it's a different story. Anyways, my official civil status when she asked for the visa in october was single as I wasn't married, so they cannot really say anything.

But I still don't know what to do.....inland or outland. What causes cases to take up to 14 months? Is it because people put mistakes in their application? Is it because they didn't provide enough evidence? Why some cases are fast and some other slow? For example, in Bogota, they say 30% of the cases within 12 months. If we are newly wed, no kids and all the papers and evidences, we should be in that 30% right?

 

[steaky]

Are you a Canadian citizen?

If your wife had been refused a TRV before, chances of doing inland is pretty low. If you are a Canadian citizen, you can live exclusively in Columbia with your wife and do outland. You can read my discussions in this topic in the other thread:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/cant-live-without-my-princess-t48004.0.html

 

[medellinguy]

Are you a Canadian citizen?

If your wife had been refused a TRV before, chances of doing inland is pretty low. If you are a Canadian citizen, you can live exclusively in Columbia with your wife and do outland. You can read my discussions in this topic in the other thread:

if you would have read my post, you would know i am canadian....and she already had a TRV! ok, thanks..

 

[bobshynoswife]

By all means, do what you planned to do and apply for the TRV. If she gets it, apply inland so you can be together. Be aware that it is a longer process and she won't be able to work for quite some time when she's here. There is also no right to appeal, but if you have a straight-forward case, that alone should not stop you.

I just want you to be prepared for her TRV to be denied because you would then be married. If you do not already have an outland PR in process, CIC will assume she is coming here to apply inland, and they don't like that very much. I would be stunned if she got a TRV, so keep us updated!

Either way you go, start collecting evidence of your relationship now. Emails, phone bills, skype logs, text messages, postcards and letters, gifts given etc. Travel evidence and photographs. This is usually the most time consuming stage, so it's good if you have these thigns togeher and just add to them each month between now and applying.

I only know about applying outland, so make sure if you go this route you have a very complete application. Medicals and police checks done, all forms filled out and signed. For faster processing pay the entire fee $1040 up front.