+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Is it helpful to hire a lawyer?

Luv4all88

Star Member
Oct 21, 2023
52
0
I am a Canadian citizen sponsoring my wife who is in Pakistan.

my concerns are:
wife is previously divorced 14 years ago in arranged marriage. big age gap, her ex husband 14 years older, relationship only lasted 22 days, divorce finalized few months later.

our marriage was a small ceremony which goes against the culture, we are related and knew each other for many years, so this maybe a positive.

couple of other minor things (address history, her estranged father that needs to be explained)

After marriage: we are married for 2 plus years, have a one year old daughter who already has Canadian citizenship and passport, held an event to take many pics with family & friends, have proof of 2 visits, joint account with financial support every month since our marriage, proofs of chats and call logs, many outings.

While our application is 90% completed, I am just super worried to submit it on my own considering my wife's divorce and our small marriage ceremony even though we have other proofs and explainations that I feel can overcome concerns.

I don't want to waste 8k on a lawyer if it's not going to help or instead be met with a bad experience as it is the case sometimes with lawyers, consultants, but if a lawyer is able to help overcome some of the concerns, I don't mind paying them esp since we have a daughter, so I want to make the right decision.

My dilemma is most lawyers will charge you for consultation and then not discuss your specific situation or answer your questions until you have hired them as representative, and then if it's not someone helpful you are stuck after having given them your fees. I want to avoid this.
 

sooup1212

Star Member
May 6, 2023
52
12
No lawyers are going to help with your case specifically in the initial consultation. Their time is $$.

They dont expedite your case any faster either. You are paying for ease of mind, but in the end I dont believe anyone will take 200% effort and care into your app than yourself

I would try to get her inside canada though first and initiate it as inland application.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,660
7,954
After marriage: we are married for 2 plus years, have a one year old daughter who already has Canadian citizenship and passport, held an event to take many pics with family & friends, have proof of 2 visits, joint account with financial support every month since our marriage, proofs of chats and call logs, many outings.
Being married for 2+ years with child and other is a pretty solid profile. Main thing in addition would be time together (sounds okay, you just haven't been specific here - that's fine, save it for the application.)

You don't need a lawyer, IMO. If you want to pay someone to do the work, fine, but it does not sound like a complicated application.

Previous divorce is not a big deal. Small marriage ceremonies - can be overcome by tenor of marriage/children.

Would concur that you should also apply for trv - before and after application (obv after only if not approved first time 'round_).
 

Luv4all88

Star Member
Oct 21, 2023
52
0
Together we have spent 10 months after marriage, 4 after marriage, 2+4 on subsequent visits). Before marriage, we were related and neighbours, and I lived there for 4 years during which time we had interactions on weekly basis (going to each other's house for various reasons).

I think it would be hard to get visa in her situation, there isn't much to prove strong ties to home country so I want to avoid unnecessary refusal prior to filing sponsorship application.
 
Last edited:

Joey-Jo

Full Member
Mar 18, 2024
48
11
If you understand how to complete the application forms, you don't need a lawyer (in my opinion). Unless you have a few thousand to spend, or want to appeal a rejected application (I still wouldn't use one if an application was rejected).
You say your wife is divorced; has she got signed divorce papers to prove this? They will mostly likely need to see confirmation of that.
 

Luv4all88

Star Member
Oct 21, 2023
52
0
yes we have all the divorce papers. I honestly wouldn't use one either, but I am just overthinking excessively, I had a pain problem that had really messed up my life and for that reason we held a small ceremony but we didn't even document that properly. Like for eg no pictures of rukhsati (wife leaving her house after marriage to go to husband's house) but obviously it happened because my wife's address was changed, became pregnant, we opened joint account, many pics in our bedroom with our daughter etc.
So let's see hoping for the best.