Is it the norm for the sponsor to attend the interview with the applicant?

[Taddy]

Hi,
Family member in Canada, Indonesian passport has been notified they need to attend an interview soon and sponsor also requested to attend.

Is this usual? They're a bit nervous despite them having been married for years.

TIA

 

[mikeymyke]

Need more info. Is the person being sponsored living in Canada now? Is this an inland or outland applicatin? Does the letter indicate they have to bring proof of relationship? etc

 

[Taddy]

Yes, sponsor and applicant are both living in Canada, application being processed through Singapore office. I don't know if they're been asked to bring proof of relationship to the interview but they're legally married (I was at the wedding) and they've lived together in a few different countries for his job where she's been sponsored as his spouse.

 

[mikeymyke]

It does sound like it's outland, so this would appear to be a relationship interview, which means the Singapore office has concerns their marriage is not genuine. If the interview letter asks for relationship evidence, then that's definitely the case. Are they being asked to attend the interveiw somewhere in Asia?

Even if they're married for years, it's possible they might have other red flags that you may not know about. It's not common for the sponsor to have to attend the interview, but there are times they ask for both people to attend.

 

[Taddy]

No, the interview is in Canada close to where they currently live.

They are 100% genuine - I've known the applicant for about 10 years. The sponsor longer as they are a family member. Obviously i can't speak for CIC and what they might perceive to be issues but *I* know they're genuine.

I was hoping it might just be a formality ...

 

[mikeymyke]

Then it's probably just a landing interview, which is no big deal at all.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Outland interviews are not held in Canada. Some outland applicants have been sent landing interview requests, similar to what inland applicants receive.

It would help if you post the actual email.

 

[Taddy]

I haven't seen the email so I don't know exactly what it says. I might be able to find out tomorrow. If so I'll post the body of it on here.

 

[Taddy]

Sorry, I forgot to come back and update.

I guess it was a landing interview. She got her PR there and then, no need to leave and re-enter the country and just waiting for her card now.

A total of 5 months, so she was pretty lucky, I think.

 

[Hasan9999]

Sorry, I forgot to come back and update.

I guess it was a landing interview. She got her PR there and then, no need to leave and re-enter the country and just waiting for her card now.

A total of 5 months, so she was pretty lucky, I think.

So it wasn't outland application.

Hasan

 

[Taddy]

I assumed it was, it was processed through Singapore.

It really does seem to be an unusual case, but it's certainly worked in her favour.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

It was still an outland application. OP's friend is not the first outland applicant to be called for an appointment to land within Canada.

 

[Hasan9999]

It was still an outland application. OP's friend is not the first outland applicant to be called for an appointment to land within Canada.

Interesting!

Hasan

 

[stargazerlilly]

Hi,
Family member in Canada, Indonesian passport has been notified they need to attend an interview soon and sponsor also requested to attend.

Is this usual? They're a bit nervous despite them having been married for years.

TIA

Yes,it's CIC's way of "testing" if the marriage is genuine. When I have my interview (long CIC story ;D ;D) years ago,my hubby was invited as well....They asked the simplest yet weirdest questions.....just to see if the couple is example really living in the same house, the wife really knows her husband and vice versa.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Yes,it's CIC's way of "testing" if the marriage is genuine. When I have my interview (long CIC story ;D ;D) years ago,my hubby was invited as well....They asked the simplest yet weirdest questions.....just to see if the couple is example really living in the same house, the wife really knows her husband and vice versa.

If you read the entire thread, you will see that this was simply a landing interview, not a relationship interview.