Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[abscott]

OHIP=Ontario Health Insurance Program. Every province in Canada has a Health Insurance Program.
Check on the province you will be living in when process complete. Google it.

Thank you so much dear Step and ikon0523 for these very informative things you shared to us here, I will take note of this. My husband is telling me about health cards and health insurance, just don't quiet know how long it takes...now I am more enlightened on what to do when I get there. My son-in-law is also advising my husband about getting this OHIP once we get there...Very thankful to God for people like you esp. for this forum site where we learn a lot...

Thanks a lot guys

Looking forward to the very useful shares of everyone...

God bless us all

abscott

 

[Steph C]

Hello Manila applicants,
I am the sponsor of my wife in the Philippines and we applied in January 2014. Our application is going smoothly but there is suddenly something that worries me.

So here's the issue: My wife is coming from a poor family and she is still living at her parents. The problem is that they are living in a compound within metro Manila which is "squatters place", they are coming from the province. So this means she don't really have official address. No door number. I've put in the application the closest street name and city.

So my question is: Will the VO need to send her some paperwork? How to make sure she will receive if ever they send something through mail? We included her email address in the application.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

Hi,

If you included an email address, that is the way they will contact her. Make sure it's correct and the account is checked frequently. The only time they would send something to you is when the Visa is ready. Others in the past have put in a special request to pick up their visa at the Embassy in Makati, which I suggest you do, so that it doesn't go into somebody else's hands when delivered. In the mean time, keep a close eye on your GCMS notes, the spreadsheet and your ECAS to see the progress of the visa. When you see a DM or it's about that time, then should be the time to contact them requesting to pick up the Visa in person.

 

[lloyrine]

Hi

I am very new here...is there anyone of you guys client of Atty Cohen? Is there any one of you applying as FSW under Auditor/Accountant category?

Thanks

 

[cruise]

Thanks, Ikon. COPR arrived 2 days after DM. We are planning to land next month after a family trip to California.

Scosan

Hi Scosan, how long did the Canadian Embassy in Manila processed your passport. I mean from the time you submitted the passport to the time they returned it with the visa. My spouse's passport has been with them for 6 months now.

 

[cruise]

Thanks for the response step,

They only requested original passports and appendix A last November 2013.. i hope no more interview for me. I easily get nervous.

Hi Bienncorey,
Your passport has been with the Canadian Embassy in Manila for more than 4 mtns now. My spouse's passport has been there since Sept. 2013. Please update us when you get the visa. I want to have an idea why the passport is being requested when they are not yet ready to issue the visa. Its absurd.

 

[Edgehead78]

Hi,

If you included an email address, that is the way they will contact her. Make sure it's correct and the account is checked frequently. The only time they would send something to you is when the Visa is ready. Others in the past have put in a special request to pick up their visa at the Embassy in Makati, which I suggest you do, so that it doesn't go into somebody else's hands when delivered. In the mean time, keep a close eye on your GCMS notes, the spreadsheet and your ECAS to see the progress of the visa. When you see a DM or it's about that time, then should be the time to contact them requesting to pick up the Visa in person.

Thank you so much Steph. I feel less stressed of delays in the process and tha something would get lost in mail or in someone else's hands. Which would be the better way to contact embassy? Case specific inquiery, Email or phone?

 

[cruise]

Alathas,

Definitely contact your MP. Yours is one of the few now older than mine. 80% of the spousal applications in Manila are completed in 13 months or less according to their own stats. That puts ours in the bottom 20% - absolutely unacceptable. I just ordered my case notes (should have done it a long time ago) and will be contacting the case manager in Manila in the next few days. Finally if there is no immediate resolution I will contact the Case Management Branch in Ottawa to review the handling of my file. That's the last step before hiring a lawyer to sue for case resolution.

Scosan

Hi Scosan, where do you order "case notes"?. Our application was 14 months ago and my spouse's passport has been with the CEM for 6 months now.

 

[aizee]

Hello everyone I received an email from CDN Manila Embassy last March 7 saying:


"Please note that the examination of overseas dependents on your application for permanent residence in Canada has been transferred to CIC’s Hong Kong office. That office will now be responsible for the continued processing of your application, the Manila visa office will no longer respond to inquiries on this application. Manila has forwarded your message to Hong Kong for their consideration. Any documentation or other material that accompanied your message has also been forwarded. All future correspondence related to the processing of your dependant’s application will come directly to you from the Hong Kong, including instructions on the next steps to follow to finalize this application.

Please do not contact the Hong Kong office unless you receive correspondence from that office directing you to do so. Hong Kong will respond only to case specific inquiries (such as a birth, death or marriage within your family or the withdrawal of your application). Hong Kong will not respond to general inquiries or status updates on applications."


I'm so confused, why our application moved to CIC Hong Kong???? Can anybody try to explain things to me...PLEASE...Thanks

 

[Step]

Hello everyone I received an email from CDN Manila Embassy last March 7 saying:


"Please note that the examination of overseas dependents on your application for permanent residence in Canada has been transferred to CIC's Hong Kong office. That office will now be responsible for the continued processing of your application, the Manila visa office will no longer respond to inquiries on this application. Manila has forwarded your message to Hong Kong for their consideration. Any documentation or other material that accompanied your message has also been forwarded. All future correspondence related to the processing of your dependant's application will come directly to you from the Hong Kong, including instructions on the next steps to follow to finalize this application.

Please do not contact the Hong Kong office unless you receive correspondence from that office directing you to do so. Hong Kong will respond only to case specific inquiries (such as a birth, death or marriage within your family or the withdrawal of your application). Hong Kong will not respond to general inquiries or status updates on applications."


I'm so confused, why our application moved to CIC Hong Kong???? Can anybody try to explain things to me...PLEASE...Thanks

Where is applicant from? Country of Citizenship?

 

[Step]

Hi Scosan, where do you order "case notes"?. Our application was 14 months ago and my spouse's passport has been with the CEM for 6 months now.

To make a request under the Privacy Act (it's free of charge): http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/requests-personal.asp
Note: this is only if you are making the request for your own notes only. If you want yours(sponsor) and your hubby's(applicant), then you need to use the one below.

To make a request under the Access to Information Act (costs $5): http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/requests-atip.asp
For this one, you also need the person(your hubby in this case) to complete and sign this form located here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/form-imm5744.asp

You will also need proof that you have a right to make the request. Be sure you have a copy of any one of the following which you can upload: work permit, study permit, permanent resident card (front and back), citizenship certificate, confirmation of permanent residence document, birth certificate or passport (biodata page).

They have notes for all visa offices and Case Processing Centres. It's a matter of selecting the office from which you want files.

 

[scosan]

Hi Scosan, how long did the Canadian Embassy in Manila processed your passport. I mean from the time you submitted the passport to the time they returned it with the visa. My spouse's passport has been with them for 6 months now.

Hi Cruise! My wife is visa exempt (Japan) so she did not have to submit her passport.

 

[aizee]

Where is applicant from? Country of Citizenship?

We're from the Philippines...under live-in caregiver category

 

[truesmile]

We're from the Philippines...under live-in caregiver category

Is it a Spousal Application for PR/Family Class or otherwise?

I'm beginning to understand why all Filipino care-givers seem to apply from Hong Kong . . . it's processed there so perhaps it's "faster" since you're already there (other requirements notwithstanding).

 

[auditt]

Hey Everyone,

How is everyone doing? Sorry, been quietly watching trying not to go postal on our great and efficient government! We are now 18 1/2 months in, and by sounds at the final 30 days.

My MP sent me a email on Feb 26th that said our she confirmed with CIC that our visa's would be issued March 7th....but after they were not, she replied that after every bring forward date the embassy has 30 days to comply. ??? I am almost out of hope at this point.

Word to any new applicants, watch them carefully...I have found many incorrect things through this process, including having a furtherance letter issued but never served to us. It had a 90 day expiry and we found it by accident when my wife called St. Luke's to ask why our remeds were taking so long. The Embassy's stand on the issue is that their internal Health department didn't know my daughters email address (she's 2), so they passed it to an officer and St. Lukes to serve us. Wonderful system, runs like clockwork.

Also, received a letter finally from Chris Alexander's office that was suppose to address this issue above. The letter didn't address anything, but in turn complained that I email the embassy too much and he wished their was a "embargo' on applicants emailing the embassy.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Step]

Hey Everyone,

How is everyone doing? Sorry, been quietly watching trying not to go postal on our great and efficient government! We are now 18 1/2 months in, and by sounds at the final 30 days.

My MP sent me a email on Feb 26th that said our she confirmed with CIC that our visa's would be issued March 7th....but after they were not, she replied that after every bring forward date the embassy has 30 days to comply. ??? I am almost out of hope at this point.

Word to any new applicants, watch them carefully...I have found many incorrect things through this process, including having a furtherance letter issued but never served to us. It had a 90 day expiry and we found it by accident when my wife called St. Luke's to ask why our remeds were taking so long. The Embassy's stand on the issue is that their internal Health department didn't know my daughters email address (she's 2), so they passed it to an officer and St. Lukes to serve us. Wonderful system, runs like clockwork.

Also, received a letter finally from Chris Alexander's office that was suppose to address this issue above. The letter didn't address anything, but in turn complained that I email the embassy too much and he wished their was a "embargo' on applicants emailing the embassy.

Good luck everyone!

Holy s#*t 18+months would'nt blame you if you did go postal. Yours is the longest processing time I've seen on this thread.I really hope they get yours done soon.
I've noticed that CEM is run like a prison( don't bother us we will get to it when we can) but that being said how can they expect anything different with no word coming from CEM. Naturally people are going to inquire when it takes forever.
Best Wishes, hoping COPR will arrive soon.