Mexico

[tishness]

Well not to rain on the sunshine parade... but sponsoring my spouse through VO Mexico City has been a complete nightmare

It will be 1 YEAR (this April) that we've been going back and forth on what should have been a slam dunk residency application.

In fact, my GCMS notes show that my spouse was approved 8 MONTHS AGO!! We only needed a secondary medical screening to move forward - a screening request that CIC says they mailed out to my spouse AND panel physician (in Costa Rica) but neither of them received it... like there's actually proper mail service in Central America >_<

So the staff at VO Mexico sat around for 8 MONTHS before they finally put in a phone call to my spouse last month. 8 MONTHS!!

But wait! It gets better...

The panel physician cannot access my spouse's file (in what I am assuming is the e-medical) system!!

So I contact my MP.

MP gets me the 'right' UCI/UMI combination for e-medical. NOPE! Doesn't work.

VO Mexico sends us the 'right' UCI/UMI combination for e-medical. NOPE! Wrong again.

MP requests an INTERVENTION on our behalf (basically calling on VO Mexico and the panel physician to talk to each other to sort it out).

VO Mexico tells MP, 'oh yeah we talked to the panel physician today'. Panel physician tell us, 'no one called us from VO Mexico'.

And around and around and around we go...

Yeah these quick processing times are bitter sweet aren't they? For those of us with crap luck who end up seeing others moved way ahead of us?

We got screwed in SA processing, now looking at the google docs we are a month behind people who applied 1-2 months after we did. Not our fault CIC requested new photos saying they didn't meet specs because nothing was written on the back but I pointed out that the Latin American guide doesn't say this anywhere! And they agree but can't do anything - courier new pics anyway - $100. So I call my MP - get me my spot back in line where I should be. CIC again admits they are wrong goes to procedural review and yes, they are going to fix it, not penalize us and our lock in date is the original date prior to the request for new photos. Except that isn't what happened, we are still 2-3 months back and our ecas says our lock in date is the AOR of received photos despite the internal notes saying its 1.5 months earlier. I can't help but be jealous and a little miffed when I see people on the Mexican timeline ahead of us who shouldn't be.

We're 7 month in to the total process since file received in Mississauga... Don't even have VO AOR yet... Seeing people apply and land in under 12 months gives me hope but I know that's not going to be our story...

 

[agarand8]

Hi, I have a question in regards to the interview if requested. With Mexico VO handling cases from outside of Mexico will the applicants only option is to travel to the Mexican VO for the interview?

My husband is Costa Rican and we recently travelled to El Salvador for n interview. You may have to travel, you may not. And when they invite you for an interview you have no other option, you either buy plane tickets and go or you skip your interview and they will make their decision with what they have.

And with regards to very fast processing times.., there was another forum member who applied in the same month as me (march 2014) and received passport request in July. I got very excited thinking maybe my husband would be home for Christmas. Yeah...nope! We only had our interview feb 24 and as of March 4 we are in process. So we are almost at 12 months, hopefully get our PPR by April so he can come home to Canada finally in June. Hoping and praying. They told us 2 weeks after our interview we should hear something, but they aren't true to their word Tuesday will be 3 weeks.

Yes there are people who have been processed really fast, but you will do better to assume that you are not one of them. You get your hopes up and then it's worse when you think maybe they'll be home for an event and it gets closer and closer without hearing anything and it's sadder. It's much better to go in with the expectation that it will take 17 months because if it comes even one month earlier you will be so happy. Even as I type that I know I am the worst for it, I'm doing it to myself again saying hopefully by June he can come home, yes we are in process but there are no guarantees, there's not even a guarantee that they will say yes. Prepare for the worst, expect the worst...if the worst doesn't happen then it's great. If it does then at least you were prepared.

 

[gsize]

Well not to rain on the sunshine parade... but sponsoring my spouse through VO Mexico City has been a complete nightmare

It will be 1 YEAR (this April) that we've been going back and forth on what should have been a slam dunk residency application.

In fact, my GCMS notes show that my spouse was approved 8 MONTHS AGO!! We only needed a secondary medical screening to move forward - a screening request that CIC says they mailed out to my spouse AND panel physician (in Costa Rica) but neither of them received it... like there's actually proper mail service in Central America >_<

So the staff at VO Mexico sat around for 8 MONTHS before they finally put in a phone call to my spouse last month. 8 MONTHS!!

But wait! It gets better...

The panel physician cannot access my spouse's file (in what I am assuming is the e-medical) system!!

So I contact my MP.

MP gets me the 'right' UCI/UMI combination for e-medical. NOPE! Doesn't work.

VO Mexico sends us the 'right' UCI/UMI combination for e-medical. NOPE! Wrong again.

MP requests an INTERVENTION on our behalf (basically calling on VO Mexico and the panel physician to talk to each other to sort it out).

VO Mexico tells MP, 'oh yeah we talked to the panel physician today'. Panel physician tell us, 'no one called us from VO Mexico'.

And around and around and around we go...

you think you have it bad ? Try 5 years ! I could tell you many more horror stories from Mexico.

 

[tishness]

So a lot of people have out together additional packages of relationship evidence for the time between sending their initial app and subsiquent visits with their spouse. But others are saying not to do it. I'm headed down next month and now I'm confused, should I or shouldn't I send further information?

 

[CANANICA]

My husband is Costa Rican and we recently travelled to El Salvador for n interview. You may have to travel, you may not. And when they invite you for an interview you have no other option, you either buy plane tickets and go or you skip your interview and they will make their decision with what they have.

And with regards to very fast processing times.., there was another forum member who applied in the same month as me (march 2014) and received passport request in July. I got very excited thinking maybe my husband would be home for Christmas. Yeah...nope! We only had our interview feb 24 and as of March 4 we are in process. So we are almost at 12 months, hopefully get our PPR by April so he can come home to Canada finally in June. Hoping and praying. They told us 2 weeks after our interview we should hear something, but they aren't true to their word Tuesday will be 3 weeks.

Yes there are people who have been processed really fast, but you will do better to assume that you are not one of them. You get your hopes up and then it's worse when you think maybe they'll be home for an event and it gets closer and closer without hearing anything and it's sadder. It's much better to go in with the expectation that it will take 17 months because if it comes even one month earlier you will be so happy. Even as I type that I know I am the worst for it, I'm doing it to myself again saying hopefully by June he can come home, yes we are in process but there are no guarantees, there's not even a guarantee that they will say yes. Prepare for the worst, expect the worst...if the worst doesn't happen then it's great. If it does then at least you were prepared.

Thanks for sharing the information. I was concerned because I know that for my wife to go to Mexico she also needs to apply for a visa to enter Mexico. WoW though that CIC had your interview in El Salvador. I do hope there is no interview for her but if there is we want to be prepared of what we are up against. And again thank you for your time to apply. I hope also that you will be with your husband this June or sooner

 

[OhCanadiana]

So a lot of people have out together additional packages of relationship evidence for the time between sending their initial app and subsiquent visits with their spouse. But others are saying not to do it. I'm headed down next month and now I'm confused, should I or shouldn't I send further information?

If you have had something substantially new or have additional info to address something you believe is a red flag, send it in. If it's 'more of the same' so to speak, I don't think it's necessary to add to the pile - it just adds to their workload with no benefit expected.

 

[agarand8]

So a lot of people have out together additional packages of relationship evidence for the time between sending their initial app and subsiquent visits with their spouse. But others are saying not to do it. I'm headed down next month and now I'm confused, should I or shouldn't I send further information?

What you should do is order your gcms notes and see if there is anything in there to indicate that they want an interview. I have heard of some cases who were in line for an interview so they sent additional relationship evidence and it changed the mind of the case worker and they didn't end up having an interview. For me it didn't work, I sent an update package and they still asked for an interview. But it's worth a try.

Thanks for sharing the information. I was concerned because I know that for my wife to go to Mexico she also needs to apply for a visa to enter Mexico. WoW though that CIC had your interview in El Salvador. I do hope there is no interview for her but if there is we want to be prepared of what we are up against. And again thank you for your time to apply. I hope also that you will be with your husband this June or sooner

Thank you! I hope so too! And I hope you don't have to go for an interview.

 

[ElleElle74]

@OhCanadiana
Thanks for the tips you gave me before. My brother-in-law (he lives in the Condesa) is going to go by the Embassy to see if they still have a dropbox. Also, I'm going to send the FedEX prepaid waybill with the medical form and repayment cheque. They haven't asked for his passport, so I hope they remember the waybill is in his file when the time comes.

We're just going to do the meds here to get it over with.

 

[tishness]

What you should do is order your gcms notes and see if there is anything in there to indicate that they want an interview. I have heard of some cases who were in line for an interview so they sent additional relationship evidence and it changed the mind of the case worker and they didn't end up having an interview. For me it didn't work, I sent an update package and they still asked for an interview. But it's worth a try.

Thanks - I don't think it can hurt so I'm going to do it. Out package only covers up to and including our wedding and honeymoon. This will be my 3rd trip down since then and now that we don't have wedding planning to do we have done some traveling within Mexico so maybe that will help.

 

[OhCanadiana]

@ OhCanadiana
Thanks for the tips you gave me before. My brother-in-law (he lives in the Condesa) is going to go by the Embassy to see if they still have a dropbox. Also, I'm going to send the FedEX prepaid waybill with the medical form and repayment cheque. They haven't asked for his passport, so I hope they remember the waybill is in his file when the time comes.

We're just going to do the meds here to get it over with.

Sounds good. Have him check Miguel Angel de Saavedra address, not just the Schiller address where the Embassy itself it (the Embassy itself is a well known building).

If he's a US Green Card holder they may not issue the visa counterfoil since he is visa exempt (i.e., he doesn't need a visa to visit Canada) in which case they would just issue and mail the CoPR directly (no need for passport).

 

[tishness]

If you have had something substantially new or have additional info to address something you believe is a red flag, send it in. If it's 'more of the same' so to speak, I don't think it's necessary to add to the pile - it just adds to their workload with no benefit expected.

I saw this after I saw the other persons reply. I won't bother then. I think it's just my inability to be patient I feel anxious if I'm not doing anything

 

[OhCanadiana]

I saw this after I saw the other persons reply. I won't bother then. I think it's just my inability to be patient I feel anxious if I'm not doing anything

Hmmm, if you really want to do something, start cleaning the closet to make space for his clothes???? ;D
<ducking for cover>

 

[Jalex23]

Yes there are people who have been processed really fast, but you will do better to assume that you are not one of them.

This is the best advice for this forum in general.

Never think you will be part of the exception, and NEVER plan on that belief.

 

[tishness]

Hmmm, if you really want to do something, start cleaning the closet to make space for his clothes???? ;D
<ducking for cover>

lol, I think this would be jumping the gun... shopping is my only therapy.

It's been almost 2 months since our SA, and we have heard nothing from the Mexico VO... I did email them after about 1 month, they hadn't received it. I call CIC Call centre about 2 weeks ago, still showing in transit and the guy says "Don't worry, it doesn't necessarily means it's lost".... wait, what?!?! Thanks for planting that seed!

I don't want to be a pain and email again... but is this a normal time frame? Do people get AOR from the VO or usually just PGR? I have been looking at other people's time lines and it looks likes usually 1-1.5 months from SA, so now I am anxious.

 

[Lovelycomplex]

Hi, can someonw tell me how to send a waybill from DHL in Mexico?, is for the PGR letter, how is it called in spanish? and how do you ask for it in DHL?
Thanks a lot