Passport returned... nothing in it...

[yumeryuu]

As the story goes, my husband was under process in Manila (since December 2012 while I was accepted as his sponsor in Sept, 2012). We moved to Canada in April to wait. Manila requested some extra paperwork in May that we sent (this included his passport). Then they went on strike.

Starting in September I wrote Manila and told them that they were holding his passport too long. If an emergency arose (and also he had to renew his visitor visa in October), he would have the slow process of having to contact his embassy to get the paperwork in order to go anywhere.

Yesterday, we received his passport in the mail.
There was nothing in it. No visa or info about it. Just the passport.

Does this mean he was declined? There are no updates on his info online (all it says is that he applied last year and his medicals LAST year were received). Not even the new medicals we did in May 2013, are listed online or even the new paperwork we sent this year.

It gave no info. Did they just return it because they held onto it too long? Is my husband still being processed?? Every phone number I call, they simply pass me off saying that they don't know and can't answer.

 

[messenger]

As the story goes, my husband was under process in Manila (since December 2012 while I was accepted as his sponsor in Sept, 2012). We moved to Canada in April to wait. Manila requested some extra paperwork in May that we sent (this included his passport). Then they went on strike.

Starting in September I wrote Manila and told them that they were holding his passport too long. If an emergency arose (and also he had to renew his visitor visa in October), he would have the slow process of having to contact his embassy to get the paperwork in order to go anywhere.

Yesterday, we received his passport in the mail.
There was nothing in it. No visa or info about it. Just the passport.

Does this mean he was declined? There are no updates on his info online (all it says is that he applied last year and his medicals LAST year were received). Not even the new medicals we did in May 2013, are listed online or even the new paperwork we sent this year.

It gave no info. Did they just return it because they held onto it too long? Is my husband still being processed?? Every phone number I call, they simply pass me off saying that they don't know and can't answer.

Hello there!

I am very sorry to hear this!
Your husband applied through Manila but took a trip to Canada and then he had sent his passport in. Manila considers him to be in Philippines not in Canada as you had applied outland!
The moment you wrote them about them holding his passport long time they decided to sent it back to you in case you wanted to travel and then they will be requesting it back to finish his process!

Does this make sense ?

 

[yumeryuu]

No. That isn't the case. They know he is in Canada. His address is now listed as a Canadian Address (if they had thought he was in Japan, I am sure they would have sent the passport there, but they sent it right to Canada). But before Tokyo opened their new office again just a few weeks ago, all outland from Japan had to go through Manila. But why is there nothing with the passport? Why is there no info? Is he still under process or is he declined?

 

[Catou]

Starting in September I wrote Manila and told them that they were holding his passport too long. If an emergency arose (and also he had to renew his visitor visa in October), he would have the slow process of having to contact his embassy to get the paperwork in order to go anywhere.

Yesterday, we received his passport in the mail.
There was nothing in it. No visa or info about it. Just the passport.

I think what you wrote there is the important part. His application is in process, you wrote saying he needed his passport back, they sent it back. I don't think it means anything except that they responded to your concerns that they had held the passport for too long. When the decision is made they will probably ask him to send it back to them.

Truly, I wouldn't worry. The return of the passport in these circumstances has no other significance.

 

[scylla]

I think what you wrote there is the important part. His application is in process, you wrote saying he needed his passport back, they sent it back. I don't think it means anything except that they responded to your concerns that they had held the passport for too long. When the decision is made they will probably ask him to send it back to them.

Exactly. You asked for the passport back and they sent it to you. That's all that happened. They were following your instructions.

 

[keesio]

If he was declined, they would let you know. As others already said, they simply responded to your concerns that they had his passport too long. They will ask for it again later.

 

[truesmile]

Being from Japan, are you not 'visa-exempt' and subsequently an applicant who should never have had to send your passport in, in the first place? Otherwise, I agree they took your letter as a request to send it back. They don't assume you are in any said country simply as a result of filing an outland application, but I think you already know that.

 

[charliem]

You did not need to take your passport from Manila.
One can apply online and not need a physical passport to be issued a visitor visa extension.

A visa refusal is usually explained in a letter enclosed with the passport. You need not worry.

 

[yumeryuu]

Thanks everyone.