Port of Spain Office, Trinidad and Tobago

[smokijoe]

I think you only need to certify a document if the original is not in English /French.
All documents I sent were copies except where it says otherwise and photos as proof of relationship.

The following was taken from the Check list for our region

Appendix A
Document Checklist - Immigrant
Assemble all your documents as listed. Check () each applicable item on the list and attach the list to your
documents (a paper clip will do). Do not send originals, unless you are applying in Cuba (see note below).
Send photocopies of all documents except the forms listed below (items 1 to 7) and police certificates, which
must be originals. If your documents are not in English or French, send a notarized (certified) translation
with a copy of the originals.

 

[smokijoe]

I've got question, but let me preface it by saying that I do not wish to incite panic or worry in any of us, nor am I panicked or worried myself ...I'm really just plain curious

Ok, now that that's out of the way, question - I noticed that POS has one of the lowest approval rates for spousal PR visas out of all the VOs (75% approved ). We're like 6th from the bottom or something. Anyone know why this is? Are the applications poorly done? Are people attempting to sponsor spouses that are obviously inadmissible? Or....????

Zouk, I really don't know the answer to your question, but if I was to have a guess I would say that because POS has so few applications (my opinion) it would only take 1 failure in every 4 apps to achieve the 75% approval rating.
I also beleive that the rating is for all applicaions regard less of nature.

 

[saka101]

I've got question, but let me preface it by saying that I do not wish to incite panic or worry in any of us, nor am I panicked or worried myself ...I'm really just plain curious

Ok, now that that's out of the way, question - I noticed that POS has one of the lowest approval rates for spousal PR visas out of all the VOs (75% approved ). We're like 6th from the bottom or something. Anyone know why this is? Are the applications poorly done? Are people attempting to sponsor spouses that are obviously inadmissible? Or....????

A few years ago it was up 65% approved and I think POS was the 4th from the bottom of lowest approval. So they are improving slightly I guess.

And I agree it could be due to very few applications going in.

 

[MissDominica]

Awesome - thanks!

I think you only need to certify a document if the original is not in English /French.
All documents I sent were copies except where it says otherwise and photos as proof of relationship.

The following was taken from the Check list for our region

Appendix A
Document Checklist - Immigrant
Assemble all your documents as listed. Check () each applicable item on the list and attach the list to your
documents (a paper clip will do). Do not send originals, unless you are applying in Cuba (see note below).
Send photocopies of all documents except the forms listed below (items 1 to 7) and police certificates, which
must be originals. If your documents are not in English or French, send a notarized (certified) translation
with a copy of the originals.

 

[MissDominica]

Hey guys,

What are my options for paying my application fees/right of landing fees while in Dominica? Do you do money order in Canadian dollars? Can any bank do it? Can I pay online (is that as big of a nightmare as I've heard).

Thanks!

 

[Admirable]

@ Zouk Mysticscher & JerryNYC is the same. Husband and wife. I never changed it. On the to do list....lolz

@Mysticscher Thank you. Will check my browser settings in a few.

@ MissDominica The only original doc I sent in was my police cert. Passport, birth cert, marriage cert. etc were all photocopies. Nevertheless, you will also be submitting notarized declarations attesting to your common-law relationships so add that to your list. At my interview, I was asked to walk with original marriage & birth certs. My VO kept the birth cert and only glanced at the marriage cert.

The RPRF must be paid in Canada by you.....the sponsor. I just had that issue not too long ago. You can pay it online and the original copy will be mailed to Missisauga.

@ Smoki and @ Saka I agree with ya'll. POS has the least applicants compared to that of other VOs..... and still they have slow processing times. Unbelievable!!!!!!! Now medicals don't go to POS anymore, that should bump them up a notch....Less responsibility on their hands. I also read a few cases of denials through that office and that's b/c VOs were not convinced that the marriages were real. You can check out canlii.org to get an idea of those cases @ Zouk.

 

[Zouk Princesse]

Hmmmm...last year POS approved 422 spousal applications and refused 139. While that totals far less than say Buffalo or New Delhi, it's actually not that low compared to all the other VOs. The majority of those ranking above us had even less spousal applications processed, so I don't know about the low numbers theory...

Admirable I have seen a few on canlii, just a few. Oh well!

I do hope the medicals going to Ottawa speeds them up as well! I'm tired of being a single newlywed

 

[MissDominica]

@ MissDominica The only original doc I sent in was my police cert. Passport, birth cert, marriage cert. etc were all photocopies. Nevertheless, you will also be submitting notarized declarations attesting to your common-law relationships so add that to your list. At my interview, I was asked to walk with original marriage & birth certs. My VO kept the birth cert and only glanced at the marriage cert.

The RPRF must be paid in Canada by you.....the sponsor. I just had that issue not too long ago. You can pay it online and the original copy will be mailed to Missisauga.

So I can pay ALL fees online? or just the application fees online and then my RPRF has to be done physically from Canada? Is that what you mean? I would ideally like to pay them ALL at once so as to speed it up (them not having to ask me for it if he gets approved). I've heard the online payment is a nightmare, any tips?

 

[smokijoe]

So I can pay ALL fees online? or just the application fees online and then my RPRF has to be done physically from Canada? Is that what you mean? I would ideally like to pay them ALL at once so as to speed it up (them not having to ask me for it if he gets approved). I've heard the online payment is a nightmare, any tips?

You can pay all of the fees online whether you are in CA or not. Some people get problems paying online, just give it a try.

 

[Zouk Princesse]

So I can pay ALL fees online? or just the application fees online and then my RPRF has to be done physically from Canada? Is that what you mean? I would ideally like to pay them ALL at once so as to speed it up (them not having to ask me for it if he gets approved). I've heard the online payment is a nightmare, any tips?

I paid ours online, all at once via credit card with no problems. Then just print out the receipt and include it with your application

 

[MissDominica]

I will give it a shot - thanks guys!

 

[saka101]

Hmmmm...last year POS approved 422 spousal applications and refused 139. While that totals far less than say Buffalo or New Delhi, it's actually not that low compared to all the other VOs. The majority of those ranking above us had even less spousal applications processed, so I don't know about the low numbers theory...

Admirable I have seen a few on canlii, just a few. Oh well!

I do hope the medicals going to Ottawa speeds them up as well! I'm tired of being a single newlywed

Wow 422 is actuallyy a lot. I was thinking it was much much less! Hopefully more applicants find this forum and share their experiences.

Zouk I feel u on the single newlywed part. Long distance sucks! But this too shall pass.

 

[Zouk Princesse]

Haha yes Saka, long distance is really trying, and we keep telling ourselves this is just one short timeframe against our whole lives, but you know you have those days when it's just too much man.

POS does see a fair amount of applications, since they're reponsible for practically the whole region, especially now since the French islands don't go through Haiti anymore.

 

[saka101]

We are way too far down!!!

Zouk did u receive your GCMS notes yet?

 

[Zouk Princesse]

Not yet, but we did get a small update in ecas - my husband's address has been entered as mine here in Canada. It's a small victory, but we'll take it

How are preparations coming on your end?