Port of Spain Office, Trinidad and Tobago

[twinsmama]

The good news: TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY .
The sad news I am spending it without my love. :'(

Immigration news: I send my ARC letter and payment via express mail on the 13th July 2010 so the waiting continue............................................

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

 

[confusednscared]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWINSSSS .....

MAY the good gods above and below always bless you and grant your direst wish of being reunited back with your family.

It's only a birthday and please don't be sad that hubby isn't there with you. Your time soon comes ... I been busy working on CIC stuff to prepare for my interview in September.

Meeting up with my partner in Barbados in 2 weeks and we need to gather as much stuff so he can hand them over to me for the interview cuz sending packages down here cost and arm and leg.

Have a blessed day Twins and be sure to keep smiling and enjoy your special day 8) :-*

 

[CDNGirl]

Hello Forum Family..

I guess, we all tryna ignore this whole process LOL, I'm for one trying that. Just like you all, I'm waiting, no news yet, btw HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWINSMAMA! :-*

 

[GTWifey]

Hello Everyone!!!

Happy Birthday Twins!!!! I hope you have a blessed day!!! Just look at it this way. . .The NEXT birthday you celebrate will be in the arms of your beloved. :-*

Yes, I'm sure we are all anxious to hear something from POS. I'm wondering if they even send an AOR for applications already transferred over from Canada. Does anyone know???? Everyone is telling me that no news is good news. . .but the wait is very difficult for us both. :-\

Confused, all of your hard work and preparation will pay off. Ive been reading a lot about the Interview process lately myself(just in case we are called in). Will POS issue the VISA right away if you both are successful?

 

[confusednscared]

Thanks GTWifey

My interview will be held in GEO, I assume. I have heard of cases where they request it in POS.

In either case, they don't issue the visa same day. From what I understood, they run other checks and request PP after. If you are traveling from GEO to POS, it's highly unlikely they will keep the PP but tell you to perhaps drop it off at CHC-GEO within a certain time frame.

In my situation, I will be needing to apply for ARC and after my interview it will take another 3-6 months for POS to finalize my case and make a decision. I am hoping that right after my interview, I get the ARC package and my case gets finalized before the year end. Have a lot to go back to Canada and do, especially studies wise.

I am crossing my fingers that I will break the new year in Canada.

I received my AOR letter from POS 2 months after they got my application but it's just a total complete waste of time and paper for them cuz none of the information is ever true.... well, for us. Some applicants do not receive anything. Oh, keep in mind too that the office is probably working slow because they have started upgrading their system as of June 28 this year.


A little word of advice to all of you forum family, do keep your contact information with the office up to date so they can make great contact with you via telephone especially. I have also come to understand that they only conduct interviews in GEO once per year in either September or October. Or I may be lying.

Point is, POS only has 6 VO working and they are responsible for handling apps from about 15 to 20 countries or less.

Good luck to all and let's still hope and pray for some good news.

 

[GTWifey]

POS has 6 VO's processing applications for 20 countries???? Well hopefully this 'upgrade' in will equate to CIC hiring more staff in Trinidad. There are other VISA offices that are so fast & proficient in processing PR applications. . .

 

[CDNGirl]

OMG.. THEY ARE SO SLOW INDEED.
I'M ALMOST TO MY 3MONTHS MARK AND I'M STILL WAITING FOR MY AOR..
OH WELL, PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE.

 

[GTWifey]

Patience is a virtue! Our timeline is almost the same CDN Girl. It would be nice if we received something from POS just acknowledging receipt of the package. Let us trust in God that in the next few weeks we will see movement in Trinidad.

 

[confusednscared]

guys dont quote me on the 6 VO at POS .... LOL .... I think it's 6 or less ... most VOs have very few CDN staff and mostly local staff but the decisions are made by the CDNs who work at the embassies.

Interviews and such are conducted by the CDN IOs. In terms of countries .... it's about 15-20 or less because of the Haiti quake ....... I think they process countries on the Leeward islands of the Caribbean and Guyana and Suriname.

It's pretty messed up though.

 

[confusednscared]

GT and CDN ... you haven't come close to slowness yet ... just hope and pray that your files don't get dumped in a corner like they did mine and end up waiting some 10-12 months after they start processing your file to call for an interview. Arggghhhhh ..... sometimes I wonder why I had to wait so long for an interview .... silly POS ....

Your good times soon come though .. just be patient and it works out ... stressful but works

 

[GTWifey]

Happy Friday! May you all have a GREAT weekend!!!
(Do you like my Guyana colors?) lol

Confused your case appears to be very complicated. Ive read on the forum that processing times can vary considerably depending on the complexity of each file. CIC- POS should have consulted you with any discrepencies instead of 'dumping it in a corner' for all of those months. I'm so sorry you had to experience that!!!! I pray that this interview will bring a POSITIVE end to your long battle. . .

I spoke to my Aunt this morning who mentioned that POS processes VISAs for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. She sponsored her husband last year & said that he was NOT called in for a interview. After the package left Canada, within 3 months, a letter was sent to him in Guyana acknowledging receipt of the application and providing him with a file number. The letter stated that her husband didnt require a new medical or police clearance. They had paid all the processing/resident fees up front. She recalls that it must have been about 1-2 months later that he was granted the VISA to join her in Canada. She was pleased with the entire process that took approx 6 months. . .

So, according to the Canadian High Commision in Trinidad website (I even called the automated (868) 622-6232 # in Trinidad) , we cannot make any enquires on our files until that 5 month period has passed. So ladies, for those of us who are recent applicants, we are well within Trinidad's normal processing times for a 'straitforward' application. (i.e, a sponsorship application with no deportation, criminal record, etc. etc.)

 

[confusednscared]

I am still within normal processing GTWifey .... my case isn't that complicated as it may seem .... just a deportation order that was due to unfairness.

I think it's just a matter of luck and chance and how much work the VO has because on my CAIPS notes it showed that my file was put in a backlog.

It's all a bureaucracy with these offices and their staff and whose hand the file first lands.

Observation #1, the local office staff are very biased and base their bias on the content of the information presented in the applications. Why is it that people who are living illegal in the US or Canada and have other previous immigration history get their files approve in less than 6 months? Or those who have had their files submitted long after yours and have already gotten their visas issued before you?

Observation #2, if you are a resident of Trinidad and Tobago or other islands that have very close connections with the Government of Canada, your file gets processed faster. IO's only do routine visits to other countries outside the Visa Office once or twice a year where they will conduct interviews.

Observation #3, interviews that will be conducted in Guyana for 2010 will be done in September or October. Otherwise, they may call for the interview in POS or approve the application without an interview.

How do you question the Visa Office's words " applications are processed on a first in, first out basis" Clearly that isn't always the case.

Every application regardless of immigration history gets processed within the same time frame according to POS.

Let's hope the new file transfers do get a quick response from POS with some news.

 

[GTWifey]

Yes, I think we will.

I understand your frustraton. Whereas you may think the deportation was due to unfairness, CIC obviously thought otherwise. (Or you woud still be in Canada). So I suppose you wont really know until you get a feel for their questioning at the interview. Girl, just prepare yourself well and everything will be fine. To be honest, I'm not too familiar with the laws/ process around deportation (Ive only noticed individuals escorted out by IO's at the airport while travelling to Trinidad/Guyana) and it never looks good; its often degrading & embarrassing. :-[

Yes, there are VISA offices (like New Delhi) that run very smooth & efficently. Every VISA office works at a different pace, I agree. Its very unfortunate that applications processed from Guyana & the Caribbean are so SLOW.

But, I don't believe that every application, regardless of immigration history, gets processed within the same time frame according to POS. The document kit clearly states that if a VO needs extra documents, an interview, or even fees to be paid--- the application CAN BE thrown behind by 2 months. This is where procesing times may vary. If the interview is successful (and no other information or steps need to be taken) then there is very little wait involved. But if you still have follow-up after the interview then it will take longer to finish processing & get landed.

When I read that part in application kit I made sure we paid everything upfront & got all of our documents/fees in order before submitting the application. At this point I'm only expecting that my husband's police clearance may have expired (cuz its only good for 3 months) or he may be called in for an interview. I read on the forum that the police clearance is good as long as CIC-Miss receives it before it expires. Who knows. :-\

But, if the clearance is OK and there is NO interview then we will be part of the 50% that get through quickly in POS. Time will tell. . .

My sponsorship approval stated that Although your husband's application for PR has met all the requirements for completeness under the Canadian Immigration Act, POS may still request additional information.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

 

[confusednscared]

I wasn't escorted by no CBSA or Immigration officials at the airport. It was a smooth sailing departure like any other passenger traveling outside of Canada. I wasn't even in handcuffs or any of those things people see or hear about individuals being deported. Thank goodness for that.

I had enough time to pack and prepare myself to leave plus I got to fly with my normal 2 suitcases, hand piece and my duty free bag.

Only downside which I didn't find embarrassing was meeting the officer at the gate where he handed our documents to the airline. It was like a meet and greet situation.

Oh, and I am man, no girl.

I was never requested to present any more documents to the VO as they stated in their response to my email enquiry that no further documents are needed.

I think I have got way beyond enough evidence to prove my relationship with my sponsor. My only delay in processing will probably be the ARC part which I think will take less than 3 months to process if all goes well after the interview in September. I too notice now that they are interview everyone from GEO that goes through POS. So far this year, I haven't seen or heard of anyone coming from GEO that didn't require to attend an interview.

What type of evidence have you submitted with you application to show prove that it's genuine? How well have you write up your story of how you and your spouse met? Have you hired an immigration lawyer or have you done the application on your own?

 

[GTWifey]

NO! I'm here in Canada and know of plenty people who received their Spousal VISA in Guyana without an interview. If I knew more people who went through the interview then at least I would have a point of reference & know what to expect!!! Thank God for this forum. . .

Even the teller at the post office was Guyanese & told me that her husband (and child) got through in 6 months. (She knew right away that I was mailing an application package to CIC). When she heard I was Guyanese we spoke in there for nearly 30 minutes. lol. Like me, she read through the CIC Application KIT step by step, completed all of the forms in detail with her spouse, included payment, & organized all of their supporting documentation. We didnt use a lawyer. She then flew into Guyana after her papers were in process about 5 months and stayed there with them until they were granted their VISAs. She said the whole process took 6-7 months.

I did write a short letter (about a page) explaining how our families met & how the relationship developed over the years. My husband did the same. I included my letter in the sponsorship application & he attached his to the permanent residence application. I know there were also several questions where we explained our answers in more detail (1 or 2 paragraphs) using a separate sheet a paper. Evidence sent included photos (some up to 10 years old) of us together & with friends & family, wedding photos with family & friends in Guyana, letters, post cards (once again some also very old), greeting cards, western union transactions, & phone bills which clearly show our daily communication outlining length of calls etc.

Hubbys calling now. . lol. Hopefully he's heard something from POS this afternoon.

Anyways, I hope this info helps!