Spousal Sponsorship Interview Questionaires, Experience, Preparations

[Hasan9999]

SUCCESS STORY WITH MANY RED FLAGS, EVEN NO INTERVIEW !!


POSTED BY: cicconfused

Category........: FAM
Visa Office......: Mexico City
App. Filed.......: 16 August 2013
Doc's Request.: 09 January 2014 & 14 March 2014 (ARC)
AOR Received.: 04 November 2013
File Transfer...: 13 September 2013
Med's Done....: June 2013
Interview........: Waived
Passport Req..: 04 April 2014
VISA ISSUED...: 21 April 2014
LANDED..........: Soon


Sucess Story

It all began in the spring of 2011. A very good friend, set me up on a blind date with his cousin. His cousin had come to Canada a few months prior and made a refugee claim. At the time we met, he didn't know if the decision was a yes or a no, but everyone who knew the story, was positive it was going to be a yes.

One Sunday afternoon, we met at a coffee shop. It sounds super cheesy, but it was love at first sight and we instantly 'clicked.' We talked for hours that day...and every day since. We have so much in common, so much to talk about. But after the first few months of bliss, a dark cloud came over us - the negative refugee decision was made. We were devastated. The future had now become uncertain. And it stayed that way for a long time. We knew by this point that we loved each other, but neither of us wanted to rush our relationship and get married for immigration purposes. So, we waited and just stayed together. I think our relationship became stronger through all this hard time. When he was deported from Canada, we had been together for two years. His leaving was an insanely sad time. A very tearful airport scene.

A month after he left Canada, I, along with my two young children, went to visit him in his country (El Salvador) and meet his parents. This was a pivotal moment because I knew his parents approval of me was highly important to my now husband. I knew they were conservative and might have a problem with me (divorced, children, older than their son). But it went really, really well. I fell in love with his parents and they seem to return the sentiment to both me and my kids. Leaving was again very sad (another tearful airport scene), and we knew this was it, we had to decide - Do we get married or spend our lives apart?

It didn't take long for us both to know that we could not stand to be separated. So, we joyfully decided to get married. As I had the summer off work, we set a wedding date for mid-July. In early July, the children and I, along with my parents went back to El Salvador. We got married on a beautiful evening. It was very sweet. As well as my parents and children, his closest family and friends were there and we had a small dinner after the ceremony. In total, the kids and I spent 6 weeks there, just being together and exploring the country. Leaving again was so hard, but this time, we knew it was only temporary (less tears at the airport) .

As you can see from our timeline, we sent our application in August 2013, about a month after we were married. We had to go through the ARC (Authorization to Return to Canada - to overcome his deportation order), which added extra time to the process. And now, 8 months later from the time Mississauga received our application, we just had our ppr. We sent it and are just waiting for the embassy to mail the passport back to my husband. Once we have that in hand, we will book the plane ticket. We are thinking he will come in early July. That means we have been apart for 10 months. I can't believe we are finally at the end. It's been a long journey, and I can't wait to start our official lives together!

Red flags:
-Husband a failed refugee claimant
-Short time since he left Canada
-I am older by 5 years
-I am divorced with previous children
-First marriage for him, no children

Strengths:
-Both university educated
-Both speak each others language (Spanish/English)
-Same religion
-we plan on having more children
-dating for over two years before married
-Full support of both families
-Know each others friends
-Tons, and tons, and tons of evidence - letters of support; 2 years worth of pictures, text messages, emails; etc

There you have it, our story in a nut shell. I wish each and everyone of you the best of luck possible!

 

[Hasan9999]

INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE


POSTED BY muby, Vienna Visa Office:


Category........: FAM
Visa Office......: Vienna
App. Filed.......: 29-01-2013
Doc's Request.: 14-04-2013
AOR Received.: Received with application
File Transfer...: 20-02-2013
Med's Done....: 15-01-2013
Interview........: 10-12-2013
Passport Req..: 10-12-2013
VISA ISSUED...: 10-12-2013
LANDED..........: 08-02-2013

December 10, 2013

I was in vienna today around 13:45 I went to Inside the Embassy and I was waiting for 5mints cox I already meet 3guys coming to collect there visa 2 crotian and one German and then the women ask my passport then she come back and said u have interview in room 2 but u most to wait. After that the Interview guy come and ask me to provide my documents for review it all before Interview after 10mints we start Interview it was like 45mints, normal chatting like a friend very nice guy asking all stuff about our relationship here is the question:

1- When and where did we meet?

2- Proposal date and place,
3-Engagement and Ceremony place who was attending,
4-Did my close friend know about your relationship
5-How did u maintain your relationship until now
6-WHY U WANNA GO TO CANADA?
7-When and where did u finish your University
8-What did u you do after you finish school
Those are very serious question you most to know and all you submit try to review it cox they will show those documents and ask you to know if it was you.
After Interview with minutes he told me Congratulation you pass the interview, then he ask me one strange question WHEN U WANNA GO TO CANADA? I SAID WHEN U GIVE ME A VISA, Then he said U got 10mints before 3 to go to paid the Visa paid which 360 Euros and come to me i will issue your visa right now i went to bank the bank is close so he want to me to stay a night in Vienna i ask him what about Post office he said OK you can do it, there i went to past ruining like hell then i paid it and come back guess what I got a Visa on HAND at 16:10 Now I am home i cant even believe it. GOD IS GOOD DONT GIVE UP MY GUYS

one more things to everyone: DO NOT PANIC IN INTERVIEW OR LIE TRUTH FIRST!!!!

 

[Hasan9999]

INTERVIEW PASSED IN OCT 2012 BUT STILL WAITING FOR PR VISA!!


POSTED BY: waitingsince2004

I had my interview done on 30th October 2012 and it went well with positive result and Officer approved my visa and returned our all evidences which we had sent to support our application. Interview was not tough and last for only 30 minutes. VO said that I will get my passport back with visa and landing papers with in two months. I think that long period might be coz of my long travel history and I had submitted five passports of mine.

Good Luck to all applicants who may waiting for an interview. This Deewali and festival season is really
very very good for us.

RECENT POST:

Immigration Topics / Family Class Sponsorship / Re: New Delhi - 2012 applicants on: July 16, 2014, 12:20:01 am

It is almost 2 years since my passport is with NDVO. In last GCMS in Feb 2014, it was mentioned that Security clearance has been done and criminality is "in Process" in Oct 2012 that VO told me that I will get my passport with Visa in Jan-Feb 2013. Then that stupid strike delayed the whole process. I had inquired through MP but our MP is just a piece of junk.....in last query of April....he told that background check is still in process......and every time we contact him, he answered on phone and never send nay reply through the email. We had also sent an email to minister of Immigration but no reply as usual.......this bull*censored word* process is killing us like anything.....some time I doubt if they lost my passports.... I had several valid visas on my passports and moreover I am just stuck in business coz can not travel because of they are hatching on my passports.....

Really don't know to whom I approach now??We been tried to contact CHC, New Delhi, MP in Ontario, Minister in Ottawa.....now what next? Governor general or queen?

Height of frustration.......are they looking our relation to be broke due to this looooooooooongest wait........

 

[Hasan9999]

SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE AT MEXICO CITY

NICE STORY IN HIS PERSONAL BLOG.........
POSTED BY:
itscoezy

Category........: FAM
Visa Office......: Mexico City
Interview........: 20-11-2012

Quote
Hey All,
We had our interview via Mexico City this past Tuesday. I blogged about it today. http://wp.me/pKSOr-iT is the link.
You can see the questions they asked us at the bottom.

Goodluck to all!

 

[soblue3]

tomorrow will be 7 weeks since my husband had his interview in Tunis. our ecas status still shows only that application and medical had been received. we have not heard anything from the embassy yet. this waiting is too much. at least i am going there to in 3 weeks. its been way too long.

 

[Hasan9999]

tomorrow will be 7 weeks since my husband had his interview in Tunis. our ecas status still shows only that application and medical had been received. we have not heard anything from the embassy yet. this waiting is too much. at least i am going there to in 3 weeks. its been way too long.

Have patience. Keep busy. Pray. Good news coming.

 

[Hasan9999]

SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

POSTED BY: frida19

on: February 20, 2014, 08:16:50 am
Thank you all for the good wishes , my interview went great ! I still have a few steps to go but besides that it all went great and the officer approved my relationship )

Previous Post:


I'm having my interview on February 19th 2014 at 9:30am Mexico City We weren't expecting any interview as we are the same age, haven't be marry before , no kids , no criminal record no nothing ! I believe they decided to give me an interview because I live in Canada for 5 years when I was a minor ( 13 years old to 17 years old ) also because my husband and I are 19 both of us ( which I don't think is a big deal since you can start this process as soon as you turn 18 ) We were very nervous at the beginning because we have seen comments where if the person doing the interview is on a bad mood they can deny your application & also that they are very rude ! I am not worry about the questions since I know EVERYTHING about my husband we have been together for 3 years and marry for 1 so I am very confident about my relationship. The only thing freaking me out is the Immigration officer being on a bad mood or rude lol but I'm feeling kind of excited for this interview just hoping my VO will be on a great mood that day !

 

[Hasan9999]

I am also required to attend an interview on August 5, however mine will be in LA. I have received basically the same letter as you have, which I deem to be a form letter certain portions of which do not apply to all applicants. As my medical has been extended until February 2015 ,I don't think it's necessary to redo it. Also I did not obtain another FBI clearance either as time would not permit it. I have been residing in Canada since March 2012 on extended visitor visas so I will bring the originals to the interview as proof of my legal status in Canada. My sponsor will be attending the interview with me and will provide his Canadian passport as proof of his citizenship although we have already submitted a photocopy with the original application.
It seems to me that for US applicants, these interviews are for the purpose of finalizing their decision on permanent residence eligibility as regards to the genuineness of the relationship,and all other aspects of processing has been completed as regards to medical, police clearances etc.
Good luck with your interview.

How was your interview held on 5th August?

 

[chala]

How was your interview held on 5th August?

We both attended the interview and we were less than pleased with the way it was conducted. The officer who interviewed us was an Asian lady who spoke broken English. She seemed unfamiliar with the details of my application and continued to get the facts mixed up. We couldn't get any meaningful discussion as she would cut us off whenever we tried to make a comment. She seemed to be in a very grumpy mood and also seemed to want to show her authority as a VO. In the end she said that she would approve the application pending receipt of additional documents. The LA visa office is only a small facility with only a few employees none of whom appear to be from Canada. This was a very expensive interview for us to attend just for a 30 minute interview that we felt was unnecessary in the first place.
To those of you who have an upcoming interview, best of luck.

 

[Hasan9999]

We both attended the interview and we were less than pleased with the way it was conducted. The officer who interviewed us was an Asian lady who spoke broken English. She seemed unfamiliar with the details of my application and continued to get the facts mixed up. We couldn't get any meaningful discussion as she would cut us off whenever we tried to make a comment. She seemed to be in a very grumpy mood and also seemed to want to show her authority as a VO. In the end she said that she would approve the application pending receipt of additional documents. The LA visa office is only a small facility with only a few employees none of whom appear to be from Canada. This was a very expensive interview for us to attend just for a 30 minute interview that we felt was unnecessary in the first place.
To those of you who have an upcoming interview, best of luck.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope they will issue visa soon.

 

[Hasan9999]

This thread has been immensely helpful in alleviating some of the anxiousness my partner and I (I am the sponsor, he is the one applying) had upon receiving our interview request letter only a few days ago, now. We have our interview in less than a month (and overseas) and are scrambling to get together whatever paperwork we can, now.

I've realized we may be in a major hitch for some of the paperwork they're asking of us, though.

Just as some pretext, they start the letter with "AS AN APPLICANT for permanent residence in Canada, it is your responsibility to provide the... [etc..]" So, am I correct in assuming that all of the paperwork requested in the list in the letter (following the text I quoted) is only in regards to my partner (the applicant), unless stated otherwise?

1) They ask that we complete a medical examination "if you have not done so or had undergone examination more than 15 months ago". However, I emailed the CIC a couple months ago regarding our expiring medicals, and they responded saying that my spouse's medicals had been renewed by them until next year February. Should I not worry and just bring a copy of the email that they sent me confirming this?

2) "ORIGINAL police certificate or criminal clearance (within 12 months validity) from each country in which you and every one in your family aged 18 years or over have resided six months or more since reaching the age of 18." We sent them an original copy of the FBI clearance record for my partner way back when we applied. We received that original in very late March 2013, and sent our application the following July, so it's definitely past the 12 months by now. However, they want to interview us in less than a month! We live in Hawaii, and the processing times for the FBI clearance is 28 days not even considering the postage time to our tiny island. Can anyone give advice on this? He has 0 criminal records, so it shouldn't be an issue, but I understand we need to prove this to them. I don't see how, though, given the time constraints.

3) "PROOF of your sponsor's Canadian legal status (such as photocopy of citizenship certificate or Permanent Resident Card or Visa) and Canadian residency including photocopy of your spouse Canadian citizenship card or passport or permanent resident card..." This confuses me slightly. It says "AND", but I have never in my life owned a citizenship certificate, or the rest (considering I was born in Canada). I have a passport, which is what I photocopied and sent with the application originally, but the "AND" is what worries me. Is this required, or is it only necessary for those who have become citizens through ways other than birth?

I think those were the only major points we're worried about being clear on, other than making a new binder to bring with us... If anyone could help answer all these questions ASAP, it would be greatly appreciated.

How was your interview ?

 

[Hasan9999]

Here is someone's interview experience.
sponsor husband is 62 years old and wife applicant is 30.Applicant arrived in Canada under a work permit in June 2009. 2 weeks after, she met her (now husband for 3 years and 4 months). Got married on sept. Of 2010Applied inland in nov. 2010File tranferred from vegreville to edmonton in oct. 2011
Reasons: age gap, short courtship, doubting if our marriage is genuine, asking if i'm married back home. That i did not declare my son when i applied for a visa to come to canada.
"Sept. 12,2013- interview day- we arrived at cic edmonton very prepared! Did not even feel nervous at all! We are confident and we know that what we need to do is to show who we really are! My interview lasted for 1 hr and 15 min.
Questions asked: What is my name, bday, my parents name
What is my husbands name, birthday, parents name, siblings and where they live.
Where and when we meet?Who proposed, describe the momentWhen and where is our wedding?How many people attended? Names of attendees, reception? 1st date? Where when, what we ordered? Are we sexually active?Do we want to have kids? Name of my son, names of my husbands daughter, names of grandkids
how is the relationship between my husband and son
And then suddenly the io stopped typing because she said the computer stopped working. So we started again from the very beginning. I think for me this is to test if i will answer the questions the same thing. Then, she asked me 3 times in different ways , where do i work, she probably want to make sure that i am not working anywhere else. Describe our apartmentWho pay bills ? Where does my husband work?How much salary? Do i send money to my home country? How much?She asked if I'm in CanadaAsked if i have a criminal record or convicted
At the end of the interview, she just said that the only reason why our file was transferred is because of our age gap. Then i said, i know! Lol! I said that , when we applied in 2010, we did not even know that there are red flags like that. What we presented them is the real us! Then i showed some personal stuff like the crosstitch i made as a birthday gift for my husbands grand daughter, cards from friends and family. Our wedding invitation. And that's it!
Then it's my husband's turn!!His interview lasted for 45 minutes. And he was asked the same questions and he answered the same as mine with a little bit of elaboration lol! When the io told him that our file was tranferred because of age gap, he told the io that this has been happening eversince, just like cleopatra and julis ceasar, charlie chaplin and his wife oona etc. etc. that was the killer answer! Lol!The io was smiling while typing this my husband said! All in all the interview went well! The atmosphere inside the interview room was very non threatening, it was actually full of laughter. Me and my husband are very happy people by nature! So i think we really gave a positive vibes inside the interview room.
Exactly 1 month after the interview, oct12,2013, i received an email requesting for medical examination. Then aip and owp arrived on oct. 16. Medical examination done Oct. 23, 2013.cic received medical Oct. 31, 2013 "Hope this is a little helpful as to what visa officers ask and could do during the interview.

BIG AGE GAP, YET NO PROBLEM! INTERVIEW WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL!

 

[soblue3]

Have patience. Keep busy. Pray. Good news coming.

Thanks Hasan...well last friday was 8 weeks...this wednesday will be 2 months exactly...still no news and ecas shows just that application has been received. i finally broke down and ordered the notes...should get then around sept. 8. At least i will be with my husband at the time. Really i have no idea what are they waiting for if they going to refuse. I know that canadian embassy from libya has been moved to tunis..just not sure where our application is actually processed in tunis or in paris...i wish they would just let us know either way. i was ok waiting in the beginning...just this past couple of weeks have been hard because from what i have read most people have gotten negative results around around 6-8 weeks and earlier. i imagine since the vo knew i am going there in August because i wrote it in the letter i submitted to her, that she would just let us know if she is going to refuse or not. ah sorry for this rant ...it is just so hard not knowing.

 

[Hasan9999]

Thanks Hasan...well last friday was 8 weeks...this wednesday will be 2 months exactly...still no news and ecas shows just that application has been received. i finally broke down and ordered the notes...should get then around sept. 8. At least i will be with my husband at the time. Really i have no idea what are they waiting for if they going to refuse. I know that canadian embassy from libya has been moved to tunis..just not sure where our application is actually processed in tunis or in paris...i wish they would just let us know either way. i was ok waiting in the beginning...just this past couple of weeks have been hard because from what i have read most people have gotten negative results around around 6-8 weeks and earlier. i imagine since the vo knew i am going there in August because i wrote it in the letter i submitted to her, that she would just let us know if she is going to refuse or not. ah sorry for this rant ...it is just so hard not knowing.

I know how hard it is to wait for the interview result. Normally refusal decision comes quick. Another point is the current situation in Libya may delay the decision. I think it will be clear after receiving the GCMS notes. Just to let you know that I am yet to receive my GCMS note although my wife applied on June 22, 2014. Wish you happy reunion with your husband. Also good luck!

 

[MiriMinBC]

Now I'm paranoid. I'm 8 years older than my husband and we met online (I'm from the US). Our wedding was a small civil affair and my elderly parents couldn't attend not could his parents due to age and health. We have 1 child together and another on the way so I hope we don't have to have an interview.