First of all , I 'd like to express my gratitude to Jalex/Obronibini/fkl who advised me on various aspects and helped me rationally think about my own case! We were really able to nail it by building a stronger application. I am so glad he just got his visa approved. All praises to God!
My husband got his TRV approved today. We applied it last Friday-a paper based application filed in Accra, Ghana. Despite being an Indian applying in Ghana and the recent ebola outbreak which could have possible effects on rejection, it didn't. On top of that , he got his work permit in Ghana only in March- just 5 month ago. Travel history for my hubby was also on the downside- Just to Dubai, UAE and adding to that we only presented a 2 and half months bank statement (not even whole 3 month!). So I guess, anyone who has a troubling issue with the situation can also obtain visa provided if the case is better presented. I wanted to share this because I was told it's really difficult to get one for my husband given all these downsides! If anyone IS thinking about applying, just take a note of all minute things and intricate details of your plan and present it with logicality. View the application yourself as a third person and try to justify and connect the threads by looking at all the documentation available. I am sure it will help.
Coming to the documents that we submitted.... it may sound too many- some may be required and some may not. I cleraly felt that they serve a purpose and so we did and I just made sure, we didn't submit any redundant documents and over-do the case.
From my end:
1) Letter of invitation to my husband along with a legal affidavit supporting my LOI (Notarized *)
2)Letter to visa officer (notarized*)
3) Affidavit supporting my scholarship at Univ (notarized*)
4) Confirmation of enrollment
5) Reference letter from my research supervisor (gave a really good picture about my performance in academics & research, trust me it helps!)
6)My transcript for all terms so far
7) Scholarship letter for all terms
8)Annual fees statement (the entire year's fees paid with a credit of $10CAD
)
9)Copy of all cards- Student ID card/SGI/Health card/SIN card
10) Bank statement ( 3 months only (I just tried to match up with my husband's statement covering only 2.5 months, didn't wanna invite trouble by presenting more than 3 months - also I only had $1300 cad - including both chq n savings acct)
11) My program admission letter
12) Study permit documents
13) my passport copy
14)Our marriage certificate
From my husband's side
1) Cover letter
2) Letter to visa officer
3) Letter of explanation ( attached my Gold medal and Univ first rank certificate in my undergrad-there was a point written about me being very focussed on studies and therefore he would not want to stick around for long in Canada bla bla ...we jotted down all important points to prove his intention to return to Ghana! n it's just one among that. I had close to 8-10 reasonable points why he can be granted visa and why he would leave Canada. I think that's the most important thing of al)
4) JOb offer letter
5)Vacation approval letter
6)Address proof letter (note he doesn't have a lease agreement or something as his company provided his accommodation)
7) Employment reference letter
8) Pay stubs (showed 6 months, just to prove he has a regular source of income)
9)Previous visa copies of Dubai
10) Relieving letter from his ex-employer in Dubai (to prove his integrity of sticking with job contract period)
12) Bank statement (2.5 months only but with regular intermittent deposits making it to $9600USD. Also attached a letter why we submitted only 2.5 months!)
13) Travel itinerary
14) Detailed travel plan for both of us in Canada ( a chronological record of all events ad activities planned for all 21 days, along with the mode of transportation, type and place of accommodation, estimated expenses. I would say that's the best part about our application! It was so very much detailed enough and the costs should be more or less the real one as I explored the costs for everything, even for the taxi to-and -fro from airport! Make it as much detailed as possible)
15) Current work permit documents
16) copy of all cards in Ghana- Non-citizenship and Health/insurance card
I guess that's it....
Note: I did highlight important points in my letter and other documents for the visa officer to quickly glance over and get the idea but my husband didn't do it at all for the fact that he is lazy and thinks it's like over-doing. I feel it helps to grab attention to important points that you think is really important for the VO to see
Also I hand-wrote the name of documents or whatever I wanted to show that particular document as a proof of! My husband did that one as well. It helps the VO to easily identify the documents and relate to every thing else submitted!
** Finally I notarized few letter as aforementioned. I just sort of wanted to play it safe as I direly felt the need to get it in teh very first attempt. I didn't want to spare anything feasible and within my limits. I know its a typical Indian attitude to think that way-notarization is quintessential! believe it or not, I personally don't think it added up the chances but just to be sure or not to regret or be worried about it, I just did. I know you can write anything in a paper and atill get notarized! But I personally know that person who does it and so made him go over my letters like proof reading and ensured it looked ok He only suggested me to be little more expressive in my LOI about missing my husband as we haven't met for a year now. I didn't want to make it sound like I miss him like hell...lol as my friend suggesed and wanted to keep it low and I guess a typical Indian attitude again . But it all helped and finally got through the most dreaded process in my life!
PS: Apologies for such a long thread! lol
My husband got his TRV approved today. We applied it last Friday-a paper based application filed in Accra, Ghana. Despite being an Indian applying in Ghana and the recent ebola outbreak which could have possible effects on rejection, it didn't. On top of that , he got his work permit in Ghana only in March- just 5 month ago. Travel history for my hubby was also on the downside- Just to Dubai, UAE and adding to that we only presented a 2 and half months bank statement (not even whole 3 month!). So I guess, anyone who has a troubling issue with the situation can also obtain visa provided if the case is better presented. I wanted to share this because I was told it's really difficult to get one for my husband given all these downsides! If anyone IS thinking about applying, just take a note of all minute things and intricate details of your plan and present it with logicality. View the application yourself as a third person and try to justify and connect the threads by looking at all the documentation available. I am sure it will help.
Coming to the documents that we submitted.... it may sound too many- some may be required and some may not. I cleraly felt that they serve a purpose and so we did and I just made sure, we didn't submit any redundant documents and over-do the case.
From my end:
1) Letter of invitation to my husband along with a legal affidavit supporting my LOI (Notarized *)
2)Letter to visa officer (notarized*)
3) Affidavit supporting my scholarship at Univ (notarized*)
4) Confirmation of enrollment
5) Reference letter from my research supervisor (gave a really good picture about my performance in academics & research, trust me it helps!)
6)My transcript for all terms so far
7) Scholarship letter for all terms
8)Annual fees statement (the entire year's fees paid with a credit of $10CAD
)9)Copy of all cards- Student ID card/SGI/Health card/SIN card
10) Bank statement ( 3 months only (I just tried to match up with my husband's statement covering only 2.5 months, didn't wanna invite trouble by presenting more than 3 months - also I only had $1300 cad - including both chq n savings acct)
11) My program admission letter
12) Study permit documents
13) my passport copy
14)Our marriage certificate
From my husband's side
1) Cover letter
2) Letter to visa officer
3) Letter of explanation ( attached my Gold medal and Univ first rank certificate in my undergrad-there was a point written about me being very focussed on studies and therefore he would not want to stick around for long in Canada bla bla ...we jotted down all important points to prove his intention to return to Ghana! n it's just one among that. I had close to 8-10 reasonable points why he can be granted visa and why he would leave Canada. I think that's the most important thing of al)
4) JOb offer letter
5)Vacation approval letter
6)Address proof letter (note he doesn't have a lease agreement or something as his company provided his accommodation)
7) Employment reference letter
8) Pay stubs (showed 6 months, just to prove he has a regular source of income)
9)Previous visa copies of Dubai
10) Relieving letter from his ex-employer in Dubai (to prove his integrity of sticking with job contract period)
12) Bank statement (2.5 months only but with regular intermittent deposits making it to $9600USD. Also attached a letter why we submitted only 2.5 months!)
13) Travel itinerary
14) Detailed travel plan for both of us in Canada ( a chronological record of all events ad activities planned for all 21 days, along with the mode of transportation, type and place of accommodation, estimated expenses. I would say that's the best part about our application! It was so very much detailed enough and the costs should be more or less the real one as I explored the costs for everything, even for the taxi to-and -fro from airport! Make it as much detailed as possible)
15) Current work permit documents
16) copy of all cards in Ghana- Non-citizenship and Health/insurance card
I guess that's it....
Note: I did highlight important points in my letter and other documents for the visa officer to quickly glance over and get the idea but my husband didn't do it at all for the fact that he is lazy and thinks it's like over-doing. I feel it helps to grab attention to important points that you think is really important for the VO to see
Also I hand-wrote the name of documents or whatever I wanted to show that particular document as a proof of! My husband did that one as well. It helps the VO to easily identify the documents and relate to every thing else submitted!
** Finally I notarized few letter as aforementioned. I just sort of wanted to play it safe as I direly felt the need to get it in teh very first attempt. I didn't want to spare anything feasible and within my limits. I know its a typical Indian attitude to think that way-notarization is quintessential! believe it or not, I personally don't think it added up the chances but just to be sure or not to regret or be worried about it, I just did. I know you can write anything in a paper and atill get notarized! But I personally know that person who does it and so made him go over my letters like proof reading and ensured it looked ok
He only suggested me to be little more expressive in my LOI about missing my husband as we haven't met for a year now. I didn't want to make it sound like I miss him like hell...lol as my friend suggesed and wanted to keep it low and I guess a typical Indian attitude again . But it all helped and finally got through the most dreaded process in my life! PS: Apologies for such a long thread! lol