Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[Quince777]

I know every step is so slow and makes you in limbo. S T R E S S ...

I totally understand you, as I'm going through very difficult times in my life too. I'm hoping to pass through this period as painlessly as possible.

 

[ddobro2]

Yeah, I was kind of hesitant to categorically rule that out because for one, you can't do your medicals 9 months before you file and then expect any visa office to appreciate that. But I think taking part in this forum makes ones signficantly less susceptible to that due to the education one gets here and the possibility that those who come to the forum may be more careful about their applications, evidenced by the fact they sought the forum out in the first place. I dunno. Anyway, it is still quite rare for Buffalo. I really don't understand why the poor folks at Damascus have to do their medicals and sit around until they inevitably get a new request to redo them because at 13 months, they usually expire before that VO gets around to them. Why waste people's time and money, just freakin' request it in the first place when you're ready for them : And by the way, when you mentioned the 3 non-forum applicants, I remembered the woman you posted about who had to go through that miserable experience with Buffalo telling her she had TB when she didn't. Hope she's at least a little bit closer to getting out of immigration hell at this point.

I know 3 non-forum B'lo spousal applicants that had to re-do medicals. One took over 2.5 years, another is still in process from July 2010 and I don't have the details on the third.

 

[ddobro2]

Yayyyy

My passport and COPR were just delivered!! They came with a document explaining that they no longer issue visas to visa-exempt nationals, etc. I have until Oct. 20, 2012 to land, but will do it by the end of this week. I'd go today, but I'm going to Montreal later in preparation for a job interview tomorrow morning up that way. I can't believe it's finally over! Thanks so much for the advice and support that you've all provided over the past few months! It's been quite the journey.

Btw, they didn't do anything to my visitor record that was attached to my passport. Now that I think about it I'm glad, since at the border it's important proof that I was here legally this whole time.

Anyway, I'm not going to disappear just yet, but I'm sure as the weeks go by you'll see less of me on here. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

 

[Quince777]

My time isn't worth that much that I'd pay an immigration consultant/lawyer either.

Sometimes it's not so much lack of time issue but rather difficult circumstance issue that someone would consider hiring a representative.

 

[Quince777]

My passport and COPR were just delivered!!

Congrats!

 

[mjh49783aa]

Yeah, we had to get a lawyer to look at my old divorce papers, too. I was told that the reason why Ontario does it this way for foreign divorces (Michigan in my case) is that they don't verify with the foreign jurisdiction the document's legitimacy. That's where the lawyer comes in. Freaking blew my mind! Especially when I was looking right at Michigan from across the river!

To get our marriage licence, I think it took us about a couple of months for my authorization to come back from Thunder Bay.

It was at least two months after our marriage to see it registered in Ontario, so we can get our marriage certificates. (I think it was actually closer to three)

Ten days to get a letter of no record from the State of Michigan.

Five weeks to get a letter of no record from the FBI.

A couple of days to fill out our application, and to go through everything. (good thing they sent us two of them).

A week's wait for the DMP appointment. (exam, needles!!, chest x-ray)

30 days from receipt at Mississauga, to sponsor approval. (now it's 68 days according to CIC! Ouch!)

Nearly four months after it reached Buffalo before they started processing my PR.

And then, after another five weeks since processing started, I finally have my PPR. (happy dance!)

So yes, we do understand, and we're here to help you out. Even if you want to just vent, express hope that today may be the day, etc.... This is what this thread is all about, because we're all going through the same thing. (or already have been there for some of us) Think of us as a kind of support group for immigrants in waiting.

I know every step is so slow and makes you in limbo. S T R E S S ...
1)EVERYTHING from getting married here ( had to get attorney to look at my divorce papers and say yup look good $$$$
2)getting the marriage licence SUPPOSED TO TAKE 2 MONTHS well its 3 now GRRRR
3) send in my papers takes them over 2 months to say they have them
4) waiting for the first step sponsorship SIGH
5) paying for the extention....asked for it 6 weeks before I need it...it says 30 days...and since everything takes FOREVER...SIGH who knows it will prob come after I am supposed to leave
I have only begun...alot of you all have been on this for a long time...I guess its my nature...I am a go getter....get er done....the waiting is so stressfull The not working is killing me...worked since I was 16

BUT I AM GRATEFUL
1) with the one I love ( hope I get the bloody extention)
2)happy I found this site and all of you
3)having the time to try new recipies
4)exploring my new home
5) have not taken up drinking yet...lol

I came on here to see how all my fellow Buffalo applicants are doing and had a mini rant. I try not to even bring it up to hubby so thanks for the outlet. ;D

 

[ddobro2]

Uh oh, that may be my issue - the birth certificate that is. It's not that I don't have it, but I've never seen it. My birth certificate was issued by the Soviet Union and I've been in the U.S. since 1989. I have no idea where it is - my parents and I simply never discussed it my entire life. I explained this in my application and I expected to see that included in the docs request of my Initial Assessment if it was an issue yet the only docs request was for the Quebec CSQ.

But the birth certificate issue kind of affects people that went through closed adoptions because those original birth certificates are legally sealed by the states and replaced with certs that use the name of the adoptive parents.....and I'm assuming only the originals suffice for the purposes of immigration.......hence an adopted person with that issue would also have some problems applying for PR, no?

The one who finally finished processing about 3 weeks ago had some minor detail issues with her background. First she had no birth certificate (I think her parents were hippies living on a commune or something, lol) and she traveled a good bit before applying and could not fully account for her whereabouts (though she didn't leave the US!) and could not give a permanent address. She is now on medical surveillance and has been in Canada for all of her processing time.

 

[ddobro2]

Yes, that's true as well. I guess I would still prefer to figure out how to approach an application given a difficult circumstance than pay someone. But I completely understand people who want no part in that - if you mess up your chances of coming to Canada (or worse, get in trouble) because you wanted to play amateur, it'll be a whole lot more expensive than what you would have paid to a pro.

Sometimes it's not so much lack of time issue but rather difficult circumstance issue that someone would consider hiring a representative.

 

[mjh49783aa]

Ahh! I got you now! LOL

I think my own immigration case is going to be enough for me. Not that I would have any problems taking money as an immigration lawyer, but I'm not so sure that I could deal with stressed out people for a living, and to have to go through all that schooling and stuff in order to be able to get into that field beforehand.

My time isn't worth that much that I'd pay an immigration consultant/lawyer either. I said that cuz americaninquebec and I were joking about the possibility of working as those folks - you'd have to deal with CIC again, but at least you'd get paid to do it instead of paying CIC like we do when we're the ones going through the process.

 

[Quince777]

Uh oh, that may be my issue - the birth certificate that is. It's not that I don't have it, but I've never seen it. My birth certificate was issued by the Soviet Union and I've been in the U.S. since 1989.

Maybe your parents still have it with other docs? Did you ask them?

 

[ddobro2]

Aw, gypsy, we feel your pain. Just a question though - I'm not sure if this was related to your divorce but why did you decide to get married in Canada instead of the U.S.? My husband and I (I'll note it's the first marriage for both) did it in Virginia. It was actually his first time coming to the states. He was in the D.C. area for three days and on the first, we went to the courthouse in Virginia and got the marriage license in like an hour (absolutely no problem that he showed Canadian ID), the next we got married, and the last we chilled before he went back to Montreal. There were no medical tests to take, no waiting days between the marriage license and ceremony, and no having to post some kind of announcement or any other particuliarities which is the reason we decided to do it in Virginia instead of the District of Columbia or Quebec. Plus we all know that the wedding is the bride's day and the bride deserves to be comfortable on her wedding, which includes her choice of territory where she seals the deal.

I know every step is so slow and makes you in limbo. S T R E S S ...
1)EVERYTHING from getting married here ( had to get attorney to look at my divorce papers and say yup look good $$$$
2)getting the marriage licence SUPPOSED TO TAKE 2 MONTHS well its 3 now GRRRR
3) send in my papers takes them over 2 months to say they have them
4) waiting for the first step sponsorship SIGH
5) paying for the extention....asked for it 6 weeks before I need it...it says 30 days...and since everything takes FOREVER...SIGH who knows it will prob come after I am supposed to leave
I have only begun...alot of you all have been on this for a long time...I guess its my nature...I am a go getter....get er done....the waiting is so stressfull The not working is killing me...worked since I was 16

BUT I AM GRATEFUL
1) with the one I love ( hope I get the bloody extention)
2)happy I found this site and all of you
3)having the time to try new recipies
4)exploring my new home
5) have not taken up drinking yet...lol

I came on here to see how all my fellow Buffalo applicants are doing and had a mini rant. I try not to even bring it up to hubby so thanks for the outlet. ;D

 

[Quince777]

Ahh! I got you now! LOL

I think my own immigration case is going to be enough for me. Not that I would have any problems taking money as an immigration lawyer, but I'm not so sure that I could deal with stressed out people for a living, and to have to go through all that schooling and stuff in order to be able to get into that field beforehand.

I think for lawyers it's easier to deal with immigration for other people than if you work on your own papers, because you're attached to it so much that you stress over everything. Same with the doctors who look after sick people: if they were all stressing too much over each patient they wouldn't last too long in their jobs. That's why they're more objective to the patient, as there is no emotions involved.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Yeah, we had to get a lawyer to look at my old divorce papers, too. I was told that the reason why Ontario does it this way for foreign divorces (Michigan in my case) is that they don't verify with the foreign jurisdiction the document's legitimacy. That's where the lawyer comes in. Freaking blew my mind! Especially when I was looking right at Michigan from across the river!

To get our marriage licence, I think it took us about a couple of months for my authorization to come back from Thunder Bay.

It was at least two months after our marriage to see it registered in Ontario, so we can get our marriage certificates. (I think it was actually closer to three)

Ten days to get a letter of no record from the State of Michigan.

Five weeks to get a letter of no record from the FBI.

A couple of days to fill out our application, and to go through everything. (good thing they sent us two of them).

A week's wait for the DMP appointment. (exam, needles!!, chest x-ray)

30 days from receipt at Mississauga, to sponsor approval. (now it's 68 days according to CIC! Ouch!)

Nearly four months after it reached Buffalo before they started processing my PR.

And then, after another five weeks since processing started, I finally have my PPR. (happy dance!)

So yes, we do understand, and we're here to help you out. Even if you want to just vent, express hope that today may be the day, etc.... This is what this thread is all about, because we're all going through the same thing. (or already have been there for some of us) Think of us as a kind of support group for immigrants in waiting.

Goodness Ontario takes a long time for marriage licenses and certificates. We decided to get married exactly 4 weeks before we did it here in Quebec. We saw the notary about it a few days later, just in time for her to publish the announcement in the local papers (required by law). We didn't have to do any medical exams, just sign off on papers stating that we were never previously married, etc. and pick a marriage scheme (when you marry in QC they want you to decide upfront how assets will be divided if you ever divorce, basically they force you to consider a state approved pre-nup). We paid a few dollars extra to get our marriage certificate right away, so we had it about 10 days after the ceremony, otherwise I think it takes up to 4 weeks here.

Why in the world does Ontario make people wait 2 mths for a marriage license and then another two months to register it? Seems positively absurd.

 

[mjh49783aa]

It's a good thing to point out for people, as it seems like it would be something that's really easy to overlook.

I know I still have five years left on my US passport, but now that you've mentioned that, I'm wondering how I can renew my passport while in Canada for when the time comes.

Oh funny, I just looked at my COPR again. They list the date that I have to land by as Oct. 20, 2012, but in a different section they say that my COPR is only valid until April 7, 2012 (the day my current passport expires). So weird that they wouldn't just use the same date as the cut-off date for my landing. Just wanted to throw that out there so everyone else makes sure to check both dates when they get their COPRs.

 

[ddobro2]

No, and I'm crossing my fingers I don't have to.

Maybe your parents still have it with other docs? Did you ask them?