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Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 12:49am On Sep 30

Do not withdraw.
Defer

emy1206:
im withdrawing as my school didn’t give any more grace

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:46pm On Sep 29

bigmills:
I want to say to everyone.
Everyone's journey is different. From the day you apply to when you even land in canada.
Please ask questions when in any doubt but remember for some people it is faster and others take longer..
1. We got AOR same day we sent in application
2. People that submitted after us got PPR within few months but it took 15months for us.
3. My wife got a job in her field within one month meanwhile I am still searching for job in my field since o....The most important thing is unity of purpose and mind.

So everyone's journey is different. Make we no stress our mind with anxiety.

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:40pm On Sep 29

I want to say to everyone.
Everyone's journey is different. From the day you apply to when you even land in canada.
Please ask questions when in any doubt but remember for some people it is faster and others take longer..

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:38pm On Sep 29

Good.
How is it going?
What part of canada are you?

NoLevel:
Thank you, Bigmills. Gotten mine as well. It seems my file has been transferred to Accra because that is what I’m seeing under Secondary Office. Primary Office has RROC.

Thanks a lot. We will smile soon by God’s grace.

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:36pm On Sep 29

I'd suggest submit GCMS every 2-3months.

bigmills:
Do not worry or get stressed. processing time is available on IRCC website. For outland spousal sponsorship, it currently takes 18months.

So no need to worry or panick. Once they ask for biometrics, you can do upfront medical as well and send, even this does not reduce processing time. The processing does not depend entirely on IRCC, they also depend on some external bodies for additional data.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:35pm On Sep 29

Do not worry or get stressed. processing time is available on IRCC website. For outland spousal sponsorship, it currently takes 18months.

So no need to worry or panick. Once they ask for biometrics, you can do upfront medical as well and send, even this does not reduce processing time. The processing does not depend entirely on IRCC, they also depend on some external bodies for additional data.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html

Peeliciois:
I can understand. It can be so frustrating
The sponsor in Canada can call ircc for information

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 7:31pm On Sep 29

Hi,

I have recently gotten PR for my wife.
Yes you apply for visit while sponsorship is ongoing, but please make sure you already received acknowledgment of receipt.

The documents to be submitted are all on the website and included in the application information. Just make sure you follow it to the tiniest detail.

Beauideal:
Good day everyone. I just got married to my husband who is a Canadian and he his planning to sponsor me to Canada as his wife (spousal sponsorship). I just want to know if anyone had a successful application and how long exactly before cic gave them visa? Did anyone had to wait for a year? And also I would like to know what documents were required exactly. I have done change of name and looking forward to getting a new international passport.
And also I've been denied visiting him before we got married. I will like to know if I can apply for visit while the application for spousal sponsorship is ongoing?

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 6:53am On Aug 12

Any update on appeal?

Ayo112:
Nope

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 1:25am On Jul 23

🇨🇦 SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP TIMELINE (Outland) 🇨🇦
Visa Office: Sydney → Accra==> Montreal

Relationship type: Marriage
📅 Sponsorship Timeline:

Application sent: April 29, 2025
Application received (AOR): April 29, 2025
Biometrics request: May 28, 2025
Upfront medical done: June 5, 2025 (same period as biometrics)
Medical passed: une 5, 2025
Sponsor eligibility passed: June 5, 2025
Biometrics done:June 10, 2025

🤫 Then silence... GCMS notes requested.[/b] We saw the file had been transferred to Accra since June.
File transferred to Accra: (exact date unknown — confirmed via GCMS notes)
Additional documents sent voluntarily: October 10, 2025 (sent additional proof of relationship)
6 "ghost" updates between December 2025 and March 2026 (no substantive change, just portal status refreshes)
GCMS notes requested again

🔄 Decided to explore the TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) route in the meantime:
TRV application submitted: March 21, 2026
Background check completed: March 22, 2026
TRV approved: [/b]April 6, 2026

✈️ Wife's route to Canada: Lagos → Qatar → Montreal → Alberta
Port of entry: Montreal (chosen deliberately — reputation for quick virtual-landing processing for outland applicants)
Final destination:Alberta
Initial landing date: May 8, 2026
GCMS notes requested again

📋 Switching to Virtual Landing (spousal sponsorship):
We informed IRCC that my spouse was already in Canada and asked to switch to virtual landing. We were told her existing medical was too close to expiry — applicants need a minimum 90 days remaining on the medical — so we had to redo it in Canada (~$450 CAD ).
💡 Tip for others in this situation: if you can, do a fresh medical before leaving Nigeria so it doesn't expire mid-process.

New medical request: June 1, 2026
New medical completed: June 1, 2026
New medical passed:June 5, 2026
PPR (Passport Request):June 17, 2026
Virtual landing request (re)sent to IRCC: June 17, 2026
P1 template received:July 7, 2026
P1 response sent: July 7, 2026
P2 notification received: July 17, 2026
Portal declaration / passport photo uploaded: July 17, 2026
eCOPR received: July 22, 2026 🎉

⏳ Total processing time: 15 months (April 2025 – July 2026)
📝 Summary:Long stretch of silence and ghost updates in the middle, but the TRV route let my wife join me in Canada while sponsorship was still processing. Switching to virtual landing required a second medical since the first one was too close to expiring — worth planning ahead for if you're considering this path.

2 Likes

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 12:24am On Jul 22*

You need a lot of patience.
if they anything is required from you, they will reach out. Ensure you and your partner checks email inbox, junk, and spam folder at least once a week.
For perspective, we submitted our application on April 29, 2025, and PPR came on June 17, 2026.[

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 2:48am On Jul 21

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 2:45am On Jul 21

Thank you.
We already received and actioned on P1 and P2 email requirements. The next action is issuance of eCOPR by IRCC and delivery of PR Card.
I will share full timeline once we cross the line.
For perspective, we submitted this application on April 29th, 2025.
Thanks everyone

Thejohns50:
Congratulations 🎉

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 2:44am On Jul 21

The required documents I believe is based on individual applications.
For me:
1. Canada Bank Statement
2. CRA Notice of Assessment for the last 3 years
3. Proof of address
4. PR Card/Provincial ID/passport Data page
5. Letter of Invitation
6. Payslips (if you are employed)
7. Letter of reference from your employer (if you are employed)

For her:
1. Passport Datapage
2. Application letter
3. Family Sponsorship AOR or any other IRCC document showing that her PR application is received and in progress (Biometrics or medical letter)
4. Her IRCC Medical Document (That document that physician gives after completion of medical)
5. Employer letter of reference
6. Payslips for previous 6 months
7. Marriage certificate

As far as TRV goes, the above is all I remember we submitted. Also, we labelled each document in this format (XXXX_XXXX_XXXX)

Fortissimo502:
Hi there.
What docs did you submit for your wife's trv? Especially financial proof and home ties etc.

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 3:21pm On Jul 03

Hi Ayo,

Any word on your appeal?

Ayo112:
Check it yourself from the list that was released yesterday…

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 11:34pm On Jul 02

Hi Everyone,

Good news.
We got PPR some weeks back, but since my spouse is already in Canada, we requested for virtual landing.
I will share timeline for everything once we have crossed the line.

2 Likes

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 9:38am On Jun 03

Hahahahaha.
initial medical was confirmed passed on June 20,2025
If you are already working or not in Canada, apply for visit visa for your partner and she can wait for PR approval.
You can even apply for open work permit.
Our application was submitted April 30,2025.we are in the 14th month.

Thejohns50:
Hi bigmills , how long did you wait after medicals before getting your pre Arrival?

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 9:36am On Jun 03

So here is what we have been up to.
My partner's visitor visa came through — she is now here in Canada with me while we wait for the PR to be finalised. The visa is valid until 2035 which matches her 10-year passport. This is actually something IRCC allows for people already in the family sponsorship process, and the good news is the visitor visa processing for this type of application is usually pretty quick.
The second thing we sorted out — I reached out to the Accra office and told them that since she is already here in Canada, there was no point sending a PPR through the overseas office. I asked them to issue an eCOPR instead so she can get her PR status right here without having to travel back. They came back and said they are happy to do that, but the medical results need to have at least 90 days validity left before they can go ahead with it.
So we went and did a fresh medical and submitted everything yesterday.
Now we just wait for them to confirm the medical has been received and processed — and after that, the eCOPR should come through.

NoLevel:
Congratulations, Bigmills! Still thought about checking in with you this week. So happy for you.

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 3:13pm On May 31

Hi All,

We have received Pre-Arrival Service letter from Accra VO exactly 13 months since we submitted our family sponsorship application.

1 Like

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 5:03am On Apr 07

The recently rejected application was a re-application after the initial application was rejected in September 2025. I am not going through all that stress dealing with their incompetence of the Irish embassy visa officers anymore.

kehindebramon:
If your application was rejected, reapply and don't appeal. It was same for me last year, but i was advised by school to reapply and not appeal and it was approved.

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 6:34am On Apr 04

I resubmitted the same application from last year. The previous rejection cited three reasons: missing transcripts for all academic qualifications, no explanation for choosing Ireland as the preferred study destination, and unaddressed gaps between my last period of education and current employment. All of these were valid concerns, and every single one was fully addressed in the new application. It was still rejected and this time with entirely new reasons.

There is nothing more demoralising than doing exactly what was asked, fixing every flagged issue, and then watching them move the goalposts. It feels deliberately designed to wear you down. But that's precisely why we cannot give in.

Ayo112:
The same application you pulled last year to apply for fresh application @bigmills

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 8:50am On Apr 03

I received a response from the embassy regarding my visa application, and unfortunately it was rejected on 5 grounds. What makes this particularly frustrating is that every single reason cited was thoroughly addressed with documentary evidence in my application.

For instance, one of the reasons given was insufficient employment information, yet I had submitted offer letters, reference letters, payslips from all my previous and current employments, promotion letters, and salary review documents.

Similarly, the rejection cited insufficient finances, despite the fact that I had provided evidence of school fees paid, a €10,000 bond secured, additional savings in my account, and confirmed accommodation arrangements in Dublin with supporting documentation.

Every reason provided by the embassy had clear, corresponding documentary evidence included in my application. This raises serious concerns about the transparency and consistency of the decision-making process. It is difficult not to question whether these rejections are being used as a tool to broadly restrict immigration, rather than being based on a genuine assessment of individual applications.

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 2:44am On Mar 24

Everywhere is quiet..
Ireland embassy is showing us quiet pepper

We will come through guys, do not give up

3 Likes

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 5:14am On Mar 06

Anytime.
Yea by God's grace.

NoLevel:
Thank you, Bigmills. Gotten mine as well. It seems my file has been transferred to Accra because that is what I’m seeing under Secondary Office. Primary Office has RROC.

Thanks a lot. We will smile soon by God’s grace.

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 5:13am On Mar 06

Are you able to see the status on the tracker?https://ircc-tracker-suivi.apps.cic.gc.ca/
Once received, you can see it here.
Also check with Q-Life whether result was transmitted

NoLevel:
My spouse’s medical expired last year and we did another one upfront. It’s been almost 6 months and GCMS is showing medicals as “Passed-Expired”. Don’t know if it’s Q-life that hasn’t sent the updated results 6 months after.

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 8:28pm On Mar 05

Documents still under review since January 5

Ayo112:
Anything on your side bigmills??

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 9:10pm On Feb 24

After you have completed the program and obtain Work permit.
Before then, they can visit.

Yinkasuccess:
When can the family join for someone going for masters degree?

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 9:09pm On Feb 24

Oh Yes.

Shoot a mail.
[quote author=MemeOg post=138566643][/quote]

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 9:09pm On Feb 24

Sure
shoot me an email[quote author=MemeOg post=138566643][/quote]

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 8:32pm On Feb 24

If you can do medical upfront, please do it as well.

TundeTheHunter:
Received BIL today!

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 6:36am On Feb 20

Say no more!!!! Do this course and thank me later:https://www.dcu.ie/courses/postgraduate/school-law-and-government/ma-data-protection-and-privacy-law-and-computing

MemeOg:
Hello everyone.
I’m trying to find Nigerian lawyers who moved to Ireland via the Masters route. Whose Masters was in law.
I have questions around study, post study and getting a job (job doesn’t have to particularly be practicing law in Ireland) and skills that are in demand in these times. Basically, I’m looking for clarity and information around this is very scarce. Please if you are a lawyer or know someone you could connect me to, I’d be really grateful.

Travel › Re: Ireland Study Visa thread,General Life Experience of Nigerians Living in Ireland by bigmills: 6:35am On Feb 20

Nothing Major yet.

Ayo112:
Bigmills, any update??

Travel › Re: Canada Spouse Family Sponsorship Visa/appeal Process by bigmills: 6:06am On Feb 20

I have had two ghost update recently..One on the 12th of January, and another just on 16th of February.

I hope it is security done o.

TundeTheHunter:
Hello everyone,
I am a new member to the thread. I applied for common law sponsorship (outland) with my girlfriend in Canada. We applied through the outland route although we live in Canada in November 2025( received AOR in January 2026) , so my application is going to be processed in the Nigerian office. Please has anyone heard of any other similar application? What is the typical wait time for such applications in Nigeria right now

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