₦airaland Forum

shams040:
Currently at a point of dropping this PhD in Canada. Applied for SOWP since Oct nothing nothing. Applied for VV twice they got rejected. Really tired and seems Canada is trying to frustrate young married people from Nigeria.

I came in july 2021, as a PhD student and I applied since July for SOWP and VV for my spouse and two kids and up till now nothing from them. At some point I dropped out of PhD to Msc just to finish quick too and also I did to have freedom of time to be able to travel to visit my family once a while. I travelled to Nigeria in December to see my wife and kids stayed for a month. It costed some money but I stayed one month and it was worth my while. So pending the time you application gets approved you can look into visiting ur family put the ticket reservation also in ur new vv application it should strengthen it more alongside ur hometies

AKANLE2:
Hello House,

I am a student already in Canada since January, 2022. I want to apply for sowp for my spouse and study permit for my kids. Please can I use the same GC key account I used for my study permit to apply for my family or I need to create new GC key for their application?

Help your brother please

U need to create another gckey u can use ur email so that all messages will come to you if you think your spouse dont know much about the process. Sowp is good but are you prepared for the wait? How old are your kids a study permit might be better for the sowp to be faster thats just my view oo.

Iffylove:
I believe you wanted to write 171 days to 102 days instead of weeks.............

Yes sorry that was a typo error

Jonaholorun:
Yes sir i applied to accompany Study permit. Like when filling SP and asked is there anyone you will like to accompany you to Canada, the answer is Yes, the next form that pops up , I filled it. Thus it was joint application, spouse secured SP and have gone but we didn't hear of any update on my sowp

I get you now. One thing i know for sure is since both applications were together there is likelihood that it has might be approved becos the sp was approved but the delay is from the fact that sowp is not really a priority now except for profession in the shortage list that is profession on high demand. I will advice u request for GCMS notes although there might not be anything in it from the VO contact the MP too to help follow up, and also keep sending webforms and emails. But I read something online about 2 weeks ago now that one of the ministers not trudeau for sure said that SOWP will be taking a year now. And since then the processing time has increased from 39weeks to 46weeks as at yesterday while visit visa moved from 171days to 102 days as at yesterday. Now I will urge u to look into applying for a visit although you need to have strong hometies to prove to the VO that u will return if your visit visa lapse even if your sowp processing is still on.

Jonaholorun:
Help oooo

I applied together with my spouse as accompanying for sowp up till now nothing. It's a year now and nothing.

What should I do considering this is not sowp alone but joint application

I dont seem to understand joint application how? Do you mean u applied for study permit and your spouse sowp?

shams040:
Tired of Canada its been 6 months now and nothing nothing. Really finding it hard to concentrate on this Ph.D. stuff. Getting so sad .

Please if you're coming to Canada don't let anybody advise you to drop your family in Nigeria and come here first. Apply together if they reject apply again.

Hmmmm i feel your pain brother but like i did you can find time book a flight and visit your family. It gives a renewed strenght to cope for some time more

Elui12345:
Good day All,

Is it still advisable to apply for Visitor Visa for spouse and son when an SOWP application is still running ? The SOWP application is now 6 months hold in the system with no decision made yet.

Thanks.

You can apply for both. My SOWP is 10months now and nothing yet. Had to apply for vv last month ending. The emotional trauma is killing

corleone427:
See ehn who dey wait for PPR and never get am especially if he dey see other people timeline wey you applied before them dey give testimony he go be like say person get home problem....make God wey answer you answer me too o...I dey tempted to apply for VV with join...Omo I done tire....my mental health has been messed with already...But God nor dey sleep las las...I shall come here to to testify I know by God's grace

I agree with you the wait is killing application is 39 weeks today. infact i could not resist the temptation any longer so i decided to apply for VV for them ending of last month 300cad no go kill me. As at yesterday now they have increased sowp wait time to 42weeks from 39weeks and reduced VV to 145days from 171days. Its just a serious situation at this time.

jogojogo:
House, I need answers to these questions please......
Don't ignore if you have an idea of what could be done please.

How do I tackle refusal in my subsequent application.
Do I address only the issues raise or do a complete LOE with emphasies on the issues raised?
Do I have two LOEs..one for the general explantion and the other specifically to address the reason for refusal?
How much is GCMS note? 5$ or 19$
Can I get the GCMS note link please?

U need just one LOE to tackle the refusal reasons and attach evidences to proof. But it is adviceable to see your notes. Although these days most VO just look for flimsy excuses yet u need to be sure what he or she meant.

ami213:
Long Post Alert!

My fellow Nairalanders! Please felicitate with me because my God is good and kind to me, to him alone be all the glory.
I just received my long awaited PPR. VV for the spouse of an international student. I learnt a lot from this forum and it is very imperative I give back.

My first application was submitted June 2021
Resubmitted a new application via the new portal January 9 2022.
Refusal letter February 9 2022 (Refused Based on Family ties)
I ordered GCMS notes same day.
Reapplied February 22 2022
PPR April 7 2022


A refusal letter hits differently, I was devastated because I thought I had a strong and convincing application. It took me about 2 weeks to get myself to write a new LOE and SOP.

A sweetheart on this platform @mzjanez01 reached out to me and advised I reapply without the notes. She was kind to share how her husband tackled his refusal reasons as well. Jane, you are far too kind oh! Thanks for all the prayers and kind words.

My GCMS notes arrived on the 12th of March, it seems to be the shortest GCMS notes have seen. The VO wrote that “ applicant has strong family ties in Canada”. To be honest, I was disappointed because I was expecting a more detailed notes. (I kuku report the VO to God)
Luckily for me the VO concern has been addressed in the new application.

What i did to Tackle the refusal reason based on family ties? I strengthened my HOME TIES. Having surfed through YouTube and Other forums, I realized that no one knows your story more than YOU when it comes to addressing Home/Family Ties.
I explained my responsibilities to my parent, I wrote extensively about how important my career in Nigeria is, my personal business and ongoing projects.

Aside being an employee of a reputable agency, I further explained my other commitments and responsibilities that will make me return back to Nigeria and I supported my explanations with valid documents. Although the commitments were briefly mentioned in the first application but this time it was detailed and I connected how my absence will affect each of them. I included more documents to support each claim unlike the first application. To be honest, it wasn’t by the documents but God was fully involved. I think Baba God was tired of me murmuring my application number every morning and night, hence the PPR. lol!

The wait for PPR isnt for the faint hearted especially when you see people who applied after you sharing their timelines (e go come be like say na only you waka come). God of NLP answers prayer, I prayed and fasted fervently for this PPR. Chail! IRCC messed with my mental health. The plan was to visit my spouse after his first academic year but I couldn’t because of the pandemic. As it is, the visa got approved just in time for convocation (graduation is this summer) although Graduation wasn’t stated for purpose of visit, it was plainly “family reunification “


May this kind of joy go round. To all PPR hopefuls, it is just a delay not a denial.

(PS: I typed this timeline on the 22nd of March 2022 during my leisure time)

Documents Submitted:
Statement of Purpose letter
LOE on FAMILY TIES.
Marriage Certificate
Notarized copy of Marriage Certificate.
Affidavit for change of maiden name.
Family Images.
Birth certificate
Letter of Introduction from my Employer.
Employment Letter.
Assumption of Duty Letter.
Confirmation of Employment Letter.
Last Promotion Letter.
Four months’ pay slips.
Bank Statements for Naira Account.
Bank Statements for US Dollar Account.
Bank reference letter
Reference letter from my pension fund administrator.
Pension account statements and certificate
Police Character Certificate.
Land deeds of agreement.
Some other property documents.
Passport information page.
Covid Vaccination card.
CAC documents
Article of association and memorandum
And some other business documents.

Well deserved congratulations. The God that remembered you and did yours will remember all of us that are waiting for good ooo. Amen
The land of canada will bring forth its increase for you and will favor you

corleone427:
Congratulations to everybody getting PPR...been seeing enough testimony here....and to those refusals please try and address the aspect the VO mentioned for your refusal....

We still dey wait o....no PPR yet....1 year....1month......I decided to stay off nairaland for awhile make depression nor too set in

Still hoping on God...I want to come here and celebrate with my own testimony too just like other people are doing....amen

Hope it is SOWP? If it is please send them webform and emails daily telling then your application has passed standard processing times. They will respond since the standard time has elasp. Standard time as at this week is 40weeks.

SweetJJ:
Well in my case too for my husband's VV, I had also presented enough hometies aged parents, 5 siblings and their families, employment letter, leave letter for 21work days, landed property. My husband's VV was still refused on hometies and travel history. The hometies was well explained too in addition. Still waiting for the GCMS notes. We have not applied for SOWP. So I guess you can't really say it's because he has a SOWP in process already.

Alright its possible. but that was the first information the MPs special assistant gave me when i informed him of applying for VV for my spouse and kids. He was even the one that also told me that SOWP approval is based on essential profession that is profession in need.

LadyBlaq:
Bad news, terrible one but it is well.

It is well madam.

jogojogo:
To God be the Glory, I have just been refused on the ground of hometies and and travel History

For hometies, my proof of emplyment(letter from HR for vactation, payslip, pension account were presented), landed property, car document, family members (eight siblings, aged mother and father inlaw)

No travel History. I am thinking of travelling to few western african countries to get that corrected.
I submitted on 22nd of February, 2022.
I still have sowp application undecided.


I need our advise please

Sorry about the news to start with. Basically like I said some few weeks back the VO already has a notion that you wont want to come back since you have an active SOWP application and with this flagpolling of a thing now most VV dont eventually come back. Now you need a more convincing hometie which for now I cant really place my hands on cos you have really tried with the home ties u mentioned above. This is the senerio that likely happens when ome first declears SOWP and later switch to VV. You must give the visa officer a more convincing reason to visit also when u can actually wait and get sowp to stay as long as ur spouse stays, aside this they know that once you visit you have a 90 percent tendency not to keep to the terms and condition of return thereby looking for other means to stay and eventually outstaying ur TRV or changing it with flagpolling like i mentioned earlier.
This was basically why i was also avoiding applying for a VV for my spouse and kids since my spouse already has sowp but after waiting for 9months I had to proceed. I PRAY GOD HELP US ALL. IT IS EMOTIONALLY DRAINING.

Choco22:
Thanks but I didn’t see any reply. I got this reply after raising webform but the issue here is that I don’t know if I should go ahead send the documents or it’s just a normal response to webform so I should ignore and wait for senior officer to review my file

I will advice u send the one that corresponds to your situation. I also recieved that mail in january this year and i responded accordingly. Its just to proceed with ur application.

jogojogo:
I have the details of the MP already.
Including office address and phone contact and email.
I want to know if there is a format for communication.
And since the address is close to where my spouse stays, can the contact be by visit to the l Office or a mail can do?

The contact should be by email. Send him/she a normal email stating that you want him/she to help you follow up your application and check the status of you application. It is now the person that will send you format that he or she wants and the details they want

teminhi:
Here it goes.

I got my AIP 7 days after submitting application back in 2020 and arrived in Canada Jan 2021. Waited till I was settled then I applied for wife's sowp along with son's vv in June and then the wait began. My wife works with one of the leading HMOs back home. We did upfront medical for both of them.

Nairaland was our go to for info. We read from page to page. In October I contacted the MP for my area. After the back and forth, I was told the application was just sitting in Nairobi, yet to be treated because of the volume of applications they have. She however suggested that I do a visitor's application for my son on the new portal hoping that once that is treated, it will prompt them to work on his mum's sowp. I asked if I should do the visit for both of them but she suggested just my son. In Nov, I applied for vv for my son and it was approved in 19 days. Then we continued to wait.

When nothing happened on her application by mid Jan this year, I put in an application for her too on the new portal. At that point I stopped reading nairaland because I stopped being genuinely happy for those who got their approval in one, two or three months. Here we were in our 7th month.
I must say at this point that I usually sent in webforms every other week on behalf of my wife, attaching my transcript, tuition and study permit each time. I also sent mails to the email addresses shared here.

At 40th week I started considering using an immigration lawyer. Two days ago, 41st week, I woke up and saw like 6 mails from ircc. My heart skipped a beat. I didn't bother to open the mails, I logged in directly because I knew it was either good news or good news. We have waited this long for nothing else. And there it was. My son's vv was withdrawn on the old portal while my wife's sowp was approved. Her vv application on the new portal was also withdrawn stating her sowp was approved.

I can't describe the feeling. It's really awesome.
Here's a message to everyone waiting: God is working constantly. Though he hasn't forgotten you, keep reminding him of the situation. Keep believing, your joy too will be full.
I'll be more than happy to answer questions. You can ask here.I don't have access to the mailbox I used in opening this account so personal mails can't be reached. Thanks all

Wow medical line i guess. Wow june is just behind me. God of PPR is in my neighbourhood

teminhi:
All glory to God. SOWP ppr after 41 weeks. God be praised. Details later.

Wooooooow, a big big congratulations. Please we await your details and please help me add your profession and what steps you took to the details. Longing to read them cos its been long we had PPR for SOWP here

feistymikey:
I heard it’s Cheap, and fast cause there are no long stop overs that will last for hours…. But I also heard it’s uncomfortable.

They don’t provide you with the luxury that British Airways will provide you with

So it all depends on your pocket and which is more important to you

Ethiopian airline isnt cheap o. Yes it will not have long layovers. Also british airways that have any luxury or extra comfort so to say. Airlines that has that is emirates, qatar, air canada, lufthansa, airfrance, Klm, turkish. And they are more expensive.

impeccablerose:
SOWP, VV and Study permit are all temporary visas (same intent) so if you apply for all 3 or 2 of them at the same time, one might be withdrawn for the other. Hence its not advisable.
Express entry is for PR application (a different intent).
You can have a PR application and a temporary visa application being processed at the same time (dual intent) but not two or more temporary visa applications.

Haaa me don do sowp and VV oooo

rheene009:
Hi skull4eva
1. When did your spouse apply for this VV? he applied in Dec 2021 got rejected on 1st of Feb 2022
2. When you initially applied did you use your spouse as home ties? He was one of my home ties, but I focused more on my job and my parent's investments and properties.
3. What is your spouse's profession? He manages our real estate business in Singapore while I'm away for my study. He has more ties in Nigeria compared to Singapore that's why his SOWP was submitted in Nigeria.

His visa is genuine, I'm Singaporean so he holds a spousal resident permit which is probational. for some reason, IDK Nigeria passport holders are given a probational spousal resident permit. I'm just surprised they mentioned "No Reason" because he wrote his SOP, I also wrote an invitation letter expressing my difficulties as a student and as a mother with a baby during covid, I also attached a letter from a doctor who explained my situation when i and my baby got covid and no one to assist us. It's ok to state that my visa is less than 3 months since it will expire in April but stating "No reason" is quite surprising. Thank you skull4eva for your input on this. I will wait for my extension to be approved then I wonder if he should reapply using Nigeria as residence or Singapore?

The point is they tend to deny based on flimsy excuses for a reason best known to them. He should reapply from singapore add more home ties both to singapore and nigeria just to prove he will go back. Because he has already applied for sowp that gives the VO the notion that he wants to relocate to canada and stay so they see is application for vv as a short cut to come in and when that expires he might not wanna go back. Let him write an LOE to hammer more on the real estate business and more reasons why he will leave after is visit and the childs situation and ur need for assistance then attach you extended study permit i believe that should fly. Wait for other suggestions from the gurus in the house

rheene009:
I just got my GCMS notes for the reason of refusal for my hubby's VV and SOWP application. the reason for his refusal on the gcms note is
"Nigerian national who is a probationary resident in Singapore is seeking TRV to join spouse, Applicant also has an OPEN WORK PERMIT application in progress in Nairobi and there is no reason for the applicant to join spouse.
Weighing the factors in this application. I am not satisfied that the applicant will depart Canada at the end of the period authorized for their stay. For the reason above, I have refused this application"
VV was processed in Singapore since my spouse works there, and SOWP is still in progress, processed in Nairobi since April 2021.

The reason for VV and also for SOWP was family reunification since I'm alone here with an 11-month-old and I need some physical support.
Though my study permit was less than 3 months at the time I applied for VV, since I didn't receive an update from IRCC for my spouse's SOWP that was applied back in April 2021.

I want to ask what do you think I should do? I applied for a study permit extension in February 2022, which is currently in progress and my spouse sent a web form with my new LOA and explained I have submitted a study permit extension. Will the refusal from the VV affect my spouse's OWP?

1. When did your spouse apply for this VV?
2. When you initially applied did you use t
Your spouse as home ties?
3. What is your spouse profession?
Like i wrote some days ago this days the VOs look for flimsy reasons to deny VV for spouses that has SOWP application because they think sposues would need something more tangible to want to take them back home when VV expires even when SOWP application is stil in progress. Already your spouse is not in nigeria that make the VO assume that you and your spouse has the tendency not to return at the end of ur stay, more so your application for vv also looked desperate because ur study permit was almost expiring, finally the reasons you gave were no convincing to the VO that was why he termed them for no reason rewrite your SOP to give more convincing reasons why he must come to spend some time with tangible evidences that he will leave after the visit, submit ur extended study permit, in ur sop dwell more on the child care and probably how it is affecting you. Another thing of concern is hope your hubbys stay in singapore is genuie, legitimate and not short term? I believe from my little experience that the VV decision should not affect the decision for sowp but in the main time reapply for the vv as sowp is taking forever now except your spouse job is a profession that is termed esaential

cannyonyi:
Congratulations to our new ppr recipients!!!
Please I need your suggestion or advise. I applied for sowp for spouse and visit visa for kids in Feb 2021 and followed up with visit visa fir everyone on the new portal in October 2021. Apart from medical update for the VV application, we have not heard anything from IRCC. We are still on background check till date. I will be finishing school in April and study permit will be expiring December 2022. I want to know if it is advisable to withdraw the VV and apply again. Apart from the course that i graduate from (from a DLI school)I have also gotten a PSW certification on the side. Please what do i do at this point?

I think all you can do is
1. Keep praying
2. Contact your mp to help followup
3. Order gcms notes to know whatsup
4. Keep mailing and sending webforms
Asides these things I dont think there is any other thing u can do.

Please i also have a question when u applied for VV as a family on the new portal how much did u pay. Because am on their portal now and all i see is 100 cad for my spouse and 2kids

euphorbia:
For this COVID effect period, I agree with you but i think it can also be according to each province occupations in demand and not limited to medical line professions

Yeah but the most required these days is health care worker and social worker. IT is also in demand but sincerely we cant beat most canadians and chinese to coding.

Emmasonic4me:
Does the bolded in any way imply that an international student whose spouse is not a graduate cannot apply for SOWP?

I mean, when answering the questionnaire, if one says NO to the question asking if you have any post-secondary education outside Canada, will the outcome be ineligible at the end of the questionnaire?

My brother I cant say emphatically but from what my MP office told me today as a response on their 6th call to IRCC on my spouse application i think it is Yes as at now becos of the present situation. See SOWP is a work permit visa on its own it is just attached to the spouse of an international student or spouse of a PR or citizen. Now with the limited hands on deck as a result of covid and the ukraine war resultant effects they are only priotizing profession that is termed essential for now so that is why sowp application process is taking like forever. Infact the 37weeks on their portal is not followed from all indications, my spouse application will be 36weeks by tuesday and as at today nothing on eligibility has been done

jonosas:
August.

Thank you. Please if I may ask what course did your spouse study?

Yes today i finally confirmed that sowp whether stand alone or with study permit or with visit visa is only issued if the degree of the sowp applicant fall under the profession termed essential. Although most times when a study permit is attached to it the application is treated faster. Aside this i also realised that those of us that has sowp application active with IRCC and still apply for VV with the aim to fast track sometimes get deniel the VV this is because u need to convince the VO that when the VV elaspses even while ur sowp application is still in process you will leave canada at the end of your stay. Based on this the VO sometimes deniel such VV with just flimsy excuses of mainly hometies because they want somerhing very tangible enough to bring back such individual. So getting Sowp is basically subject to essential job request little wonder why the medical field has a better approval rate. With these my findings today am even scared the more to apply for visit visa.

jonosas:
Thanks, skull4eva.

SOWP:
* Kids' passports and birth certs
* Spouse's degree certificates
* Spouse's home ties (family and business)
* Upfront medicals (for all 3)
* POF (business acct, personal acct, my GIC, student acct statement)
* Proof of relationship (wedding pictures, wedding certificate)
* My docs (letter of authorization, student ID, enrolment letter, SIN, study permit
* Spouse's IELTS (was available, so why not)
* Spouse's police cert
* Spouse's SOP
* Covid 19 vaccination

VV:
Basically the same as SOWP, but the SOP was phrased differently and travel consent for the kids.

Please, who knows the procedure for sending passports for a parent and 2 kids to Abuja?

Congrats once again. When did you enter canada? Asking because some of us are of the opinion that one has to have don atleast a semester especially when one initially indicated family will stay behind and now situation has chnaged just to kind of understand IRCC trend to some extent

Sweetness24:
Wow,Congratulations to you and yours

Congrats once again. When did you enter canada? Asking because some of us are of the opinion that one has to have don atleast a semester especially when one initially indicated family will stay behind and now situation has chnaged just to kind of understand IRCC trend to some extent

jonosas:
Thanks, skull4eva.

SOWP:
* Kids' passports and birth certs
* Spouse's degree certificates
* Spouse's home ties (family and business)
* Upfront medicals (for all 3)
* POF (business acct, personal acct, my GIC, student acct statement)
* Proof of relationship (wedding pictures, wedding certificate)
* My docs (letter of authorization, student ID, enrolment letter, SIN, study permit
* Spouse's IELTS (was available, so why not)
* Spouse's police cert
* Spouse's SOP
* Covid 19 vaccination

VV:
Basically the same as SOWP, but the SOP was phrased differently and travel consent for the kids.

Thanks jonosas, for the detailed explanation the land of canada will favour you and your family.

jonosas:
PPR, baby!!!!

Oh, wow. What a ride.

Applied for SOWP for my wife and VV for my 2 kids on Nov 17, 2021.

Then applied for VV on the new portal for all three on Dec 30, 2021.

Received GCMS notes 2 days ago, mentioning home ties. Then today, messages about both applications appeared in wifey's inbox. When I saw them, my heart sank. I felt, this is it. E don finish.

I opened the VV on the new portal first. It said "withdrawn because a visa has been issued for your SOWP". It's still like a dream! In short, PPR for SOWP on the old portal (VV for kids withdrawn) and PPR for kids on the new portal.

I have to mention @Lianna2020 for all her help and support. You're absolutely awesome!!!

To anyone still anticipating, please don't lose hope.

Cheers!!!

Wow very fast ooo brother. I felicitate with you on this good news I pray ours that are still waiting come quick. Its been 8months plus now 35weeks sowp and VV for 2kids. What and what documents did you submit? Working on gathering documents for a VV application for all three of them.
Atleast with this ur news it show they are still issuing SOWP visa.

SweetJJ:
I'd suggest you do not withdraw the SOWP that is in progress already. However, you can reapply for VV for all of them. Their previous VV will be withdrawn. All the best!

Thank you @sweetjj i appreciate your kind advice