FelineNation

Hello all, this is my first post, so please be gentle .

My situation is a little complex, bear with me.....

I lived in canada some years ago, and have canadian citizenship. I have two sisters in canada (with their own children and grandchildren). I moved back to the UK to help care for my ailing mother. Subsequently married, and had 3 kids (eldest is 6, twins are 2).

Fast forward .... mother has since died, and my elderly father (87) now lives with us.

We are planning to return to canada with my father. Kids have dual nationality and I am processing their canadian citizenship and passports now - this will apparently take 12 months+. I will sponsor my husband, which apparently will take between 6 - 8 months. I will hold off on sponsoring my husband until we have confirmation for dad. So far so good.

Now we come to dad. My sister in canada has applied to sponsor dad, the application went in May this year. We have heard nothing back since, but have read on the site that the processing time for parent/grandparent class is OVER THREE YEARS !! - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...sp#sponsorship

You can imagine my shock on reading this, as dad will be 90 by then (if he makes it). And we're all in limbo until we know if he is accepted.

Does anyone have any experience in waiting times for eligible relatives ? Is there any way to get it done faster ?

Any advice gratefully received.

Jilly

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry to have to tell you that the sponsorship timeframe for your father would actually be 4 or more years rather than 3. The processing time on the CIC website that you mentioned is only relevant for the first part of the process at Mississauga, but it's actually a two stage process and after this would have to be sent to London where it will take another year or so before he gets PR.

I'm sorry, but there is no way around it.

Good luck.

FelineNation

oh my, this is so depressing

is there any way of sponsoring on compassionate or humanitarian grounds ?

many thanks
j

christmasoompa

There are ways to sponsor using humanitarian grounds, but it's not something that would apply to you. Humanitarian grounds are for situations such as being family members in war zones or in Haiti after the earthquake etc.

I know it won't be much comfort, but there are many people in the same situation who are desperate to get elderly parents over asap. You'll just have to wait your turn in the queue I'm afraid.

Fingers crossed it goes as quickly as possible for you.

FelineNation

yes I can see i'm going to have to just wait.

but are the processing times just for guidance, and worst case ? does anyone have any experience of how long it has actually taken?


thanks again
j

big ron

Hi Feline,
Just been going through the process ourselves and I understand how you are feeling.My son applied to sponsor his mother and myself in may 2007 and we have just had our medicals,thats a long time,but we are younger than your father , now in our sixties.I was a young man when we applied.
The simple fact is they don't really want us ,as we in their eyes may be a burden to the state in years to come.I can't blame them really but they have to let a certain amount in I presume otherwise a lot of work age immigrants would not go if their parents could not follow.I don't know anything about the compassionate route of immigration but you have nothing to loose.I would get in touch with a specialised immigration lawyer for advice.All the best in the future to all of you as I sympathies with your predicament.

FelineNation

Thanks for your input Big Ron. So it took 3.5 years to your medical - wow?

How much longer is it likely to be before you go ?

big ron

Hopefully sometime next summer but we still have our bungalow to sell and you know what the housing market is like,so it's fingers crossed has soon as they ask for our passport all hell will break loose .

FelineNation

let's hope the housing market picks up for spring

Good Luck

Zhanna

I have just checked the application time-line - it is 6 years for the two stages of getting PR for parents at the moment (not including a year or so we'd need before we are eligible to apply for sponsorship)! It's awful, they will miss all their granddaughter's developmental milestones! Does anybody know how long it is practically possible to keep grandparents on the visitor's visa? I know they can get a 6 months visa which can be extended from within Canada. But for how long? And what next? I suppose it wouldn't be possible to carry on doing it for 6 years?? Many thanks for any ideas! And good luck to Jilly getting your dad to live with you!

FelineNation

===

Hi Zhanna, my sister checked with a lawyer in Canada, and had we not ALREADY followed the proper process and made an application to sponsor my dad, we could have bought him in on a visitor visa then applied from within Canada on humanitarian grounds, him being an elderly war vet with all his children in Canada and noone to care for him in the UK etc, we were advised it would have taken about 12 months to get him landed.

However, while he was waiting he would have to be on a visitor visa for the first 6 months, and essentially for the remainder he would not be legally landed, plus he would not be covered by provincial medical cover. Because of his advanced age, the cost of private insurance for him would have been over £1,000 per month (!) and would not cover any pre-existing conditions - of which he has a few. So we have decided not to risk it and have no choice but to await the process. Better that than leave him in a care home (probably to die).

Ironically, the canadian citizenship certificates for my children just came through this week - but they are unlikely to be going before they reach High School age at this rate - sigh

However, if your parents are maybe a decade or two younger and fitter, then they might want to consider if it is worth the risk. I would get legal advice BEFORE you fill in any applications and get them to check for medical insurance cover.

Hope that helps
Jillian

big ron

Hi ALL
We finally got our visa in feb 2011 after 44 months wait following the sponsorship process.A long time but we eventually got there and are still alive and kicking.House up for sale next week can,t wait to sell up and go. Good luck to you all and keep trying.

FelineNation

Congratulations big ron, good luck selling your house

Jilly

Zhanna

Thank you very much for your advice Jillian! It is a very interesting idea, I wasn't aware of such possibility, we will defenitely look into it. I hope it all goes well for you and your dad, good luck!

And congratulations to Big Ron!

singingringingtree

Is it correct that under these circumstances you don't have to be in Canada for a year before you can sponsor? I have heard of someone bringing their parent over with them when they moved over and going down the humanitarian route.