AdrianR

<rant>

So, many moons have gone by since meds were done and sent. Silence from the Embassy, then a request for Federal Police Certificates (Mexico has two 'layers' of Police, State and Federal). Certificates obtained and submitted back in May.

Silence...many moons go by. Frustrated, I email them to ask if they need further documentation. This gets a snippy response that they need new State Police Certificates as the originals are now more than 1 year old...

I have had enough.

It's now more than two years since I started this process with the Nova Scotia Dept Of Immigration. From the initial application to NS, it took 7 months to get nomination under the PNP-CI.

Then things went into the black hole that is the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City. State Police Certificates were required - this takes time. They also had to be translated and notarized (by a CANADIAN translator - had to be done by email) at considerable expense. Certificates were dated 24th Feb. 2010 and good for 1 year.

Federal PR application is received by the Embassy on April 18th 2010 - within the three-month time limit for those Police Certs to still be valid.

However, the Canucks sit on the application and don't pick it up until July 20th! What???

Their original processing time was stated as 80% of applications completed within 11 months - this has been getting longer and longer as time goes by. I have been in correspondence with them several times since July 2010 so why do they wait until now before deciding they want new State certs.?

Meanwhile, in those two years, wifey has completed teacher training, got herself a job in Texas, a 3 year H1B visa and leaves this Friday to start work, taking our daughter with her.

I'm beginning to think the Canadians are deliberately making this slow as a discouragement. I read here of folk getting PR from London in less than a year and I just fall deeper into the hole of hopelessness...

Doesn't look like I'm going anywhere for the foreseeable future, unless it's to Texas with the missus to be a non-working househusband.

Meanwhile, the Mexican military has taken over our local Police force after they were all sacked en masse for corruption, criminality and being the cause of generalized mayhem.

<rant over - thanks for listening>

ExKiwilass

Sorry to read this. FWIW I really don't think there is a conspiracy...it's just CIC is frigging slow.

BristolUK

I have a not dissimilar tale.

Straightforward Spousal Application made. CIC makes first of a series of errors. Apologises for errors; say what they should have done but leave the errors uncorrected. Requests to do the right thing fall on deaf ears.

Second application quicker than appealing - even though duplicate fees involved.

Then, of course, original medical report expires. Duplicate medical fees to be added to duplicate processing fees.

Takes nearly three years instead of the usual 6 months.

Letter to the Immigration Minister detailing what happened, including their letter of apology, gets passed on to CIC who respond with a 'form letter' outlining normal procedures. The End.

R I C H

Chin up Adrian. I'm in Texas next week for a conference. I'll take care of Mrs A for you. I mean look out for her, of course

Lemi

Surely in most cases CIC drag the whole thing out for as long as they do just to somehow make it appear a far more complex and involved process than it actually is to justify the stupid fees they charge along the way for what is (in most cases) essentially just a rubber stamp job.

Don't let it get you down. Soon enough you'll be here living the dream.

AdrianR

Thanks for the support - of course, I realize there are folk who have similar and worse tales to tell...can I join your club please?

And naturally, after a night's sleep (it's 6.15AM here, coffee is bubbling away), it doesn't seem so bad - just that they want certificates in 30 days that take almost 5 weeks to obtain. I daresay I should be grateful that they don't want something really obscure!

An email will have to wing its way asking for more time or allowing the original certs to stand.

ireland2canada

Chin up. Two years is a long time, but nothing compared to the wait some have. At the very least you do have options....a few years in Texas sounds interesting

caretaker

Texas is really Occupied Mexico so you'll feel right at home. That's what I'd do.

AdrianR

LOL!
That's right!

But as an expat with 8 years over here, it's just that many things have squeezed me out of my comfort zone.

Oink

Have you thought about going back to the UK? You could be sitting by an Autumnal open fire in the corner of a country pub sipping your beer in no time.

AdrianR

Eeek! Back to the UK? Back to Square One in Olde Albion?
I'll take my chances out here - be it Mexico, Canada or Texas...

Steve_

The approach the Govt is taking now is they want to have as many applications for PR status done in-country because they're aware that many embassies are giving crappy service. The idea is you come here on a TWP which is relatively simple to process then apply for PR status later on.

Certainly took longer than a year for me to get my visa, and it was back before the backlog built up.

Mhut

Hi Adrian,

Sorry to read your post, just for comfort thought I'd let you know we waited just over 5 years to get our visas. So hang in there.

Boris-canadabound

Sorry to read about your experience. If it helps, we've just been turned down flat for our PR. Our migration agent said we could do a statutory declaration in lieu of certain lack of evidence. When the time came we were then told we could just send a statement. I queried it at the time but was told it was ok as it was, so I assumed that if the immigration people required the stat dec they would ask for it. Instead of that we were turned down flat. Then she told us it was at their discretion as to whether they would accept it - definitely not was she told us at the beginning. Now we have a choice either to wait until we have been here one year, after which time we would have enough points without providing the proof, or wait for two years and go the 'Canadian Experience' route. If we have known the position at the outset we would have just worked for 2 years on TWPs and applied under the 'Canadian Experience'.

So as you can see, I can sympathise with your frustrations!

Geordie Lass

Sorry to butt in on this thread - but do you mind explaining what you mean about TWP-PR routes you have mentioned. I don't know about either of them. Its likely if we get into Canada we will go in via TWP and apply for PR out there. My worry is (with a young child in toe) that we will get refused PR and have to come home.

I know very little about applying for PR on a TWP so all the info you could give me would be great.

Thanks