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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 7: Timeline and Tools)

Friday, November 29, 2024

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This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.

Outline of Part 7: Timeline and Tools
  • Software/Tools
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader
    • ILovePDF.com
    • Dropbox
    • Microsoft Word
  • More Tips
  • Timeline

Software/Tools


Adobe Acrobat Reader


Adobe is used to open all the downloaded forms from the portal. We also used this to fill out the forms but note that the reader and even the pro version of Acrobat cannot draw signatures on the forms so if you need to sign the forms, you will need to print them out, sign and scan (or take clear photos) the documents.


Download here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/



ILovePDF.com


For some supporting documents, we had to either convert from JPG to PDF, merge them into one file or resize them since there is a 4MB limit (as of July 2023) per file. We used ILovePDF to do all those processes.


For file compression, I would suggest to go for the Good Compression settings because anything lower than that has very low quality already.


Website: https://www.ilovepdf.com/



Dropbox


Our photos could not all be uploaded as original so we had to convert them to PDF and that meant losing its metadata. We decided to upload our photos in a Dropbox file and added a link to our file with the captions of the photos. 


Unlike Google Drive, Dropbox can be opened without a Google or a Dropbox account so we thought it would be easier to open in case the officer needs to view the original photos.



Microsoft Word


I used Microsoft Word for around 80% of the documents. It is also another good way to compile multiple photos into one document. A free software option would be Google Docs. I just chose Microsoft Word because it's what I'm more used to and offers more flexibility.



More Tips

  • I found it was most efficient to prepare the required documents as in order on the document checklist (IMM5533). 
  • While it is good to reference other people's cases such as this series to give yourself an idea of what the process is like or how long it would take, avoid making other people's immigration stories as fixed models of your case. Different immigration cases may have slight differences that may be integral to how their entire process is going to turn out.


Timeline


I am sharing my timeline below, but please do note that this is not a standard reference and there are no assurance that your application will be in a similar timeframe. 


For privacy reasons, I have removed the exact dates, but I included on days passed since last correspondence from IRCC. All days stated in this timeline are in calendar days. 


  • Fees paid and application submitted. Received an email of confirmation of submission (not AOR).
  • Confirmation of sponsorship application was received by my sponsor (husband) via email.  Days passed since last correspondence: 62 days
  • Request for biometrics received by principal applicant (me). Days passed since last correspondence: 21 days
  • Email received by sponsor (husband) with his sponsor approval and information the application will be forwarded to Manila visa office. Days passed since last correspondence: 1 day
  • Biometrics done at VFS Cebu by principal applicant (me).
  • Medical exam request received by principal applicant (me) via email. Days passed since last correspondence: 1 day
  • Medical exam done at NHSI Cebu by principal applicant (me).
  • Principal applicant (me) and sponsor (husband) received instructions to link online application via email from IRCC. The application can only be linked to one account or tracker. Days passed since last correspondence: 12 days
  • Background check status changed from "In Progress" to "Not Applicable". I am unsure of what this meant though. It might be a technical glitch or something else. Days passed since last tracker change: 0 - this is the first tracker change
  • Received my medical results via email from Nationwide Health Systems. Note that I contacted them via email prior to this.
  • Received an email from Nationwide Health Systems confirming that my medical results have been submitted to the embassy and that they will send me the proof of submission once it's available. There was no change in the tracker yet. Days passed since last correspondence from NHS: 4 days
  • Received an email from Nationwide Health Systems with an attached pdf confirmation that all of my results have been submitted  to the embassy. NHS referred to this document as the tracking sheet. Days passed since last correspondence from NHS: 1 day
  • GCKey tracker updated Review of Medical Results to "Passed the Medical Exam". Days passed since last tracker change: 9 days
  • Received request of additional document from IRCC via GCKey account.  Days passed since last correspondence: 35 days
  • Submitted requested additional document via GCKey online.
  • Invitation to pre-arrival services received. Days passed since last correspondence: 262 days
  • Passport request letter received. Days passed since last correspondence: 12 days
  • First PR Portal email received. Days passed since last correspondence: 5 days
  • PR Confirmation email letting me know that my application is ready to be finalised. Days passed since last correspondence: 11 days
  • Eligibility and background checked changed to complete in GC Key. Application approved. ECoPR available for download in PR Portal. Days passed since last correspondence: 11 days

Total days of application: 433 days


You may view all parts of the series here


Part 6: Timeline and Tools written on October 2024


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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 6: Medical Exam)

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In this post I'll talk about my experience on the medical exam. Usually, the letter of request for the medical exam comes after the biometrics request. If you're curious about what my timeline was like, you may check the Timeline and Tools part of this series.

This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.


Outline of Part 6: Medical Exam

  • Important Notes
  • Part One: Booking an Appointment
    • Steps 1-7
  • Part Two: Paying for the appointment using bank transfer. 
  • Part Three: Documents
  • Part Four: Medical Exam in NHSI Cebu
    • Step One. Arrival.
    • Step Two. Pre-registration. 
    • Step Three. Registration. 
    • Step Four. Picture taking.
    • Step Five. Pre-exam
    • Step Six. Cashier
    • Step Seven. Urinalysis.
    • Step Eight. Blood Extraction.
    • Step Nine. Chest X-Ray.
    • Step Ten. Physical Examination.
    • Step Eleven. Medical Info Sheet.
  • My experience of following-up the results


IMPORTANT NOTES

  • This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.
  • I had my medical exam at October 2023 and I was told that by November 2023, they will be transferring to a new site. I am unsure if this move is final nor do I have any way of making sure that they will follow the same workflow or process. Always check their website for the final information. (See part 4 of this post if you don't know where to find their workflow chart)
  • The experience detailed in this post are specific to Nationwide Health Systems Inc. (NHSI) in Cebu City in October 2023. I do not have any knowledge if these processes are similar to other NHSI branches in the Philippines or in any other country. To check the other NHSI Group branches, you may check this link https://nhsgroup.ph/index.html .
  • NHSI Cebu is part of the Canada's official list of panel physicians for the medical exam. To check the complete list of panel physicians in your country and in your area, refer to this link:
  • Have patience and be kind even if the staff entertaining you does not seem to have a very good day. 
  • PAY ATTENTION to announcements. They will only call out names for every single part of the process so leave your headphones at home or avoid chitchatting if you're waiting for your turn.
  • I would suggest that you don't wear any jewelry and tie your hair up in a bun if you have longer hair just for a faster experience. Also, it's best not to wear a dress or a jumpsuit or anything that comes in just one piece.
  • At around 12:00-12:30 pm, the staff will go on a lunch break and you can take your lunch break at this time as well. They will be back at 1:00pm so make sure to be back before that if you decide to leave the clinic for a break. 
  • It took me three hours to complete the entire medical exam.

I have detailed the specifics of what our application is like in the previous parts of this series, but for the sake of this part's purposes and in case it matters - I am applying under Family Sponsorship as a spouse of a Canadian permanent resident.


Part One: Booking an appointment

Step One. Go to https://nhsgroup.ph/cebu.html and click Make an Appointment.

Step Two. Choose a service (your country and age group) and provider (NHS branch). 

Step Three. Choose a date and time for your appointment. Greyed out or non-coloured dates are unavailable.


Step Four. Enter your personal information including your Unique Client Identifier (UCI) which should be found in the pdf documents in IRCC's email correspondence.

Step Five. The next screen will ask you to review and confirm if all the personal details are correct.

Step Six. Your appointment will be booked.


Step Seven. I received the appointment confirmation email. It was on my junk folder. The email contained instructions on the documents to bring, clinic policies and payment information.


Part Two: Paying for the appointment using bank transfer. 


To check the fees, click Requirements and Fees.



Step Two. Click Payment Options and the page will scroll all the way down to the payment option section. This will also show the bank details of the clinic. 

Step Three. Using your bank's website/application/software, transfer the money as how you would regularly. Make sure to double check all the details. I highly suggest copy and pasting directly from the website to avoid errors.

Step Four. IMPORTANT. Take a screenshot when the deposit is completed. Make sure the screenshot includes all the necessary details such as a reference number and the time of deposit.

There will be no confirmation email sent that they have received the payment.


Part Three: Documents


To view the latest required documents for the appointment, go to https://nhsgroup.ph/cebu.html and click Requirements and Fees.


These are the documents I prepared that were required at my time of appointment:
  • Printed copy of the email confirmation of the appointment received from NHSI.
  • Medical examination request letter (IMM1017) received via email from IRCC. I prepared two copies - one with my photo glued to it and another one without the photo (I also brought an extra photo and the receipt for the photo).
  • NHSI Form downloaded from NHSI website. I filled this out before I went to the clinic.
  • Printed screenshot of my online bank deposit receipt
  • COVID vaccination record photocopy. I also brought the original copy.
  • MMR vaccination record photocopy. I also brought the original copy.
  • Eyesight prescription record from optometrist photocopy. I also brought the original copy.
  • Passport. 
  • Two photocopies of passport. This requirement is not stated in their website but this was required when I got to the clinic.
Other things that I brought:
  • Black pen.
  • Face mask to be worn inside the clinic at all times, unless asked otherwise.


Part Four: Medical Exam in NHSI Cebu


Note: This is based on my experience and photo/video recording were not allowed so I won't have any photos to share unfortunately. To review the standard process of the clinic, go to https://nhsgroup.ph/cebu.html and click Payment Options > Working Flow Chart



Step One. Arrival. I approached the security guard and told him that I had an appointment. 

You may choose to arrive as early as three hours or an hour before your appointment. Just don't be late. For walk-in applicants, you have to wait until 1:00 pm when they will announce IF there are available slots for the day. It is always best to book an appointment online.

Step Two. Pre-registration. My appointment was confirmed and the staff in charge here gave the following:
  • Priority number. The staff wrote this in my NHSI form.
  • HIV Test Consent Form. I needed to fill this out.
  • Patient Checklist. I did not need to fill this out. Each person in charge for each part of the exam needed to sign this. Do not leave each stage/test without having this signed.

Step Three. Registration. 
  1. I waited for my number to be called for registration.
  2. Presented all my requirements and was collected by the staff.
  3. My left arm was stamped.
  4. The checklist was signed by the staff in charge.
  5. I took a seat at the waiting area.

Step Four. Picture taking. Note that at times, this can come before the registration. Just pay attention to the number or the last name they are calling out.
  1. I waited for my last name to be called.
  2. The personnel guided me to a room.
  3. I was asked to remove my earrings and my eyeglasses for the photo.
  4. My photo was taken.
  5. My checklist was signed for both the picture taking and the pre-exam.
  6. I took a seat at the waiting area.

Step Five. Pre-exam
  1. I waited for my last name to be called.
  2. I signed another form and gave it back to the staff.
  3. I took a seat at the waiting area.

Step Six. Cashier
  1. I waited for my last name to be called
  2. I paid via bank transfer so I just had to present the printed copy of my bank transfer receipt to the cashier. As of the writing of this post, they only take cash payments.
  3. I also gave the cashier my checklist.
  4. The cashier gave me an official receipt and my checklist was signed.
  5. I took a seat at the waiting area.

Step Seven. Urinalysis.
  1. Normally, you have to wait for your last name to be called. However, I really had to pee so I just asked the staff in charge if I can have a sample cup because of it. 
  2. I went to the designated urinalysis restroom/toilet/washroom/CR and collected my sample. I was told that the minimum was halfway through.
  3. I placed the sample cup on a tray where the other samples were.
  4. I had my checklist by the same staff member who gave me my sample cup.
  5. I took a seat at the waiting area.

Step Eight. Blood Extraction.
  1. When my last name was called, the staff member guided me to the blood extraction area and I was told to go straight to x-ray after. I was given two papers: one for laboratory and the other for x-ray.
  2. I gave the laboratory document to the medical technologist who extracted my blood and also showed my passport.
  3. My blood was extracted.
  4. I had my checklist signed.

Step Nine. Chest X-Ray.
  1. After the blood extraction, I went to the x-ray room.
  2. I gave my x-ray document.
  3. I changed my top into a lab gown. 
  4. When I was ready, I informed the staff and my x-ray was taken.
  5. I had my checklist signed.
  6. I went back to the waiting area.

Step Ten. Physical Examination.
  1. Doctors were the ones who called out the names for this stage. 
  2. When my last name was called, I followed the doctor to her office where I had a physical exam.

Step Eleven. Medical Info Sheet.
  1. After the medical exam, I informed the staff near the reception that I was done with everything. I was told to wait at the side for the result of my x-ray.
  2. A staff came and told me that my x-ray results were normal.
  3. I was instructed to go back to the pre-exam counter and to ask for my medical info sheet.
  4. I gave my checklist.
  5. The staff at the pre-exam area gave me my medical info sheet. This sheet is a sort of receipt that I have completed the medical exam. There was also another paper with information on where to follow-up the results.

My experience of following-up the results

I was informed that it would take 5-10 business days for the results to be submitted to IRCC. From the fifth day mark, I started following up the clinic if my results have been submitted. This is my experience:

  • Email - I sent numerous emails with my information. I emailed daily and they only responded when my results were ready.
  • Phone number - Tried to call multiple times, the phone rang but there was no answer.
  • Mobile number - Tried to call multiple times, it rang but there was no answer. I also sent text messages and I did not receive any response.

You may view all parts of the series here

Part 5: Medical Exam written on October 2023

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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 5: VFS Cebu Biometrics)

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As part of the visa process, I was asked to provide my biometrics at the nearest visa office. More information on Canada's biometric collection is available on this link: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/how-to-give-biometrics.html#

The visa office nearest me requires an appointment so the first part of this section would include the steps I made to book an appointment and the second part is the actual collection process at the office. I had my biometrics collected at VFS Cebu. Do note that different offices may have different processes so make sure to read on your local office's website.

Note: This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.


Outline of Part 5: VFS Cebu Biometrics

  • Part One: Booking the appointment.
    • Step One. Finding the nearest visa office. 
    • Step Two. Booking an appointment. 
    • Step Three. Printing out documents.
    • Where to find the VFS Consent Form
  • Part Two: Biometrics Collection Appointment in VFS Cebu City
    • Steps 1-7


Part One: Booking the appointment.


Step One. Finding the nearest visa office. Go to your country's biometrics collection office website. You will find a link in the IRCC  biometrics instruction letter (BIL) pdf where you can search for your country's offices. In my case, VFS is the nearest authorised biometrics collection centre.

Step Two. Booking an appointment. I went to their booking website and tried the first option which is to book online (Option 1 - Online). The link was not working despite trying it on three different browsers. I also tried this web form (Option 3 - Email), but I did not receive any acknowledgement or response. Option 4 - Web Chat was also not working at that time.

So I decided to call them. 


VERY IMPORTANT

I prepared the following information before I called the office:

  • IRCC number. It can be found in the pdf attached biometrics instruction letter (BIL) in IRCC's email and scroll all the way down. The IRCC number may be in the area nearest to the QR codes. 
  • Desired dates and times for the appointment.
  • They also asked for my complete name, email and date of birth. 

I was only able to succesfully book an appointment via the phone scheduling. I called the hotline that is available on Option 2 Telephone. Kindly refer to the link below for their phone number:
The phone call was pretty quick. It took only around 15 minutes and a majority of that was listening to the instructions for the phone menu and the waiting time for the agent to pull out their booking software.

I received an email confirming my appointment.

Step Three. Printing out documents. After the agent has booked my appointment, I was informed of the documents I needed to bring. These are what I printed out (I printed out two copies of each just for good measure):


Where to find the VFS Consent Form

Alternative to the VFS Consent Form linked above if it does not work or if you want to be sure of the latest version, follow these steps:

Go to https://visa.vfsglobal.com/phl/en/can/apply-visa

In the Apply From tab, choose Philippines. In the ...and I'm going to, choose Canada

In the Apply for Visa section, click Start Now.


Scroll down to 2 - Begin Your Application section and look for the words consent form. This will open a separate tab with the pdf that you can save to your computer or directly print.

In case you don't know yet, you can download or print using these icons on the upper right hand corner. Note that I am using Google Chrome browser in a Mac OS for this. 


Part Two: Biometrics Collection Appointment in VFS Cebu City

Office Address:

Unit 905 9th Floor Keppel Center, Samar Loop cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City


VERY IMPORTANT

  • Arrive at the office at least 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
  • I brought the following with me:
    • Biometrics instruction letter (BIL) from IRCC
    • Appointment confirmation from VFS
    • Passport
    • VFS Consent Form
    • Black ballpen
  • If you can, only bring your mobile phone, your wallet and documents. There is a Php 105 fee for the locker if you have a bag or anything similar. This fee is only paid at the room where your biometrics will be processed. The website and the emails did not inform me of any extra fee so keep this in mind especially if you’re like me who almost never carries cash. VFS fees are to be paid in cash. Check this link for the complete list of VFS fees, follow the link below and click on Service Charges.



Step One. I arrived at around 6:15 am for my 7:00 am appointment. The main entrance was still closed at this time so I went to the entrance in the parking area. I informed the security guard that I have a VFS appointment for 7:00 am and I was told that another security personnel from VFS will be coming for their clients.

Step Two. The VFS security came at around 6:50 am and checked the documents of those who have a 7:00 am appointment. I presented my appointment confirmation.

VFS Security

Step Three. We were asked to come up to the office at around 6:55 am where we queued for the security screening.

Step Four. At 7:00 am, those with appointments for that time were asked to approach the VFS reception counter. I showed my appointment confirmation again and I was given a queue number for the biometrics waiting room. I was also asked to deposit my bag at this time. I was given a key and guided to the door.

Step Five. Inside the biometrics waiting area, there was a TV monitor showing which queue number is being catered to and in which room.

Step Six. When it was my turn, I went inside one of the biometrics collection room and went through the process. It took less than 10 minutes. I also paid for the locker fee of Php 105 here. The receipt was necessary to claim my bag.

Step Seven. After the process, I was given a receipt that shows I've completed the biometrics collection. I also received an email from VFS confirming the collection and also the tracking number for my application.


  

You may view all parts of the series here


Part 5: VFS Biometrics Enrollment written on October 2023

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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 4: Application)

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After we had good idea on what the forms are and other supporting documents we needed to prepare, it was time to finally lodge the application.


According to the CIC website,

"As of September 23, 2022, you must now apply online for this program.  If you can’t apply online, and require accommodations, including for a disability, you can ask for the application in another format (paper, braille or large print)." 

Source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp


Brace yourself especially if you're not very into technology and online applications. The portal can sometimes run into trouble, but if you're sure that you're doing everything carefully and doing it right, you don't have to worry much.  If you are having technical problems with the portal, you may submit a form here: https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx


Again, here are important things to know about our application:

  • My husband is a Canadian permanent resident residing in Canada, but a Filipino citizen (holding a Philippine passport). I am a Filipino citizen.
  • This is both our first (last and only) marriages.
  • We dated for 2+ years before getting married. 
  • We have been married for around a month by the time we lodged the application.
  • Both my husband and I have no record of visa overstay or violations in Canada and in any other country. 
  • I (sponsored applicant) have not resided in any country other than the Philippines.
  • We don't have any dependent on this application.
  • This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.
  • This is not a comprehensive guide or a hack to get approved, but merely a record of our experience. For the latest information, visit https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp .
  • You may view all parts of the series here



Outline of Part 4: Application

  • Part One: Creating  a Canada Permanent Residence Portal account.
    • Steps 1-5
  • Part Two: Starting a New Application
    • Step 1. Create a New Application
    • Step 2. Select a Permanent Residence Program.
    • Step 3. Fill out and upload forms. 
      • Digital forms - these needed to be filled out directly in the portal
      • PDF Forms - Need to be downloaded,  filled out and uploaded to the portal.
    • Step 4. Upload required and supporting documents.
    • Step 5. Pay your application fees.
    • Step 6. Submit your application.
  • Technical errors experienced
    • Form status stuck in "In Progress" even if the form is completed.
    • There was a technical error when handling your request. Please try again later.



Part One: Creating  a Canada Permanent Residence Portal account.


Step 1. Permanent Residence Portal. This portal can be used for application of Permanent Residence (if you are eligible) as well as renew, replace or request online for a new PR card for permanent residents. 


Direct link: https://prson-srpel.apps.cic.gc.ca/en/login


You can also use the portal to apply for other permanent residence programs. You may read the information here: 


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/how-to-apply-online.html


Step 2. I clicked Create Account at the bottom of the page.


Step 3. I entered my account information such as email and password. I made sure to READ before I accepted the terms and conditions.


Step 4. I was then taken to a page where I needed to confirm my email using a code. The email went to my junk folder.


Step 5. After I confirmed my account, I signed in again using the credentials in the account registration.


Part Two: Starting a New Application


In the home page which I was redirected to after a successful login, I found the information on the general application process. I suggest you take time to read through this.


Step 1. Creating a New Application


Right below the information are two boxes that has options to create a new application or renew a PR card. In this case, we have to choose the Create a New Application button. It looks like this:




Step 2. Selecting a Permanent Residence Program.


I chose the Family program under Spouse category and Family Class because I live outside of Canada. I also added my own customised title to this application.


Step 3. Filling out and uploading forms. 

After entering your program category, a complete list of forms will be loaded at the bottom half of the page. If you're interested, more details on these forms are available on Part 2: Forms of this series. There are also other sections that will be loaded but I will talk about them in the succeeding steps. These are the forms for my case:

Digital forms - these needed to be filled out directly in the portal
  • IMM 0008 - Generic Application Form for Canada (This form is mandatory for all programs)
  • IMM 5406 - Additional Family Information (This form is mandatory for all programs)
  • IMM 5562 - Supplementary Information - Your Travels
  • IMM 5669 - Schedule A: Background/Declaration (This form is mandatory for all programs)
As you fill out and complete digital forms, the status will go from Not Started to Ready to Submit. If the form is incomplete but has been opened, the status will change from Not Started to In Progress.

PDF Forms - Need to be downloaded,  filled out and uploaded to the portal.
  • IMM 1344 - Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking
  • IMM 5532 - Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Form
  • IMM 5533 - Document Checklist: Spousal Sponsorship (Including Dependent Children) (IMM 5533)
Additional Application Forms
  • No additional application form necessary for my case.

Step 4. Uploading required and supporting documents.

I went through the supporting documents in Part 3: Supporting Documents of this series. Each document is uploaded as required by the portal.

Per row in the table for main and supporting documents, each document required is identified on the left hand side and an upload button for it is directly to its right.


Main required documents:
  • Travel documents and passports
  • Police certificates and clearances
  • Photo(s)
  • Birth certificates
  • Proof of status

To upload the supporting documents, I needed to scroll down the page and navigated my way to the Additional Supporting Documents section and looked for the search bar with this icon:  🔍 . I looked for the supporting document type and a row added below for that type after choosing it.


Additional supporting documents:
  • Translation and Affidavit - Affidavit of our translator together with the translated document
  • Marriage certificate
  • Proof of relationship - We used this document row for the first 10 photos of wedding and different times of the both of us, with family and friends.
  • Others - We used this document row for the additional 10 photos.  In our case, the maximum allowed was 20.
  • Proof of relationship to sponsor
    • Letters from friends and family stating their awareness and support of our relationship. We uploaded four.
    • Joint bank account certificate. This was not in the checklist but we added this because we had one.
    • Proof of contact - screenshots of our conversations since we met. This was the original document that the translations were derived from.
    • Proof of social media activity
    • Proof of financial support - remittance receipts

IMPORTANT: These documents are what we felt fit our situation and application. These are not necessarily the same exact types or the standards that you submit. Make sure your main reference is the document checklist (IMM 5533).


Step 5. Paying the application fees.

The sponsor (your Canadian permanent resident or citizen spouse) will pay for the application. Here's the general process:

  • From the Family sponsorship section, choose Spouse, partner or children
  • You will be led to a page where you can add the necessary quantity of chargeable fees to your application. In our case it was:
  • Click submit.
  • The next page is a summary of the fees to be paid. Click Login and Pay.
  • If the sponsor has a pre-existing account for online government transactions, all he/she needs to do is to log-in. If not, a new account has to be created. Follow the instructions in creating a payment account accordingly.
  • Pay for the fees using any of the accepted payment methods.
  • Wait for the receipt that will be sent via email. This receipt will be in PDF form. Download this receipt.
  • Go back to the Permanent Residence portal and upload the receipt in the Pay Your Fees section.

Step 6. Submitting the application.

After uploading your receipt and reviewing all of my documents, the Submit Your Application button at the bottom of the page changed to the colour green. 

When I was ready, I clicked Submit Your Application.

I received an email that confirmed that my application has been submitted. 

IMPORTANT: This is not an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR). Once an agent is done reviewing your submission and it's okay to proceed, you will receive another email.

Technical errors experienced


Form status stuck in "In Progress" even if the form is completed.


I tried to fix this multiple ways including logging in and out, refreshing the browser, restarting my computer and restarting with a new application. I initially used Safari and Google Chrome. It only got fixed when I switched to Mozilla Firefox which (side note) I honestly didn't know still existed.


There was a technical error when handling your request. Please try again later.


I tried logging in and out, resetting my connection and restarting my computer but it kept giving me that error. I made the big mistake of deleting my started application with the hopes of restarting a new one but it still gave me that error. For this, I think it's best to wait it out.



Part 4: Application written on June 2023


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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 3: Supporting Documents)

Friday, November 22, 2024

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Now, let's deal with what could be considered the complex part of the application which is to gather all the necessary supporting documents to prove that the marriage was not done out of convenience or simply for visa purposes.


If your relationship is genuine, this will come quite easy because there is not much convincing to be done because the relationship will speak for itself.


Anyway, I will take you through the supporting documents and an overview of how ours was prepared or done. Please do note that each case may be different so don't base your immigration journey off of ours or any others. Use these information as a reference, but focus on what you have as well.


You may have seen this in the previous parts of this series but I'll just keep adding this as long as it's relevant as a reminder: 


  • My husband is a Canadian permanent resident residing in Canada, but a Filipino citizen (holding a Philippine passport). I am a Filipino citizen.
  • This is both our first (last and only) marriages.
  • We dated for 2+ years before getting married. 
  • We have been married for around a month by the time we lodged the application.
  • Both my husband and I have no record of visa overstay or violations in Canada and in any other country. 
  • I (sponsored applicant) have not resided in any country other than the Philippines.
  • We don't have any dependent on this application.
  • This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.
  • This is not a comprehensive guide or a hack to get approved, but merely a record of our experience. For the latest information, visit https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp .
  • You may view all parts of the series here


Outline of Part 3: Supporting Documents
  • Part One: Sponsor
    • 1.1: Permanent Residence Card
    • 1.2: Employment/Source of Income
  • Part Two: Sponsored principal applicant
    • 2.1: Birth certificate and marriage certificate
    • 2.2: NBI Clearance
    • 2.3: Passport bio page 
    • 2.4: Photo
    • 2.5: Proof of visits and travel
    • 2.6: Proof of contact
    • 2.7: Photos of wedding, customary celebrations, engagement and/or outings
    • 2.8: Proof of financial support
    • 2.9: Other proof that the relationship is recognised by friends and family
  • More tips


Part One: Sponsor


1.1: Permanent Residence Card


We took photos of the front and back of my husband's permanent residence card, compiled those photos in one page through Microsoft Word and exported it as one pdf file.



1.2: Employment/Source of Income


We attached a letter from my husband's employer that also reflects his period of employment, salary, and regular hours per week.



Part Two: Sponsored principal applicant


2.1: Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate


This is fairly easy. There are three options to request for your PSA documents:


PSA Office


  • Advantage: You may be able to get your document on the same day or within 3 days. It's also the cheapest option.
  • Disadvantage: Depending on your location, some offices are not very convenient and the wait times could take hours. There are also days and times when it gets very crowded.


Online via PSA Serbilis



SM Government Services. 


  • Another way to purchase is from several SM Government Services centres, but note that you will have to wait 10 business days and you need to claim it at the Customer Service centre of the SM mall that you went to. 
  • To apply, just head to the cashier area of the OSSCO or SM Government Service Express (check this link to see what services are offered in the mall near you: https://www.smsupermalls.com/government-services/) and tell them you'd like to order a birth certificate for yourself. You can only order or claim for yourself or an immediate family member. Bring proof of relationship such as birth or marriage certificate as well as an authorisation letter to be sure if you're claiming for someone else.



2.2: NBI Clearance: How to get one from SM City Cebu Government Services (Over the counter payment)


I got my NBI Clearance from SM City Cebu via over the counter payment. I wrote about my experience in more detail on this previous blog post: 


2.3: Passport bio page


I took very clear photos of pages 2 and 3 of my passport. These pages contain passport and personal information as well as the signature page. Since I was only taking a photo, I decided to crop out the area that IS NOT a part of the passport just to make it look neat. 



2.4: Photo


I went to Colours Foto in Ayala Center Cebu (check the exact location here) because they have always been my go-to places for all things ID photos. I've had all of my visa application photos done here. It's my favourite because it's almost never crowded, the place is spacious and clean and the staff are super friendly.


I told them I need photos for permanent residence application (they might ask if it's for citizenship, but don't worry because it's the same thing). The photo is larger than a usual ID photo and ask them to stamp on two of the photos. The stamp has the date and location of the shop as proof that your photo is taken within 6 months of when you lodge your application.


This will cost you Php 150 just for the photos and will cost another Php 50 for the soft copy to be emailed to you (not necessary). If you do get the soft copy, check your junk mail because their email dropped to my junk folder.


Follow the specific instructions in the portal on how to upload the soft copy of your photo. DO NOT FORGET to write your complete name and date of birth at the back of the photo and make sure to do so legibly.


What I did was take a photo of both the front and the back (cropped out the area that is not part of the photo) and compiled the two photos into one pdf file.


We were not living together so we had to attach a proof of visit and contacts documents:


2.5: Proof of visits and travel


We compiled ours into one document using Microsoft Word. Clear photos and screenshots are pasted on each page and save as one pdf file.


This file includes my travel ticket to Canada as a tourist (on the year that we were already a couple which was my second visit to my parents as well), my husband's flight ticket to Cebu (we were on the same flight), our flights to visit my husband's father and all of our hotel bookings with both our names in the reservation.


2.6: Proof of contact


This one file contains three sections: the original file, the affidavit of translation and the translations to the original file.

Our original proof of contact file has one table with two tabs: date and screenshot. Just in case you are not aware of what I'm talking about when I say tables and tabs, I just go to Microsoft Word, Go to Insert section on the ribbon and create a table with two tabs:


There really is no set standard for how you present your documents. It just personally looked the most readable and neat to me so we chose to have it that way.


Just do whatever your comfortable with, as long as your proof is presented in a logical manner.



VERY IMPORTANT

Because we have not been married for more than two years at the time of our application, we were required to also attach these documents:


2.7: Photos of wedding, customary celebrations, engagement and/or outings


Other than our wedding photos, we also uploaded photos of our travel and outings together during my visit to Canada and during my husband's visit to the Philippines. The limit is set to a maximum of 20 photos. In most photos, we had our family and close friends with us. 


We also attached a separate file which was a document that contained description of the photos. I created a table with three tabs one for each of these: date, small thumbnail of photo and description. 


For the date (especially in case you forgot), in the computer I just right clicked on the original photo and clicked on Get Info for Mac and I believe it should be More Info for other operating systems. There should be a line that says when the content was originally created. For Mac users, it will show something like this:




That should show the original date of creation of the photo a.k.a. when it was taken.

For the description, we added in the general location of the photos and one-line description of who were in the photo and/or what was the occasion.

2.8: Proof of financial support


We took a screenshot of every single remittance receipt. It was not much though since I have a job and the money received was for additional support. I took screenshots of the digital receipts, pasted all of them to Microsoft Word in chronological order and saved it into one file as a pdf.


2.9: Other proof that the relationship is recognised by friends and family


Four of our friends and family members wrote and signed letters stating how we are connected with them, about our relationship and their contact information. We also included screenshots that showed our relationship was public through our posts. We compiled these into a single file.


Those were the supporting documents that we had on our application. More documentation might be needed for other cases and I apologise, but I don't have the expertise to explain other than what we have. 


More tips

  • It will be very helpful for you to set up an online drive from the start just to properly organise your files. Make sure to properly label the drafts and the files that are ready for upload.
  • Don't be afraid to ask those who have experience with this type of visa and challenge yourself to research more. If you're still in doubt of your skills, it wouldn't hurt if you consult an immigration lawyer.
  • As I mentioned, if your relationship is genuine, it should not be difficult to gather your documents.
  • Always try to keep the content of your files and your files organised.
  • Follow the file name syntax suggested or required by the portal. In my case it was LastName-FirstName-FileType-Number. For example: Handler-Barbara-Birth Certificate.pdf


Part 3: Supporting Documents written on June 2023
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Applying for Canada Spousal Visa Online from the Philippines (Part 2: Forms)

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Important things to know about our application: 


  • My husband is a Canadian permanent resident residing in Canada, but a Filipino citizen (holding a Philippine passport). I am a Filipino citizen.
  • This is both our first (last and only) marriages.
  • We dated for 2+ years before getting married. 
  • We have been married for around a month by the time we lodged the application.
  • Both my husband and I have no record of visa overstay or violations in Canada and in any other country. 
  • I (sponsored applicant) have not resided in any country other than the Philippines.
  • We don't have any dependent on this application.
  • This blog series is published months after we completed the entire process. The month and year the post was written is at the end of each post.
  • This is not a comprehensive guide or a hack to get approved, but merely a record of our experience. For the latest information, visit https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp .
  • You may view all parts of the series here


In this section, I will tell you what we understood and did about the forms. I am not an immigration expert so I won't be able to objectively explain each part but the best that I can do is to give you an idea of what the forms are about and some tips on completing them.


Outline of Part 2: Forms

  • Part One: Digital Forms
    • 1.1: IMM 008 - Generic Application Form for Canada
    • 1.2: IMM 5406 - Additional Family Information
    • 1.3: IMM 5669 - Schedule A: Background/Declaration 
  • Part 2: "Physical" Forms
    • 2.1: IMM 344 - Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking 
    • 2.2: IMM 5532 - Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Form 
    • 2.3: IMM 5533 - Document Checklist: Spousal Sponsorship (Including Dependent Children) 
  • More tips



Part One: Digital Forms

Digital forms are filled out right in the Permanent Residence portal (see Part 4 of this series for the process). If you're familiar with Google Forms, Typeform or other digital forms, the digital forms are very similar to those.



1.1: IMM 008 - Generic Application Form for Canada


This form required basic information such as:


  • Application details - preferred language, where I planned to live in Canada
  • Personal details - name, country of residence, citizenship, birth information, physical characteristics, marital or relationship status
  • Contact information - address and phone contact info. All communication from the immigration are by default be mailed to that mailing address UNLESS the applicant chose to have all these communication emailed to instead (option is available at the end of this section of the form).
  • Information of valid passport.
  • National identity document information (optional) - I answered No to this one because it is not required for applicant from the Philippines.
  • Education/occupation - this includes your highest level of education attained, current occupation as well as intended occupation
  • Language detail - mother tongue, ability to speak English/French and official test to measure English/French ability (optional)
  • Dependants - Since I could not get through the marital status field without adding my husband's name in my profile's spouse/dependant's section when I created my application, his name also appears here. I just added in "He is already living in Canada as a PR" in the reason why he is not accompanying me. Details such as educational attainment and other personal information are also necessary.


1.2: IMM 5406 - Additional Family Information



This form is filled out right in the Permanent Residence portal (see Part 4 of this series for the process) and requires basic information such as personal information, spouse's information, parents, siblings and/or children. Information of all family members are required even if they are not dependents or not accompanying to Canada. This includes their birth information, marital status and email address.

The family information of your spouse is also needed even if he is the sponsor.


1.3: IMM 5669 - Schedule A: Background/Declaration 


According to the website, this form is for personal background or history and requires information such as     Education, membership in associations, government positions, criminal history, military service     and addresses.

  • Section A: Parents' information
  • Section B: Personal history relating to crimes, criminal proceedings, government positions, refused visa applications, etc.
  • Section C: Education history


Part 2: "Physical" Forms


These forms have to be downloaded and except for IMM 5532 (needs to be printed and signed), the forms can also be completed via Adobe Acrobat.


Do note that these forms when downloaded can only be opened using Adobe Acrobat. You may download the software here for free: https://get.adobe.com/reader/


2.1: IMM 344 - Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking 


This contains all necessary information about the sponsor as well as the commitment for sponsorship. If you use Adobe Acrobat to complete this form, make sure to click the word Validate on top of the form and always save your changes. See the icons I pointed out below:




Additionally, your form should have updated QR codes on the last page after validation.

For the signature fields, it stated that typing name means digitally signing the form but we wanted to make sure so we printed the form out and signed it.


2.2: IMM 5532 - Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Form 


This form required to provide more personal information and some information about family and your relationship with sponsor. 


This cannot be signed digitally and does require my (principal applicant) and my husband's (sponsor) signatures so these have to print these out, sign the necessary fields - we had to figure out the best way logistically to get this done.


2.3: IMM 5533 - Document Checklist: Spousal Sponsorship (Including Dependent Children) 


This is a very helpful form and could be useful for you in preparing your documents and also to double check if all forms are completed and uploaded before submitting.

The checklist also highlights the important signature fields in other forms so make sure to get through this thouroughly as well.


More tips:

  • I realised it was way faster to go slower - what I mean is that it is more efficient to make sure you go slow and review your form section by section as you go along. It is a lot less stressful than having to go through all of it after you're done.
  • This does require some technical skill, but the forms are generally pretty intuitive.
  • I used Mozilla Firefox because it was the browser that worked best especially with the digital forms.
  • If you are having technical problems with the portal, you may submit a form here: https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx . From experience, they do reply within 24 hours as long as it's a business day in Canada.
  • Don't get too frustrated if you feel like you're too slow on this. Take a breather, have a cup of coffee before diving into the forms again. It took us a good couple of weeks to complete them.


Part 2: Forms written on July 2023

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