Canadian visa for TGF

[marcusb]

Hello,
Has anyone recently taken a Thai girlfriend to Canada on a visitors visa? I have heard lots of stories of ladies being rejected for visas' to germany etc. but have not heard much about Canada. Would it be worth the 20-50,000 baht for legal assistance? Any input would be appreciated.
Here's my story.
She is now unemployed, working at Robinsons when we met last fall. She has a 15 year old and a 2.5 yr old who live with her Mom. I have supported her since she left her job in November and we travelled together and lived together since then. I am middle age, sold my business in canada 2 years ago and have been bumming around Europe and asia since then. So I have no job in Canada, no income, but have some savings. I will be hosting her visit there and if things go well we will get married in Canada and apply for a marriage visa there. I will be working again in Canada, self employed, as soon as I return but apparently thats not good enough for a Marriage visa as they base their decision on the last years income.
Thanks
Marcus

[Tilokarat]

From my experience, it is a hit and miss operation.

Two years ago, I applied for my very good friend to visit me in Canada. I had letters from my two employers, a principal at a high school, and a director at the university where I teach; she had her house and car ownership papers, bank book and proof that she was working. They rejected her application. The Thai lady interviewing her advised her to marry me as that would be easier. My very good friend told the interviewer to marry me.

My friend wanted to see where I worked, where we would live and so on prior to going to the Udonthani amphoe muang for marriage.

On the other hand, the lady in line just before her was a bar girl from Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat). She had a friend from Switzerland living in Winnipeg, Manitoba who wanted her to visit him. She was called to the front, her passport was examined, and she got the visa without having an interview.

I would think if you are both unemployed at the moment that you have little chance of getting a visa to visit the great frozen north.

Sohk dee der

[canuck-viking]

Applying for the visa to Canada is a hit or miss affair. The first time we applied the Thai lady doing the interview was a first class witch who reduced my wife to tears. My wife felt like a criminal after the interview. I was upset and complained to my MP who informed me that it was a constant complaint about embassies. The second time we included everything we could think of photos, land documents, bank accounts and still got rejected. On the third try we were accepted and she could visit Canada. One idea is to take some trips locally--Singapore Cambodia etc and show documents that prove your girlfriend will return....One thing that annoys me is the visa application fee is non refundable.

[marcusb]

Thanks very much for the input, two good responses. From what I have been reading it does indeed seem hit and miss.
Thaitanium I fail to see any relevance in your little video. Perhaps you meant to post it elsewhere.
marcus

[jimboLV]

From the two previous RELEVANT posts, Canadian immigration sounds pretty much like the Americans. I tried to get a fiancée visa for a gf a couple of years ago. After a year and no luck, I gave up (and so did she). I hired an attorney who was a former immigration officer. He told me up front that it would be very difficult. He admitted that most immigration officers are highly prejudiced against younger Asian ladies. They assume that 99% are either prostitutes or gold diggers. Guilty until proven innocent. My gf had a college degree, a responsible job, not an ex BG or anything like that. I too had a college degree, owned property, established member of the community, held a very high security clearance from the government. All to no avail. The frustrating part is that they refuse to give you any information. They rarely deny a visa, they just "pocket veto" it.

After a year, I enlisted a US Senator to investigate. They stonewalled him also, first telling him they couldn't find my application, requiring me to submit copies of everything I had already sent. Then they had me report to be fingerprinted, as they were going to do an FBI check on me. Despite the fact that I had a higher security clearance than most Homeland Security people. Then they told him that it was "in process" and to check back in six months!

It was all very frustrating and expensive. After several visits to LOS, I fell in love with the place so I finally just retired and moved here. Now I am in paradise with my lovely wife (who is now pregnant ).

I had many friends in the US who had moved there from Thailand. I was advised by them to try for a student visa. Just enroll her in a beauty school, flight school, community college, anything. Not that I would encourage anyone to break the laws of their country. Don't know if that would work in Canada.

[Prenders88]

I had many friends in the US who had moved there from Thailand. I was advised by them to try for a student visa. Just enroll her in a beauty school, flight school, community college, anything. Not that I would encourage anyone to break the laws of their country. Don't know if that would work in Canada.

Great story Jimbo, I'm glad it's worked out for you.

The fake student loophole is a big problem in the UK, and has been going for years.
Read this from April this year.

From the Times.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 088256.ece

[Flatlander]

[img=http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/6964/thai2008.jpg]

Problem solved, next question....

[LoongLee]

JimboLV,,,, congratulations are in order,,, you didn't give up and found a way,,,, also congrats to you and your wife on the pregnancy and wish you all much future happiness together.


The horror stories related on this and other forums about Consular Sections and their attempts to protect the "poor naive future husbands" infuriates me and it didn't even happen to me. We thought the attempts to road block us in the 60's and 70's were bad but obviously they have gotten much worse. I really admire you guys that try and don't give up. If some of the stories related had happened to me 39 years ago,,, I would probably have gone postal on somebody.

Does anyone here think it would help to first acquire a tourist visa for a nearby country and then later apply from there? (probably more applicable for europe etc)

[jimboLV]

The horror stories related on this and other forums about Consular Sections and their attempts to protect the "poor naive future husbands" infuriates me and it didn't even happen to me........
Does anyone here think it would help to first acquire a tourist visa for a nearby country and then later apply from there? (probably more applicable for europe etc)

I'm not sure if that would work or not, I thought of it. Time and expense would also be a factor with that approach. Had some Mexican friends that told me to get her to Mexico and they could get her across the border but then she would be illegal and I didn't want to go that route.

Just to put it into perspective, I worked with an Ethiopian national. He was working as a janitor in one of the casino bars. Had a Masters degree and had been a school teacher in his country. Hell of a nice guy and a hard worker. He had been trying for two years to get his wife and kids into the US and was probably looking at a few more years. I told him what I thought of the US Immigration policies. He said to me "Jimbo, if it was easy to get into the USA, the entire country of Ethiopia would be over here".

I guess he's right. Can you imagine if Thai women could travel freely to the Western countries? I notice the looks of envy I get from Western tourists as they sit there with their fat wives with hairy moles on their cheeks and I go strolling by with my gorgeous Thai honey. The divorce rate would go up astronomically, IMHO.

[LoongLee]

You're right Jimbo,, You can see the jealousy in their faces.

Another aspect,,,, if my personality was like some who always see conspiracies in everything,,,,, and we all know who I'm writing about,,,, is that it's really in the best interest of the Thai government for the Thai girls/women to remain in Thailand,,,,, westerners (farangs) will then have to send funds there or go to Thailand and support their families. The Thai government wins big time if the farang spends there. I would love to know the monetary impact on the Thai economy in Issan, the poorest region of Thailand. That's all money the Thai government doesn't have to spend.

[Prenders88]

Here is another crackdown from the British government on it's way, for immigrants claiming benefits.
From the Daily mail.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... itain.html

[jimboLV]

Here is another crackdown from the British government on it's way, for immigrants claiming benefits.
From the Daily mail.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... itain.html

Prenders the Brits are way ahead of the Americans on this one. In America ILLEGAL immigrants get a full range of welfare benefits including free health care. Now that welfare funds are getting sparse they are CONSIDERING reducing these benefits - - for Illegals, mind you. Reference this article that I posted on another thread a few days ago.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0324/p01s01-usec.html

[arjay]

Please note the topic is about a Canadian Visa for TGF.

[jimboLV]

Please note the topic is about a Canadian Visa for TGF.

Duly noted arjay. But I think it is important to understand the underlying reasons for the problems he is having. Sometimes if you understand the motives behind an action, you can adjust your actions accordingly. In the OP's case, for example, he needs to convince the authorities that the TGF has no intention of staying permanently, as that seems to be the primary motive behind the intransigence of the immigration people. But you're right, we are driftin off the topic somewhat. If it continues on this path we will soon come around to blaming Bush.

[Tilokarat]

His biggest problem is that neither of them are working.

The Mexican option is out. Canada now requires anyone coming from Mexico to have a visa owing to the number of illegals that are entering this fair land.