immigration time....

Today is the the day. After slightly over 11 months in the country unable to work and having her life on hold my wife and I are finally going to immigration this morning for our 'interview'. Apparently the 2 inches of paperwork documentation of photos and emails documenting our over 10 year friendship and 3 year marriage are not enough to convince beyond a reasonable doubt that we are really married and this is not some 'white guy trying to bring in another Asian hooker/drug dealer for the streets'. Not really sure how we got in that line up. Anyways, we are being pessimistically optimistic about today considering the foot dragging that has been going on in the process. I really don't understand totally how it takes 3 months for letters to be opened and received mailed from Edmonton to Vegreville (only about 150 km away). Guess with the recession cut backs and all they have reduced the entire immigration office down to maybe 10 people working, including the janitorial staff.

But, enough of them, we are up and almost ready to head out for our walk. Apparently this interview is just a formality in that they want to ask us questions that they already know the answer to but want to make sure that we are not lying. Like "have you ever sponsored someone already to Canada?", "have you ever been suspected or investigated for domestic dispute cases?", "how much money do you make per year?", "have you ever been on long term social assistance and do you plan on returning if you were?" and then reaffirming the knowledge that I am financially responsible for my wife for the next 5 years or so until she gets her Canadian citizenship.

There is a guy in camp that did this with his wife down in Calgary (though his process took only about 5 months from start to finish) and he said that after the interview, which was stamped quick and easy, they walked across the hall and got her SIN card instantly and she just had to wait 2 weeks for the PR card to be mailed to her and she could legally work in any job in Canada that would hire her or go to any school that would take her. So we are hoping that sometime between 9:30am and 11:30 am or 1:30pm and 3:30 pm (those are the times that our interview was set for..no set time, no set person to see just a buffet line of 'come during those times and we will see what happens') we will walk out of Canada Place with my wife having all the rights and freedoms of a Canadian citizen except she won't be able to vote....which seems to be like about 60% of the Canadian population anyways except they choose not to vote.

Will keep informed.....