Last week I attended as counsel for our clients spousal sponsorship appeal. The sponsor had gone back to Ethiopia to visit his family, and after a chance encounter and whirlwind courtship, married his wife within week or so of meeting.
The sponsorship was refused by the visa officer who appeared primarily concerned with the haste in the relationship. Also at issue was the wife's responses at the interview. The officer was concerned with her apparent lack of knowledge of her husbands day to day life in Canada.
At the appeal both the sponsor and his wife testified. In terms of the factors that supported the genuine nature of the relationship, the applicant had no pull factor to Canada, had no negative immigration history. Our client had returned to visit his wife, and had supported her financially. In terms of the negative factors there was some discrepancy in the origin and development of the relationship. The couple had different date as to their first meeting in person and this disparity was unresolved despite probing questions in direct and cross examination.
At the end of the hearing the Immigration Appeal Division reserved its judgment.
Raj Sharma JD LLM
Partner
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