Immigration Fraud

The Toronto Star has done an undercover investigation into immigration fruad by unlicensed consultants.

Take a look at our competitors who lying and steal their way to success.

Ghost Agents

"Ghost Agents" are a threat to vulnerable immigration applicants seeking to make Canada their new home. CSIC, in keeping with its principal mandate of consumer protection, has produced a series of informational public service announcements that will be broadcast on television across Canada and further disseminated internationally through popular video sharing websites.

CSIC's first public service announcement regarding the threat of "Ghost Agents" is now online at www.csic-scci.ca.

The video (by CSIC) is available in several other important languages, including French, Chinese, Urdu, Punjabi, and Spanish. Both French and English versions of the piece will start running on national Canadian broadcast networks in short order.

Some of the popular websites featuring the public service announcement on "Ghost Agents" produced by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants are:

YouTube

Google Video

AOL UnCut Video

New Services Being Offered

immiGroup is proud to announce the addition of new services:


CANPASS, Corporate, Air, Boat and Remote Area passes

Check back in the coming days for more information on our website, http://www.immigroup.com

If you require immediate assistance, please call 416-962-2623

HOW TO CROSS THE BORDER FOR YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

Getting married in Canada to a Canadian citizen? If you mention this as the reason for entering Canada, the officer at the port of entry may not be satisfied that your stay in Canada is of a temporary nature and you could be refused entry into the country. How, then, is it possible to be allowed into Canada for your wedding ceremony? Following are some helpful tips that can increase your chances of being allowed into Canada and get married.

1) Show strong ties to your home country: Any person who wants to get a visitor visa to Canada must provide evidence that they have strong ties to return to their home country. You have to do the same. You should bring with you enough documents to show officers at the point-of-entry that you have to leave Canada. These include a letter from work stating you need to return, proof of a house/apartment where you live, and financial information. Carry phone numbers of persons who can verify your information (most importantly, your employer). Try and travel on a day when they would be able to answer the phone. Officers at the point-of-entry may ask you why you are getting married in Canada and not where you live or somewhere else.
2) The shorter, the better: If your plan was to come to Canada, get married, and spend 3 months in the country, chances are that officers at the point-of-entry will be suspicious with your intent as a visitor. On the other hand, you can help your case by showing you will get married and leave within a week or two.
3) Avoid the U-Haul: If you are entering Canada as a visitor it is not advisable to bring all your belongings when you come in. Only bring what you would need for the visit.
4) Don’t pretend you don’t know about the sponsorship: Chances are that if you are getting married to a Canadian citizen, you know something about the sponsorship process. It is best to be proactive and acknowledge the fact. Just make sure you say that you are just coming for the ceremony and, along with your documents, show that you need to return to your home country.
5) You don’t need a six-month stay: Normally, a visitor to Canada is allowed a six-month stay in the country. If you just want to get married, you have to be willing to accept a shorter stay in the country.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the officer at the point-of-entry can have concerns about the purpose of your trip. These tips are intended to help you ease the officer’s concerns but are no guarantee.

Immigration Tragedy: Run-away Spouses, Shattered Lives

Around the office, it is a familiar story. Canadian visits foreign country, Canadian falls in love. Cuba, Vietnam, Russia - the destination doesn’t matter. Every day, thousands of Canadians are on vacation. Many of them will find what they believe to be their soul mate; that man or woman to share the rest of their life with. For many, the dream is true. For the rest, their highest hopes will turn into their worst nightmares.

In our office, the story has become all too common to cause anymore shock. Tales of theft, alleged assaults and threats are common. Two months ago, a client who brought their Cuban spouse to Canada returned after work to their home only find thousands of dollars missing and the spouse no where to be found. After reporting the theft and filing a missing persons report, he was told charges were being levelled against him. The allegation? The client threatened his wife with death.

Who is telling the truth is irrelevant. One way or the other, each spouse has found themselves in a difficult situation that could have been avoided. Both spouses are responsible for protecting their own interests.

Individuals interested in marriage and spousal sponsorship must be aware of the potential consequences of entrusting their well-being with another.
Foreign marraiges are particularly vulnerable to abuse because of the legal undertaking the sponsoring partner makes, and the dependance of the sponsored partner on their spouse.

If you are considering a foreign marriage, both partners should:

1. Have spent a good amount of time with their partner and be aware of warning signs of abuse or deceit
2. Ensure that they (individually) have enough money to support themselves
3. Sign a prenuptial agreement
4. Keep records of the marriage and sponsorship


Warning signs include:

1. A significant age gap. Though not always indicative of future abuse, a significant age gap between oneself and ones partner may be a warning sign of trouble.
2. The sponsored partner puts significant pressure on the sposoring partner to complete the process as quickly as possible. Again, though not always indicative of future abuse, the sponsoring partner is encouraged to objectively analyze the situation.
3. Unwillingness to commit to long term plans, such as children or purchasing a house.
4. Meeting online. Always spend a good amount of time with individuals who you meet online. While one may like to believe that interest is genuine (and it might well be) the cost of either sponsoring someone or being sponsored by someone with ill intent could be devastating.
5. Quick temper. Spouses who have not spent a great deal of time (such as dating, living together before marriage, etc.) with eachother can be vulnerable to abuse. If your partner is quick to anger, be aware of the potential consequences.
6. Willingness to get married very quickly
7. Desire to have shared assets

Not all foreign marriages are fradulent. Likewise, not all fraudlent marriages are preventable. Be aware, take precautions against possible abuse and be aware of your obligations and options to your partner.

immiGroup is expanding!

immiGroup is expanding to deliver the best service possible to our clients. Please, explore our new information portals. Comment, criticize - ask questions!

http://twitter.com/immigroup
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com - Search for immigroup
Second life: Immi Footman
www.youtube.com/user/immigroup

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Letters From Afar

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine (lets call him.. Hector) living in the United States told me that his brother was rejected for a US non-immigrant visitor visa. The brother owns a house in his home country, has a permanent job, bank accounts and other evidence of his intent to return home on completion of the visit. Despite providing documentation to establish the validity of his US Visa application, he was rejected.

If I had know that Hector was inviting his brother for a visit to the States, I would have given him an extra piece of advice: write him a letter of invitation. The problem with his application was the lack of resources his brother would have in the US. While he may own a home and have a permanent job in his country, neither of these things provided him with enough money to cover all of his expenses in the US. Without a letter proving that his expenses would be covered, the brother was rejected. A simple mistake and the plans fell through.

What people seem to fail to understand most about any aspect of immigration, whether it be visiting, business or immigrating to a foreign country, is that governments are all too fond of cold, hard proof. You may break down crying, you may beg, plead and barter but no amount of that will help you obtain the authorization you need if you can't prove your case. Its better to be truthful, short in your answers and let your documentation speak for itself - and keep in mind that everything takes time. Government moves very slowly.

Had Hector taken all of this into account, his brother would be with him now instead of having wasted the US Visa application fee only to be turned down. A cryin' shame... but it happens all the time.