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e-1263 (Immigration)

E-petition
Initiated by Maryam Zargarzadeh from Sarnia, Ontario

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Outland Spousal Sponsorship process takes more than a year, even up to 3 years, while the application is stuck in security screening despite the absence of a criminal record;
  • Finalization of the security screening is waiting for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reports despite being completed by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service;
  • CBSA security screening has no time-limit: it was 8-19 months in 2011 and in 2017, CBSA Vice-President Tina Namiesniowski mentioned there is no time-limit for CBSA security screening;
  • The United States (with intensive security screening) have a 180 days policy after which Green Cards can be issued;
  • As young professionals, most sponsors have little vacation time to be with their spouse and are required to stay in Canada;
  • Sponsored persons cannot come to Canada as visitor visas are rejected;
  • The separation of newly married couples is impacting their physical and mental health, putting their family and career life in danger; and
  • Women are either giving birth and raising kids alone in Canada or are worried to miss the opportunity.
We, the undersigned, Canadian spouses, their families and friends who are Canadian citizens and residents, call upon the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to:
1) Give priority to outland spousal sponsorship cases in CBSA;
2) Define a 6-month time-frame for security screening; and
3) If the security screening is taking more than 6 months, together with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, issue a dual-intent visitor visa or super visa for spouse.
Government response tabled on March 26, 2018 (Sessional Paper No. 8545-421-23-23)
Open for signature
October 4, 2017, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
February 1, 2018, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East)
February 9, 2018 (Petition No. 421-02052)
Government response tabled
March 26, 2018
Photo - Jenny Kwan
Vancouver East
New Democratic Party Caucus
British Columbia