LEEPOPO said:
Congratulation Mrs, am very happy for you and your husband.what was in your application that made it so fast for you n ur husband? cos my was send to accra in the same week as urs but i have not heard anything yet from accra office and am begining to worry.
Please do not worry as every case is unique.
In response to your question about what was in my application, I followed what others on this forum had also done. I took all the advice I could find in the threads that focused on VO's in Africa and other "high risk" areas.
It took almost 6 months for me to compile our application. I wanted the IO to see that out 9.5 year age difference (he is younger) was not an issue. Also, he was refused a Study Permit in May 2011. With my ficus on removing doubt, I gave them everything I had!
I included approximately 75 pictures of us from the time we met in July 2009. There were pictures of outings together and us with friends and family. I also made sure to include pictures of any events or occasions he referred to in his Statement of our Relationship. The pictures corresponded to every visit I made.
I had about 35 pictures from our marriage (at the Registry) and our reception. We had approximately 100 guests, including my parents. I labeled each picture with the date, location, and names of people.
Printed my phone bills (I use Yak to call him) from December 2009 to August 2012.
I printed screen pictures from my phone showing his calls to me (he could not get phone records from MTN)
Photocopy of my passports showing my visas, entry/exit stamps, and extension of stay stamps while in Ghana. Since these were often on different pages, I listed the entry/exit stamp and corresponding passport page number on a cover page of the photocopies.
While we were dating, we lived together for 7 months in Accra. I had no proof of this because the school I worked for paid for everything. The visa extensions were the only way of showing that I did not leave Ghana during that time.
Joint bank account statement since March 2010 (in Ghana)
Copy of land document registered in both our names (in Ghana since Dec 2009)
Skype chats and screen pictures of our video chats. I also included ones from home and work. I included screen pics of him chatting with my parents and he and I chatting with my parents while I was in Accra on vacation.
Emails, only about 10, between the two if us. This was not our primary form of communication.
Emails between me and a friend of mine who lives in Accra. I highlighted the parts of the emails where his name is mentioned.
Text messages between us.
We also used WhatsApp and I printed our entire conversation over 11 months.
I also printed my WhatsApp conversation with the friend in Accra and highlighted the parts referring to my husband.
I had three letters of attestation of our relationship from his sister, father (they stated that I stayed in their house during my many visits) and one from my parents.
My parents did fly to Accra for the wedding. They stayed for two weeks. I submitted approximately 30 pictures of them with my husband and I with his family and friends, on outings, and at meals.
I had my husband collect all the documents in the Country specific checklist, including school certificates. Every question on the applicant form was answered by him, in his own words. Should he have had an interview, I wanted the language, vocabulary and description of any events to be consistent.
We were very careful to check that all dates matched perfectly in all the question concerning Personal History, addresses, education, visits and living together.
We sent the Police Check and Medicals with the application and paid all the fees. I also had to wait for Quebec to approve me and him!
Lastly, I put a page on top of every type of proof stating what it was. For example "phone records from me to my husband from Dec 2009 to August 2012. He had 3 phone numbers (listed them), one of which is still active (listed it)"
Finally I had a lawyer review everything for me. I know this was not necessary since I had done all the work myself. I did it for my own peace of mind because I can become very stressed and obsessed over details.
I think this was all. I will post again if I remember something else.
