Vietnam sponsorship - Are internet chats/phone calls ok for proof?

[mikeymyke]

I chat with my Vietnamese girlfriend through Skype webcam in the morning, and when she goes to work, we chat on Yahoo! messenger for a few hours, then I would talk to her for several minutes on Google Voice talk (it's an internet-based way of making phone calls) until I go to bed. Then I repeat the same thing every day. I saved all our Skype chats showing that video calls were initiated between both of us, and it also shows the duration of our video chats. I also saved all our Yahoo! chats (6 months = 2700 pages ). And finally, on my Google Talk account, I saved a screenshot of all my outgoing calls to her phone #. One problem is that unlike using an actual phone company like Telus or Fido, Google Talk does not show my email or phone # on the same page that shows all the calls I've made to her. I heard calling cards are not usable so I hope that admitting Google Voice screenshot of my phone logs, is still admissible.

I plan to marry her and plan on submitting this evidence in the future, and I was wondering, if you guys think all the stuff I'm recording is enough for Canada immigration officials to prove that we keep in constant contact while apart? I'm just worried about the Google Talk evidence is not enough for them, but I don't want to use my cell carrier, because they charge $1.00/minute, but google Talk is $0.07/min.

Thanks.

 

[R151NG5UN]

That will be perfect. CIC does not expect everybody to spend fortunes on long distance calls. Infact what you are doing and how you are documenting it shows how you 2 are going the extra mile to keep daily contact.

Good luck

 

[mikeymyke]

Oh ok, I hope you're right

Also, there are way too many pages on our conversation, by the time we actually marry, we're going to have over 10,000 pages, do you know if it's permissible to send a USB stick of the MS Word file of our chats? It'd probably be a LOT more convenient for both myself and CIC.

 

[computergeek]

Oh ok, I hope you're right

Also, there are way too many pages on our conversation, by the time we actually marry, we're going to have over 10,000 pages, do you know if it's permissible to send a USB stick of the MS Word file of our chats? It'd probably be a LOT more convenient for both myself and CIC.

They will not review anything that you send that is not written.

Do not send them all of your communications. Instead, send them a sampling of it. Tell them what you've told us "we communicate at least twice per day..." and then include SAMPLES of some of the material. I would suggest keeping it to under 50 pages - 30 is likely better - and offering to submit all 10,000 pages if they really want it. They won't.

The material you submit should tell a story. A good story is one where it includes the highlights, not every last banal detail...

Good luck!

 

[R151NG5UN]

Oh ok, I hope you're right

Also, there are way too many pages on our conversation, by the time we actually marry, we're going to have over 10,000 pages, do you know if it's permissible to send a USB stick of the MS Word file of our chats? It'd probably be a LOT more convenient for both myself and CIC.

I dont think they allow things like USB sticks, CD's or DVD's. I think all evidence must be in paper form like gift cards, receipts, photo's, call logs, letters. Rather than sending 10,000 pages (as that is probably a little excessive) send various records from months spread across your relationship i.e some pages in December, some in March, some in June and some in September. For sure they wont look through 10,000 pages. They want to clarify that you have maintained contact throughout your relationship. When we sent our application in I sent 4 phone bills for every year we had been together since 2006.

You might want to clarify they don't accept USB sticks, CD's or DVD's but as I understand it paper copies are what they want to see

 

[mikeymyke]

But if I send them everything, wouldn't that be better than just sending them a sampling? Because even if they believe me, that I really have 10K+ pages, wouldn't that just delay my application even more if I have to resend everything, rather than just giving them everything in one shot?

I just worry about sending too little, than sending a lot.

 

[R151NG5UN]

But if I send them everything, wouldn't that be better than just sending them a sampling? Because even if they believe me, that I really have 10K+ pages, wouldn't that just delay my application even more if I have to resend everything, rather than just giving them everything in one shot?

I just worry about sending too little, than sending a lot.

They wont have time to go through 10,000 pages. they have thousands of applicants to deal with. Send a sample of calls, E-mails, photo's, letters, cards and receipts. Honestly they wont have time to go through 10,000 pages and 1000 photos etc etc etc.

 

[computergeek]

I just worry about sending too little, than sending a lot.

If you send too much, they won't look at any of it and they won't really "get" your story.

At least one case I read, someone was challenged by the visa officer to provide more and so they did. The visa officer called them and said that he was overwhelmed by the volume of evidence and their PR was actually granted in less time than normal.

 

[mikeymyke]

Ah ok thanks guys. I'll make sure let them know I can send them more of my chats if necessary.

Also, you guys sure about my google talk phone records? Are they fine even though they dont show my phone # or email, they only show calls and durations and dates/times I made to my gfs number (which is clearly displayed)

 

[canadianwoman]

Send them. If they don't accept them as evidence, it won't have hurt your case to have sent them in. Probably they will accept them as evidence. It is best to have a variety of types of evidence, because the visa officers find some types more compelling than others.