What IS the ADDITIONAL $150.00?

[ELOH]

We paid $1040.00 when we applied originally. Sponsor fee. Applicant fee. Some other applicant acceptance fee. All the correct amounts. And six months later(March 2012) they (CIC) email my husband. (the canadian sponsor) and ask him for an additional $150.00 without telling him what it is for. I have two children but they are not coming with me to Canada. He paid it. And he asked all sorts of questions when he emailed the receipt for the addtl $150.00 but never received any response that they even received it. Has anyone heard of this?

 

[OhCanadiana]

We paid $1040.00 when we applied originally. Sponsor fee. Applicant fee. Some other applicant acceptance fee. All the correct amounts. And six months later(March 2012) they (CIC) email my husband. (the canadian sponsor) and ask him for an additional $150.00 without telling him what it is for. I have two children but they are not coming with me to Canada. He paid it. And he asked all sorts of questions when he emailed the receipt for the addtl $150.00 but never received any response that they even received it. Has anyone heard of this?

The application fee for a family member of the principal applicant who is less than 22 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner is $150. So, that's probably what it is.

The $1,040 covers your husband's sponsor application ($75), your application as spouse ($550) and your RPRF (Right of Permanent Resident Fee). In addition, they will examine your dependent children - even if not accompanying you - to assess their admissibility. Therefore, you need to pay their application fee (unless you basically sign away the right to ever sponsor them under any circumstances ... not a good idea since you never know what the future may bring).

Thus, I'm a bit puzzled that they only charged it once, unless one of your children is older than 22 (and neither a student nor dependent on you for other reasons) or married or in a common-law relationship and therefore no longer your dependent.

 

[ELOH]

I have two children under 22 years of age. Neither is accompanying me. And I have not signed over custody. I did include their medicals but there was nothing in the application that said I had to pay a separate application fee for them. They are NOT applying. They are NOT being admitted to Canada or even considered for it. They are in school and university in the States. I do NOT understand this inconsistency. Thank you for trying though. I appreciate it.

 

[aerogurl87]

It says on CIC's website that if you have dependants under 22 you have to pay $150 for each one, even if they aren't accompanying you to Canada.

 

[OhCanadiana]

I have two children under 22 years of age. Neither is accompanying me. And I have not signed over custody. I did include their medicals but there was nothing in the application that said I had to pay a separate application fee for them. They are NOT applying. They are NOT being admitted to Canada or even considered for it. They are in school and university in the States. I do NOT understand this inconsistency. Thank you for trying though. I appreciate it.

Take a look at this page in the instructions for sponsors.

Your children are being processed to assess their eligibility, even if they aren't accompanying you. As you said, you included their medicals which will be evaluated. They will also do a background check on them to make sure they are admissible. This makes them admissible in the future should you decide to sponsor them. And, forms part of checking your admissibility. The $150 covers the cost of assessing your children.

CIC does this even if they are not accompanying you since - unless you waive the right to do so - should you ever decide to sponsor them in the future, you will have the right to do so as soon as you are a PR.

The following info from OP-2 will give you more info. You may also want to take a look at OP-2 in detail to see much more info on how they assess family class applications in the VO.

"5.10. Non-accompanying family members
Applicants must declare all family members when applying for a visa and must again declare all
family members, whether accompanying or not, prior to obtaining permanent resident
status. Permanent residents who did not declare all their family members on their application are
reportable under A44(1) [see also “Sponsor who may be subject to an A44(1) report” (section 10.5
below) and “Misrepresentation” (section 5.22 below)]. In addition, all family members, whether
accompanying or not, must be examined, unless the appropriate officer determines that they are
not required by the Act or the former Act to examine the family member [R117(10)]. Family
members who were not declared and examined are excluded from the family class and may not
be sponsored at a later date as per R117(9)(d) unless R117(10) applies.
Non-accompanying family members must undergo medical examinations. They must also
establish that they are not inadmissible for criminal or security reasons. If the requirement for
minimum necessary income is applicable, sponsors must demonstrate that they can support all
family members, including non-accompanying family members.
Non-accompanying family members need not be in possession of a passport or travel document.

5.11. Inadmissibility and non-accompanying family members
All family members, whether accompanying the principal applicant or not, are required to be
examined unless an officer decides otherwise. Normally, an inadmissible family member, whether
accompanying or not, would render the principal applicant inadmissible. There are, however, two
exceptions to this rule described in R23. ..."
Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf

You, or your husband, may want to reach out to your VO to clarify that both your sons are still dependents, under 22 years of age and pay the $150 admission for whichever one they haven't requested the fee for yet. You don't want to face an additional delay when they figure it out (or to have major trouble if you ever try to sponsor one of your sons).

 

[ELOH]

thank you for that information. I went back to read the fees calculator and that page and it does look like they only charged for one of my children. When we first applied, we certainly didn't read it that way. Why would they need to assess them now if they aren't coming with me? And if they DO decide to come, they will still have to pay another application fee. Oh well. We will send them another $150.00 for the other child. I appreciate the clarification. THanks!

 

[Sweden]

thank you for that information. I went back to read the fees calculator and that page and it does look like they only charged for one of my children. When we first applied, we certainly didn't read it that way. Why would they need to assess them now if they aren't coming with me? And if they DO decide to come, they will still have to pay another application fee. Oh well. We will send them another $150.00 for the other child. I appreciate the clarification. THanks!

they need to be included in the original application otherwise you loose the possibility to EVER sponsor them to Canada. So... that's quite important ( but confusing somehow on the website... like a lot of CIC instructions, it only makes sense after somebody else explained it... wonder why that's like that!).

GOod luck with your application,
Sweden

 

[ELOH]

Hi Sweden,
My children were both included on my original application. ALong with their photos and medical exams. But even after re-reading the fees calculator it IS unclear that I need to pay $150.00 each for adding them to my application. I thought that was only IF I was bringing them with me! And why did they catch their mistake on one child but not the other? I have no idea how to sort this out. I don't want to send $150.00 and have them wonder why I sent it and cause further delays.

 

[Sweden]

Hi Sweden,
My children were both included on my original application. ALong with their photos and medical exams. But even after re-reading the fees calculator it IS unclear that I need to pay $150.00 each for adding them to my application. I thought that was only IF I was bringing them with me! And why did they catch their mistake on one child but not the other? I have no idea how to sort this out. I don't want to send $150.00 and have them wonder why I sent it and cause further delays.

true - especially after they have lost your file already once, no further delay... maybe calling them to check first would be best? or sending it and explaining your reasoning with a cover letter? maybe best to pay 2 fees, and they will return the excess if needed, but i won't hold them back from issuing your PR is you paid too much - they might issue the visa and return the money. ON the contrary if you send only one fee and they realise they need the second one, then it's another delay - so I would pay for both, and hope for the best...

but I agree - it's not really clear... I don't have children and I had to read several times the guideline to be sure how much I had to pay....
Good luck for the finish line!
Sweden

 

[OhCanadiana]

Hi Sweden,
My children were both included on my original application. ALong with their photos and medical exams. But even after re-reading the fees calculator it IS unclear that I need to pay $150.00 each for adding them to my application. I thought that was only IF I was bringing them with me! And why did they catch their mistake on one child but not the other? I have no idea how to sort this out. I don't want to send $150.00 and have them wonder why I sent it and cause further delays.

Write a letter of explanation and send in the worksheet I liked to above showing the updated calculation. If you pay it online, e-mail copy of the payment to CPC-M to speed up it's processing (their e-mail is in the sponsor instruction guide).

BTW, to address your comment above on having to pay to apply again if they decide to move ... one option would be to have them accompany you now. Land and get their PR cards. Then, they can either keep the PR status as long as they are in Canada 2 out of every 5 years (gives them the option with no waiting time to move) - or naturalize with you (if they are still minors when you do so)

 

[ELOH]

Thanks for the suggestion, OhCanadiana, but my kids are older teenagers and one is in college. Bringing them with me now is not an option. Neither is signing away custody so I guess I will pay the $150.00 online and send the receipt to CIC... just don't know where. I have emailed Ottawa office about the location of our file and still no response almost three weeks later. Not looking good.

 

[missmymexi]

Very interesting, glad I came across this, has no idea about the fee's

 

[OhCanadiana]

Thanks for the suggestion, OhCanadiana, but my kids are older teenagers and one is in college. Bringing them with me now is not an option. Neither is signing away custody so I guess I will pay the $150.00 online and send the receipt to CIC... just don't know where. I have emailed Ottawa office about the location of our file and still no response almost three weeks later. Not looking good.

There seems to be all-around silence coming from Ottawa so don't take it personally

 

[Steph C]

It says on CIC's website that if you have dependants under 22 you have to pay $150 for each one, even if they aren't accompanying you to Canada.

Oh no.... I didn't pay the $150 for each non-accompanying child either, I didn't know I had to. What should I do? I just read if you have insufficient fees they will return your application.

Reading it again, it doesn't say Dependant. It says family member. And it also says for family members over the age of 22 or married, etc etc... he has a million family members :'( this was not clear at all. I would assume it's just for people who are joining them in Canada.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Oh no.... I didn't pay the $150 for each non-accompanying child either, I didn't know I had to. What should I do?

The easiest is probably to pay online and then e-mail a copy of the workbook and proof of payment to CPC-M. Use the send receipt of payment link at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/relatives-apply-after.asp so that the subject of your e-mail is appropriate.

If your application is already at the VO, then also submit a copy to the VO for their reference (otherwise, send them a copy once they have your application as a case specific enquiry).