Interview in Santo Domingo - Re Immigration Canada

cathay · #1 08-26-2009, 09:45 AM

Hi everyone,
Yesterday we received an e-mail from Haiti and my husband will have his interview for his PR Visa to Canada in October. The immigration agent who sent the message was Sylvie Matas. Has anyone else been interviewed by her and if so, could you tell us how things went?
We would appreciate any information you can give us
Gracias

AnnaC · #2 08-26-2009, 09:55 AM

Hi Cathay,
first of all good luck to your hubby on the interview. If you do a search on her name you'll find that some have had good and not so good experience with this agent but try and remember that each case is different and it's more about the person being interviewed than the interviewer. I wouldn't want you pass on negatives to your husband which will make him go in with a chip on his shoulder.

If you have all the right documents and your husband can answer everything that was written in the application to prove how well you know each other there shouldn't be a problem.

Best of luck

sangria · #3 08-26-2009, 11:33 AM

Cathay,

You must be excited to finally have a date set!

Anna is right.

Your husband should be going into the interview with a positive mind set and confidence in his knowledge of you & your relationship.

Many have had interviews with Sylvia Matas.

Some people come out feeling good and others have taken offence to some of her comments.

All anyone can do is answer to the best of their ability and hope for the best.

Wishing you the best of luck! October will be here before you know it.

Sangria

jojocdn · #4 08-26-2009, 04:44 PM

Best of luck with the interview in October and let us know how it goes

Barbie38 · #5 08-26-2009, 06:39 PM

Good luck in October. Was this the first contact you had with Haiti or had they contacted you before?

Ellie2008 · #6 08-27-2009, 09:21 AM

My Husband was interviewed by this lady and he is now here in Canada with me. He said the interview was long and she asked many questions...even some that he thought were crazy, but in the end he said she was really nice. He said they were laughing quite a bit.

I think you have some great advice here. Go in with a positive approach. Feel confident in your relationship and answer to the best of your ability. This is really all you can do.

Best of luck...we are all here to support you!!

cathay · #7 08-27-2009, 09:45 AM

Thanks everyone for your advice and support. Anna, I agree that it is best to not give him any negative perceptions before the interview. But thanks for reminding me, because I tend to overthink things at times.
Barbie38, to answer your question, we had e-mailed Haiti before this to ask where we were in the process and they answered that the next step would be an interview. Then we waited for about 2 months before we got the e-mail on Monday to schedule his interview.

cathay · #8 08-27-2009, 09:54 AM

Another question I´d like to put out there. Given that some have had difficulty with her, do you think it would be a good idea for me to be there for the interview? I know that some people have asked to meet with the immigration agent after the interview. Ellie 2008, were you there when your husband had his interview?

Ellie2008 · #9 08-27-2009, 12:38 PM

Cathay,

I was not there for the interview. It was about an hour in length. I have heard many different thoughts on whether to be there for the apt. IMHO..i really do not think it makes a difference...it is not us as Canadians they are concerned about, it is our spouses and whether they believe this to be a genuine relationship.

If you had intentions of going down anyways, i would say yes, but i would not make a special trip

lexi · #10 08-27-2009, 01:02 PM

Cathay - Go, go, go! I know you were probably planning another trip anyways but if you can be there it would be a huge support for Santiago regardless if you can get to actually meet the interviewer or not.

Which by the way, I know of a couple and the wife demanded to speak with the immigration official and said it was her right as a Canadian and it did in fact help the case seeing them together. Sometimes that will work and other times not. It is worth a shot though.

I know if Mario would have had an interview I would have moved Heaven and Earth to make sure I was with him. He gets so nervous at things like that.

You guys are such a great couple together in person that you never know if you do get to go in it may just help.

Start asking Santiago all kinds of silly questions now to see what he knows!! Use the question checklist here on DR1!!

Give him anymore proof of your relationship that you may have to take with him too.

Good Luck!!! Mario and I are rooting for you both!!!