Malaysia trip part 1 (Kuala Lumpur)

My husband planned our honeymoon trip to Malaysia. In february 2013, we went to Malaysia via Emirates. It was my first time travelling outside Pakistan. I was so excited for the whole new adventure to come. To begin with, emirates was the best option we could choose. From much comfortable seats to the welcoming crew and yummy food, it was a complete joy. Our flight took off at night from lahore. As you know emirates makes a stop in Dubai, we landed there after 3 hours. Not to forget, Dubai international Airport is beautiful;from big brands for shopping to the scrumptuous food, Dubai airport is truly a splendid place. After about 3 hours, it was time for our next flight i.e. Malaysia!! It was a 6 hour flight and i spent most of the time sleeping. I only remember waking up for a glass of water and a muffin :D After a 6 hours journey we landed in Malaysia. The airport was very busy that time. After the clearance and baggage reclaim we were all set to go out.
We hired a taxi from the airport to our hotel; Hotel Aston. We booked the hotel via booking.com. My husband suggested the idea to go out and explore the area. When we went, to our surprise all the shops were close; except one pizza shop and one small mart. We could hardly see any person roaming around.
Next day we woke up at around 9 to have our breakfast buffet at the hotel. Hmmm not to forget the hotel served the worst breakfast ever! The only good thing to eat was the jam and cheese. We thought to move from there as there were no tourist attractions nearby. One thing I noticed there; the roads looked exactly like Islamabad and Lahore. The good thing was there was not a single wrapper of any stuff on the roads. The roads were neat n clean unlike ours :(

Our next hotel was Arena star luxury hotel. It was a very decent modern hotel located in the heart of the city near Segi college. The very famous china town is only 5 mins walk from the hotel. There are numerous dining options there. From the very aromatic bengali food to the cheesy kfc n mcdonalds burgers, we enjoyed every variety of food there.

Me and my husband visited some cool spots in Kuala lumpur like the famous KL bird park..!! People who love animals and mother nature should definitely go and visit it. The park is huge and has numerous bird species which i havent seen in my entire life. I can never forget the parrot feeding there, where all the parrots literally started to attack us! Have a look !

There's one mosque near the Kl bird park ahh i totaly forgot its name. Its a beautiful depiction of the muslim art and culture. The heritage, the designs everything was so pleasing to the eyes. Women are expected to over themselves properly and are given cloaks to wear incase they are not. The prayer area was huge and extrmely beautiful. The quiet atmosphere and its uncanny ambience took me to a whole new world!

To be continued :)

What is Pakistan? Where is Pakistan?

Many of the blog views I've been getting are from the European countries, America and Canada. some of you might be thinking, ugh where is Pakistan? What is she talking about ! Omg! is it the land of terror? You might be picturing a country full of chaos, bombings , terrorists, woman covered from head to toe and no rate of literacy!! Well, I don't blame you people for this perspective you have built about Pakistan over the years. Its usually the media which is has spread such a false impression of our beautiful country over the decade. This post is specifically written to highlight some positive and encouraging image of Pakistan.

To begin with the geography of Pakistan; it is a country situated in south Asia. It neighbours include China, India, Afghanistan and Iran. Most of the population in Pakistan are Muslims. Our mother tongue is Urdu but English has been declared as the official language of Pakistan. we are the people of that country which enjoys all the beautiful seasons. From really hot soul quenching summers to the freezing winters, we are blessed with every season of the mother nature.

Tourism was a big industry growing in Pakistan few years back. But, Pakistan had to pay its price in the name of war on terror. However, this year we do see a positive change. Our tourists spots prominently includes the mountainous regions of Pakistan which are rich in the flora and fauna. Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore also serve as a basic tourist attraction in Pakistan.

One of its own -Badshahi Mosque, Lahore

Dunga gali

Heaven on Earth-Dunga gali, near Murree

Head marala, Sialkot

Lake view, Islamabad

Head marala, Sialkot

The education rate in Pakistan is increasing and new universities and colleges are open for higher studies. There are countless schools in the country where subjects like science and computer studies are taught. English medium schools are extending throughout Pakistan. Universities in Pakistan are numerous! There are many Medical and engineering colleges in the country striving to play its part in the progress of its country. A rough estimate says there are nearly 136 universities in Pakistan.

p.s i know i haven't don't justice to my post ! ummm never mind i will keep updating the post !! :)

The waiting game

I submitted my application in 2011. My husband mailed all the documents in Canada. After the application was submitted i was given an application number via which I could access my application status online. Its sad to see that the authorities are not uploading the application status on regular basis. Its been more than a year since I've been seeing the same status on the website. I've sent numerous emails to the embassy but got a reply for only one of the emails. The email didn't answer my question thou. I emailed the embassy regarding some more things but they never replied. In the meantime, I've also mailed them some ongoing relationship proof in the form of pictures and phone bills. I don't know if the proofs were even considered, as i never got any acknowledgement letter from them. In 2012 i was sent a letter in which i was asked to refill some forms. After some online research, i came to know these forms expire after a year and we have to re submit them. In 2013 I was again sent a letter asking me to resubmit some more forms and undergo a medical test again. Moreover, I was told to submit a new police clearance certificate.
On some forums, people say that its the last step in the visa application process and that i will be hearing from them soon. fingers crossed ;)

Medical test

My first medical was done when i initially submitted my application. After 2 years i was sent a letter to undergo the medical assessment again.
Filling the Appendix C form:

This form is not complicated at all. At my first medical appointment, I took this form pre- filled. I filled all my forms with a black pen.

Quest number 3

Visa office that will be processing the file:

According to my information (and what I wrote)one has to write Islamabad in the given space.

Medical test number 1 :
I chose a hospital in Lahore for my medical test among the names of the doctors given on the website. I called the hospital and i was given the time for my medical test. As scheduled, i went to the hospital for my medical test. I signed some forms and then i was sent to the X-ray room. I was asked to wear a white gown and then my x-ray was taken. After the initial step my blood and urine samples were collected. After that, the nurse measured my height, weighed me, and i underwent a simple eye test as well. I was then called for physical test and then the doctor checked my blood pressure. The doctor also asked me some simple questions which included if i had undergone any surgery or no; whether I was taking any medicines; any medical history( Hepatitis or TB in the family) etc. etc.
Re-Medical:
Canadian embassy has changed its medical assessment centres and doctors in Pakistan. When i checked their website there were only 3 centres left for the whole Pakistan. The centres are in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. I called and scheduled the appointment for my re medical on the given number. They asked me to bring 5 photographs, original passport, passport copy, the re medical form sent by the embassy, spectacles, any medical reports and 5600 rupees cash.
As i entered the centre, i was asked to show my passport. I was given a token number. My father who was accompanying me, had to give his national ID card and i had to sign in front of his name in the visitors book. After some time, i was called. The lady at the counter took my passport copy and entered some info in her computer. I gave 5600 rs medical fee at the cash counter. After some wait, i was called for the x-ray. The doctors there were very professional but friendly. My blood and urine samples were collected. Weight and height was measured and my eyesight was checked. My blood pressure was also checked like before. ( I hope I'm not missing any of the tests). After that i was called by another doctor and she asked me some simple questions and then there was a simple physical exam, later. Overall, the whole procedure was very simple and I was free to go back in 1 and a half hour !

Applied for Canadian spouse visa! :)

Hello and Asalam u Alaikium everyone ! 
Its been quite a time since I've been searching around the internet to get help related to the spouse visa applications. I found that there was no website which could help us (the pakis) to find some useful information regarding the spouse visa forms , the medical and some other important stuff. As I've reached the point where I've filled up most of the forms and undergone the medical conducted for the spouse visa purpose; I would like to help all you guys out there applying for Canadian spouse visa.

It takes about 28 months for the Pakistani spouse to get the visa for Canada. 2 years back it was 24 months for the same class. A Pakistani spouse has to fill numerous forms like most of the other countries and usually we have to undergo the medical assessment twice. 

Important stuff for the submission of your Application:
1) A valid passport 
2) Your national id card
3) Your Nikah nama ( both in English and Urdu )*
4) Downloaded forms
5) Passport size pictures
6) Other pictures to support your case (of you and your spouse taken at numerous occasions)
7) Financial support proofs(money transfers)
8) Telephone bills(some people provide viber n other apps history too)
9) Medical test**
10) Police clearance certificate

* It is important to send your original nikah nama along with the other documents and forms.
**When I was to submit my application, I was very confused about getting my medical done before or not. My husband asked his uncle who is a lawyer in Canada about our concern. He told us that we need to get the medical test before we submit our application. 

Important note: I'm not an immigration lawyer or a professional. The sole purpose of this blog is to help you guys filling the forms and other related stuff. If you find that any information I provide is not correct please don't hesitate to correct me and increase my knowledge. Also refer to some other sites on the internet or any immigration lawyer if something's confusing here. All my knowledge is solely based on my personal experience and on line research. Please read all the instructions written on the document check list. Don't forget to sign all your forms as a missing signature means a delay in your processing case!
Make sure you have photocopies of all the documents and forms, as it will help you in the future.You can also fill your forms online and print them out. I printed my forms and hand filled it with a black pen. :)