Help Paul Dean get into Canada!
Donation protected
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your support. As you may know, I’m asking for help to cover the cost of an immigration appeal that myself and my lawyers believe I have an extremely good shot at. Unfortunately, it’s not a cheap or an easy process and the unexpected legal costs are beyond my means, which is why I’ve turned to crowdfunding.
I know so many of you have followed me on this journey for such a long time now and your help, advice, and encouragement have all been invaluable, thank you. This is my chance realise a long-held dream. If you’ve missed some of the details along the way, or would like a recap, then hold on! Here comes the full story.
In the spring of 2017, after two years as a Temporary Resident, I began the process of applying for Permanent Residence in Canada. It’s the equivalent of applying for a Green Card in the US or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and it’s a fairly complex thing, so it took a while to assemble the documents I needed and to fill in all the forms. I made sure to get legal advice and draw on other people who had been through this process. By late July I’d completed everything and I sent the application off in early August (you can read more about that here). My lawyer and my friends were confident that things would go well.
Come late 2017, my Temporary Residence expired and I wasn’t allowed to extend it (which isn’t unusual for people seeking PR) and, wanting to do everything by the book, I left Canada with the belief I’d return soon. I travelled across America, returned to the UK and decided to take up writing again.
In January 2019, I was advised that my application had been refused. I was absolutely devastated, both because a long-held ambition had been scuppered, but also because so many people had been so confident and so invested in me. My lawyer was surprised and I was immediately encouraged to appeal the decision.
Unfortunately, an appeal is an expensive process that may last several months. The bulk of the cost is representation, which requires a $2,500 (Canadian) retainer for each stage of what may be a four stage process, but there are also smaller expenses involving things like filing, couriering paperwork internationally and notarising documents.
I was very lucky to receive that first $2,500 as a private donation, but I’m asking for your help to cover the rest. If this fundraising should pass its original goal, or I end up with excess funds that are unnecessary, I’ll donate the rest to MOSAIC , a charity in Vancouver that helps with immigrant and refugee settlement.
I’m afraid I can’t discuss any more details or specifics around my appeal right now, but be sure that I will the moment I’m allowed. Thank you again for your support. I’ve included a short FAQ below, but if you have more questions, let me know.
Q: Can you give us a cost breakdown?
A: Sure! 3 x $2,500 for three more retainer payments, plus $500 in copying/notarising/filing/mailing fees, plus another $500 to cover any future expenses. So far, I’ve had to pay a bunch in hidden costs to cover things like paperwork and postage, and I anticipate quite a bit more of this coming soon. That comes to $8,500 Canadian, which is about $6,325 USD or £4,845, hence the figure you see here.
Q: How long will this all take?
A: I’ve been told it may be up to six months. I’m currently about two months in!
Q: Can you give all the deets once it’s over?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Is this appeal guaranteed?
A: There’s always the chance it may not work, but my lawyer is very confident and keen to proceed, while I also think it’s very important to try for this.
Q: Can you tell me more about MOSAIC?
A: For ANYONE who moves from one country to another, the experience is challenging and difficult in so many ways, big and small. Sharing a language and a culture with Canada made my personal experience much less of a struggle, but it could still be hard in ways I had never anticipated. MOSAIC is a Vancouver charity that works for immigrants and refugees of all origins, ethnicities, sexualities, gender identities and class, providing help at every level. That includes translation and language services, assistance finding housing and work, plus a host of other support services. The work they do is comprehensive, important and can make a big difference in an immigrant’s life.
Q: Can I ask you something else?
A: Yes! Please get in touch.
I know so many of you have followed me on this journey for such a long time now and your help, advice, and encouragement have all been invaluable, thank you. This is my chance realise a long-held dream. If you’ve missed some of the details along the way, or would like a recap, then hold on! Here comes the full story.
In the spring of 2017, after two years as a Temporary Resident, I began the process of applying for Permanent Residence in Canada. It’s the equivalent of applying for a Green Card in the US or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and it’s a fairly complex thing, so it took a while to assemble the documents I needed and to fill in all the forms. I made sure to get legal advice and draw on other people who had been through this process. By late July I’d completed everything and I sent the application off in early August (you can read more about that here). My lawyer and my friends were confident that things would go well.
Come late 2017, my Temporary Residence expired and I wasn’t allowed to extend it (which isn’t unusual for people seeking PR) and, wanting to do everything by the book, I left Canada with the belief I’d return soon. I travelled across America, returned to the UK and decided to take up writing again.
In January 2019, I was advised that my application had been refused. I was absolutely devastated, both because a long-held ambition had been scuppered, but also because so many people had been so confident and so invested in me. My lawyer was surprised and I was immediately encouraged to appeal the decision.
Unfortunately, an appeal is an expensive process that may last several months. The bulk of the cost is representation, which requires a $2,500 (Canadian) retainer for each stage of what may be a four stage process, but there are also smaller expenses involving things like filing, couriering paperwork internationally and notarising documents.
I was very lucky to receive that first $2,500 as a private donation, but I’m asking for your help to cover the rest. If this fundraising should pass its original goal, or I end up with excess funds that are unnecessary, I’ll donate the rest to MOSAIC , a charity in Vancouver that helps with immigrant and refugee settlement.
I’m afraid I can’t discuss any more details or specifics around my appeal right now, but be sure that I will the moment I’m allowed. Thank you again for your support. I’ve included a short FAQ below, but if you have more questions, let me know.
Q: Can you give us a cost breakdown?
A: Sure! 3 x $2,500 for three more retainer payments, plus $500 in copying/notarising/filing/mailing fees, plus another $500 to cover any future expenses. So far, I’ve had to pay a bunch in hidden costs to cover things like paperwork and postage, and I anticipate quite a bit more of this coming soon. That comes to $8,500 Canadian, which is about $6,325 USD or £4,845, hence the figure you see here.
Q: How long will this all take?
A: I’ve been told it may be up to six months. I’m currently about two months in!
Q: Can you give all the deets once it’s over?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Is this appeal guaranteed?
A: There’s always the chance it may not work, but my lawyer is very confident and keen to proceed, while I also think it’s very important to try for this.
Q: Can you tell me more about MOSAIC?
A: For ANYONE who moves from one country to another, the experience is challenging and difficult in so many ways, big and small. Sharing a language and a culture with Canada made my personal experience much less of a struggle, but it could still be hard in ways I had never anticipated. MOSAIC is a Vancouver charity that works for immigrants and refugees of all origins, ethnicities, sexualities, gender identities and class, providing help at every level. That includes translation and language services, assistance finding housing and work, plus a host of other support services. The work they do is comprehensive, important and can make a big difference in an immigrant’s life.
Q: Can I ask you something else?
A: Yes! Please get in touch.
Organizer
Paul Dean
Organizer
