Exshaw man awaits arrival of his wife of three years to Canada

Undated photo of David Makaroff and his wife Desere. Delays with the visa application process prevents the couple from beginning their lives in Canada

David Makaroff says information he received from Citizen and Immigration Canada has delayed the process of bringing his wife to Canada.

After proposing to Desere, a South African, David was told by Canadian officials the couple would not be permitted to marry in Canada for two years.

The couple had met during a mission trip in Uganda.

David and Desere were wed in South Africa, a decision that is hampering the couple from spending their lives together in Exshaw.

“I’ve just been separated for three years by a system that is broken,” said David.

Desere is unable to visit Canada until she is approved for a resident’s visa, a process that could have begun earlier if the couple chose not to wed.

“If we had just lived common law, there is actually a visa for that,” explains David. “We could have applied for a permanent resident’s visa three years ago but because we’re in a marriage we had to wait."

While Desere awaits her application results from her home in South Africa, she has been the victim of crime including an attack from a gun toting robber who entered the residence and stole electronics.

Immigration lawyer Raj Sharma says visa processing times have tripled in recent years. He believes the federal government should issue visitor visas to married couples while applications are processed.

With files from CTV's Alesia Fieldberg