Getting married after receiving PR Portal inviation

[Erseenvi]

Dear All,

I have recently received the email from IRCC with the instruction for PR portal. However, I am not going to move to Canada now, but next year with my wife. We are not married yet but we are actually in a common law partnership.
So my question is that how will it be easier for us to make my spouse a permanent resident?
There are options I know below, but please let me know if there is any other options.
1- Let IRCC know that I am in a common law relationship, or get married immediately and inform them.
2- I will do a soft landing for now, then we will get a visitor visa to my partner then we will get married in Canada and apply for the PR.
3- I will do a soft landing then we will marry outside Canada or declare ourself in a common law relationship, then apply for PR.

Could you guys please share your opinion? Thank you!!

 

[scylla]

Dear All,

I have recently received the email from IRCC with the instruction for PR portal. However, I am not going to move to Canada now, but next year with my wife. We are not married yet but we are actually in a common law partnership.
So my question is that how will it be easier for us to make my spouse a permanent resident?
There are options I know below, but please let me know if there is any other options.
1- Let IRCC know that I am in a common law relationship, or get married immediately and inform them.
2- I will do a soft landing for now, then we will get a visitor visa to my partner then we will get married in Canada and apply for the PR.
3- I will do a soft landing then we will marry outside Canada or declare ourself in a common law relationship, then apply for PR.

Could you guys please share your opinion? Thank you!!

I'm assuming you applied as single and have not yet added your common law partner to your application as a dependent.

If so, option #2 and #3 aren't options. Only #1 is an option. It is mandatory that you notify IRCC you have a common law partner and have your common law partner added to your application. You cannot land as a single individual. This will be misrepresentation and will result in you never being able to sponsor your partner.

 

[Erseenvi]

I'm assuming you applied as single and have not yet added your common law partner to your application as a dependent.

If so, option #2 and #3 aren't options. Only #1 is an option. It is mandatory that you notify IRCC you have a common law partner and have your common law partner added to your application. You cannot land as a single individual. This will be misrepresentation and will result in you never being able to sponsor your partner.

Yes that's right I applied before covid and couldn't go to Canada when my COPR was issued. So I got my PR reissued after two years. While waiting for it, I got in a common law relationship.
What do you think about the processing time then? Will the whole process start from the begining? Or will I simply add my spouse into the application. And is there any threat that would cause not to obtain PR for me if I add my common law partner in the application?
Because I was thinking that I could sponsor her as a permenent resident after we got married. People got married after receiving their PR anyway. Am I wrong?

 

[scylla]

Yes that's right I applied before covid and couldn't go to Canada when my COPR was issued. So I got my PR reissued after two years. While waiting for it, I got in a common law relationship.
What do you think about the processing time then? Will the whole process start from the begining? Or will I simply add my spouse into the application. And is there any threat that would cause not to obtain PR for me if I add my common law partner in the application?
Because I was thinking that I could sponsor her as a permenent resident after we got married. People got married after receiving their PR anyway. Am I wrong?

- You can certainly sponsor her later. However it is mandatory that you add your partner to your application now if you are already common law. Again, this is mandatory. If you fail to do that and land in Canada as a single person, you will never be able to sponsor your partner, even if you get married later. Please take this seriously. You can either add your partner as an accompanying dependent (which means that your partner will get a PR visa along with you) or non-accompanying dependent (which means your partner will not get a PR visa along with you and you will need to sponsor your partner later).
- You can expect 4-6 months (maybe more) of additional processing time to add your partner to the application.
- Your partner will need to pass a medical and background / security check.

 

[Erseenvi]

- You can certainly sponsor her later. However it is mandatory that you add your partner to your application now if you are already common law. Again, this is mandatory. If you fail to do that and land in Canada as a single person, you will never be able to sponsor your partner, even if you get married later. Please take this seriously. You can either add your partner as an accompanying dependent (which means that your partner will get a PR visa along with you) or non-accompanying dependent (which means your partner will not get a PR visa along with you and you will need to sponsor your partner later).
- You can expect 4-6 months (maybe more) of additional processing time to add your partner to the application.
- Your partner will need to pass a medical and background / security check.

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. It helps a lot. I take this very seriously, and that's why I bother you with my question to understand the situation. Sorry for that.

I have one last question if you don't mind.

As I understand, I cannot sponsor to anyone if I land in Canada as a single. But what if I decide to marry to someone after landing? I am not talking about the common law, as Canada will not know that I was in a common law relationship if I do not decleare that.

Think about that I am someone who got the PR and landed as a single person. let's say, after a few months, I got married to someone out of Canada. As far as I know, I can sponsor to my spouse in this case. So I was thinking that we can do such thing to not postpone my landing in Canada. Moreover, I also saw that if she can come to Canada with a visitor visa, and we do an in-land application, she can get a work permit while waiting for the PR.

Please correct me if I am missing something.

Thank you so much!!

 

[scylla]

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. It helps a lot. I take this very seriously, and that's why I bother you with my question to understand the situation. Sorry for that.

I have one last question if you don't mind.

As I understand, I cannot sponsor to anyone if I land in Canada as a single. But what if I decide to marry to someone after landing? I am not talking about the common law, as Canada will not know that I was in a common law relationship if I do not decleare that.

Think about that I am someone who got the PR and landed as a single person. let's say, after a few months, I got married to someone out of Canada. As far as I know, I can sponsor to my spouse in this case. So I was thinking that we can do such thing to not postpone my landing in Canada. Moreover, I also saw that if she can come to Canada with a visitor visa, and we do an in-land application, she can get a work permit while waiting for the PR.

Please correct me if I am missing something.

Thank you so much!!

You're asking about misrepresentation (i.e., lying in an immigration application). If you want to go this route, then be prepared for the high risk of refusal and a 5 year ban from Canada for your partner.

I can't help you any further if you are looking to commit immigration fraud.

Follow the rules and add your partner to your application now. Or don't follow the rules, in which case you're on your own.

 

[Ponga]

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. It helps a lot. I take this very seriously, and that's why I bother you with my question to understand the situation. Sorry for that.

I have one last question if you don't mind.

As I understand, I cannot sponsor to anyone if I land in Canada as a single. But what if I decide to marry to someone after landing? I am not talking about the common law, as Canada will not know that I was in a common law relationship if I do not decleare that.

Think about that I am someone who got the PR and landed as a single person. let's say, after a few months, I got married to someone out of Canada. As far as I know, I can sponsor to my spouse in this case. So I was thinking that we can do such thing to not postpone my landing in Canada. Moreover, I also saw that if she can come to Canada with a visitor visa, and we do an in-land application, she can get a work permit while waiting for the PR.

Please correct me if I am missing something.

Thank you so much!!

So, you "take this very seriously", followed by "Canada will not know that I was in a common law relationship..."

Do the right thing. Your partner and, most importantly, `Canada' will thank you. Don't gamble their future just because you can't wait for them to be added now. Not fair to your partner.

 

[YVR123]

Dear All,

I have recently received the email from IRCC with the instruction for PR portal. However, I am not going to move to Canada now, but next year with my wife. We are not married yet but we are actually in a common law partnership.
So my question is that how will it be easier for us to make my spouse a permanent resident?
There are options I know below, but please let me know if there is any other options.
1- Let IRCC know that I am in a common law relationship, or get married immediately and inform them.
2- I will do a soft landing for now, then we will get a visitor visa to my partner then we will get married in Canada and apply for the PR.
3- I will do a soft landing then we will marry outside Canada or declare ourself in a common law relationship, then apply for PR.

Could you guys please share your opinion? Thank you!!

I don't understand why you do not want to update your application with your common law partner since you are not going to move to Canada now anyway.

The extra time to process addition of your common law partner will be an advantage to you to delay the landing process. And this will help to avoid the time living outside after landing and risking to not comply to your RO (2 years out of 5 years).

You should proceed with option 1. Your partner/wife/husband will need to go through medical, police and background check.

 

[Erseenvi]

I don't understand why you do not want to update your application with your common law partner since you are not going to move to Canada now anyway.

The extra time to process addition of your common law partner will be an advantage to you to delay the landing process. And this will help to avoid the time living outside after landing and risking to not comply to your RO (2 years out of 5 years).

You should proceed with option 1. Your partner/wife/husband will need to go through medical, police and background check.

You are actually so right. I did not think the time that we will have while waiting for the decision, as I think to do soft landing anyway.
But I concern that what if IRCC does not accept our relationship as common law. Would it be affect my PR status as well? Or will I still be considered as a Permanent Resident after their final decision? By the way, we are living together with my girlfriend since October 2020 with a rental lease that is issued for both of us.
I hope I expressed my concern right.

Thank you all for your help! You are the best!

 

[Erseenvi]

Oh btw I just noticed that there is note on the IRCC website saying that:
"Permanent residents living abroad can’t sponsor from outside of Canada."
You can see the document I am looking by the link below:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5289-sponsor-your-spouse-common-law-partner-conjugal-partner-dependent-child-complete-guide.html

 

[Ponga]

You are actually so right. I did not think the time that we will have while waiting for the decision, as I think to do soft landing anyway.
But I concern that what if IRCC does not accept our relationship as common law. Would it be affect my PR status as well? Or will I still be considered as a Permanent Resident after their final decision? By the way, we are living together with my girlfriend since October 2020 with a rental lease that is issued for both of us.
I hope I expressed my concern right.

Thank you all for your help! You are the best!

"I did not think the time that we will have while waiting for the decision, as I think to do soft landing anyway."

Don't know how to make this any clearer! This would be a very bad idea.


Based on what you have shared you absolutely have a common law partner. If you do not INCLUDE that partner NOW, you will NEVER be able to sponsor your partner. Ever!

 

[Ponga]

Oh btw I just noticed that there is note on the IRCC website saying that:
"Permanent residents living abroad can’t sponsor from outside of Canada."
You can see the document I am looking by the link below:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5289-sponsor-your-spouse-common-law-partner-conjugal-partner-dependent-child-complete-guide.html

Adding your partner to your application doesn't mean that you are sponsoring your partner; your partner would be included in your application for PR.

How did you get your PR?

 

[Erseenvi]

Adding your partner to your application doesn't mean that you are sponsoring your partner; your partner would be included in your application for PR.

How did you get your PR?

Thank you I got the point.
I applied for Canadian Experience Class in March 2020. Then I moved back to my country in September 2020, and received my COPR in November 2020. Since then, I have been waiting for my COPR to be reissued. Finally, I got the confirmation of PR status yesterday. In the PDF document I got, it says I should inform IRCC if my status has changed. So the starting date of common law relationship is after my first application in 2020. I think there should not be any problem to add my partner into my application. Hopefully..
I checked the processing time btw, it says 24 months for sponsorship a partner living outside Canada. But as far as I understood from what you are suggesting that our case is not related to any sponsorship, but simply adding my partner into the application. Is that right?

Thank you for million times!

 

[Ponga]

Hmmm...

You said that your original COPR was extended by 2 years, due to Covid-19. You became common law with your partner AFTER you received your initial COPR, during those 2 years, right? If it is only your COPR document that has been extended, meaning that your PR application was approved/completed in Nov 2020...I suggest you talk to a qualified lawyer. It might be that you do not need to add your partner, but it might also mean that you would have to wait 2 years (after landing) before you could sponsor your partner. In that case, it would be good to find out if you really can add your `new' partner now.

 

[Erseenvi]

Hmmm...

You said that your original COPR was extended by 2 years, due to Covid-19. You became common law with your partner AFTER you received your initial COPR, during those 2 years, right? If it is only your COPR document that has been extended, meaning that your PR application was approved/completed in Nov 2020...I suggest you talk to a qualified lawyer. It might be that you do not need to add your partner, but it might also mean that you would have to wait 2 years (after landing) before you could sponsor your partner. In that case, it would be good to find out if you really can add your `new' partner now.

Yes, I got in a common law relationship after I received my initial approval. However, my application was on hold last 2 years.
So, in this case, I am not sure if it is a sponsoring or not.
If it is a sponsoring, the official website says I cannot sponsor her since I am currently living outside Canada.