Passport submitted - Can I make my spouse accompanying now?

[manharnarang]

I have recently got passport request and am planning to land in April 2016. My wife is currently in US pursuing her research. When I applied in Express Entry, I mentioned that my wife would not be accompanying.

I was planning to apply for her sponsorship once i reach canada. A fellow member of the canadavisa suggested that I can make my wife accompanying at this moment as well.
1. Is it possible now? If yes, can anyone help me with links or articles.
2. It is been 3 months now that she is in US. Would she need to provide FBI certificate and how would i pay the fees for her now?
3. How should I contact CIC for this in case this is possible?
4. Is there any chance that i might be jeopardizing my application because of it?

Kindly suggest. Urgent guidance needed.

 

[One_Topsy]

I doubt it's possible. Read "change in circumstance declared after eAPR has been submitted"
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/perm/express/refuse.asp

The only way is if you got married AFTER you submitted eAPR.

 

[ksk_fsw]

I have recently got passport request and am planning to land in April 2016. My wife is currently in US pursuing her research. When I applied in Express Entry, I mentioned that my wife would not be accompanying.

I was planning to apply for her sponsorship once i reach canada. A fellow member of the canadavisa suggested that I can make my wife accompanying at this moment as well.
1. Is it possible now? If yes, can anyone help me with links or articles.
2. It is been 3 months now that she is in US. Would she need to provide FBI certificate and how would i pay the fees for her now?
3. How should I contact CIC for this in case this is possible?
4. Is there any chance that i might be jeopardizing my application because of it?

Kindly suggest. Urgent guidance needed.

I dont think this is possible as you mentioned in the same application that Not accompanying and got your points and ITA based on that..

 

[manharnarang]

I doubt it's possible. Read "change in circumstance declared after eAPR has been submitted"
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/perm/express/refuse.asp

The only way is if you got married AFTER you submitted eAPR.

Thanks for your response. But in the same link under section "Changes to Family Composition", it is mentioned that "Family members can be added to the application at any time during the process, including after the visa is issued, but prior to obtaining permanent resident status. Applicants are instructed to inform CIC immediately if their family composition has changed (e.g., birth of a child, marriage, divorce)."

Please suggest

 

[Asivad Anac]

Thanks for your response. But in the same link under section "Changes to Family Composition", it is mentioned that "Family members can be added to the application at any time during the process, including after the visa is issued, but prior to obtaining permanent resident status. Applicants are instructed to inform CIC immediately if their family composition has changed (e.g., birth of a child, marriage, divorce)."

Please suggest

....which doesn't apply in your case. You'll have to sponsor your spouse, they cannot be added to this application.

 

[jes_ON]

I have recently got passport request and am planning to land in April 2016. My wife is currently in US pursuing her research. When I applied in Express Entry, I mentioned that my wife would not be accompanying.

Based on this information, you have already included your wife in your application as non-accompanying (which is VERY different from not declaring her at all).

If you provided all your wife's details in the application, declared her as non-accompanying, provided her PCCs, and she completed her medicals, you could request that CIC change her status from non-accompanying to accompanying. They would stop processing your visa and return your passport; they will not be able to issue your COPR until her application is processed. (If you have already received it, you would have to return it).

You will have to pay the additional fees (CIC will advise you). She might have to update forms, resubmit PCCs, etc. Technically, she hasn't been in the USA long enough to require the FBI cert, but CIC has the right to request it anyway - hard to say what they would do.

In the past, this would delay an application by about 3 months (with a lot of variability), but it's hard to say how long it would take now.

Alternatively, you could get your COPR, land, and then sponsor her, as you originally planned.

 

[Asivad Anac]

Based on this information, you have already included your wife in your application as non-accompanying (which is VERY different from not declaring her at all).

If you provided all your wife's details in the application, declared her as non-accompanying, provided her PCCs, and she completed her medicals, you could request that CIC change her status from non-accompanying to accompanying. They would stop processing your visa and return your passport; they will not be able to issue your COPR until her application is processed. (If you have already received it, you would have to return it).

You will have to pay the additional fees (CIC will advise you). She might have to update forms, resubmit PCCs, etc. Technically, she hasn't been in the USA long enough to require the FBI cert, but CIC has the right to request it anyway - hard to say what they would do.

In the past, this would delay an application by about 3 months (with a lot of variability), but it's hard to say how long it would take now.

Alternatively, you could get your COPR, land, and then sponsor her, as you originally planned.

Cannot do this under EE. There is a material difference to the applicant's CRS score when spouse is declared as 'not accompanying'.

 

[manharnarang]

Cannot do this under EE. There is a material difference to the applicant's CRS score when spouse is declared as 'not accompanying'.

Hi Asivad. Thanks for your reply.

As you mentioned that there is difference in CRS score when u declare your spouse as non-accompanying. Is the score higher with non-accompanying or with accompanying?

 

[Asivad Anac]

Hi Asivad. Thanks for your reply.

As you mentioned that there is difference in CRS score when u declare your spouse as non-accompanying. Is the score higher with non-accompanying or with accompanying?

Spouse education, IELTS and work experience fetches up to 80 points. If listed as non accompanying, the calculation is different. Score would be higher in that case.

 

[manharnarang]

Spouse education, IELTS and work experience fetches up to 80 points. If listed as non accompanying, the calculation is different. Score would be higher in that case.

That means score would be higher in Accompanying case as the spouse related points are also added.

 

[Asivad Anac]

That means score would be higher in Accompanying case as the spouse related points are also added.

No. PA's points are reduced by 80 simultaneously. Zero sum game. The total number of points on offer are still maxed out at 600.

 

[younan02]

Based on this information, you have already included your wife in your application as non-accompanying (which is VERY different from not declaring her at all).

If you provided all your wife's details in the application, declared her as non-accompanying, provided her PCCs, and she completed her medicals, you could request that CIC change her status from non-accompanying to accompanying. They would stop processing your visa and return your passport; they will not be able to issue your COPR until her application is processed. (If you have already received it, you would have to return it).

You will have to pay the additional fees (CIC will advise you). She might have to update forms, resubmit PCCs, etc. Technically, she hasn't been in the USA long enough to require the FBI cert, but CIC has the right to request it anyway - hard to say what they would do.

In the past, this would delay an application by about 3 months (with a lot of variability), but it's hard to say how long it would take now.

Alternatively, you could get your COPR, land, and then sponsor her, as you originally planned.

Hi Jes_ON,

I am in a similar situation and it would be much appreciated if you could put your thoughts and suggestions.

I applied EE under CEC and got passport request recently. I put my spouse as non-accompanying in my EE application because he's working in US and we thought we could do long distance for several years. But as time went by, we found long distance is hard and we want to stay together. We decided that my husband would come to Canada after we got our PR together.
Therefore, I notified the VO that now I would like to change my spouse's status from non-accompanying to accompanying, so hopefully we could get our PR together. The VO requested additional docs from my in my online application - they are processing fee and a letter of explanation. I have paid the $550 + $490 fee for my spouse now and also include a letter of explanation to explain the reason (as described above).

My confusion is that - will my score got recalculated? I got invite to apply at score 470 (with the min score of the draw being 456 back to that round), however I tried to calculate my score with spouse and it's 450. So will the VO recalculate our score at a later time? Or the VO already decided that we don't need a score recalculation and that's why he only request fees and letter of explanation from us now? (Note that my spouse's PoC, Medical, Photos... have been uploaded before as non-accompanying)

If unluckily our score will be recalculated, will we got rejected? Could we apply for EE again if unfortunately we got rejected? I just feel like it's kind of disappointed if we are required to pay fees for my spouse first and then got rejected only because the recalcualted score...

Thank you so much! Please advise.

 

[jes_ON]

Hi Jes_ON,

I am in a similar situation and it would be much appreciated if you could put your thoughts and suggestions.

I applied EE under CEC and got passport request recently. I put my spouse as non-accompanying in my EE application because he's working in US and we thought we could do long distance for several years. But as time went by, we found long distance is hard and we want to stay together. We decided that my husband would come to Canada after we got our PR together.
Therefore, I notified the VO that now I would like to change my spouse's status from non-accompanying to accompanying, so hopefully we could get our PR together. The VO requested additional docs from my in my online application - they are processing fee and a letter of explanation. I have paid the $550 + $490 fee for my spouse now and also include a letter of explanation to explain the reason (as described above).

My confusion is that - will my score got recalculated? I got invite to apply at score 470 (with the min score of the draw being 456 back to that round), however I tried to calculate my score with spouse and it's 450. So will the VO recalculate our score at a later time? Or the VO already decided that we don't need a score recalculation and that's why he only request fees and letter of explanation from us now? (Note that my spouse's PoC, Medical, Photos... have been uploaded before as non-accompanying)

If unluckily our score will be recalculated, will we got rejected? Could we apply for EE again if unfortunately we got rejected? I just feel like it's kind of disappointed if we are required to pay fees for my spouse first and then got rejected only because the recalcualted score...

I would have advised withdrawing and re-applying (or sponsoring your spouse after getting PR) in this scenario. But now that you have already submitted his application, you will just have to wait and see.

When YOU applied, you had to pay the application fee upfront before it was assessed. Same is true for your husband. If your application is ultimately refused, you will both get the RPRF fee refunded.

If the VO applies the rules the way I understand them, your score will be re-calculated and you will no longer be eligible, sorry to say. You can understand that many people try to do this to get around the fact that their spouse lowers their CRS score, so IRCC may potentially view this as an attempt to game the system.

But hang in there. Sometimes people get lucky. And sometimes the CRS score drops and you may able to re-apply.

 

[younan02]

I would have advised withdrawing and re-applying (or sponsoring your spouse after getting PR) in this scenario. But now that you have already submitted his application, you will just have to wait and see.

When YOU applied, you had to pay the application fee upfront before it was assessed. Same is true for your husband. If your application is ultimately refused, you will both get the RPRF fee refunded.

If the VO applies the rules the way I understand them, your score will be re-calculated and you will no longer be eligible, sorry to say. You can understand that many people try to do this to get around the fact that their spouse lowers their CRS score, so IRCC may potentially view this as an attempt to game the system.

But hang in there. Sometimes people get lucky. And sometimes the CRS score drops and you may able to re-apply.

thank you so much for your reply. I will wait and see what's gonna happen to our application and keep it posted.
i got another quick follow-up question. - i also applied under the master level Ontario PNP stream (paper-based) in May 2017. This application included my husband as accompanying dependent as he's still working towards his phd in Canada back then. If ultimately we got rejected by the EE due to recalculation of our score, we may just wait for our PR application under the PNP stream. By any chance there will be any negative impact to our PNP application? Do you suggest we go re-apply for EE (now we hit 490 for EE so I guess we have good chance to be invited now...) or we just wait for our PNP application?

Thank you so so much!

 

[younan02]

Hi guys, just wanna give a quick update that me and my husband are very lucky! We got the new PPR together! Thank you for all your help~ Best of luck!