ETA + Common-law confusion

[palovicovie]

Hey everybody,
I would like to hear your opinion and advice on our case. I am 24-year-old Canadian citizen, my girlfriend 20 years old Slovak citizen, we are together since November 2017 and we moved in together (in Slovakia) this July 2018 but I plan to return to Canada as I got a job offer in there and would like to take my girlfriend with me as separation would mean that our year of living together would not be fulfilled. We tried to get her IEC Working holidays visa but the waiting list is endless and the season is closed now. As we have to leave soon, we were thinking about going to Canada using her ETA visa (that she has valid till 2021) for 5-6 months arguing that I had to leave and couldn't leave her behind as we do not want to be apart as we are trying to work towards the 12 months common-law sponsorship. We hope that the IEC will get approved and we can use that visa in the meantime so we do not have to apply for an extension, but do you guys think that they will accept the reason and let her live here for such a long period of time (5-6 months) as a visitor using ETA? What other options do we have? Thank you.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hey everybody,
I would like to hear your opinion and advice on our case. I am 24-year-old Canadian citizen, my girlfriend 20 years old Slovak citizen, we are together since November 2017 and we moved in together (in Slovakia) this July 2018 but I plan to return to Canada as I got a job offer in there and would like to take my girlfriend with me as separation would mean that our year of living together would not be fulfilled. We tried to get her IEC Working holidays visa but the waiting list is endless and the season is closed now. As we have to leave soon, we were thinking about going to Canada using her ETA visa (that she has valid till 2021) for 5-6 months arguing that I had to leave and couldn't leave her behind as we do not want to be apart as we are trying to work towards the 12 months common-law sponsorship. We hope that the IEC will get approved and we can use that visa in the meantime so we do not have to apply for an extension, but do you guys think that they will accept the reason and let her live here for such a long period of time (5-6 months) as a visitor using ETA? What other options do we have? Thank you.

Hi

There is no argument that you "couldn't leave her behind", so don't bring that up.

She can come to Canada as a visitor. She is NOT moving to or coming to live in Canada, as she doesn't have that right. She is simply coming to visit her partner. Don't volunteer information to CBSA. Do not mention a sponsorship app unless CBSA asks specific questionsthat lead to that.