spousal sponorship - biometrics and my temporary visitor status

[kermitf]

Hi all

any advice on the following much appreciated

I am in Canada on visitor . Married my Canadian wife last summer and filed for spousal sponsorship late September. My sixth month approved stay expired end of October so an extension application for this was filed in September. Have not had a response on visa extension but have had bio metrics and medical request follow up on spousal sponsorship this week

1. it seems my bio metrics need to be submitted in the UK not here where I have been since last April - is there a way around this does anybody know or do i definitely need to go back to UK just to give fingerprints etc.
NB the paperwork for medical suggests medical can be done in Canada

2. if i do so would i then need to wait to come back to Canada and my wife and how long would that time frame be does anyone know. (my concern is i could then have to wait in UK many months until completion of spousal sponsorship application for PR)

3. If i then returned to Canada is it at the immigration officers discretion as to how long they let me back in for if at all. Of course If by that point PR via SS has been approved I am guessing this won't be an issue.

4. Arrrrrrggggghhhh

Thanks

Tom

 

[kcward7]

Hi all

any advice on the following much appreciated

I am in Canada on visitor . Married my Canadian wife last summer and filed for spousal sponsorship late September. My sixth month approved stay expired end of October so an extension application for this was filed in September. Have not had a response on visa extension but have had bio metrics and medical request follow up on spousal sponsorship this week

1. it seems my bio metrics need to be submitted in the UK not here where I have been since last April - is there a way around this does anybody know or do i definitely need to go back to UK just to give fingerprints etc.
NB the paperwork for medical suggests medical can be done in Canada

2. if i do so would i then need to wait to come back to Canada and my wife and how long would that time frame be does anyone know. (my concern is i could then have to wait in UK many months until completion of spousal sponsorship application for PR)

3. If i then returned to Canada is it at the immigration officers discretion as to how long they let me back in for if at all. Of course If by that point PR via SS has been approved I am guessing this won't be an issue.

4. Arrrrrrggggghhhh

Thanks

Tom

Biometrics currently cannot be done in Canada. You should be able to return as a visitor. Being from a visa exempt country you can stay for up to 6 months.

 

[Zambezi]

Biometrics have to be done at a VAC in your home country. You should be able to return as a visitor. Being from a visa exempt country you can stay for up to 6 months.

Biometrics don't have to be done in your home country... there isn't even a collection centre in many countries. You can go to any VAC/biometrics collection point listed on the website (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/where-to-give-biometrics.html) to submit your biometrics regardless of your country of origin or where you are currently living. For example my husband is Zambian but there are no collection points in Zambia so he had to fly to South Africa to submit his biometrics and there was no problem from the IRCC side with that (just an additional expense for us!).

 

[kcward7]

Biometrics don't have to be done in your home country... there isn't even a collection centre in many countries. You can go to any VAC/biometrics collection point listed on the website (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/where-to-give-biometrics.html) to submit your biometrics regardless of your country of origin or where you are currently living. For example my husband is Zambian but there are no collection points in Zambia so he had to fly to South Africa to submit his biometrics and there was no problem from the IRCC side with that (just an additional expense for us!).

Thanks for that! Changed. There is nowhere to do it in Canada, though.

 

[Zambezi]

Thanks for that! Changed. There is nowhere to do it in Canada, though.

Yeah the biometric instruction letter that we received with our request explicitly says: "If you are already in Canada you will have to leave the country to provide your biometrics."

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi all

any advice on the following much appreciated

I am in Canada on visitor . Married my Canadian wife last summer and filed for spousal sponsorship late September. My sixth month approved stay expired end of October so an extension application for this was filed in September. Have not had a response on visa extension but have had bio metrics and medical request follow up on spousal sponsorship this week

1. it seems my bio metrics need to be submitted in the UK not here where I have been since last April - is there a way around this does anybody know or do i definitely need to go back to UK just to give fingerprints etc.
NB the paperwork for medical suggests medical can be done in Canada

2. if i do so would i then need to wait to come back to Canada and my wife and how long would that time frame be does anyone know. (my concern is i could then have to wait in UK many months until completion of spousal sponsorship application for PR)

3. If i then returned to Canada is it at the immigration officers discretion as to how long they let me back in for if at all. Of course If by that point PR via SS has been approved I am guessing this won't be an issue.

4. Arrrrrrggggghhhh

Thanks

Tom

Hi

If you are near any of the ASCs in the US, just hop across the border and get it done there instead of going to the UK.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/where-to-give-biometrics.html

 

[kermitf]

Hi

If you are near any of the ASCs in the US, just hop across the border and get it done there instead of going to the UK.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/where-to-give-biometrics.html

the website says it must be in the vca in the country that issued your passport - how sure are you you can do it in the states

 

[canuck_in_uk]

the website says it must be in the vca in the country that issued your passport - how sure are you you can do it in the states

It says on the website that you can go to any of the locations.

 

[kcward7]

Hi

If you are near any of the ASCs in the US, just hop across the border and get it done there instead of going to the UK.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/biometrics/where-to-give-biometrics.html

One thing to note here, there's been dozens of IEC applicants (and others I'm sure) denied when saying they're going to US for this purpose, even though the letter says they can. Use some discretion when going to the states for this.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

One thing to note here, there's been dozens of IEC applicants (and others I'm sure) denied when saying they're going to US for this purpose, even though the letter says they can. Use some discretion when going to the states for this.

Denied by whom?

 

[kcward7]

Denied by whom?

Sorry should have been clearer. Denied entry into the US when they've explained they're coming for biometrics.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Sorry should have been clearer. Denied entry into the US when they've explained they're coming for biometrics.

Where have you seen that? Someone posted just the other day that they had no issues hopping over to Seattle to do it.

 

[kcward7]

Where have you seen that? Someone posted just the other day that they had no issues hopping over to Seattle to do it.

In the Facebook forums, haven't seen it here yet. That's just one persons experience in Seattle, and of course others reporting the denial is not necessarily the norm or across the board whatsoever but wanted to call it out since there's been multiple cases.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

In the Facebook forums, haven't seen it here yet. That's just one persons experience in Seattle, and of course others reporting the denial is not necessarily the norm or across the board whatsoever but wanted to call it out since there's been multiple cases.

Yeah, I get that it is just one person. Still an option to try. The refusals could be the minority.

 

[kcward7]

Yeah, I get that it is just one person. Still an option to try. The refusals could be the minority.

Absolutely - I agree with you 100% and hope that they are. The way we were treated when we landed really caught me off guard - different circumstances, but I just wanted to call out that maybe some discretion in the biometrics would be prudent. I could be completely over paranoid though. Would just suck to try and cross and be sent back for such a stupid reason.