Hi everyone,
I was wondering if someone could help me with my current situation.
I am a Canadian citizen, and I met my Colombian girlfriend a year and a half ago will travelling. During this time, we've seen each other for a year, but not successively and some of that time while we were travelling, so we don't qualify as a common law couple.
I am currently living with her in Colombia. Our plan before the COVID-19 pandemia was for me to work here for about a year, see how it is going between us, and then going to Canada together. But because of the COVID crisis, and since Canada is advising every Canadian to do so, I would like to go back home soon. And I would also like her to come with me.
To do so, we where thinking about getting married in the next weeks and then going back to Canada together, me as a Canadian citizen, and her as an immediate family member. We think that her travelling could fall under the ''non-discretionary family reunification'' category, but we are not sure.
Also, on a page of the Canada's website about immigration during COVID-19, they state the following:
''The objective of this exemption is to facilitate reuniting immediate family members who have been separated as a result of these travel restrictions. Migration officers and case processing officers are to assess the circumstances surrounding the foreign national’s travel prior to authorizing in writing that the foreign national is exempt under this provision. As noted above, the officer must be satisfied that the foreign national is not travelling for an optional or discretionary purpose.''
Do you think that she could come to Canada under the non-discretionary family reunification, or that the officier would feel like we are taking advantage of the current situation (for the fact that the marriage would be recent, and for the fact that we are currently together in Colombia)?
Thank you all for your input!
I was wondering if someone could help me with my current situation.
I am a Canadian citizen, and I met my Colombian girlfriend a year and a half ago will travelling. During this time, we've seen each other for a year, but not successively and some of that time while we were travelling, so we don't qualify as a common law couple.
I am currently living with her in Colombia. Our plan before the COVID-19 pandemia was for me to work here for about a year, see how it is going between us, and then going to Canada together. But because of the COVID crisis, and since Canada is advising every Canadian to do so, I would like to go back home soon. And I would also like her to come with me.
To do so, we where thinking about getting married in the next weeks and then going back to Canada together, me as a Canadian citizen, and her as an immediate family member. We think that her travelling could fall under the ''non-discretionary family reunification'' category, but we are not sure.
Also, on a page of the Canada's website about immigration during COVID-19, they state the following:
''The objective of this exemption is to facilitate reuniting immediate family members who have been separated as a result of these travel restrictions. Migration officers and case processing officers are to assess the circumstances surrounding the foreign national’s travel prior to authorizing in writing that the foreign national is exempt under this provision. As noted above, the officer must be satisfied that the foreign national is not travelling for an optional or discretionary purpose.''
Do you think that she could come to Canada under the non-discretionary family reunification, or that the officier would feel like we are taking advantage of the current situation (for the fact that the marriage would be recent, and for the fact that we are currently together in Colombia)?
Thank you all for your input!
