Advice Needed Preparing for 2016 Parent Application.

[NizNoz]

Hi,
After receiving citizenship earlier this month , I thought we'd had out last of dealing with CIC. Alas, the family class process has begun... Hopefully the Liberals can come though for us newbie Canucks and make this process easier..

Here's my situation. I earn well, my wife works in my company, we have three kids. We want to sponsor both my parents, and my wife's mother. I'm planning to sponsor my parents on my own, and be a co-sponsor for my wife's mom. All the parents are living in South Africa. Here are my questions:

1. Can I directly sponsor my mother-in-law, or do I need to co-sponsor her with my wife?
2. I notice some of the currently-available downloadable forms are time specific (eg IMM 5768), referring to the 2015 application cycle. Do we need to wait till the new forms are released? Is there any point in starting now?
3. What can I ask our parents to do right now, while I figure out and fill all these forms?
4. Do our parents need to courier their part of the documentation to us (or rather, we courier them the documents to sign, they courier it back to us) then we courier everything to the CIC offices?
5. We live in Vancouver. When it comes time to send the application in, we'll use a courier. But as I understand it, the applications will likely be taken up in the first day or two. So our package will need to arrive there THAT DAY. So it's all about timing? :'( Literally a delay of one day could ruin all our hard work?
6. Is it even realistic to start now (early November)??

Thanks so much for reading my post. I appreciate your help immensely!

 

[scylla]

1. Your wife needs to sponsor her. You can co-sign.
2. Yes - you need to see if new forms are going to be released. Sure - you can start reading through the existing forms now to see what information will be asked. But expect CIC to release new forms later this year.
3. Read through the instruction guide and have them collect any supporting documents required (e.g. birth certificates).
4. Yes - original signatures are require for both your parents and yourselves.
5. Last year the cap was filled in a day and a half. So yes - a timing error could ruin all of your hard work.
6. Sure - start familiarizing yourself with the process, what information will be required in the forms, what evidence you need to provide (e.g. 3 tax returns), etc.

 

[NizNoz]

Thanks Scylla.. I just noticed a (potential) problem. I got my PR via the BC Provincial Nominee Program. I 'imagine' my wife applied for her PR as my 'spouse'. So does this disqualify her from applying for her mother? (Form IMM 1344, Question under Sponsor Eligibility Assessment, no 5: "In the 5 years preceding your application, did you become a PR after being sponsored as a spouse?"). I'm assuming that I would have been considered her 'sponsor'.

I imagine the question on the form is meant for people sponsored by existing PR's or Citizens, but would it apply to my wife too? I wasn't a PR when she applied afterall - we applied for PR together and she as my spouse.

 

[sashali78]

Thanks Scylla.. I just noticed a (potential) problem. I got my PR via the BC Provincial Nominee Program. I 'imagine' my wife applied for her PR as my 'spouse'. So does this disqualify her from applying for her mother? (Form IMM 1344, Question under Sponsor Eligibility Assessment, no 5: "In the 5 years preceding your application, did you become a PR after being sponsored as a spouse?"). I'm assuming that I would have been considered her 'sponsor'.

I imagine the question on the form is meant for people sponsored by existing PR's or Citizens, but would it apply to my wife too? I wasn't a PR when she applied afterall - we applied for PR together and she as my spouse.

Based on what your describe, your wife was your spouse/dependent on your PNP application. She is not considered to be a sponsored person.

 

[Rob_TO]

Thanks Scylla.. I just noticed a (potential) problem. I got my PR via the BC Provincial Nominee Program. I 'imagine' my wife applied for her PR as my 'spouse'. So does this disqualify her from applying for her mother? (Form IMM 1344, Question under Sponsor Eligibility Assessment, no 5: "In the 5 years preceding your application, did you become a PR after being sponsored as a spouse?"). I'm assuming that I would have been considered her 'sponsor'.

I imagine the question on the form is meant for people sponsored by existing PR's or Citizens, but would it apply to my wife too? I wasn't a PR when she applied afterall - we applied for PR together and she as my spouse.

That rule doesn't apply to parents sponsorship.

The only main criteria you will need to follow, is that you have CRA tax returns that show you and your wife's combined Canadian income meets the MNI amounts for 2012, 2013 and 2014.

 

[NizNoz]

Thanks for that reassurance.