ADVICE NEEDED SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP

[Ponga]

Thank you so much.
I was 18 when we met and now that I've finally got old enough to be truly serious about this, its killing me having to wait to start my life with the love of my life.
I can't thank you enough for your help.
Thanks for your patience also.

You're very welcome.

Keep digging through the threads here to make sure that you know EXACTLY what you need to do!

And...even if you apply with an Outland application, he can quite possibly be with you [In Canada] for the entire time!!!
The best of both worlds...together in Canada and a faster overall process! Woo hoo!!

If you can get the application submitted ASAP, all he would need to do is come to Canada as a visitor ( if he's not here already when you apply) and maintain his visitor status, which is typically quite easy for someone from a visa-exempt country. Saying that the visitor extension is for a spousal sponsorship application that is in the works, is VERY common and usually approved, although I can obviously not guarantee anything.

Good luck!

 

[AshleyAnne]

We are all the way in Texas living full time right now, and we can hardly afford moving costs, never mind a lawyer. I think we have pretty much decided today that we are just going to suck it up and do outland. I'll spend another year in school and traveling back and forth I guess. It isn't worth the risk for him to be denied entry just because I wanted to work in Canada while he waits versus he work in the USA while I wait.

 

[AshleyAnne]

You're very welcome.

Keep digging through the threads here to make sure that you know EXACTLY what you need to do!

And...even if you apply with an Outland application, he can quite possibly be with you [In Canada] for the entire time!!!
The best of both worlds...together in Canada and a faster overall process! Woo hoo!!

If you can get the application submitted ASAP, all he would need to do is come to Canada as a visitor ( if he's not here already when you apply) and maintain his visitor status, which is typically quite easy for someone from a visa-exempt country. Saying that the visitor extension is for a spousal sponsorship application that is in the works, is VERY common and usually approved, although I can obviously not guarantee anything.

Good luck!

How do I understand the spreadsheets? I was just looking up the time frames and stuff and trying to figure out how long people are saying their applications are taking.
So since we are USA he can renew his visitor without too much trouble, being outland if he leaves it isn't a problem, which renews it too... HMMMM. My brain is finally understanding this all! It will take some talking to figure out what we do. So many options and it's just hard to decide what to do and how to work the system so we can be together and play by the rules.

 

[Alurra71]

I think you are still not quite understanding the entire process here.

You can in fact come back to Canada as you wanted. If you come with a uhaul full of stuff, your husband should arrive separate to you, either driving your personal vehicle (us plated of course with his name also on the registration/title) or flying in. The key here is that you don't want immigration to think that he is in fact moving with you lock stock and barrel. He is not allowed to do that yet. He is allowed to 'visit' only, but we all know he's living here.

You don't need a lawyer to do this. In fact, I would recommend avoiding a lawyer for this at all costs, UNLESS your spouse has anything in his background that might cause an issue, like a DUI or family assault or something in those lines. Because you said he was in law enforcement, I don't think any of those things would apply to him, but you never know for sure.

Getting your package together and filling out the forms is a pain in the a$$ to say the least, but it is well worth it in the end. Take a deep breath, take your time and figure out EXACTLY how you want to proceed. Once you have decided which way to go, then you can ask questions here and I am sure someone can answer them for you.

Good luck!

 

[AshleyAnne]

Okayyy,
So, I would drive the Uhaul full of our stuff.
He would follow behind a day or two with his personal vehicle and his dog to visit.
We would already have our application in outland. (Which we should not at all have an issue, great background, letters all that jazz)
I'll start working, and then he will apply to have his visitor visa extended.

If he is just in the car with the dog, would he be likely to be denied? I can't see it being a real issue.

We are talking about him just working here, us sending out outland application in and my continuing my schooling. Since our inlaws are allowing us to live for free and such.
It is just us bouncing between our ideas. I think either way we will be together, I just sort of panicked when I thought he might get denied crossing the border.
Outland is most certainly the way to go!

 

[Ponga]

Okayyy,
So, I would drive the Uhaul full of our stuff.
He would follow behind a day or two with his personal vehicle and his dog to visit.
We would already have our application in outland. (Which we should not at all have an issue, great background, letters all that jazz)
I'll start working, and then he will apply to have his visitor visa extended.

If he is just in the car with the dog, would he be likely to be denied? I can't see it being a real issue.

We are talking about him just working here, us sending out outland application in and my continuing my schooling. Since our inlaws are allowing us to live for free and such.
It is just us bouncing between our ideas. I think either way we will be together, I just sort of panicked when I thought he might get denied crossing the border.
Outland is most certainly the way to go!

Not to throw a wrench in the wheel, but...

If you are bringing items from the US that you say are yours, I wonder if you will have to pay duty on those items when you attempt to bring them into Canada? Obviously, most of these items would have been purchased in Texas, right?

I know that when your husband finally has his PR, he will have to provide a list of items that he is bringing with him ( I believe it's a form B4, or something) but since the U-Haul will have a combination of your items as well as his...what happens? If the CBSA opens the U-Haul (and they most certainly will) and they find anything that could be seen as his (like his clothes, for example), that could be a problem. "Why are you moving your husband's clothes in your U-Haul truck?" would be an expected question from CBSA I suspect.

Your husband driving across the border with his dog, may be an issue. At the very least he will need to have papers for the dog showing that s/he is current on vaccinations (from a veterinarian).

 

[AshleyAnne]

I've been here for two years so I've already talked to border and I don't have to pay taxes on anything that is older than 6 months.

Our dog is fully vetted and that won't be a problem.
You are right about the Uhaul and his clothing and such however.

We've been sitting talking about this for the last few hours, we've decided that we will apply outland and I'll just travel back and forth visiting.
It isn't worth risking taking a uhaul and getting denied after paying all the money to travel. So we will just stay here until we are accepted and I'll just travel back and forth since he's going to be getting a decent enough job to support the travel costs.

 

[Ponga]

Excellent plan!

 

[AshleyAnne]

So when we first started talking to border agents and such they kept asking "at what stage of the application is he at?"
Now does that mean that before the entire thing is completed and he gets his PR that he can enter the country?
Or is it only once everything has been accepted?
Not entering as a 'visitor' status is what I'm asking. When we will be able to move our dog and all our things.

 

[Ponga]

So when we first started talking to border agents and such they kept asking "at what stage of the application is he at?"
Now does that mean that before the entire thing is completed and he gets his PR that he can enter the country?
Or is it only once everything has been accepted?
Not entering as a 'visitor' status is what I'm asking. When we will be able to move our dog and all our things.

You're asking when he will legally be allowed to move here (in essence). The honest answer is...as soon as he has his CoPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) document. This is the document that allows him to land as a Permanent Resident of Canada. He may have to land first and then return to Texas to move all of his belongings, but I'm not certain. Hopefully a more senior member can speak to that.

For an Outland application (with no red flags, or issues) it's typically within 12 months AFTER you have submitted your complete application (including medical and FBI PCC).

Keep in mind that the processing times change regularly.

 

[AshleyAnne]

Okay, well we just got the FBI clearance letter in the mail yesterday and he has done his medical exam already, we have the confirmation sheet. We have everything all gathered to send in our application, just going to organize and put it together formally and hoping to send it out by next week at the latest.
We figured it would be that long, I just wanted to check.
Do you have any idea where to get the photos taken? Our local walmart doesn't even do PASSPORT photos, never mind something more specific.

 

[Ponga]

Okay, well we just got the FBI clearance letter in the mail yesterday and he has done his medical exam already, we have the confirmation sheet. We have everything all gathered to send in our application, just going to organize and put it together formally and hoping to send it out by next week at the latest.
We figured it would be that long, I just wanted to check.
Do you have any idea where to get the photos taken? Our local walmart doesn't even do PASSPORT photos, never mind something more specific.

Try a local camera shop. Be sure to take the photo requirement specs with you, because the PR photos are NOT the same size as a passport photo.

He did have the exam from a CIC authorized panel physician, right?

 

[AshleyAnne]

I know they aren't the same, we live in middle of hick town Texas so we knew the photos would be a challenge,
And yes to the physician! We had to make a trip into Dallas, twice. Hahaha the first time he had a Blood pressure spike, never had high blood pressure in his life, second time and his BP was just fine, nurse said it must have just been the stress of the appointment and Dallas traffic. LOL

I found someone logged about how they organized their application,
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-i-organized-our-applcation-and-a-summary-of-all-helpful-tips-i-have-learned-t92449.0.html

when she says her cover letter, and posts a client ID # where did she get that? Is that just what you get when you pay your fees? Or have I been stupid and missed another crucial step?

 

[Alurra71]

You're asking when he will legally be allowed to move here (in essence). The honest answer is...as soon as he has his CoPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) document. This is the document that allows him to land as a Permanent Resident of Canada. He may have to land first and then return to Texas to move all of his belongings, but I'm not certain. Hopefully a more senior member can speak to that.

For an Outland application (with no red flags, or issues) it's typically within 12 months AFTER you have submitted your complete application (including medical and FBI PCC).

Keep in mind that the processing times change regularly.

Just to clarify Pongas response here. Your husband can show up at the border with a truck load of stuff, every animal you own and all of your vehicles at the same time he comes with his COPR. He would not need to land and then return to TX and then come back again. You and he can bring it all with you without issue and without duty/taxes as soon as he has his COPR in hand.

To answer you latest question. You don't have to have a cover letter. You wouldn't have a client ID# if you have never dealt with CiC before so don't worry, you didn't miss anything. Make sure to pay all your fees up front (if possible) because waiting to pay the RPRF later on can slow the issuance of his COPR down a bit.

Sounds to me like you have it all together girlfriend. Go over it a couple times just to make sure you have all the updated correct forms, all the signatures are in place all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed and then slip that bad boy into the mail.

Good luck!

 

[Ponga]

FYI, high BP wouldn't have prevented his medical from being accepted. For a spousal sponsorship, the only thing that can lead to medical inadmissibility is something like active TB, or something that could be deemed a risk to the public.

You, as a Canadian, should have a UCI from a previous dealing with CIC (maybe from when you had a work permit, or something). UCI numbers are assigned once and re-used for life by the individual (like a SI number).

Your husband won't have his UCI number until they start working on his portion of the application.