AMERICAN CITIZEN MARRYING CANADIAN- COUPLE ??'S

[hillaryh]

Hi Everyone,

I love this forum and have found answers to MANY of my questions. I still have a few of my own... I am an American citizen marrying a Canadian citizen on Feb 22, 2015. We will be doing an outland application because it makes more sense given our background. Yes, I know it is a while away and I have not started any of my paperwork..I am just a tad OCD and want to make sure we are FULLY prepared and have done our research so there are no mistakes that could delay our process.

1) When filling out employment activity/places of resident if says "TO DATE/FROM DATE" ...is it OKAY to write put "10/2011- current" since I am currently employed or do they want a specific end date since that's the format is given in "YYYY/M/D"

2) Also, I go back and forth between my parents house and my own apartment in Chicago. So is it okay if it looks like I Have residence in Arizona from "July 2000 - current" and also my residence in Chicago from "Nov 2011- Current".

So my residency part will look like this (all my places I lived will be broken down for the 4 years I was in school..)

Scottsdale, Arizona- "1997-current"
Tucson, AZ- "2006-2010"
Chicago Ill - 2011- current" Will it look like a red flag if i'm currently residing in 2 places?

3) I plan on doing my medical in Canada as it will be a lot cheaper. Through my research I have found no information on what tests will actually be done. What should I expect? Will the panel doctors automatically know what type of tests need to be done?

This is our timeline so far:

Jan 2015
-Start medical/police check
-gather all documents needed for proof of relationship/ ect..
-start application

Feb 2015
-finish application
-wedding
-go with Andrew to YYZ for 6 month visit
-submit final PR packet
-at 5 month mark apply for visitation extension

How does this sound to all you experts out there? Am I on the right track? Hopefully someone is able to answer my questions or give me any type of feedback. I hope this makes sense..haha

Thank you SO Much for all your time!

 

[Rob_TO]

1) When filling out employment activity/places of resident if says "TO DATE/FROM DATE" ...is it OKAY to write put "10/2011- current" since I am currently employed or do they want a specific end date since that's the format is given in "YYYY/M/D"

If typing out the forms you need to put in actual dates (since I don't think you can type "present"). What I did for current info was to put the date as of when I was sending the application, and then after I printed it wrote in pen "to present". I'm pretty sure they will understand.

2) Also, I go back and forth between my parents house and my own apartment in Chicago. So is it okay if it looks like I Have residence in Arizona from "July 2000 - current" and also my residence in Chicago from "Nov 2011- Current".

Don't overlap your residences. You can't live in 2 places at once, so just pick one of them and use that. Make sure the timeline looks clean with only 1 input per date. If you start jumbling together multiple inputs into the same dates, CIC may think you made an error and could cause delays. Really your specific residence back then is not important... the most important one is where you put your current residence/mailing address.

3) I plan on doing my medical in Canada as it will be a lot cheaper. Through my research I have found no information on what tests will actually be done. What should I expect? Will the panel doctors automatically know what type of tests need to be done?

The doctors know what to do. They do a very simple physical exam, some Q&As on medical history, then blood work and/or urine (can't recall if both) and a chest x-ray.

This is our timeline so far:

Jan 2015
-Start medical/police check

Police checks are valid for 3 months when you receive them, so that timeline makes sense.

However medical you should be doing as the LAST step before submitting application. Like the week before you mail it. Medicals are only valid for 1 year, so you want it valid as long as possible in case there are any delays in your app, you hopefully won't need to do a 2nd medical later on.

 

[Millertimez]

You have everything in order it seems. It doesn't hurt to start searching way ahead of time before applying. Keep in mind some of the application forms could be updated by 2015 so it's best to tentatively fill them out until you are ready to complete them. Gathering all the documents needed is the most time consuming.

Just make sure you say you are "visiting" when coming to YYZ and not living with him in Canada for 6 months. I return ticket would greatly help.

Best of luck.

 

[hillaryh]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the replies ! I am a flight attendant so I am in/out of YYZ every other week visiting my fiance, so I am well versed when it comes to talking to customs agents

Right, we will start tentatively filling out applications but will definitely make sure we have all the updated versions !

 

[hillaryh]

ANOTHER QUESTION:

as for what addresses to put...

My lease is up on my apartment the end of March 2015, we plan to submit paperwork by end of Feb 2015. So by the time the CIC gets my paperwork I will no longer be living at the mailing address i have listed. (I will be in YYZ on my 6 month visit).

Since I expect the CIC will be contacting me via mail what do you suggest I do for mailing address? Are they able to mail items to andrew's canadian address?

I am concerned they will be mailing me items and I won't be receiving them since my lease has expired. Does this make sense? haha...

 

[rhcohen2014]

first of all, it is recommended to maintain a residence in the US while you are entering canada, especially when your application is in process. If the border agent you encounter learns you no longer have a residence to go back to in the US, he can deny you entry. The most important thing while crossing the border as an applicant is to be able to prove you can and will go back to the US when you tell them you will. Whether you plan to apply for an extension down the road doesn't matter. What matters is that you can prove ties to the US while you wait for your application to process. Since you have a steady job from a us employer, you may not run into issues. Just know that one of the documents they may request to see is a valid lease in the US.

As for putting a canadian mailing address for contact, yes this is ok to do, since you will be in canada as a visitor the majority of the time. A lot of applicants do this, and if it needs to be changed mid-application, there is a way to do it.

 

[hillaryh]

I'm getting rid of my apartment, but in my mind having all my family in Arizona proves that I have ties back to the US. Is this not correct?

thank you for all the help/advice everyone !

 

[rhcohen2014]

NOPE! having family and belongings are NOT considered significant ties. Border agents are going to assume you will give up family and things to stay with your husband who you intend to build a future with. An option is to ask a family member to write you a lease for where you would stay upon your return. IT's also essential you do not plan to move all of your belongings to canada until your application for PR is approved. Attempting to cross the border with everything you own is a HUGE red flag and will cause you trouble getting in.

 

[hillaryh]

I wouldn't be moving anything. Only clothes. Remember, I'm a flight attendant...we are nomads who live out of one small suitcase haha

thanks, ugh i'm a huge stress ball over this!

 

[Zarilenth]

Hah, totally irrelevant but I am from Toronto and am sponsoring my us husband who lives in Tucson AZ! Cool coincidence

 

[hillaryh]

omg ! so funny, I went to school at U of A down in Tucson.

 

[Millertimez]

NOPE! having family and belongings are NOT considered significant ties. Border agents are going to assume you will give up family and things to stay with your husband who you intend to build a future with. An option is to ask a family member to write you a lease for where you would stay upon your return. IT's also essential you do not plan to move all of your belongings to canada until your application for PR is approved. Attempting to cross the border with everything you own is a HUGE red flag and will cause you trouble getting in.

She doesn't necessarily needs to be on the lease. CIC won't be sending you any documents to the US address for months after application is received. After he gets his SA, you can then update your address to the Canadian address.

 

[rhcohen2014]

She doesn't necessarily needs to be on the lease.

true, she may not need to provide info about where she lives, and they may not inquire. they certainly CAN ask her to show proof of residence so they know she's not planning to "live" in canada, rather only "visit". i've had to provide my lease to cbsa before, and I carry it with me whenever i cross to be safe. it's a common concern of theirs. everyone's experience is different.

 

[hillaryh]

Thank you all for your insight. I've never considered having this issue. I am always crossing the border in my uniform (and will be in uniform when I cross for my 6 month visit ) so I have never been asked more extensive questions.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Thank you all for your insight. I've never considered having this issue. I am always crossing the border in my uniform (and will be in uniform when I cross for my 6 month visit ) so I have never been asked more extensive questions.

yes, remember there is a difference entering as a flight attendant who is working and there for work, and entering to visit for 6 consecutive months to be with your husband. when you are traveling with work, there is an assumption you will only be there short term. when they ask you how long you intend to stay, and you say 6 mo. that can trigger different questions than if you said you were there because you are on a short layover.