App for PR inside or outside Canada?

[DuberBlue]

Wow. Soooo much to learn and do.

Yep. It's a process. Welcome to the PR app club. We have jackets

Do I keep all my questions about PR,marriage, etc. in this one thread? Or am I supposed to post different questions in different more appropriate forums?

You can keep asking questions here. This forum is all about Family-class sponsorship, so just about anything you come up with would probably be relevant.

Can I change my US passport name, after marriage, while I'm still in NL?

Newfoundland, I guess? You can change your US passport as soon as you have your marriage certificate. Whether they will mail it out to Canada, I cannot say. Plus, you have to mail them your current passport...which you kind of need, so, there's that....personally, I'd probably wait until you're in the US to do it.

I'm also going to have to change things so I still get my Social Security pay (looking into that through their office today).

I am staying there for 90 days, but I do have to come back here to Texas for a month (at least) to wrap up things on this end anyway.

You all have said it's better to apply while I'm in the states, but if he is going to actually send in the papers what difference does it make where I am at the time?

It doesn't matter where YOU are...all that matters is that you're able to get all the papers you need up front with as minimal fuss as possible.

 

[DuberBlue]

I was probably too hasty with the passport advice...after all, my wife did get her passport changed while she was up here and they mailed it here. So..yeah...goldfish memory.

Anyways, you just need to make sure that you have a legal status in Canada for a decent duration to get that done (I think my wife's passport took less than a month to get back here). Just make sure you won't need it in the meantime

 

[Benni]

Anyways, you just need to make sure that you have a legal status in Canada for a decent duration to get that done (I think my wife's passport took less than a month to get back here). Just make sure you won't need it in the meantime

What do you mean about "legal status in Canada"?

Well, I'll be in Newfoundland for 90 days before going back to the states so I guess if it only takes a month that would work.

Now, I'm assuming I will also need to change my address. Or do I leave that my Texas addy until my PR comes through?

Will all correspondence go to my guy, rather than me, so I wouldn't have to worry about an address change?

Y'all are going to be so sick of me before this is all over!! Yikes!

 

[DuberBlue]

Legal status, in your case, basically means that you are here as a visitor. You'll either have a stamped passport (good for up to 6 months) or a Visitor Record, which you might receive when you cross the border. It means that if the border guard stamped your passport 7 months ago, you're still here, and you didn't apply to extend your stay, you're technically here illegally.

You can change your address to your Canadian one. Applying outland, as we've beaten to death in this forum, doesn't mean you can't live in Canada. It just means you have to ensure you're maintaining that legal status (i.e. visitor status) as per above.

As far as correspondence goes...it's something like this:
-your sponsor will be emailed about his application being opened.
-your sponsor will (presumably) get an email saying his sponsorship is approved, and that the application is now transferred to somewhere in the U.S., or possible the Ottawa Case Processing Pilot
-you will get nothing until they request a copy of your passport (this is months down the road) which they will do by email
-when your online status goes to Decision Made, you then start to camp out by your mailbox for your COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence).

This is all, of course, assuming a cut-and-dry case. It's possible there will be slight variations to what I've said above

 

[Benni]

Legal status, in your case, basically means that you are here as a visitor. You'll either have a stamped passport (good for up to 6 months)

You can change your address to your Canadian one. Applying outland doesn't mean you can't live in Canada. It just means you have to ensure you're maintaining that legal status (i.e. visitor status) as per above.

As far as correspondence goes...it's something like this:
-you will get nothing until they request a copy of your passport (this is months down the road) which they will do by email
-when your online status goes to Decision Made, you then start to camp out by your mailbox for your COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence).

I have a stamped US passport. I plan on staying for 90 days -- at a time -- until PR comes through so that shouldn't be a problem.

I've only stayed for 2 weeks at a time so far. At Customs, I just tell them I'm visiting a friend. The only thing they've asked is how I met him. All was fine, no problems.
But, since I'm staying longer, do I say the same or do I say I'm there on vacation for awhile or ???? Any ideas? I've been told to NOT say I am coming there to get married (this April).

They will request a copy of my passport through HIS email or mine?

Would I need to do my name change and address change before we apply. It's my understanding all the documents have to have the same legal name and address on them. Or, is it easier to just wait on that until the PR comes through?

If I don't change my address, the COPR would come here in Texas so I would need to be here to get it from the mail. Correct?
How long does that take from the time I receive Decision Made?

 

[sounion]

I have a stamped US passport. I plan on staying for 90 days -- at a time -- until PR comes through so that shouldn't be a problem.

I've only stayed for 2 weeks at a time so far. At Customs, I just tell them I'm visiting a friend. The only thing they've asked is how I met him. All was fine, no problems.
But, since I'm staying longer, do I say the same or do I say I'm there on vacation for awhile or ???? Any ideas? I've been told to NOT say I am coming there to get married (this April).

They will request a copy of my passport through HIS email or mine?

Would I need to do my name change and address change before we apply. It's my understanding all the documents have to have the same legal name and address on them. Or, is it easier to just wait on that until the PR comes through?

If I don't change my address, the COPR would come here in Texas so I would need to be here to get it from the mail. Correct?
How long does that take from the time I receive Decision Made?

I can't comment on all of your questions. But at the border, they wanna know that you have ties to the US and won't disappear into Canada illegally. Informing them of your home in Texas (where you have either rent or mortgage payments) should suffice for a tie to the US. You can also inform them that you have an Outland PR app underway, meaning your not trying to disappear illegally. If you send in the app, is there someone who can check your mail in Texas once a week when you're in Canada? Would be the surest way to not miss CIC mail. They email mostly though until the latter stages of your app.

 

[Benni]

Thank you! I think I'm going to leave name and address alone until the PR is finished.
Then, I can do the changes everywhere (here and in NL) all at once.
Would that mess up the approved PR to change all that afterwards?

 

[DuberBlue]

Not at all. You WILL want to get it done at some point, since keeping a PR requires you live here two of every five years, but I'm fairly sure CIC isn't actively tracking what your mailing address is after you land. Also, your PR card, I think, is supposed to be mailed to a Canadian address, so you will want to give them one when you land (i.e. when you get your PR). I might be wrong about that last part tho.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you! I think I'm going to leave name and address alone until the PR is finished.
Then, I can do the changes everywhere (here and in NL) all at once.
Would that mess up the approved PR to change all that afterwards?

It is fine to change your address with CIC during processing. If you are going to be in Canada, change it to the Canadian one so you receive your COPR at that address.

You don't need to bother updating your address with CIC after you have received your COPR.

 

[CourtneyWaffles]

So you can apply for outland while in Canada, and just extend your visit a bit longer? I want to make sure that I do not overstay my welcome and screw the whole thing up. Also, as long as I file for outland I'll be allowed to visit occasionally if I have to go back home, right?

 

[DuberBlue]

So you can apply for outland while in Canada, and just extend your visit a bit longer? I want to make sure that I do not overstay my welcome and screw the whole thing up. Also, as long as I file for outland I'll be allowed to visit occasionally if I have to go back home, right?

You can apply to extend your visit, yes, if that's what you mean (don't just arbitrarily extend it by not leaving).

And yes, the Outland app gives you this flexibility of movement. Every time you re-enter Canada you are doing so as a visitor. The Outland app doesn't care where you are so long as if you are in Canada, you are there legally.

 

[CourtneyWaffles]

You can apply to extend your visit, yes, if that's what you mean (don't just arbitrarily extend it by not leaving).

And yes, the Outland app gives you this flexibility of movement. Every time you re-enter Canada you are doing so as a visitor. The Outland app doesn't care where you are so long as if you are in Canada, you are there legally.

I think from what I have been told, and what my boyfriend and I want to happen we are going to apply inland. I won't be needing to leave Canada for anything, and that will make sure I can stay while we wait.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I think from what I have been told, and what my boyfriend and I want to happen we are going to apply inland. I won't be needing to leave Canada for anything, and that will make sure I can stay while we wait.

As a visa-exempt American, there isn't really any advantage for you to apply inland. Outland through Ottawa is averaging about 8 months right now, so you would most likely have PR before you would even get stage 1 approval with an inland application.

 

[chala]

I think from what I have been told, and what my boyfriend and I want to happen we are going to apply inland. I won't be needing to leave Canada for anything, and that will make sure I can stay while we wait.

it makes no sense whatsoever for a US applicant to apply Inland. It will take twice as long to get your PR and your application is voided should you leave Canada, even for a family emergency. We applied Outland and have stayed together continously during processing simply by visitor visa extentions,which is a very fast and easy process. Should the need arise to have to leave Canada the PR processing is not affected. So you may want to reconsider.

 

[sounion]

it makes no sense whatsoever for a US applicant to apply Inland. It will take twice as long to get your PR and your application is voided should you leave Canada, even for a family emergency. We applied Outland and have stayed together continously during processing simply by visitor visa extentions,which is a very fast and easy process. Should the need arise to have to leave Canada the PR processing is not affected. So you may want to reconsider.

I would advise Outland as well. My wife and I chose inland for one important reason though:

- when we applied, 1st stage approval was 6months, and I applied for an open work permit with my app, and suspected I would be able to work after 6 months.

However, the 6 months time was changed to 11, and that plan didn't work. So Outland is currently a better choice (as you can get PR via Outland quicker than 1st stage inland and an OWP).

All that being said, if you file inland, your application is NOT voided by leaving the country, it is only voided if you are not allowed back into Canada. And there is no guarantee that you won't be denied re-entry. Thus it is strongly advised to not leave during the processing of your application.