+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Apply as an student not living in the visa country office

sinwise

Member
Oct 9, 2014
17
0
Hi everyone,

I'm married to a Canadian citizen. My wife and I expect to file a PR application this December from my home country (processing time estimated at circa 10 months).

However, my wife and I have just quit our jobs in my home country and we will be moving abroad for 1 year starting January 2015. I will be pursuing a 1 year graduate program and my wife will follow me there, possibly working on a temporary job or not... As this grad program ends in Dec 2015, we consider moving to Canada after that.

Now, the questions..
- Do you think I should apply from my home country, even I will be moving abroad just after that? I will be appearing as unemployed (just quit my job) and having a student certificate from a foreign university, so I'm afraid this may weaken my application. But at the same time, I will be moving to a country where processing time is 30+ months... Am I really forced to report that change of address? Also, does reporting a change of address automatically triggers a change in the visa office?

- Also, as the processing time is about 10 months, I will very likely get an answer before the end of my grad program. Do you think CIC will be okay to give me PR while I'm still committed to finish my degree for a couple of months more?

- Finally, do you know how long is the one-time entry visa for canada valid for? I've read somewhere that it is one year after the date of the medical exam but I am not sure. I took my medical exam in June 2014 so this would mean that my visa would be valid by June 2015, but I don't think I will have received any news from CIC at that time. How would that work then? Or does that mean that I should do a new medical exam in Dec 2014 again before submitting my PR app?

Your help will be greatly appreciated

Thank you!
 

driftcars

Star Member
Aug 18, 2014
90
0
Comparing the processing time of 30 months to 10 months, it makes sense to apply from your home country instead of the country you will be studying. Even if you want to apply from the country you will be studying, you are not eligible yet. There is a requirement on how long you have to live in that country in order to be able to use that country visa office on your PR application.

If the PR is approved (COPR issued), there is a deadline on the landing date. And if you won't be able to finish the graduate program before the deadline, you can always land first and go back to finish your school. You just need to make sure you maintain the PR resident status after you landed.