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B4 form(s) - one only or one each?

DaiWelsh

Full Member
Jun 5, 2015
24
0
My wife (Canadian Citizen), myself (dual intent UK citizen, spousal PR application under way) will be flying in together (along with kids and FIL) in a couple of weeks. Do we need to do a B4 for each of us, or can we just do a b4 for e.g. my wife as returning resident and not for me?

If we have to do both do we each declare half of the goods or is it ok to arbitrarily assign them all to one of us and the other does a blank form? Or do we both have to declare all the goods? Similarly my kids (Canadian citizens) presumably don't have to bother? And my Father-in-Law (PR approved, sponsored by my sister-in-law)? He does not have many possessions and lives with us, do we need to identify which parts of the goods accompanying and goods to follow nominally belong to him as opposed to us?

we are all one household (currently live in same house in UK, will continue to live in same house in Canada) in case that matters.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Dai
 

Aquakitty

VIP Member
Mar 21, 2011
3,014
164
BC
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-03-2015
AOR Received.
14-04-2015 - SA Received: 20-04-2015
Med's Done....
28-01-2015 Upfront
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
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VISA ISSUED...
25-06-2015
LANDED..........
11-07-2015
When you say "landing" do you mean you have your COPR in-hand? Otherwise, I'm not sure that the B4 form is for landing as a tourist, so a B4 form in your name might be problematic. I don't know how the CBSA will react to find you living in Canada, the dual-intent policy means you still have to satisfy the tourist policies (prove you will leave after your status is up). But, your wife is free to bring stuff over as she would be a former resident. Just be careful with this, people have been turned back for intending blatantly to live in Canada until they get their PR.
 

DaiWelsh

Full Member
Jun 5, 2015
24
0
Aquakitty said:
When you say "landing" do you mean you have your COPR in-hand? Otherwise, I'm not sure that the B4 form is for landing as a tourist, so a B4 form in your name might be problematic. I don't know how the CBSA will react to find you living in Canada, the dual-intent policy means you still have to satisfy the tourist policies (prove you will leave after your status is up). But, your wife is free to bring stuff over as she would be a former resident. Just be careful with this, people have been turned back for intending blatantly to live in Canada until they get their PR.
I meant physically landing sorry, I must learn not to use that word in this context :). As I understand it I am perfectly entitled to live in Canada while waiting for PR process, that is the whole purpose of "Dual Intent". I do understand that the border agent may require me to satisfy them that I will leave after 6 months (Uk visitor) if my application is unsuccessful, that is fine.

So I think you are correct now I follow it through - I am not yet "landing" in the immigration sense so cannot present a b4 for me? If I did one it would be when I land (in immigration sense) after PR app is successful (though it would be blank as my goods would already be in Canada under my wife's b4 - we own everything jointly after all).

Just to reiterate, when you say "people have been turned back for intending blatantly to live in Canada until they get their PR" - under what circumstances - I will be doing just that, living with my Canadian wife and children? That is allowed isn't it? albeit I am technically a visitor until PR is approved?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/visa/dual.asp

This seems quite clear that it is legitimate provided I am not going to refuse to leave if my PR is refused (in that case the whole family would return to the UK, I could not possibly raise a family as an illegal immigrant).

Sorry to press, your answer to my direct question was helpful, just that you have now given me cause for concern on the wider picture :)

ETA: amended original post to avoid confusion over the term landing.
 

Aquakitty

VIP Member
Mar 21, 2011
3,014
164
BC
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-03-2015
AOR Received.
14-04-2015 - SA Received: 20-04-2015
Med's Done....
28-01-2015 Upfront
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
25-06-2015
LANDED..........
11-07-2015
Dual-intent simply means you are permitted to be a visitor despite the fact that you have a PR in process, it does not allow you to move to Canada like a PR is permitted to.

Temporary residence status might be refused for several reasons, including:

- not satisfying the visa officer that the individual will leave Canada at the end of their period of authorized stay.

Refusals
Refusals do not stem from having two intents. They stem from having a single bona fide intent (i.e., to become a permanent resident) and misrepresenting the second intent (i.e., to become a temporary resident) in order to achieve the first intent.

If you come over with all your items and a B4 form, you will have only one intent.

But, once you satisfy the CBSA officer and cross the border, you can live in Canada as a visitor.
 

DaiWelsh

Full Member
Jun 5, 2015
24
0
I think I take your point, but my wife will be coming with all "her" possessions, so I hope that won't be a problem by extension?

Not sure how else we could do it unless she didn't do her b4 when we fly in together but did it later - would that be better do you think?
 

Aquakitty

VIP Member
Mar 21, 2011
3,014
164
BC
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-03-2015
AOR Received.
14-04-2015 - SA Received: 20-04-2015
Med's Done....
28-01-2015 Upfront
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
25-06-2015
LANDED..........
11-07-2015
DaiWelsh said:
I think I take your point, but my wife will be coming with all "her" possessions, so I hope that won't be a problem by extension?

Not sure how else we could do it unless she didn't do her b4 when we fly in together but did it later - would that be better do you think?
Since you are coming by plane, how much stuff do you have? Is it boxes and boxes or just a few items? She has the right to bring her stuff but I would just be concerned about how it would look with you there too if it is obvious you are moving. If you have a household of stuff then yea her bringing it herself might be a better solution.
 

Sharcan

Full Member
Jun 19, 2015
36
0
Germany
Category........
Visa Office......
Vienna
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
July 7,2015
AOR Received.
25-08-2015
Med's Done....
upfront
We are basically in the same situation..I(canadian citizin) am moving with our 2 children in October from Germany back to Canada, my husband(sponsorship app in progress)is accompanying us. I have an overseas container in my name coming approxiamately 2 weeks after we arrive with pretty much all of our belongings in it.

I got a tip from another member here that it would be better to have a fully refundable, return flight for my husband booked as a worst-case scenario back-up, the children and I have a one-way ticket. This way when we arrive in Toronto with the whole family we will be explaining to the CBSA that we would like to wait out the desicion of the PR application in Canada but we are fully aware that IF a visitor extension visa is refused then my OH will leave Canada to go back to Germany. In our eyes we have a pretty cut and dry case for sponsorship....but you never know. We certainly don't want him to be denied entry in October!

Our overseas moving company sent us the B4 form saying that I need to fill it out in MY name as I am the returning resident, OH is 'just' a visitor.