Bringing my Chinese wife home for a visit...

[Mike B.]

Hello all,

My Aunt in Canada has invited myself and my wife to Canada to celebrate Thanksgiving. I'm a Canadian born citizen who has been living in China for the last 6 years. We have been together for nearly a year and a half and married for just over three months.

My Aunt (my mother's younger sister) owns a house in Canada and is very stable in her financial status. I'm stable enough being I have some savings and no outstanding debts but no significant assets. I don't own a car or any property. I've been working for the same Company in the same city in China for the last 5 years and still have nearly two years left on my current contract. My wife is currently unemployed but owns an apartment in China which we both live in.

My question is, is it suitable or advisable for my aunt to write the invitation letter or should I write it? Am I even eligible to write it being an expat for more than 5 years? My mother has been living and working in China for the last seven years. My father is in Canada but asset less and on social assistance. My Aunt is the only relative I have in Canada that could qualify to invite her. She came here to China for the wedding and we have plenty of photos of her attending the wedding as well as touring around and talking to my wife.

Should we go ahead and ask my aunt to help us with the visitor invitation or will that just confuse things? After the visit we will start on a family sponsorship application where I will act as the sponsor but we would really like for her to have the chance to see Canada before we decide which country to settle down in.

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice

 

[steaky]

I will suggest your wife to apply a visitor visa on her own (as a tourist) without the invitation letter.

For permanent residence, I suggest you start your spousal sponsorship immediately in China. Processing time is generally faster in China than in Canada. If your wife got the PR visa, she does not need to settle in Canada immediately after landing. She can return to China and come back for Canada later. Her PR status would be maintained as long as she is accompanying you. For more info, check the cic website or the sticky post in the family class forum.

 

[Mike B.]

Really? Her English level is very basic and she doesn't have a job right now.

I'm starting to think we should just work on the PR sponsorship and skip the trip. PR cards seem almost easier to get than visitor visas.

 

[Mike B.]

Also if she applies for a tourist visa doesn't she need to have hotel bookings for every night of her stay? We were planning to stay with friends and family for the visit..

 

[davek1979]

I did a very similar thing. When My wife and I were dating before we were married she applied for a visitor visa and got it. SHe showed a full time job in Mexico and her intention to go back. SHe had a ticket and book a hotel room for the time she was to be here. As soon as she got out of the airport we cancelled the hotel and did our own thing.

 

[wuyiL]

I will suggest your wife to apply a visitor visa on her own (as a tourist) without the invitation letter.

For permanent residence, I suggest you start your spousal sponsorship immediately in China. Processing time is generally faster in China than in Canada. If your wife got the PR visa, she does not need to settle in Canada immediately after landing. She can return to China and come back for Canada later. Her PR status would be maintained as long as she is accompanying you. For more info, check the cic website or the sticky post in the family class forum.

I don't think so. You both need to apply together after marriage.

 

[steaky]

I don't think so. You both need to apply together after marriage.

What do you mean by "apply together"? Do you mean applying together for permanent residency or visitor visa after marriage? What was it that you disagree?