Can I enter canada before sponsorship complete

[jaytee]

My first posting on this site, I am really hoping someone is able to give me some advice as Im unable to find it else where. I live in England with my husband (who has just been granted canadian citizenship) he is applying to sponsor me (completed but not sent forms) and our 3 children, we are wanting to move to canada in 2 months can we enter and stay whilst sponsorship goes through? what about interviews, landing papers etc? can I have all completed papers sent to us in canada? (thinking we should book a 6 month return ticket to make the entry easier) also are the children ok to go to school as husband is citizen?

Thank you in advance for any advice time running out.

 

[BeShoo]

You can visit, but not move to Canada while the application is being processed. You will have to show that you are willing and able to return to England at the end of the visit and convince them that you will in fact do it. You should be able to apply for an extension to the visit in the likely event that the application is not complete in 6 months.

If you do an outland application any interview would have to be done in England, but you can give a Canadian mailing address for the papers.

As for the children going to school, I have no idea about that. I don't know how that would work.

 

[whoopi83]

My first posting on this site, I am really hoping someone is able to give me some advice as Im unable to find it else where. I live in England with my husband (who has just been granted canadian citizenship) he is applying to sponsor me (completed but not sent forms) and our 3 children, we are wanting to move to canada in 2 months can we enter and stay whilst sponsorship goes through? what about interviews, landing papers etc? can I have all completed papers sent to us in canada? (thinking we should book a 6 month return ticket to make the entry easier) also are the children ok to go to school as husband is citizen?

Thank you in advance for any advice time running out.

If you are a UK citizen then you can enter for 6 months as a visitor.
If you file the application prior to arriving in Canada you can either, claim you are visiting or tell the IO your actual plans; that you have applied under family class (have a copy of your receipt for fees) and if possible wait until sponsorship has been approved and take that letter also. Ensure you have a return ticket.

As for schooling - I do not think so because they will only have the status of a visitor until they are admitted to Canada for residence (although someone with more knowledge will answer this).

 

[jaytee]

thank you both very much this information has been very helpfull would you also happen to know if on the sponsorship questionaire the request of sponsors financial activity for past 12 months is necessary or is proof of funds in bank account acceptable, this is my final hurdle and then i can send off my papers!!

 

[lovebajan]

Hey everyone!
My situation is similar...I'm pregnant and my husband, whom I'm sponsoring Out land from Barbados (I'm a Canadian living with my son from my previous marriage and my mother) has a 6 month flight booked from June-December. He will send me his part of the application soon, it will take 2 weeks for me to receive it (mail takes long from the Caribbean!!!) By June, I will be 6.5 months along. I'm debating if I should send the application when I get it or If I should send it 2 weeks b4 he comes. I want him to come and visit so badly, and then we can apply for an extension...(I need him here for the birth!!!) What should I do? What would you do? Please help!!!

 

[BeShoo]

I'm debating if I should send the application when I get it or If I should send it 2 weeks b4 he comes. I want him to come and visit so badly, and then we can apply for an extension...(I need him here for the birth!!!) What should I do? What would you do? Please help!!!

Send the application in as soon as you possibly can! I don't know any reason why you might want to delay. If there is an application in process, he should be allowed to visit (assuming he meets all the usual requirements for a visitor). Barbadians are visa-exempt, so I don't think he should have trouble as long as they know he will return if and when his visit ends.

He should have proof that the application has been sent in (a copy of the fee receipt) and if you've already been approved to sponsor him, that's even better. They will likely issue him a "visitor record" when he arrives which is clear printed evidence of the arrival date and is useful for applying for an extension. Does anyone here disagree with this? It's certainly what I'd do.

 

[BeShoo]

One more thing. You really should accompany your spouse/partner through customs and immigration. If you're not going out of the country, this may be difficult to do, but I would at least make sure you're at the airport before his flight arrives and with a cell phone so the immigration people can contact you to ask questions. Have all your documentation with you if possible.

 

[toby]

That's a great idea, having a cel phone ready for calls, at the airport. But that requires your landing PR spouse to also have a cel phone that works in Canada. How to do this unless you are visiting him/her in the other country? Or will the border officer call using his own phone?

On a second point, where a couple applies for residency, out of Canada, then wants to stay in Canada while waiting, and the applicant must provide assurance that he or she won't overstay the temporary visa period, surely stating that there is a Residency visa pending, and overstaying the TRV woudl jeopardize that PR application, is proof enough?

 

[lovebajan]

Thanks Beshoo, but the only problem is that his flight isn't a direct flight...it stops in Toronto then after clearing costumes/ immigration he boards the flight to Montreal!!! What can I do in this case???

Toby...I was afraid of that...that's the only reason I thought of stalling our application by sending it 2 weeks b4 my husband comes....(i know many immigration officers are grouchy and mean!!! I was coming back from Barbados January 2 and was given a hard time, and I'm a Canadian citizen, was using my Canadian passport)...

 

[lovebajan]

Toby, I forgot to tell you my husband doesn't need a visa from Barbados!! Thankfully!!

 

[whoopi83]

thank you both very much this information has been very helpfull would you also happen to know if on the sponsorship questionaire the request of sponsors financial activity for past 12 months is necessary or is proof of funds in bank account acceptable, this is my final hurdle and then i can send off my papers!!

This is pretty much what we did. Declared income etc and enclosed 12 month bank statement. Remember there is no income requirement for spouses/partner and children unless the the child had dependents...

 

[jaytee]

Thank you very much whoopi83 your information have been really helpful, I can now get forms sent off - exciting!!

 

[BeShoo]

Thanks Beshoo, but the only problem is that his flight isn't a direct flight...it stops in Toronto then after clearing costumes/ immigration he boards the flight to Montreal!!! What can I do in this case???

Well it would be best if you were coming with him, but of course that's not practical. The reason I said what I said was what happened when my partner came to Ottawa from the U.S. last November. He was only coming for 5 days (U.S. Thanksgiving weekend) but he was taken aside for secondary questioning and confiscation of a sweet potato that he tried to bring.

I was pulling in to the parking lot at the airport when the immigration officer called my cell phone. She wanted to know how long I'd known him, where I worked, whether he'd be staying with me, what his relationship to me was, that kind of thing. He was being a little evasive, I think, before he finally admitted to them that we were boyfriends. (After we were safely out of the airport, he told me, "The cat's out of the bag.") Once the IO was satisfied that my answers matched his answers and there really was someone here picking him up and providing accomodations, they released him.

I'm resigned to the fact that he'll have a hard time every time he tries to come into Canada until he has his PR. It's not that he's ever done anything wrong, it's just the way things are. He doesn't want to make any trips to the U.S. until the PR comes through (he's currently on an extended visit), in case they don't let him in. He's just nervous about crossing into Canada now.

 

[lovebajan]

Hey BeShoo,
I'm thinking of changing my husbands itinerary to a direct flight...do you think I should shorten the time to 3 or 4 months then once he's here apply for an extension?? My cousin's wife suggested that...is this good advice or not?
Thanks for your previous replies!!

 

[BeShoo]

Yes, I think you're better to do a shorter time, then apply to erxtend.

They asked my partner when we drove up to the border how much time he wanted. He asked for 6 months and they gave him 3, citing not strong enough ties to the U.S. The longer the visit is, the more questions about how you can manage to be away from you're obligations back how for so long.

I do think it might be helpful to have him fly direct to Montreal if you can manage it. A lot of people have said that you have to speak to the IO on his behalf if you're the sponsor. For example, see this: http://us2canada.com/visitorrecord.php