Can I go to Canada while application in progress?

[CathandBob]

Morning people
Wonder if someone can give me some info ... we are applying outbound (in the UK). We already own a house in Canada and have just put ours in the UK up for sale. We were kind of hoping for September, but file in London showing received only. My husband is Canadian and we have two reasons for wishing for Sept ... firstly we will be taking our dogs, and once the weather really starts turning cold have been told that certain airlines wont transport them. Our second ( more important reason) is my father in laws health is starting to deteriorate and we would dearly love to spend time with him.
I know my husband could go, but he doesn't want to leave me here, so can I go while my application is in progress and for how long? Also if we did and I needed an interview would it mean flying back to London? and lastly would it complicate the whole process if I did go?
We obviously would not sell our house here until we get approval ... so it would mean 2 lots of bills ... so very stuck on what to do :/
Any advice would be very gratefull
~~~~~ Wishing everyone Good Luck and a speedy decision ~~~~~~

 

[ashunandal]

Morning people
Wonder if someone can give me some info ... we are applying outbound (in the UK). We already own a house in Canada and have just put ours in the UK up for sale. We were kind of hoping for September, but file in London showing received only. My husband is Canadian and we have two reasons for wishing for Sept ... firstly we will be taking our dogs, and once the weather really starts turning cold have been told that certain airlines wont transport them. Our second ( more important reason) is my father in laws health is starting to deteriorate and we would dearly love to spend time with him.
I know my husband could go, but he doesn't want to leave me here, so can I go while my application is in progress and for how long? Also if we did and I needed an interview would it mean flying back to London? and lastly would it complicate the whole process if I did go?
We obviously would not sell our house here until we get approval ... so it would mean 2 lots of bills ... so very stuck on what to do :/
Any advice would be very gratefull

~~~~~ Wishing everyone Good Luck and a speedy decision ~~~~~~

you can go to canada any time because you are from a visa exempt country but you need to prove that you are visiting canada not moving to canada. you are not allowed to move before you get final approval so dont take a lot of stuff with you, if they came to know that you are moving to Canada, they can deny your entry. you need to show some ties to your home country (UK) to prove your return back. chances for interview are very less in london VO and if there is no interview, you will not have to go back to UK. after getting COPR, you need to re-enter canada and you can cross border by road and come back
i hope it helps
good luck

 

[CathandBob]

Thank you ashunandal for your reply, here's where I get a bit confused ... if I was in Canada and got COPR then I would have to send my passport into London? Am I ok to do that be in Canada with no passport? Also you mention coming back into Canada via road ... so how would I do that, drive into the states and then back to Canada to land... because wouldn't I need a visa to go into the states?
Sorry if I seem a bit dumb but I would just hate to get stuck and get sent back to UK .

 

[Sweden]

Thank you ashunandal for your reply, here's where I get a bit confused ... if I was in Canada and got COPR then I would have to send my passport into London? Am I ok to do that be in Canada with no passport? Also you mention coming back into Canada via road ... so how would I do that, drive into the states and then back to Canada to land... because wouldn't I need a visa to go into the states?
Sorry if I seem a bit dumb but I would just hate to get stuck and get sent back to UK .

Hey Cath and Bob,

I will be doing the same! if you are from a visa exempt country, ( which I suppose on going to Canada before the PR is approved), you don't need to send your passport to the UK Visa Office. They will issue a COPR ( confirmation of permanent residence), on a separate paper and send it to you. If you are moving to Canada before your PR is approved, make sure that you change your mailing address ( you can do that online once you have the UCI and file number from the sponsorship approval) so the COPR is mailed to you directly.

You can exit Canada, usually to the US, and turn back immediately. You don't even need to enter the US (in case you need a visa for that). When you are re-entering canada, you do the landing procedures ( about 20 to 30 min for most people) at the border, and that's it!

It would be best when crossing the border to have already the proofs that you submitted your application - either a copy of the receipt for fees, and copy of your application, or the sponsorship approval if you already have it.

There is a thread on some people landing, and doing the process, I will try to find it and post it here so you can read more about it, but don't hesitate to ask questions - there is no dumb question!

Good luck with your application,
Sweden

 

[bryandd]

Hi CathandBob

We are planning on doing the same, landing whether our COPR has arrived or not. We're actually just back from a trip to BC and we asked the immigration officer at customs about landing without PR. He confirmed what Sweden says and really didn't seem overly worried about the concept. Just one addition, he said that I could officially 'land' when I recieved my COPR by going to the nearest international airport, if its closer than a land border.

I have a question for you too. What is this about the airlines not accepting dogs later in the year? We are planning on taking out two over, probably in Nov/Dec. They will probably be getting to fly AirCanada, while we get the cheap seats on AirTransat, but no-one has mentioned anything about not flying them in the winter.....although getting any info out them has been difficult!

 

[bryandd]

you can go to canada any time because you are from a visa exempt country but you need to prove that you are visiting canada not moving to canada. you are not allowed to move before you get final approval so dont take a lot of stuff with you, if they came to know that you are moving to Canada, they can deny your entry. you need to show some ties to your home country (UK) to prove your return back. chances for interview are very less in london VO and if there is no interview, you will not have to go back to UK. after getting COPR, you need to re-enter canada and you can cross border by road and come back
i hope it helps
good luck

While I think this is technically correct, I was told by the immigration officer that I did not need a return ticket and would just be given a different kind of visa (forgotten the name) which would probably last 6 months (length is up to discretion of officer who issues it) and if I was stil in Canada after 6 months a warrant for deportation would be issued. Since it sounds like CathandBob are a straight forward case and there COPR should be there before the 6 months expired so they could settle no problem. And again while you may be technically correct about not being able to move her stuff, since there is no restrictions on her husband because he is Canadian then he can move all there stuff in his name without having to worry.

 

[CathandBob]

bryandd thanks for your reply All this sounds very promising !
Reading through Air Transat and Air Canada own websites if you go through to where its specifically about travelling with pets it seems that as they cant go in the cabin the have to go cargo, they both then mention winter restrictions. There are summer restrictions as well for landing in some places in the states ... but when I spoke to the lady at Airpets (cargo) she also mentioned the same thing. Am still trying to find out more info on this... if I do I will post for you.

 

[mojtaba77]

Hi,

I am a newbie in this forum. I was wondering if you may know why I cannot send personal email? Thank you.

 

[CathandBob]

Here is the link for the restrictions for Air Canada over the December time ...
http://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/solutions/ac_live/ac_live_restrictions.html
Am still trying to find out about air Transat.
Cath

 

[Sweden]

Hi,

I am a newbie in this forum. I was wondering if you may know why I cannot send personal email? Thank you.

Hey!

once you have posted 10 times, you can send personal messages and update your profile with statistics etc.
Good luck with your application,
Sweden

 

[bryandd]

Here is the link for the restrictions for Air Canada over the December time ...
http://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/solutions/ac_live/ac_live_restrictions.html
Am still trying to find out about air Transat.
Cath

Thanks! I'll have a read of that. We can't fly Air Transat as one of our dogs is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the other one probably has staffie in him, and the airline won't accept that breed. We had an awful time trying to confirm that with all the so-called experts at the pet travel service companies. I really don't have a lot of faith in any of them, especially now I find out that they didn't tell us about winter restrictions : Air Transat does work out a lot cheaper though so if you can get them on thats really good. What breed of dog are you transporting? I think we found AirPets quite expensive, don't remember which was the cheapest quote we had, but I can check when I get home if you like, unless you've got it sorted already.

 

[Lindissa]

So my wife and I will be filing our PR Paperwork sometime in the middle/end of Sept. I've been living with her in BC since the beginning of May and will be returning to FL the middle of Oct, before the 6 months I'm allowed to be here as visitor is up. We are filing outbound and know that it can take up to a year but sometimes in as little as 4-6 months.
She will come visit me over the Christmas holiday but we definitely don't want to have to spend months on end apart so we are thinking that after 6 months, regardless of whether or not I've received my COPR, I will go back to Canada for 6 months and hope my COPR comes in that time period. From what I've read on this thread, this is possible yes?
What should I bring with me when I come back? Proof that our paperwork is in progress? Any tips would be appreciated, my brain is completely fried and if someone has answered this already, please humor me lol

 

[Creampop]

We can't fly Air Transat as one of our dogs is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the other one probably has staffie in him, and the airline won't accept that breed. We had an awful time trying to confirm that with all the so-called experts at the pet travel service companies.

You may have a problem with this breed... and may need to check with the province you will be visiting and eventually living in... bull terriers (pit bulls) are banned in many places... may also be why the company won't transport the dog, because where you are going they are banned?
I know in Ontario they are banned completely (it says by city or town but when I looked at the list there wasn't many that weren't on there) and there are other bi-laws throughout the Country so checking into this before moving would be important. I have heard that if they do allow the dog it must be muzzled at all times and you have to have liability insurance.

We are planning on doing the same, landing whether our COPR has arrived or not. We're actually just back from a trip to BC and we asked the immigration officer at customs about landing without PR. He confirmed what Sweden says

You must have gotten a nice CSBA agent cus Landing is what you do once you receive CoPR and the agent wouldn't have referred to it as landing cus you are not landing your visiting... He may have said you didn't need return tickets but the agent sitting right next to him may infact want one you CAN NOT go by what one agent says cus each agent is different and could want many things to prove you will be leaving... ie lease, bank statements proof of employment etc... they can make it very easy or very hard it all depends on the agent you get that and believe it or not what kind of mood they are in...

 

[CharlieD10]

So my wife and I will be filing our PR Paperwork sometime in the middle/end of Sept. I've been living with her in BC since the beginning of May and will be returning to FL the middle of Oct, before the 6 months I'm allowed to be here as visitor is up. We are filing outbound and know that it can take up to a year but sometimes in as little as 4-6 months.
She will come visit me over the Christmas holiday but we definitely don't want to have to spend months on end apart so we are thinking that after 6 months, regardless of whether or not I've received my COPR, I will go back to Canada for 6 months and hope my COPR comes in that time period. From what I've read on this thread, this is possible yes?
What should I bring with me when I come back? Proof that our paperwork is in progress? Any tips would be appreciated, my brain is completely fried and if someone has answered this already, please humor me lol

1. Proof your application is in progress (copy of receipt, copy of sponsor approval, copy of initial assessment letter if you get one)
2. Proof of financial support (bank statement)
3. Only sufficient personal belongings for a visit

 

[Lindissa]

1. Proof your application is in progress (copy of receipt, copy of sponsor approval, copy of initial assessment letter if you get one)
2. Proof of financial support (bank statement)
3. Only sufficient personal belongings for a visit

When you say proof of financial support do you mean proof that I have money to support myself while I'm in canada? Do I tell them I am staying for 6 months? Thanks!