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can I sponsor lady and her son? a tough one! help!

practitioner

Member
Apr 19, 2008
15
0
First time on this blog, sorry this is long, thanks in advance to all kind souls willing to help. I’m a Canadian expat in China, missing Canada, finally unemployed, I have savings, I’m eligible to sponsor. I’ve known my Chinese girlfriend 2 years, lived together 4 months, and proposed marriage; I can prove genuine and continuing. She replied “I’ll marry you, I prefer we live in China, but I’ll go to Canada as long as we bring my son in 1-2 years, I can live without him that long.” She’s up-front honest (which I love) but changes her mind frequently (which I don’t). Her indecision is partly why her ex-husband, who has had legal, literal and financial custody of their 6 year old son more than 1 year, said he’ll give her custody only I adopt the boy. In China I can’t (legal and personal reasons), in Canada I could. I’d rather marry her and sponsor her to Canada, then let her – as a PR – sponsor her son to Canada. That way just in case her reluctance and indecision splits us up some day, I’ll have a 3-year undertaking, she’ll have the 16-year one.

Are these the rules?
a. her son must be examined (meds) and declared as her dependent, whether accompanying or not; she must tell any I/O “I may sponsor him some day, or not, first let’s see how I adapt to Canada myself.”
b. non-accompanying children in the custody of someone else are not members of the family class, so they can’t be sponsored
c. to sponsor someone, a PR must be inland, and able to prove Canadian residency. She can’t be in Canada while also in China obtaining custody.
d. I could sponsor her son if I adopt him now in China (although I can’t and don’t want to)
e. the more we cohabit conjugally now and after we marry, the better
f. sponsoring her I’m exempt from LICO; if she sponsors her son, she’s exempt from LICO
g. but if I sponsor her son, I’m not exempt, I must prove I can support him to age 22
h. the husband can give her custody by creating a new contract
i. after all that, the Chinese government decides whether they want to let the mother and son leave China
---taken together I fear all this means only she can sponsor her son anyway, and only if, after she’s a PR, either she:
(i) launches an inland ap when the son visits us in Canada (but would he be allowed in?) - - or…
(ii) she becomes a citizen, returns to live in China, tells ex-husband “We’ll take boy to Canada, give me custody so I can apply” and she applies to sponsor (outland)

Thanks everyone!
 

PMM

VIP Member
Jun 30, 2005
25,494
1,950
HI

practitioner said:
First time on this blog, sorry this is long, thanks in advance to all kind souls willing to help. I'm a Canadian expat in China, missing Canada, finally unemployed, I have savings, I'm eligible to sponsor. I've known my Chinese girlfriend 2 years, lived together 4 months, and proposed marriage; I can prove genuine and continuing. She replied “I'll marry you, I prefer we live in China, but I'll go to Canada as long as we bring my son in 1-2 years, I can live without him that long.” She's up-front honest (which I love) but changes her mind frequently (which I don't). Her indecision is partly why her ex-husband, who has had legal, literal and financial custody of their 6 year old son more than 1 year, said he'll give her custody only I adopt the boy. In China I can't (legal and personal reasons), in Canada I could. I'd rather marry her and sponsor her to Canada, then let her – as a PR – sponsor her son to Canada. That way just in case her reluctance and indecision splits us up some day, I'll have a 3-year undertaking, she'll have the 16-year one.

Are these the rules?
a. her son must be examined (meds) and declared as her dependent, whether accompanying or not; she must tell any I/O “I may sponsor him some day, or not, first let's see how I adapt to Canada myself.”

Yes
b. non-accompanying children in the custody of someone else are not members of the family class, so they can't be sponsored

She will need custody and to be able to remove the child from China.

c. to sponsor someone, a PR must be inland, and able to prove Canadian residency. She can't be in Canada while also in China obtaining custody.

She has to have the child examined, declare the child as non accompanying. In the future if she wishes to sponsor the child from Canada, she must then have custody and the right to remove him from China

d. I could sponsor her son if I adopt him now in China (although I can't and don't want to)


Moot point

e. the more we cohabit conjugally now and after we marry, the better
f. sponsoring her I'm exempt from LICO; if she sponsors her son, she's exempt from LICO

Yes
g. but if I sponsor her son, I'm not exempt, I must prove I can support him to age 22

No, you have to sign the undertaking that he will not be a government charge until he turns 22.

h. the husband can give her custody by creating a new contract
i. after all that, the Chinese government decides whether they want to let the mother and son leave China
---taken together I fear all this means only she can sponsor her son anyway, and only if, after she's a PR, either she:
(i) launches an inland ap when the son visits us in Canada (but would he be allowed in?) - - or...

Unlikely
(ii) she becomes a citizen, returns to live in China, tells ex-husband “We'll take boy to Canada, give me custody so I can apply” and she applies to sponsor (outland)

She doesn't have to be a citizen.

Thanks everyone!
PMM
 

practitioner

Member
Apr 19, 2008
15
0
PMM and rgvinson, thanks so much. i've been desperate for these answers.

to clarify:

-i sponsor her (outland); so she has son examined and declares him non-accompanying
-she becomes PR and we move to Canada while her ex-husband still has custody of her son
-soon afterward, her ex-husband gives her a legal custody document, son doesn't need to be living with us 1st
-chinese govt approves child's removal from china (how?)
-her 1st year (or month?) in Canada she sponsors her son (outland) - he doesn't need to visit Canada 1st
-she's exempt from LICO, doesn't yet need to know English etc

thanks again,
p