Can we go to Canada to wait for approval?? Please help!

[S1F5]

Hello all
Please give us some advice on the following:

My boyfriend and I applied Outland through London on feb 7 2013. We have been approved for step one and are now waiting on step two which I feel could take a few months. We are currently living in Rome but need to be in Toronto for a wedding in July. If we haven't heard back by then can we just stay in Canada and wait for approval or does he need to enter the country on the visa? Does anyone know why if we were approved for sponsorship we would be denied step two. Has anyone else done this or is it better to wait? Some processing times experiences would also be appreciated. Thank you

 

[truesmile]

So long as the applicant is from a 'visa-exempt' country then that is fine (sounds like you are). At the border you can say you are visiting (NOT moving or coming to live) and even show them that you are at Stage 2 in the PR application process. Eventually you have to enter (or "land") in Canada on the COPR that is issued, but you can drive to the U.S. border, turn around and accomplish that here.

Stage 1 is the "easy" part, just about any or all reason to be denied would only come up in Stage 2.

 

[gsize]

you need to be very careful what you say to Customs. If they think the 2 of you will stay here, they will say no. Entrance to Canda is never guaranteed !

 

[Rob_TO]

So long as the applicant is from a 'visa-exempt' country then that is fine (sounds like you are). At the border you can say you are visiting (NOT moving or coming to live) and even show them that you are at Stage 2 in the PR application process.

Yes, but it's also important that you tell the immigration officer you intend to leave after 6-months if the COPR is not issued during this time, and you are not able to renew visitor visa. For this you can also show a return airplane ticket dated for 6 months later. Just make sure if COPR is issued, that the airplane ticket is fully refundable or you can change the travel date.

Many people have successfully done this without any return airplane ticket. Often it depends on how nice or mean an immigration officer you get!

 

[Rattles]

Yes, but it's also important that you tell the immigration officer you intend to leave after 6-months if the COPR is not issued during this time, and you are not able to renew visitor visa. For this you can also show a return airplane ticket dated for 6 months later. Just make sure if COPR is issued, that the airplane ticket is fully refundable or you can change the travel date.

Many people have successfully done this without any return airplane ticket. Often it depends on how nice or mean an immigration officer you get!

I also think the return plane ticket is a good idea. Just let the customs agent know that you plan on returning home if your case is not done before your visa is expired. I have passed up many opportunities to go to the U.S. while being here because I am always afraid they will deny me entry. I don't even know what I would do if I had to return to Texas at this point. Hang out at my parents' house? No thanks.

 

[S1F5]

thanks alot everyone for your advice!! we are however planning on buying a one way ticket...i hope this isn't tempting fate and being presumptuous...can't we also at customs just say we are visiting or do they always ask about when you are planning on leaving? I have never had to think about this before so i dont remember the usual practice at the airport.

 

[truesmile]

Yes, for sure you can. You could even say you plan on leaving but are waiting for a seat-sale which is usually 6-8 weeks in advance. It really depends who you get, just bear in mind as noted already, "entry is not guaranteed".

 

[canuck_in_uk]

thanks alot everyone for your advice!! we are however planning on buying a one way ticket...i hope this isn't tempting fate and being presumptuous...can't we also at customs just say we are visiting or do they always ask about when you are planning on leaving? I have never had to think about this before so i dont remember the usual practice at the airport.

When the others say have a return ticket, they don't mean that the ticket has to purchased in conjunction with your flight to Canada. It just means have a ticket out of Canada for him. Buy your one way tickets to Canada. Then buy a separate fully refundable ticket for him back to Rome before the 6 month mark. The day after you land in Canada, get the ticket refunded. This is what my partner and I did. And then they didn't even ask to see it . Air Canada refunded my card within a week

 

[Sweden]

You could also travel with your bank account statement to show that you have sufficient means to buy a plane ticket if needed - that's what I did. I flew in with a one way ticket, and a print of my bank statement, together with my sponsorship approval. At customs, when asked how long I wanted to stay, I said 6 months and explained that I had applied for PR and was waiting for the outcome. I wasn't asked for anything else - no return ticket, no bank proof, not even the proof that I had indeed applied for PR. It always depends on the Immigration Officer, but if you're traveling together, and you're careful about the fact that he is not coming to "live" or "stay" in Canada, or "move" to Canada, but he is coming to visit you, and wait out the PR, it should be fairly straightforward.
Good luck,
Sweden