Canadian citizen sponsoring Brazilian spouse

[091212]

As a newbie to this group and reading through these post, i've gained a lot of information, thanks everyone!

So here's my situation:
my fiancee and I are currently living abroad in China (he's Brazilian and i'm Canadian). We want to move to Canada next year and get married and then send in all of our documents. Even though it may be faster to get the paperwork complete and approved in Brazil, we want to live in Canada so I can work and make more money.

So if we get married, is he able to live in Canada with me until the PR is (hopefully) approved? As of now he needs a visa to visit canada and is only allowed to stay for 6 months. I read that he can apply for an extension for his visa but If we send that paperwork in with everything else, I'm worried that will take longer than 6 months to get approved.
If anyone is in a similar situation as I am (sponsoring a Brazilian) if you have any other info or tips that would be helpful!

Also, does anyone know a phone number I can call for general questions, and any immigration counselling companies that you recommend? Thank you so much!

 

[FlygirlHkg]

Hi 091212,

I'm also a Brazilian but married to a Canadian and living in HKG for several years.
We were engaged for a very short time, and in one of my trips to Canada we got married in BC! I was in a tourist visa, and we had the justice of the peace come to my brother-in-law's place and marry us. Got our marriage certificate...

We aren't planning to move back to Canada just yet, but I've been reading about immigration as I'll need to go through this process once we move back there, but so far I know that you can either contact the Beijing office for Canada immigration, or even the HKG one as you are Canadian and your fiancé is not a mainland Chinese citizen to require information.

Perhaps, this option is easier for you - Go back Canada, get legally married there, and apply for his PR within Canada (have all possible documents and photos, email, letters and cards you exchanged to ensure that the relationship is genuine). There are changes to PR related to spouse sponsorship for people married for less than 2 years when applying for PR. Make sure he has a new or almost new Brazilian passport with years until it expires, as when visas are granted they are related in length to the passport's validity date.

Not much, but I hope it helps! Good luck!

 

[amikety]

If your boyfriend can get into Canada, you get married, and submit the Inland application before his visa expires, then yes, he could stay with you. It's not recommended he leave Canada during an Inland application. With him needing a visa, I would say 110% do not risk it. If he's denied re-entry, his application will be abandoned.

If you do this, he can also include a work permit application. Once Stage 1 is finished (around six months) he will get an open work permit.

If you're living together overseas and you're a Canadian citizen (not PR) you can apply as common-law. You can even do this before returning to Canada. You will need to show proof you plan to return to Canada. If you've lived together for one year, you're considered common-law in Canada even if there's no common-law where you're living now.

 

[figgy]

a friend of mine is in a similar situation. she is living with her husband in Brazil and they simply want to visit Canada at Christmas but his visitor visa was refused! he has a job and they have an apartment etc but was told he didn't have enough invoice tax evidence from Brazil. he has never been to Canada to meet her family and only wants to come for 2 weeks!

if anyone has any advice about a Brazilian getting a visitor visa it would be greatly appreciated! thank you