Change of Status during Express Entry PR Process

[mubzali]

Following up on Asivad Anac's comments on a great thread that unfortunately has not been active since January anymore, so posting here!

"The crucial thing here is the time you get married. If you get married BEFORE you submit the post ITA application, you will have to include your spouse in that application and your points will be recalculated as mentioned by JoacRY leading to a refusal if your recalculated score falls below that draw's cutoff score. If you get married AFTER you submit the post ITA application but BEFORE decision is made in your case, your spouse will be added to your application without points being recalculated and they will get PR along with you if a positive decision is made on your application. Of course, you will have to show more POF (unless you're invited under CEC or have an LMIA supported job) and your spouse will have to undergo medicals and provide PCC(s)." - Asivad Anac on January 03, 2016, 09:52:27 pm

In the second case, I'm curious about two things:

1. How much further time (on average), until a positive decision on your application along with your new spouse is made, does this change of status (due to marriage) cause you to wait for your PR from the point when you communicate this to the CIC?

2. Additional proof of funds - if you are able to acquire the additional funds (through salary, other income etc.) however, this additional amount are recent savings and not part of the last 6 months average balance you have maintained in your account, does CIC raise issues on this?

Hoping to receive a response here!

 

[Stanlee]

Following up on Asivad Anac's comments on a great thread that unfortunately has not been active since January anymore, so posting here!

"The crucial thing here is the time you get married. If you get married BEFORE you submit the post ITA application, you will have to include your spouse in that application and your points will be recalculated as mentioned by JoacRY leading to a refusal if your recalculated score falls below that draw's cutoff score. If you get married AFTER you submit the post ITA application but BEFORE decision is made in your case, your spouse will be added to your application without points being recalculated and they will get PR along with you if a positive decision is made on your application. Of course, you will have to show more POF (unless you're invited under CEC or have an LMIA supported job) and your spouse will have to undergo medicals and provide PCC(s)." - Asivad Anac on January 03, 2016, 09:52:27 pm

In the second case, I'm curious about two things:

1. How much further time (on average), until a positive decision on your application along with your new spouse is made, does this change of status (due to marriage) cause you to wait for your PR from the point when you communicate this to the CIC?

2. Additional proof of funds - if you are able to acquire the additional funds (through salary, other income etc.) however, this additional amount are recent savings and not part of the last 6 months average balance you have maintained in your account, does CIC raise issues on this?

Hoping to receive a response here!

1. I am not sure of the first point.

2. It is OK if the savings do not form part of the last 6 months bank statements as long as you can conclusively prove that the funds belong to you and is not a loan.

 

[mubzali]

1. I am not sure of the first point.

2. It is OK if the savings do not form part of the last 6 months bank statements as long as you can conclusively prove that the funds belong to you and is not a loan.

Thanks Stanlee.

Anyone have any idea about the about the question raised in the first point?

 

[bestofluck]

Thanks Stanlee.

Anyone have any idea about the about the question raised in the first point?

took 80 days extra for a friend. Still depends how fast you submit the required docs.

 

[mashamasha]

Thank you for this thread. Very helpful. Would you mind clarifying "before a decision has been made on your case?" Does that mean before one lands in Canada?

 

[mubzali]

Thank you for this thread. Very helpful. Would you mind clarifying "before a decision has been made on your case?" Does that mean before one lands in Canada?

@mashamasha "BEFORE a decision has been made on your case" is the point after you have submitted your application, received an AOR and are waiting to hear back, when the CIC asks for your passport which is the point you can take as the decision has been made on our case) to stamp the VISA.

 

[mubzali]

took 80 days extra for a friend. Still depends how fast you submit the required docs.

Thanks. Good to know - I have heard it can take up to 6 months on average, but then again it varies case to case probably.

 

[Anford]

Following up on Asivad Anac's comments on a great thread that unfortunately has not been active since January anymore, so posting here!

"The crucial thing here is the time you get married. If you get married BEFORE you submit the post ITA application, you will have to include your spouse in that application and your points will be recalculated as mentioned by JoacRY leading to a refusal if your recalculated score falls below that draw's cutoff score. If you get married AFTER you submit the post ITA application but BEFORE decision is made in your case, your spouse will be added to your application without points being recalculated and they will get PR along with you if a positive decision is made on your application. Of course, you will have to show more POF (unless you're invited under CEC or have an LMIA supported job) and your spouse will have to undergo medicals and provide PCC(s)." - Asivad Anac on January 03, 2016, 09:52:27 pm

In the second case, I'm curious about two things:

1. How much further time (on average), until a positive decision on your application along with your new spouse is made, does this change of status (due to marriage) cause you to wait for your PR from the point when you communicate this to the CIC?

2. Additional proof of funds - if you are able to acquire the additional funds (through salary, other income etc.) however, this additional amount are recent savings and not part of the last 6 months average balance you have maintained in your account, does CIC raise issues on this?

Hoping to receive a response here!

Are you 100% sure about "If you get married AFTER you submit the post ITA application but BEFORE decision is made in your case, your spouse will be added to your application without points being recalculated and they will get PR along with you if a positive decision is made on your application."

I'm currently about to submit the post ITA (as single) and I'll become common-law in December. So there wouldn't be any recalculation/delay in my application? Thanks

 

[angelynn_00]

Hi All,

I am in a similar situation where I got married post getting an E-Apr. I have informed the IRCC as well as Delhi High Commission (since my file is in Delhi at the moment) about the change in my status and below is the reply I received from the Delhi High Commission. I do not want to add points for my spouse but just add him to my application. How do I go about this situation? Please advice since I am confused about what to do next.

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is in response to your recent email enquiry to the Immigration Section of the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi.

A change in your family status may affect the processing requirements for your application or the category in which your application is processed. It may also affect the total processing time for your application. If you get married or divorced, give birth to or adopt a child, or if a member of your immediate family passes away while your application for permanent residence is in process, you need to advise the visa office as soon as possible of your change of family composition.

If you do not request to include your spouse on your application, you WILL NOT be able to sponsor them to Canada in the future. The newly added family member must meet the requirements and undergo medical and background examinations EVEN IF they are not accompanying the principal applicant to Canada.

If you applied under the Economic Class, you must also take into account that the amount of money that you need to have to support your family is determined by the size of your family and the cost of living in Canada. Therefore, as your family size has increased, you must increase the amount of settlement funds required to immigrate to Canada.

If you applied under the Family Class, you must have a new spouse or child added to both the sponsorship in Canada (and pay the processing fee to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga) and to the permanent resident application being processed at the visa office overseas. In order to add a new dependant to a sponsorship, the sponsor must call in Canada 1-800-242-2210 and ask for the appropriate forms and instructions

To advise us of a change to your family composition, please send us a signed letter (the letter may be scanned and sent as an email attachment) providing us with all required changes to your file. The following information must be included in the letter if we are to make the changes:

- full name,
- date of birth,
- file number [Letter followed by a nine-digit number],
- telephone number, including area code,
- fax number, including area code, and
- mailing address

As we require your signature on this information, please note that your current family composition has not been amended in our records.

How to add your spouse to your application:

If your spouse is NOT a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, he or she must be examined in the context of your application, whether or not he or she will accompany you to Canada. He or she will have to undergo a medical examination. We will send you the appropriate form upon reception of the documents listed below.

In order to add your spouse to your application, we require the following documents:

- a letter explaining how your family composition has changed and requesting that your spouse to be added to your application
- updated IMM0008 Generic Application Form and updated IMM5406 “Additional Family Information” form for yourself to include your spouse
- A completed Schedule A Background Declaration form, and an IMM5406 “Additional Family Information” form completed and signed by your spouse
- processing fee for your spouse (if accompanying you to Canada)
- notarized copy of the birth certificate of your spouse
- copies of experience and educational documents for your spouse
- copy of your spouse’s valid passport (s) both valid and expired.
- four recent passport-size photographs of your spouse according to the specifications
- a copy of your marriage certificate and marriage registration
- a few marriage photographs depicting pre and post wedding and also of the ceremony itself.
- police clearance certificates for any country in which your spouse has resided in for 6 months or more since turning 18
- the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will need to be paid before a visa can be issued to your spouse (if accompanying you to Canada)
- if you applied as a Skilled Worker - updated proof of funds for number of family members to now include added spouse
- a “Certificat de Sélection du Québec” for your spouse ( in his or her name), if you wish to immigrate to the province of Québec

Copies of the original documents with original certified translations into English or French are required.

The required forms can be downloaded at: cic

Passport-sized photographs must meet these specifications: cic

Information about the fees that must be paid can be found here:
cic

Your spouse will need to undergo a medical examination. We will send you the appropriate form and instructions after receiving the documents listed above. Be aware that even non-accompanying dependants must undergo medical examinations.

We trust that this information will assist you in adding your spouse to your application for permanent residence in Canada.

You may find information about our processing times at this link: cic. Please note that, if your file is being treated within the time frames listed on the website, we will be unable to respond further to your query.

You may also check the basic status of your file on-line by using the “Client Application Status” function in the “On-line services” section of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website at cic

We will contact you if there is any further information we require.

Sincerely,

Client Service Unit, Immigration - 08.
High Commission of Canada in India / Government of Canada

 

[haceeb]

After ITA, i know its possible to change spouse status as accompanying.. But can i claim points for spouse if IELTS & ECA results are issued after the draw date ??

 

[masumah]

After ITA, i know its possible to change spouse status as accompanying.. But can i claim points for spouse if IELTS & ECA results are issued after the draw date ??

The answer is no..you can change ur spouse to accompanying status after getting ita but u cannot claim his/her ielts or eca marks if they were not done by the date of the draw in which u received the ita..I m in a similar dilemma..

 

[s.abuhass]

Hello guys, I was wondering, if you happen to get married after your application get approved and you get your visa stamped. What would be the case if you inform them before you land?

 

[DiNaV]

Hello guys, I was wondering, if you happen to get married after your application get approved and you get your visa stamped. What would be the case if you inform them before you land?

From what I have read in forums uptill now, in this case you will have to file sponsorship of your spouse. And I am guessing that will be done once you move to Canada & get your PR card.

Somebody correct me, if I am wrong here.

 

[DiNaV]

Hi All,

I am in a similar situation where I got married post getting an E-Apr. I have informed the IRCC as well as Delhi High Commission (since my file is in Delhi at the moment) about the change in my status and below is the reply I received from the Delhi High Commission. I do not want to add points for my spouse but just add him to my application. How do I go about this situation? Please advice since I am confused about what to do next.

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is in response to your recent email enquiry to the Immigration Section of the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi.

A change in your family status may affect the processing requirements for your application or the category in which your application is processed. It may also affect the total processing time for your application. If you get married or divorced, give birth to or adopt a child, or if a member of your immediate family passes away while your application for permanent residence is in process, you need to advise the visa office as soon as possible of your change of family composition.

If you do not request to include your spouse on your application, you WILL NOT be able to sponsor them to Canada in the future. The newly added family member must meet the requirements and undergo medical and background examinations EVEN IF they are not accompanying the principal applicant to Canada.

If you applied under the Economic Class, you must also take into account that the amount of money that you need to have to support your family is determined by the size of your family and the cost of living in Canada. Therefore, as your family size has increased, you must increase the amount of settlement funds required to immigrate to Canada.

If you applied under the Family Class, you must have a new spouse or child added to both the sponsorship in Canada (and pay the processing fee to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga) and to the permanent resident application being processed at the visa office overseas. In order to add a new dependant to a sponsorship, the sponsor must call in Canada 1-800-242-2210 and ask for the appropriate forms and instructions

To advise us of a change to your family composition, please send us a signed letter (the letter may be scanned and sent as an email attachment) providing us with all required changes to your file. The following information must be included in the letter if we are to make the changes:

- full name,
- date of birth,
- file number [Letter followed by a nine-digit number],
- telephone number, including area code,
- fax number, including area code, and
- mailing address

As we require your signature on this information, please note that your current family composition has not been amended in our records.

How to add your spouse to your application:

If your spouse is NOT a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, he or she must be examined in the context of your application, whether or not he or she will accompany you to Canada. He or she will have to undergo a medical examination. We will send you the appropriate form upon reception of the documents listed below.

In order to add your spouse to your application, we require the following documents:

- a letter explaining how your family composition has changed and requesting that your spouse to be added to your application
- updated IMM0008 Generic Application Form and updated IMM5406 “Additional Family Information” form for yourself to include your spouse
- A completed Schedule A Background Declaration form, and an IMM5406 “Additional Family Information” form completed and signed by your spouse
- processing fee for your spouse (if accompanying you to Canada)
- notarized copy of the birth certificate of your spouse
- copies of experience and educational documents for your spouse
- copy of your spouse’s valid passport (s) both valid and expired.
- four recent passport-size photographs of your spouse according to the specifications
- a copy of your marriage certificate and marriage registration
- a few marriage photographs depicting pre and post wedding and also of the ceremony itself.
- police clearance certificates for any country in which your spouse has resided in for 6 months or more since turning 18
- the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will need to be paid before a visa can be issued to your spouse (if accompanying you to Canada)
- if you applied as a Skilled Worker - updated proof of funds for number of family members to now include added spouse
- a “Certificat de Sélection du Québec” for your spouse ( in his or her name), if you wish to immigrate to the province of Québec

Copies of the original documents with original certified translations into English or French are required.

The required forms can be downloaded at: cic

Passport-sized photographs must meet these specifications: cic

Information about the fees that must be paid can be found here:
cic

Your spouse will need to undergo a medical examination. We will send you the appropriate form and instructions after receiving the documents listed above. Be aware that even non-accompanying dependants must undergo medical examinations.

We trust that this information will assist you in adding your spouse to your application for permanent residence in Canada.

You may find information about our processing times at this link: cic. Please note that, if your file is being treated within the time frames listed on the website, we will be unable to respond further to your query.

You may also check the basic status of your file on-line by using the “Client Application Status” function in the “On-line services” section of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website at cic

We will contact you if there is any further information we require.

Sincerely,

Client Service Unit, Immigration - 08.
High Commission of Canada in India / Government of Canada

Hi,
So what did you finally do?

 

[salkhan]

From what I have read in forums uptill now, in this case you will have to file sponsorship of your spouse. And I am guessing that will be done once you move to Canada & get your PR card.

Somebody correct me, if I am wrong here.

What if your spouse is a Canadian Permanent Resident?