entering Canada while spouse sponsoring procedure is not finished

[imrekalt]

Hello,

I would like to ask your feedback or ask you to share your experience about entering Canada while the sponsoring procedure is still under way:

My two daughters (2 and 5) and myself are Canadian citizens.
We started the sponsorship procedure for my wife in September outside Canada. Can she come with
us to Canada with a Hungarian passport (no tourist visa needed )and enter the country
without problem before she is approved (which is a formality)? How can we minimize the risk that immigrations will turn her away?

The reason for the urgency is that I only have chance to get an interview (and eventually a job) if I am available
right away in Canada. (employers do not hire based on long distance interviews).
We would like our daughter to start school in September and she would need a few months in an ESL course to improve her English.
We plan to fly to Toronto in April, but it may take until September to receive her final approval.

May be we honest with the immigration officer and tell our story ? We will back up everything as we will have copies of the application forms, my approval as a sponsor etc ? Do immigration officers have a discretion to issue a TRV based on compassionate grounds ( if she cannot enter, I cannot take care of the children and start working by myself... ) If she needs to return to Hungary, the family will be separated, my daughter will miss school, our financial reserves will decline , our genuine intention to re-settle in Canada might be jeopardized. )

Or we shall tell that we are visiting to prepare our final return to Canada and try to extend her TRV once she is already in Canada ?

Many thanks for your feedback and I hope to receive some good advice as we are really want move back to Canada ASAP.

RP

 

[canadianwoman]

Hungarians can visit Canada without a visa. She can just come with you. You and she should be clear that she is just visiting. Have proof that you have submitted the PR application: the fee receipt and the sponsorship approval letter (if you have one). They usually let people in who are in this situation. If she has any proof of ties to Hungary, bring that as well.

 

[Sweden]

Indeed - you should be fine. There are quite a few people that are coming to Canada to wait out the rest of the PR application. I'm one of them and did not have trouble at the border.
I had the sponsorship letter, and proofs of funds in the bank to get a plane ticket if needed, but was not asked for anything. I got 6 months at the border, I only said that I was coming to wait for my PR, and would like to have 6 months, and got it. not many questions asked.

Your wife would not be able to work during the time she waits, and most likely ( depending on where you will settle) no healthcare, but if you prepare for that, it's feasible.
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[imrekalt]

Many thanks Canadianwoman and Sweden!
I appreciate your kind responses.
Best regards
arpad

 

[Jiminito]

Hi there,

I have similar question. I am a Canadian citizen and married to my Hungarian wife in Hungary. We are planning to settle down in Canada. It will be my wife's first time to Canada, can I apply for sponsorship while she is in Canada with me as a visitor? Will they reject the sponsorship application because she is only a visitor?

Thanks,

J

 

[bartjones]

Will they reject the sponsorship application because she is only a visitor?

Thanks,

J

No. You can apply even if she is in Canada as a visitor. Thereafter she can apply to extend the visitor's visa so that she can remain in Canada with you while her PR application is being processed. If you're from a visa exempt country, those types of visitor's visa extension applications are granted pretty routinely.

 

[Jiminito]

Thank you so much bartjones! Now my heart can be at peace