Fiance Immigration to Canada

[canadian89]

Hi all,

Thank you for viewing this topic, looking to get some advice and any would be appreciated.

Story:
- I met my girlfriend *now fiance* in 2014 working abroad, she is from the UK and holds a British Passport. I am Canadian citizen, permanent resident.
- We have rented a flat and lived together while working abroad for 2 years, so I will have proof as we both have mail and banking letters received at that address indicating we have lived together for 2 years during that time. We are committed and over the 2 years, we have visited my hometown of Vancouver and her hometown in the UK, and have decided to go to Canada for our future.
- Before we went to Canada, I proposed to her during a trip in SE Asia.

Now, we are both in Canada and living at my parents. I can, of course, stay as long as I want as this is my home. However, she is on a tourist visa - 6 months. We will be travelling to visit her family in the UK in dec2016.


Questions:
I was wondering what is the best way to sponsor her immigrating into Canada to become permanent resident?
Is it a hard process and how long does it usually take? My goal is to sponsor her and have her apply for a work visa as well so she can keep herself busy with work...

We have also discussed marriage and would not mind signing the papers if it makes things easier.
We both love it here as Asia was too crowded and humid for our liking and the UK was too cold and gloomy.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thank you so very much!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I am Canadian citizen, permanent resident.

I was wondering what is the best way to sponsor her immigrating into Canada to become permanent resident?

Is it a hard process and how long does it usually take?

We have also discussed marriage and would not mind signing the papers if it makes things easier.

Hi

Are you a Canadian citizen or a PR? These are different things.

Submit a common-law outland sponsorship app now.

It's a lot of work to put the app together and takes many weeks, if not months. As your partner is British, the app will either go to London, taking 8-10 months, or to Ottawa, taking around 6 months.

There is no need to get married.

 

[canadian89]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your reply!

I am a Canadian Citizen and hold a Canadian Passport.

I see, say it takes about 6-10 months, as we are heading to the UK to visit family, does that mean her tourist visa will be renewed when we come back after the trip in Dec 2016? As she will have to enter Canada again as a tourist?

Thank you for your help!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I see, say it takes about 6-10 months, as we are heading to the UK to visit family, does that mean her tourist visa will be renewed when we come back after the trip in Dec 2016? As she will have to enter Canada again as a tourist?

She doesn't have a tourist visa. When she enters, she will be granted visitor status by CBSA. That status ends when she leaves Canada and cannot be renewed. When she enters again after your trip, it will be considered a new entry.

 

[canadian89]

Hi Canuck,

Thank you for your help.

I see, thank you so much for clarifying!

1) If we chose to move our wedding date forward, would this be in our favor in terms of waiting time? What would the process be instead of the common-law spouse way?

2) Our friend also mentioned an application for Express Entry and/or IEC working holiday for a 2 year work visa. Is this a good alternative to take as well?

Thank you so much for your help Canuck and others, cheers

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1) If we chose to move our wedding date forward, would this be in our favor in terms of waiting time? What would the process be instead of the common-law spouse way?

2) Our friend also mentioned an application for Express Entry and/or IEC working holiday for a 2 year work visa. Is this a good alternative to take as well?

1. No, getting married won't speed up the application. The process is exactly the same except you need to include proof of one year of cohabitation for common-law.

2. Spousal sponsorship is easier. IEC doesn't reopen until next year and there is no guarantee of getting a spot because there are very few spots and a LOT of people trying for them. As for EE, she would need to have her foreign education formally evaluated and take a language test. It can be difficult to get enough points without skilled Canadian work experience or a job offer with a supporting LMIA.

 

[canadian89]

Hi Canuck,

Thank you so much for your help, greatly appreciated!!

Held a family meeting and the common-law spouse is definitely the way, thank you again for providing us with the info and options!

A few questions I have from common-law are:

1) As I am sponsoring my fiance under the common-law spouse, is there an income minimum that I must meet for a successful application? I tried to look online but no luck... We each do not have any children so no dependents.

2) As for proof of the cohabitation, I found some extra info within the forum here:
canadavisa[dot]com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/commonlaw-proof-for-pr-t449558.0.html
Does the evidence in this post help?? I know as much supporting evidence as possible is best, just want to make sure before scanning tons of our personal images for proof such as: trips, moving in together, family visits/dinners, etc..

 

[COPRQuestion]

Hi Canuck,

Thank you so much for your help, greatly appreciated!!

Held a family meeting and the common-law spouse is definitely the way, thank you again for providing us with the info and options!

A few questions I have from common-law are:

1) As I am sponsoring my fiance under the common-law spouse, is there an income minimum that I must meet for a successful application? I tried to look online but no luck... We each do not have any children so no dependents.

2) As for proof of the cohabitation, I found some extra info within the forum here:
canadavisa[dot]com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/commonlaw-proof-for-pr-t449558.0.html
Does the evidence in this post help?? I know as much supporting evidence as possible is best, just want to make sure before scanning tons of our personal images for proof such as: trips, moving in together, family visits/dinners, etc..

Hi there

There's no income requirements for spousal sponsorship but as part of the process you have to confirm you will support financially for 36 months

When my wife and I submitted proof i think we sent 30 photos or so and had them time and date stamped, don't go OTT but it's good to have a broad range of evidence. We were OK as we've been married 5 years and have 2 children. I think the CIC were convinced I hadn't gone through all that just to get a Canadian PR lol

I believe the fact your fiancee has a British Passport may help as well as she is from a non visa country

good luck!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1) As I am sponsoring my fiance under the common-law spouse, is there an income minimum that I must meet for a successful application? I tried to look online but no luck... We each do not have any children so no dependents.

2) As for proof of the cohabitation, I found some extra info within the forum here:
canadavisa[dot]com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/commonlaw-proof-for-pr-t449558.0.html
Does the evidence in this post help?? I know as much supporting evidence as possible is best, just want to make sure before scanning tons of our personal images for proof such as: trips, moving in together, family visits/dinners, etc..

1. There is no minimum income requirement but you need to show that you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare. You can show this using your income, your partner's income, savings, investments, family assistance etc.

2. Photos, trips, family visits etc. are not common-law proofs. You need evidence that you have both been living at the same address for at least a year. Joint lease, mail in both or individual names, joint bank/credit card statements, joint utilities, IDs with the same address etc.

 

[canadianwoman]

To sponsor someone common-law, you need to prove two things:
1. that the relationship is genuine, and
2. that you two have been living together for 12 continuous months.

Things like photos, trips taken together, emails, chats, etc. help to prove that your relationship is genuine. You also need to prove that you have lived together for a year; such proof is a lease with both names on it, both names on utility bills, letters from landlords or other people who would know stating that you have been living together, mail addressed to you two at the same address, and so on.