Help please! Spousal Sponsorship through Rome, going to Canada next week

[dragonele]

Hi everyone,
I'm sponsoring my husband for PR and sent in our papers last May. At the beginning of July I was approved as his sponsor. All good.
Next week we are moving to Canada (me, hubby and 2 kids who are already Canadian citizens). Me and the kids have 1 way tickets but my husband obviously has a return flight for end of October. We are planning to ask for an extention when the time comes because I don't think he'll get his PR by that time.
I'm confused about a couple things:
1) Are they eventually going to ask for his Italian passport? If so, he has to send it to Rome (or in Canada) and then how long do they keep it?
2) I remember reading somewhere that when he gets his PR, because we applied from outside Canada and he will be IN Canada when it arrives, he has to leave the country and re-enter. Is this correct and totally legit or will it cause us problems? How long does he have to leave for?
Please shed some light!
P.S Any others going through Rome? I can't find much about it..

 

[Sweden]

Hey dragonele,

1. if he is from visa-exempt, they normally won't ask for his passport, only the photocopies of it. THen they will issue the COPR ( confirmation of PR), and send it to the address that you indicated on the application - now that you have a UCI and file number you can update that on the website directly, so you can receive it in Canada directly.
I suppose he is from visa-exempt as he is coming with you directly.
the only thing is - if he is required to have an interview, then he will have to travel to Rome for that - but if you have proofs of your relationship, you're married and 2 children, I highly doubt that you will be called for an interview, unless there is something unusual about your file.

2. no problem. Even if you apply outland, if you are from a visa-exempt country you can come in a tourist and wait it out in Canada. Once the PR is issued, you need to exit Canada and enter again to officially land. It can be done either at the border (if you are close to the US), or by taking an appointment with a local CIC office, or at some international airports - there is confusing information about that, some people say you can do it, some no, so call ahead to check if possible or not.
Either way - it's completely OK to do it, a lot of people do it that way, and it won't cause problems. There is a few accounts of the process on this website, but basically it's a 30min process usually, and no frowned upon (i'll do the same probably as I am moving in October, with or without PR, and will wait in Canada until the COPR arrives).
He doesn't have to even "leave" you can just exit Canada, not enter the US - but turn back and say that you want to land, you will be taken to see an officer. (or you can decide to make a trip out of it!).

Not many people going through Rome on this forum, there is one user named dkera and another one called Alberto70, who are fairly active, you can try and PM them to see if you have some specific questions. As far as I remember, dkera got the sponsorship approval recently and is in Europe now, but going back and forth to Canada, so he might be able to help you more.

But in general - you should be fine!
Good luck with the move!
Sweden

 

[amfiprion]

good luck and if you have any news let us know....

I am waiting for news from VO-Rome and I would like to hear from you again soon!

 

[dragonele]

Hi!
No news yet, but we are in Canada! ;D
When we got here to Edmonton, the Immigration officer (who was super-helpful and polite) put a 1 year visitor sticker on my husband's passport. He still has to apply for an extension of course but can stay 1 year, no problem. His papers will definately be in by then!
One thing I really want to let people know is this:
Returning Alberta residents arriving from OUTSIDE CANADA get free Alberta Health Care from day1. You just have to go to a registry and fill out the application. We had bought private insurance ($900, thankfully we got refunded!) because we thought that we wouldn't be covered for the first 3 months....but that's only for people coming from other provinces. And another big surprise: my Italian husband is covered as well!!

YAY CANADA!!!