How can find out if Im in default of previous sponsorship undertaking?

[Old Timer]

I am a Canadian citizen who has been living in the US with my US citizen spouse for 15 years. I would like to sponsor my spouse so we can move to Canada. But I suspect I may have a default of previous undertaking that I have not been notified of. I sponsored my parents to immigrate to Canada just before I moved to the US and I think they may have received some sort of public/elderly assistance within the sponsorship period. They dont speak much English and we have not always kept in frequent contact.

So can anyone suggest where I can inquire to get a "heads up" before we send in the sponsorship application?

 

[CDNPR2014]

try calling the IRCC call center and ask them how you can find out. I would imagine they would be able to tell you if you are listed as default. The other option is to send in the application and see what happens when they process it. it would certainly come up and would probably trigger a sponsor rejection or further documentation request. if this happens, the only fee lost would be the $75 sponsor fee.

 

[Old Timer]

Thank you for the reply. I thought that was an obvious thing to try but havent tried it because the only number I find for the call center says "for calls from within Canada". They dont give a number for incoming calls from outside. I'll see if I can call that number tomorrow using one of the internet call services. Then it shouldnt make a difference whether Im calling from inside or outside.

I was just wondering if perhaps they had a certain office I could call that tracks default undertakings. I do think there is such an office for Ontario only. But my parents live in NS.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thank you for the reply. I thought that was an obvious thing to try but havent tried it because the only number I find for the call center says "for calls from within Canada". They dont give a number for incoming calls from outside. I'll see if I can call that number tomorrow using one of the internet call services. Then it shouldnt make a difference whether Im calling from inside or outside.

I was just wondering if perhaps they had a certain office I could call that tracks default undertakings. I do think there is such an office for Ontario only. But my parents live in NS.

i'm not sure if you'd be able to get the information straight from the provincial office that handles NS welfare, since you were not a direct recipient. i'd start with trying to contact CIC or submitting an app to see what happens and go from there...

 

[Old Timer]

Sounds like the only way to get a solid answer is to submit the 1344 sponsor application and see if they kick it back.

In looking over the whole application package, it appears they want us to send in the full application package...and it is suggested to pay all the fees up front. I wonder if we could just submit the application package but only pay the $75 fee for the 1344 app to first get a determination on whether I can sponsor. Then pay the rest of the fees once we clear that potential "show stopper"?

I know they would eventually refund all but the 1344 app fee but I just hate to tie up a thousand dollars for months just to find out if we are going to be able to complete the process.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Sounds like the only way to get a solid answer is to submit the 1344 sponsor application and see if they kick it back.

In looking over the whole application package, it appears they want us to send in the full application package...and it is suggested to pay all the fees up front. I wonder if we could just submit the application package but only pay the $75 fee for the 1344 app to first get a determination on whether I can sponsor. Then pay the rest of the fees once we clear that potential "show stopper"?

I know they would eventually refund all but the 1344 app fee but I just hate to tie up a thousand dollars for months just to find out if we are going to be able to complete the process.

first, the application total for 1 applicant is $1040 - hardly "thousands of dollars".

second, the only fees that need to be paid upfront are the sponsor and applicant fees. the RPRF (right of permanent residency fee) does not need to be paid upfront. if the sponsor application is denied, then the applicant fee will be returned to you and the only lost money is the $75 sponsor fee. the only fee that would be potentially tied up would be the applicant fee.

 

[Old Timer]

Sorry to "split hairs" but I did say that I hated to tie up "a thousand dollars" not thousands of dollars. It's not a huge pile of money but my money stays very busy and I just didnt want to tie up that much for who knows how many months just to have the app kicked back due to something I should be able to find out with a quick phone call. Im actually very surprised to find that a person can even be in default without being officially notified but apparently it happens a lot.

I did read that we could just pay the app fees now and wait to pay the residence fee. But they encourage us to pay all the fees up front with a caution that waiting to pay the residence fee could cause a delay.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Sorry to "split hairs" but I did say that I hated to tie up "a thousand dollars" not thousands of dollars. It's not a huge pile of money but my money stays very busy and I just didnt want to tie up that much for who knows how many months just to have the app kicked back due to something I should be able to find out with a quick phone call. Im actually very surprised to find that a person can even be in default without being officially notified but apparently it happens a lot.

I did read that we could just pay the app fees now and wait to pay the residence fee. But they encourage us to pay all the fees up front with a caution that waiting to pay the residence fee could cause a delay.

i must have misread your previous response.

it won't cause too much of a delay. the fee is requested at the same time the passport is. i received my approval paper 2 weeks after paying my fee. IRCC is going to suggest a lot of things can cause delays. doesn't mean it actually will. there's no reason in paying the fee upfront if you aren't even sure the sponsor is eligible.