If you will give birth or adopt a child prior to your landing in Canada

[peregycan]

We received an email with the passport request for me and my wife on the 25th of April 2012. I sent our passports and other requirements using Canada post on the 26th of April 2012. My wife and I are living in Canada with Temporary Visa. My wife is pregnant, and the due date is mid May 2012. The child will be born in Canada, so s/he will be a Canadian citizen.
When we read the passport request letter we didn’t understand if this statement (If you will give birth or adopt a child prior to your landing in Canada) applies on us or not since we are already in Canada. At the beginning, before sending the passports, we thought that it doesn’t apply. But after browsing in several immigration forums websites, I suspect now that it may apply. Also we are not sure if we have enough time before the baby’s birth, and we are not willing to jeopardize our application.
Can anybody please advise us on what shall we do in this case?

 

[OhCanadiana]

We received an email with the passport request for me and my wife on the 25th of April 2012. I sent our passports and other requirements using Canada post on the 26th of April 2012. My wife and I are living in Canada with Temporary Visa. My wife is pregnant, and the due date is mid May 2012. The child will be born in Canada, so s/he will be a Canadian citizen.
When we read the passport request letter we didn't understand if this statement (If you will give birth or adopt a child prior to your landing in Canada) applies on us or not since we are already in Canada. At the beginning, before sending the passports, we thought that it doesn't apply. But after browsing in several immigration forums websites, I suspect now that it may apply. Also we are not sure if we have enough time before the baby's birth, and we are not willing to jeopardize our application.
Can anybody please advise us on what shall we do in this case?

You didn't mention which visa office is handling your case which can affect the timing involved or where you are in Canada so let me just share the questions I'd start considering:

1. How likely is it that you can get the passports back with visa and/or COPR and land before your wife gives birth? (depends on visa office turn around, how close you are to the border, and when your baby decides to join the 'outside world,' and if you can have your B4s ready)

2. How much will it negatively impact your life if you don't submit an update and then have to resubmit your passports to the visa office for reprocessing if your baby is born before you land?

Also, if your baby is born do NOT land without sending the Visa Office a case specific enquiry explaining the situation and asking them to update your file with the new family composition. I would send a copy of your baby's birth certificate showing s/he was born in Canada and ask if there is any possibility that they simply update your family composition and allow you to land with your existing COPR to save time since your baby is a Canadian citizen and doesn't need sponsorship.

One more thing to keep in mind is the that the reasons they ask you to declare any changes in family composition include:
- to ensure they record it correctly (and technically they should turn you away at the border if your family composition has changed between the time you got the visa/COPR and when you land and even if they don't you'd be on the hook for misrepresentation if you don't tell them before landing and your baby was born already)
- to ensure that you can sponsor your child as a member of your family (less important if your baby is born in Canada unless s/he loses Canadian nationality for some reason and you need to sponsor him/her)
so it is important to make sure you ensure things are documented properly in your file and that you have records showing this communication

Hope this helps you at least think through the situation a bit more.

 

[htayyab]

We received an email with the passport request for me and my wife on the 25th of April 2012. I sent our passports and other requirements using Canada post on the 26th of April 2012. My wife and I are living in Canada with Temporary Visa. My wife is pregnant, and the due date is mid May 2012. The child will be born in Canada, so s/he will be a Canadian citizen.
When we read the passport request letter we didn't understand if this statement (If you will give birth or adopt a child prior to your landing in Canada) applies on us or not since we are already in Canada. At the beginning, before sending the passports, we thought that it doesn't apply. But after browsing in several immigration forums websites, I suspect now that it may apply. Also we are not sure if we have enough time before the baby's birth, and we are not willing to jeopardize our application.
Can anybody please advise us on what shall we do in this case?

Hi peregycan,

Can you let me know what was the outcome of your situation? What was CIC's reply to your landing question and have you landed successfully before or after the baby's birth? Would greatly appreciate your response.

 

[Pippin]

Great response, OhCanadiana....well earned +1!

 

[OhCanadiana]

Great response, OhCanadiana....well earned +1!

Thank you! Reciprocated. Hope you have a wonderful Canada Day