Inland vs. Outland permanent residency applications for US citizens

[ellu]

Hello,

I'm so happy to have found this forum and am hoping someone can help with our question.

I'm a US citizen and my common-law partner is a Canadian citizen. We have been living together for the past three years and just moved to Quebec a month ago. I'm on a 6 month visitor visa and we're deciding whether or not to apply with the inland or outland PR visa process.

My fear with the inland visa lies in the travel restrictions, I've called CIC multiple times and gotten different answers each time (similar to other's experiences here it seems) regarding what could cause you to be denied entry at the border and thus lose your application.

If we do leave Canada I would have a copy of our application with us (which will show joint bank accounts, ownership, life insurance, etc) and my passport.

Has anyone had any experience with applying inland and then leaving to visit family or take a trip? Any issues with the border agent?

Thanks!

 

[fumbler1983]

I am a US citizen in Canada on a visitor visa. We applied outland on May 16th and I just received my decision today. So the whole process took under 5 months. Inland applications since August of last year havent even been looked at yet. Apply outland!

 

[Rob_TO]

Don't even consider inland. Don't even look at it. Avoid it completely.

Apply outland all the way. Current apps for US citizens that go through CPC-Ottawa outland office, are finishing full PR approval in around 6 months. Meanwhile people applying inland are waiting 13 months just for stage 1 approval.

 

[Ponga]

Totally agree with Fumbler1983.

As long as you can maintain your visitor status (which seems pretty easy to do) you can remain in Canada while your Outland application is being processed. Many Americans are unaware that the majority of applications are actually processed in Ottawa rather than NY or LA. Typically only applications that have `issues' (such as red flags for criminal or excessive medical demands, or a questionable relationship) are sent to NY or LA. However...there have been a few `normal' applications that have been sent to NY or LA (perhaps a few random applications are sent there `just because'.

Good Luck!

 

[keesio]

OUTLAND all the way. Check out some of these recent blistering timelines for US citizens applying outland (all way under 6 months):
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/us-outland-applicants-thread-t106068.0.html;msg3495783#msg3495783

 

[ellu]

Wow!

Okay, well that certainly makes my decision easier! Thanks for the responses. I didn't know most outland cases are processed here! The LA office has a current processing time of 28 months which seemed daunting- especially as I would like to work before then!

 

[ellu]

Fumbler1983-

Did you put the NY or the LA office down for your application? Does it matter if it usually ends up being processed in Ottawa anyway?

I am sending my fingerprints to the FBI now and understand the clearance can take up to 16 weeks, would you recommend waiting to send the clearance with the application or send the application on now as it's ready and the clearance after?

Thanks for the help and congratulations on such a quick and smooth process!

 

[Ponga]

Fumbler1983-

Did you put the NY or the LA office down for your application? Does it matter if it usually ends up being processed in Ottawa anyway?

I am sending my fingerprints to the FBI now and understand the clearance can take up to 16 weeks, would you recommend waiting to send the clearance with the application or send the application on now as it's ready and the clearance after?

Thanks for the help and congratulations on such a quick and smooth process!

FBI PCC is ~ 28 [calendar] days (or at least it was about a month ago). The times shown on the CIC for this are not accurate...as shocking as that must sound. it is NOT recommended to send an Outland application with this as it would be incomplete.

CIC has some leniency for Inlanders.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Fumbler1983-

Did you put the NY or the LA office down for your application? Does it matter if it usually ends up being processed in Ottawa anyway?

a us applicant does not get to choose NY or LA for a visa office for family sponsorship, so there's no reason to put it down in the application. as mentioned already, ALL us applicants get sent to ottawa, so that is the visa office the applicant writes on their application. NY doesn't even handle family class sponsorships anymore, and LA ONLY handles the files that require an interview, or need further investigation.

 

[ellu]

Okay, thanks.

That must have been from the inland application form I was filling out- asking which office you picked. I'll wait for the fingerprint clearance then and send it all in one pack as outland.

So appreciate the help, I've gotten more information here than out of 10 CIC phone calls!

 

[lellen]

Okay, thanks.

That must have been from the inland application form I was filling out- asking which office you picked. I'll wait for the fingerprint clearance then and send it all in one pack as outland.

So appreciate the help, I've gotten more information here than out of 10 CIC phone calls!

I don't know if you already know this but just as a precaution (I am interpreting this from your post), the outland package is different than the inland, but the generic application form is the same. You'll write down CPP Ottawa for your outland, and in case you need the link here is the OUTLAND package: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

This is just in case!

 

[keesio]

Okay, thanks.

That must have been from the inland application form I was filling out- asking which office you picked. I'll wait for the fingerprint clearance then and send it all in one pack as outland.

So appreciate the help, I've gotten more information here than out of 10 CIC phone calls!

Are you asking about where it asks for the interview location in IMM 3910? That does apply to Outland applicants. Note that unless your application has a lot of issues, it is highly likely they will waive the interview anyway.

 

[fumbler1983]

Fumbler1983-

Did you put the NY or the LA office down for your application? Does it matter if it usually ends up being processed in Ottawa anyway?

I am sending my fingerprints to the FBI now and understand the clearance can take up to 16 weeks, would you recommend waiting to send the clearance with the application or send the application on now as it's ready and the clearance after?

Thanks for the help and congratulations on such a quick and smooth process!

I left the visa office blank. It did not take anywhere near 16 weeks for my FBI clearance. I believe it took 4-6 weeks actually. Since you have to send the original clearance and cannot just email it, I would suggest just waiting and sending a complete package. I have seen other people who have had success sending it separately but that is up to your preference. Good luck!

 

[ellu]

Thanks Lellen, fumbler and keesio,

I had filled out the inland application form already which is where I got that from. I'll know how to fill out the outland now. Hopefully they will waive the interview as we're a pretty straight up case!