INLANDERS!

[sgnv]

Hey mimi23 and sgnv...any word?

Janadian I already posted in previews pages what I got in the letter from CIC

 

[Janadian]

Hi Everyone!
This forum is Awesome! I've been reading it for a few weeks, and is so nice to read stories about married couples that are in the same situation as me. I'm from Dominican Republic and have a visa extension for 1year which expires in april. I need your help, I'm confused about the work permit. Would someone help me please?
I submited my Inland Application in April and it was received April16th, but I didn't send a work permit application cause I tought that once you have a Permanent Residence status as a Spouse, you would have the rights to work...? Isn't this right? Why would a person approved to be a resident have to also have a work permit? dosen't this give you the right to work and have access to health insurance in Canada?
Please let me know if I'm wrong so I can start working on submitting my work permit as soon as possible, cause I'm desperate to start working and earning some money. :/
Also, once I receive my approval does that allow me to travel outside the country right away or is there more wait? Thanks!!!!!!!! and Hugs to everyone!

Welcome Jean!!

 

[Janadian]

Janadian I already posted in previews pages what I got in the letter from CIC

Yes I remember you posting a week or two ago about additional info requested :-\
I guess its just me and the anticipation hoping maybe you heard new news since then

Soon though I'm sure

 

[kiwikris]

Welcome Jean, this is a fantastic spot for finding information

Yes Robrod, definitely a long ways form home and looking forward to being able to get back for a visit sometime You will have to make sure when you do get a chance to visit that have at least 2 months to be able to see all of NZ without rushing through. The South Island is more picturesque, or so I have been told Also the best times re flights and cost are Sep-Nov. There was a sale on 2 weeks ago for return tickets $800 from Vancouver....will just have to keep an eye out same time next year.

I do love the fact that it snows here so much and stays, I must just about be the only person here that does though! The sunset/rise in Ottawa is amazing as well.
I have had friends who have been to Mexico and had a great time and said it was amazing, it is a shame that all you hear about in the news is the bad things that go on which can overshadow the good. I just can't wait to be able to travel again and Mexico is defintely on my list!

I'm pretty sure we included my fingerprints in with the application, we tried to include everything we could think of that they may ask for....will find out soon....hopefully today

fingers are crossed everyone gets some good news this week

 

[ditta]

Black-berry, although I`m new on the forum, I`ve read your posts and I feel for you. I wish all turn out well at the end. See the interview or your tranfer as a chance to have a more personal contact with them. Sometimes to speak for yourself worth more than thousands of proof and information sent to them. You have nothing to fear from, keep your chin up- you have children with your husband, a long marriage what could be a better proof of a genuine relationship?

I had and still have many hesitations after sending my application in, wheter I did well or could I sent even more evidence, whether I should have waited a little longer... I`ve met my husband online too, I`m from Europe and was planning to come to Canada to visit friends and study for a while when I met him on a friendship site. When I figured I would like to stay longer, I had the biggest suprise. I walked in the place I work at the moment too, talked to the manager and she said not to go anywhere, she got me to the owner and he offer me a job right there. I couldn`t believe at first because I knew how hard is to get a job or a work-permit. After getting all my papers, my work-permit was issued at the US border. I still wonder I did it right to choose this way other than sending my papers to CIC, but I talked to the Call-centre and the agent said I have the right to go to the border. I`ve never been so nervous in my whole life than there, the border officer was really nice after a few questions. We drove 15 hours to there from Northern Alberta, in december, in the middle of a huge blizzard. The officer at the end was like we are crazy to did this ride but she rarely meets such nice people as we are. Sigh...I could work from then. I was an interior designer at home, here I`m `just` a waitress, but who cares. We got married in 2009 june and I wanted to send our application in sept. 2009, then it turn out I`m expecting. I was worried what if they will see it as we are having a baby to help our case. Reality is, I was told to have less than 5% chance to have a child, so I was on the cloud 9, he is a real miracle baby. I waited until 2010 june after he was born to get the medical done and send my papers in. Even if I`m worried, don`t see the ending of the process, I know I have nothing to fear from. I chose a man for life, he is Canadian, so I chose Canada with him. I respect this country, I`d like to be a good addition to it and at the first time I came here, I never tought I`m going to stay. I`ve learnt here in the last 2,5 years that you can overcome the impossible, that we are stronger than we believe. So hang in there!

I have a question as well. My passport will expire 2011 aug. I cannot extend it through my embassy, because my country changed passport-format this june which has fingerprint in. The embassies are not supplied with machines, the only way right now is to travel home and get it done there. I have to renew my work permit by december and can get the new one until august only. If I got my first stage is it safe to travel back home? Especially if that`s the reason? I haven`t applied for an OWP yet but I`d like to later with a new passport...

 

[robrod]

Without a doubt this site is great to obtain useful info and tips about the whole process. At times everyone wants to give advise and the whole thing gets complicated as some is contradictory. I try to learn and go with the ones who have been through whatever they are advising and that's why I only post when someone is in need of some info I have been through myself.

We had 2 choices for our honeymoon back in July last year and it was between NZ and Greece. We opted for Greece in the end because it was the winter in NZ. I love the winter here and I ski, so I wanted NZ for sure. But we had a great time in Greece especially in the Greek Islands. It's gorgeous there. I loved Crete, my wife loves Santorini (she's been to Greece twice).
Glad to see not everybody thinks Mexico is the big bad wild west because as you say, not everything is like that. My wife went to visit me 9 times and nothing ever happened. She took our baby girl with us on 2 more trips this year without me to visit my family as we didn't want to roll the dice with me and leave Canada while on inland application just like they (CIC) ask you not to do. She loves central Mexico as it's very colonial and full of history. She in fact loves Mexico City as it's such a cosmopolitan city full of art and interesting places to see. She loves going to Coyoacan and to go see the Blue House (where Frida Kahlo was born). But her favorite place is Taxco. A magical town where we have been to 5 different times.

I'm sure we are having good news starting today with AIP letters!.. Who's first to tell us you've got mail???....
Best of luck everybody!.

 

[Jean26]

Thank You for welcoming me Janadian and Kiwikris!!!!

 

[robrod]

Welcome to the forum and the inlanders thread, Ditta!. Thanks for the good wishes for everyone as well, that's nice of you and a great way to get introduced to us. What an ordeal you had to go through to get your work permit by driving 15 hours south to the border, but at least you made it safe and had a great officer there taking care of you.

May I ask which country in Europe are you from?. Are you from one of those "visa-exempt"?.
The passport issue could become a real issue as you need it to be valid for landing purposes (landing is the final step in the process). It also depends what country are you from as the wait varies depending of that. In my case (I will be landed next month), it will be finalized in 13.5 months. But I'm from Mexico and needed to submit one document that took about 3 months to make it back and my local office is a busy one where I will have waited another 3 months just to finalize the process next month... Since you are way up north in Alberta, I suppose your office is Edmonton?.. That is a good one where the wait is shorter. If your office is even in a smaller town, the wait will be even less.
I think I would wait first to see if you get AIP (or First Stage of Approval as it is known now) and from there re-visit the passport situation. You are not supposed to leave the country while on inland process. But if you don't leave, how are you gonna get a new one?. That's why I'd say wait to see where will you be soon in your process.
Best of luck!.

 

[robrod]

Welcome to the forum and thread, Jean!.
Best of luck with your process!.

 

[kiwikris]

Welcome Ditta,

Now that is some trek to the border for you, luckily we are only about 2 hours away but whatever the distance it is worth it and glad you made it back safe!
I just received my OWP and letter today!!! about PR, you don't need to send in your passport with the OWP so that should not be a problem, as for the pasport situation I agree with Robrod that you are not supposed to leave while PR is processing. A suggestion I can say is to call the call centre and ask but the issue is you can get a different answer each time...maybe an immigration lawyer would know? Alot can happen between now and Aug 2011 so maybe sit tight till Jan????


Have to go and tell family of the good news re letter and OWP....lol I posted on her first!

Good luck everyone!

 

[robrod]

3 month waiting period here in Ontario for your actual Health Card to arrive in the mail and for the medical benefits to kick in, but it's a blessing to be able to apply and have one, Kris!. I don't have to worry about breaking a leg at the ski resort this coming season anymore even though my wife says she will break the other one if that happens... hehehehe
Congrats again!...

 

[annabruce]

Are you sure Robrod? I have never been able to get confirmation of this, but I am pretty sure that inland applicants having received their AIP, have already satisfied the 3 month waiting period if they can prove they have been living in Ontario.

It took a long, long time, but my wife and I finally submitted our inland application today. It took us a while. After finally managing to get her to Canada in August, we seemed more interested in getting our life organised together. For a while the application was the last thing on our mind. However, her status was running out; We needed to get the application in together with the Open Work Permit application.

I see my post is following another who just received their AIP. Congratulations, kiwikris! Our "fun" has just begun!

 

[robrod]

I am positive about the 3 month wait for the Ontario Health Card as I am the living proof.
Here in Ontario all new residents (canadian or foreign moving in from other provinces), PRs or First Stage Appovals must wait 3 months for the card to arrive in the mail and the benefits to kick in. The only ones that don't have to wait are newborns in Ontario (like our daughter).
Best of luck in your process, Annabruce!. Yes, let the waiting game begin...

 

[Inlandappl]

IN Quebec if you apply inland they told me and i read it on the quebec gov. website you don't have to wait for the usual 3 months after AIP. you can have it "right away" as long as you present the letter from the government of canada to go on with immigration Quebec and you have received CSQ. I know that you live in Ontario but my post is for information only, in case there are other people like me applying from quebec inland

 

[robrod]

Thanx for your posting, Inlandappl!.
I'm sure it's of great value for the applicants applying to your province and that come here to the thread.
Best of luck!.