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JULY 2020 *Outland* Spousal Sponsorship

LotusLeodis

Hero Member
Jul 23, 2020
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Generally true. Some files are transferred to mississauga, seemingly files that are relatively simple and from countries with fewer security or other special considerations. Eg some India files go to mississauga, and mississauga seems to process more quickly (likely because the files themselves are 'easier' cases). Most Russia applications (if not all) go to Warsaw.

There have been some files that go to miss and then get transferred to field offices. Possibly the sort between easy/complex was mistaken. Perhaps there are staff with specific skills or knowledge or responsibility in one office and not another.

Note these are generalisations. They may transfer to specific offices for other reasons - workloads, capacity, backlogs, staff training, procedural pilots or other reasons we have no insight into.

And note, 'easy' or 'complex' is not a real term. It may be more like standard / non-standard or something similar. In other words, don't over-react to news it went to one office or another.
Well, here's hoping we are an 'easier' case and the PA paperwork goes to Mississauga, then.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,125
8,784
Well, I'm not on FB, nor am I separated from my spouse (by geography), so wouldn't need a Special Temporary Visa (STRV) for us to reunite. So I don't know if that applies to me.

We are doing an outland application and we are both abroad, so whether they would prioritise us or not, I don't know. I would have thought all family applications are priority, but hey ho. I understood that on the CIC website they are prioritising Canadians trying to return to Canada - don't know that applies to me either.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html

Quite simply, I just want to return home. But anyone who has to go through immigration processes is at the mercy of the bureaucratic machine. And it is a burden on families, no matter what your make up or geographic arrangement.
The helping Canadians return home was mostly emergency flights and the like. I think largely complete now.

Your problem is that you can return easily as a citizen (relatively easily, anyway) but not necessarily with your spouse. Does your spouse have a visa (TRV)?
 
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LotusLeodis

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Jul 23, 2020
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The helping Canadians return home was mostly emergency flights and the like. I think largely complete now.

Your problem is that you can return easily as a citizen (relatively easily, anyway) but not necessarily with your spouse. Does your spouse have a visa (TRV)?
No, we are both abroad.
 

LotusLeodis

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Jul 23, 2020
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Not sure I understand your response. You can be abroad and have a visa. As a citizen, you can return as long as you can get a flight. Your spouse can go to Canada as your immediate family as long as she/he has a valid visa.
We are both abroad and do not need visas where we live.

Spouse only needs a visa for Canada, as the non-Canadian and we applied Outland for PR to fulfil this.

I am Canadian and do not need a visa for where I am or, of course, for Canada. I do not wish to be separated from my spouse. I was not sure if helping Canadians return included those living abroad, not holidaying abroad during COVID.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
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We are both abroad and do not need visas where we live.

Spouse only needs a visa for Canada, as the non-Canadian and we applied Outland for PR to fulfil this.

I am Canadian and do not need a visa for where I am or, of course, for Canada. I do not wish to be separated from my spouse. I was not sure if helping Canadians return included those living abroad, not holidaying abroad during COVID.
In the context I was referring only to visas to Canada, not to wherever you are.

Your spouse can apply for a TRV to Canada separate from the Outland PR process. No guarantee it will be granted.

To my knowledge "help to Canadians to return" applied to Canadians, (some?) PR-holders, and their immediate family members _with valid visas_. But it was mostly in the form of e.g. some specially-arranged flights from countries that were in (complete or close to it) travel lockdowns, or sometimes "facilitating" exit with local authorities. But the key was that the Canadian citizen and family with valid visas or status had to want to return.

Those without valid visas, well, they need to obtain them. The initiatives for so-called 'special visas' might apply to you / your spouse, but that's only hypothetical, of course.

Of course, if you don't wish to return or wish to return without your spouse and your spouse doesn't have a visa and doesn't apply/hasn't applied, not much the government can do.
 

Huss7

Newbie
Jul 27, 2020
9
6
Hi all,
Just mailed my application from Xpresspost to sponsor my wife. After reading through this thread and realizing because if COVID we won’t be receiving an AOR anytime soon which sucks. It’s kind of frustrating because it took us some times to gather needed documents because of COVID. Hope CIC can pick up the speed and start processing Spousal PR Applications quicker.
 

LotusLeodis

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Jul 23, 2020
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In the context I was referring only to visas to Canada, not to wherever you are.

Your spouse can apply for a TRV to Canada separate from the Outland PR process. No guarantee it will be granted.

To my knowledge "help to Canadians to return" applied to Canadians, (some?) PR-holders, and their immediate family members _with valid visas_. But it was mostly in the form of e.g. some specially-arranged flights from countries that were in (complete or close to it) travel lockdowns, or sometimes "facilitating" exit with local authorities. But the key was that the Canadian citizen and family with valid visas or status had to want to return.

Those without valid visas, well, they need to obtain them. The initiatives for so-called 'special visas' might apply to you / your spouse, but that's only hypothetical, of course.

Of course, if you don't wish to return or wish to return without your spouse and your spouse doesn't have a visa and doesn't apply/hasn't applied, not much the government can do.
Well, we do want to return to Canada, just with foreign spouse having PR, if approved. OK, so priority for Canadians to return relates only to lockdown, not to the longer term, unknown coronavirus future - fair enough.

I do not know what the value might be about applying for a different visa, except that it might invalidate our outland application with me, as sponsor, also outland.
 

LotusLeodis

Hero Member
Jul 23, 2020
360
110
Hi all,
Just mailed my application from Xpresspost to sponsor my wife. After reading through this thread and realizing because if COVID we won’t be receiving an AOR anytime soon which sucks. It’s kind of frustrating because it took us some times to gather needed documents because of COVID. Hope CIC can pick up the speed and start processing Spousal PR Applications quicker.
Curious about sent and received date (when you get it) in Sydney? Are both parties outland or just the foreign spouse and if so, where from?

I think it's going to be a longer wait than usual...

PS There's a tracker tool at the beginning of the thread if you want to add your information in.
 
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Huss7

Newbie
Jul 27, 2020
9
6
Curious about sent and received date (when you get it) in Sydney? Are both parties outland or just the foreign spouse and if so, where from?

I think it's going to be a longer wait than usual...

PS There's a tracker tool at the beginning of the thread if you want to add your information in.
Just sent yesterday, 27th July. Should be received in Sydney office by July 30th as it shows in Canada post tracking. Me the sponsor is here in Canada my wife is in Pakistan.

I also think it’s going to be an unusually long wait time.
 
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drainer

Newbie
Jul 30, 2020
3
0
We will be sending in the application once translations come back. Outland applying from Japan, for my Japanese spouse. I am a Canadian citizen. I was hoping to be able to return to Canada next August when my current work is over here in Japan, but by the looks of things my wife will not get a PR in time to make a smooth transition.
That means in august 2021 she will probably accompany me to Canada using an ETA, while waiting for the outland PR to process. Complications abound as with travel restrictions flagpolling to the USA wouldnt be possible...
Not too thrilled about the delay as she wont be able to work or have healthcare in Canada while we wait for IRCC to sort out this paper application mess, even though it is a year away.
 

LotusLeodis

Hero Member
Jul 23, 2020
360
110
We will be sending in the application once translations come back. Outland applying from Japan, for my Japanese spouse. I am a Canadian citizen. I was hoping to be able to return to Canada next August when my current work is over here in Japan, but by the looks of things my wife will not get a PR in time to make a smooth transition.
That means in august 2021 she will probably accompany me to Canada using an ETA, while waiting for the outland PR to process. Complications abound as with travel restrictions flagpolling to the USA wouldnt be possible...
Not too thrilled about the delay as she wont be able to work or have healthcare in Canada while we wait for IRCC to sort out this paper application mess, even though it is a year away.
You still have time to consider Outland, with you in Canada and spouse in Japan or Inland + Open Work Permit for spouse, therefore no separation.

Would you wife consider studying in Canada? Perhaps it might be possible to get a student visa, once she gets a place on a course and then apply Inland + Open Work Permit for spouse?

As you haven't sent yours yet, you can consider more options before 'locking in' on your stream of choice.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,125
8,784
Well, we do want to return to Canada, just with foreign spouse having PR, if approved. OK, so priority for Canadians to return relates only to lockdown, not to the longer term, unknown coronavirus future - fair enough.

I do not know what the value might be about applying for a different visa, except that it might invalidate our outland application with me, as sponsor, also outland.
Applying for a TRV for your spouse will not affect nor invalidate your outland application. Repeat, it does not mean your spouse is guaranteed to get one, but it will not harm your application.

I know you say you want to return with your spouse "having PR", but in the immediate, getting a TRV means you could return together. The main difference would be not having the ability for your spouse to work (possibly also health insurance, I don't know much about that). Apply for the visa for your spouse and if approved, you will have more options and can decide then.
 

LotusLeodis

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Jul 23, 2020
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Applying for a TRV for your spouse will not affect nor invalidate your outland application. Repeat, it does not mean your spouse is guaranteed to get one, but it will not harm your application.

I know you say you want to return with your spouse "having PR", but in the immediate, getting a TRV means you could return together. The main difference would be not having the ability for your spouse to work (possibly also health insurance, I don't know much about that). Apply for the visa for your spouse and if approved, you will have more options and can decide then.
That sounds like something to consider; however, a TRV sounds very limited, i.e. only residence rights and nothing more. And it sounds like as it is outland application (already submitted), would that mean requiring leaving Canada to home country at some point (otherwise, what's the point of outland, if you know what I mean).

Thanks for the tip - we will keep an open mind and see how things progress.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,125
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That sounds like something to consider; however, a TRV sounds very limited, i.e. only residence rights and nothing more. And it sounds like as it is outland application (already submitted), would that mean requiring leaving Canada to home country at some point (otherwise, what's the point of outland, if you know what I mean).

Thanks for the tip - we will keep an open mind and see how things progress.
Yes, a temporary residence visa is limited. Not "very" limited, but yes, it's not the same as PR, ability to work being the most obvious and salient difference for many.

Lots of people apply as outland because they are outside Canada when applying and then end up in Canada during the processing period; some even apply outland although they are already in Canada (see below). It seems for such cases, it's not at all unusual to receive the passport request/landing documents in Canada (without returning). The one thing that may require returning to home country is an interview if required - but it seems that the majority (vast majority? I don't know) do not ever have interviews. On top of that, it seems right now that IRCC is not doing in-person interviews at all due to covid.

What's the point of outland if already in Canada or having a visa? Various reasons, some don't have a visa already, want to get application in quickly; some need to travel quite a lot and inland inconvenient (for various reasons); some (somewhat like your case) plan to move back to Canada with Canadian sponsor abroad but want to secure employment or have children finish school or other issues first.

(I believe it used to be that outland applications were quicker to process than inland, but not clear that is still true, and probably irrelevant during covid)

Still suggest you consider applying for trv for spouse, if approved, you have more options.
 
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