Moving back to Canada with my American Spouse: Questions about the process?

[xCami]

Hey everyone!

I'm a Canadian citizen and current Green card holder. I've been living in Florida with my US citizen spouse since September 2013. I posted on this forum a few months ago, but we have now decided we would like to go through with the process of applying for permanent residency for my husband. We would like to apply by the end of this year and move by the end of 2017.

So far all I know is that the best way to apply is Outland so we can live and work in the US while waiting on the application, and that it takes about 6-8 months.

I do have some questions though:

*How does the sponsorship process work? Is there an income requirement? I don't make a lot of money. Will we need a co-sponsor?

*Do we have to move to Canada immediately upon receiving permanent residency?

*How do we show proof that we intend to move to Canada? We will be moving in with my mother so we can establish ourselves and search for employment. Will a letter from her and other family members be enough?

*We never had a formal ceremony or engagement, just a court house wedding with the two of us. So we don't have any pictures or details to add. We do however have plenty of photos of us together throughout our relationship (6 years) Would this be enough?

*Is there an education requirement for permanent residency or much later on citizenship? My husband does not have a high school diploma but is working on getting his GED.

*Will we need to attend an interview and/or will he need to get a medical exam?

*I haven't worked in Canada since 2012 and that was the only year I filed taxes and worked, so I have nothing to show for Canadian taxes. Will this be a problem?


Ahh I know this is a very long post but I'm both excited and nervous about this whole process! I can't wait to get it going. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much

 

[canuck_in_uk]

*How does the sponsorship process work? Is there an income requirement? I don't make a lot of money. Will we need a co-sponsor?

*Do we have to move to Canada immediately upon receiving permanent residency?

*How do we show proof that we intend to move to Canada? We will be moving in with my mother so we can establish ourselves and search for employment. Will a letter from her and other family members be enough?

*We never had a formal ceremony or engagement, just a court house wedding with the two of us. So we don't have any pictures or details to add. We do however have plenty of photos of us together throughout our relationship (6 years) Would this be enough?

*Is there an education requirement for permanent residency or much later on citizenship? My husband does not have a high school diploma but is working on getting his GED.

*Will we need to attend an interview and/or will he need to get a medical exam?

*I haven't worked in Canada since 2012 and that was the only year I filed taxes and worked, so I have nothing to show for Canadian taxes. Will this be a problem?

Hi

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

There is no minimum income requirement and you cannot have a co-signer. You need to show CIC you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare.

You are expected to move to Canada soon after getting PR. However, you can land and return to the US to wrap up jobs, sell the house etc.

A letter from your mother (notarized would be better), lethers from other family/friends, proof of searching for jobs, selling a house, quotes for shiping stuff, transferring money to Canada etc.

That's fine. Just show lot of other proofs.

No education requirement.

Very little chance of an interview. Every single person immigrating to Canada must have a medical done.

No, it will not be a problem. Include a letter of explanation and show your US tax documents.

 

[Mightytonewheel]

*How does the sponsorship process work? Is there an income requirement? I don't make a lot of money. Will we need a co-sponsor?

You probably will qualify even if you make very little money. You may not be eligible if you are on social assistance, have recently declared bankruptcy, have sponsored someone else in the last 5 years, or have failed to meet sponsorship obligations in the past. If none of these apply, you don't have much to worry about. (Basically, the Canadian government doesn't discriminate against people who don't have a lot of money.)

*Do we have to move to Canada immediately upon receiving permanent residency?

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think so. I do know, however, that your husband will have to be physically present in Canada for 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period in order to maintain his permanent residency. If he does not meet this requirement, he may lose his permanent residency status. I also know that he will have to "land" in Canada after your application is complete and he has been approved as a permanent resident. "Landing" basically means he has to present himself at a Canadian point of entry with all his paperwork, and they will stamp his PR visa for the first time before he is officially a permanent resident.

*How do we show proof that we intend to move to Canada? We will be moving in with my mother so we can establish ourselves and search for employment. Will a letter from her and other family members be enough?

I will defer this question to others. I don't know the answer for sure.

*We never had a formal ceremony or engagement, just a court house wedding with the two of us. So we don't have any pictures or details to add. We do however have plenty of photos of us together throughout our relationship (6 years) Would this be enough?

You should be fine. A ceremony, reception, with lots of photos, etc. etc., is helpful but not required. It's not like people always get married that way. However, you should be prepared to show lots of other evidence: photographs over time, evidence that you live together (utility bills, leases, etc.), other relationship evidence, letters of reference from your friends and family, etc. Don't overwhelm them -- focus on quality and evidence over the length of the relationship. The whole point is to persuade them that your relationship is authentic; so if you've been taking photographs for more than 6 years, that's a good thing.

*Is there an education requirement for permanent residency or much later on citizenship? My husband does not have a high school diploma but is working on getting his GED.

Nope. They'll ask about education on the application, but they won't reject him based on education, or lack thereof. Reasons for rejection might include a criminal background, misrepresentation, failing to submit required documents, or getting married strictly for the purposes of gaining permanent residence in Canada. But education? No.

*Will we need to attend an interview or will he need to get a medical exam? How does that process work if we currently reside in Florida?[/b]

He will need to have a medical exam and submit the results to CIC. The medical exam cannot be done by just any doctor. It must be done by a panel physician that has been approved to do exams for CIC. There are panel physicians all over the place. Most (maybe all) panel physicians can submit medical results to CIC electronically. You can find one in your area from this page:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/infORmation/medical/index.asp

He will also need to get a police certificate/background check completed by the FBI. You can find out more here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/north-america/united-states.asp

Pay attention to the timelines for both the medical and FBI check. Plan to submit both before CIC asks for them, but not so early that their validity expires while the application is being processed. (In my wife's case, she completed her medical exam just a few weeks before we submitted our application. By the time I was approved as a sponsor, the results of her exam had already been received by CIC.)

Regarding interviews. They are requested in a minority of cases, usually if a CIC officer has concerns about the authenticity if your relationship. I understand that officers are discouraged from requesting interviews. So, it's possible you'll have one, but probably not.

Good luck and make sure to submit additional questions to the forum as you go.

 

[setec-astronomy]

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think so. I do know, however, that your husband will have to be physically present in Canada for 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period in order to maintain his permanent residency. If he does not meet this requirement, he may lose his permanent residency status. I also know that he will have to "land" in Canada after your application is complete and he has been approved as a permanent resident. "Landing" basically means he has to present himself at a Canadian point of entry with all his paperwork, and they will stamp his PR visa for the first time before he is officially a permanent resident.

Canadian Permanent Residents accompanying a Canadian Citizen abroad may count that time towards their residency requirement for the purpose of maintaining PR status (but actual physical presence is required for the citizenship requirements.)

 

[xCami]

Hi



There is no minimum income requirement and you cannot have a co-signer. You need to show CIC you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare.

You are expected to move to Canada soon after getting PR. However, you can land and return to the US to wrap up jobs, sell the house etc.

A letter from your mother (notarized would be better), lethers from other family/friends, proof of searching for jobs, selling a house, quotes for shiping stuff, transferring money to Canada etc.

That's fine. Just show lot of other proofs.

No education requirement.

Very little chance of an interview. Every single person immigrating to Canada must have a medical done.

No, it will not be a problem. Include a letter of explanation and show your US tax documents.

Thank for the reply! This really helps! I appreciate it

 

[xCami]

You probably will qualify even if you make very little money. You may not be eligible if you are on social assistance, have recently declared bankruptcy, have sponsored someone else in the last 5 years, or have failed to meet sponsorship obligations in the past. If none of these apply, you don't have much to worry about. (Basically, the Canadian government doesn't discriminate against people who don't have a lot of money.)

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think so. I do know, however, that your husband will have to be physically present in Canada for 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period in order to maintain his permanent residency. If he does not meet this requirement, he may lose his permanent residency status. I also know that he will have to "land" in Canada after your application is complete and he has been approved as a permanent resident. "Landing" basically means he has to present himself at a Canadian point of entry with all his paperwork, and they will stamp his PR visa for the first time before he is officially a permanent resident.


I will defer this question to others. I don't know the answer for sure.


You should be fine. A ceremony, reception, with lots of photos, etc. etc., is helpful but not required. It's not like people always get married that way. However, you should be prepared to show lots of other evidence: photographs over time, evidence that you live together (utility bills, leases, etc.), other relationship evidence, letters of reference from your friends and family, etc. Don't overwhelm them -- focus on quality and evidence over the length of the relationship. The whole point is to persuade them that your relationship is authentic; so if you've been taking photographs for more than 6 years, that's a good thing.


Nope. They'll ask about education on the application, but they won't reject him based on education, or lack thereof. Reasons for rejection might include a criminal background, misrepresentation, failing to submit required documents, or getting married strictly for the purposes of gaining permanent residence in Canada. But education? No.


He will need to have a medical exam and submit the results to CIC. The medical exam cannot be done by just any doctor. It must be done by a panel physician that has been approved to do exams for CIC. There are panel physicians all over the place. Most (maybe all) panel physicians can submit medical results to CIC electronically. You can find one in your area from this page:



He will also need to get a police certificate/background check completed by the FBI. You can find out more here:



Pay attention to the timelines for both the medical and FBI check. Plan to submit both before CIC asks for them, but not so early that their validity expires while the application is being processed. (In my wife's case, she completed her medical exam just a few weeks before we submitted our application. By the time I was approved as a sponsor, the results of her exam had already been received by CIC.)

Regarding interviews. They are requested in a minority of cases, usually if a CIC officer has concerns about the authenticity if your relationship. I understand that officers are discouraged from requesting interviews. So, it's possible you'll have one, but probably not.

Good luck and make sure to submit additional questions to the forum as you go.

Thanks for taking the time to type out this reply! This really helps!!

So based on what you said...the medical and FBI are NOT sent with the application but once CIC asks for them? So its best to do them both right before/right after we mail off the application? I looked into where we can get it done and apparently the nearest medical office is 2 hours away. Do you know what they require to set up an appointment...do we just call them?

 

[Decoy24601]

Thanks for taking the time to type out this reply! This really helps!!

So based on what you said...the medical and FBI are NOT sent with the application but once CIC asks for them? So its best to do them both right before/right after we mail off the application? I looked into where we can get it done and apparently the nearest medical office is 2 hours away. Do you know what they require to set up an appointment...do we just call them?

No, the medical exam should be done upfront. During the medical exam by a panel physician your spouse will be given a sheet of paper with your information on it that you send with your outland PR application. I would do it as close to the time you're going to mail off the application though, because they're only good for 12 months (even though most Americans are getting through the PR process in 2-4 months right now).

Your spouse should also send their FBI background check with the application now. CIC has re-approved the use of FBI approved 3rd party channelers, which enables you to get a background check in as little as a single day now. Background checks directly from the FBI (not a channeler) are still taking multiple months to obtain.

Information on US police checks from the CIC: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/north-america/united-states.asp

Information on US police checks from the FBI and detailed instructions on how to obtain one: https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

How to find a panel physician: http://www.cic.gc.ca/pp-md/pp-list.aspx Find the one closest to you and call them to set up an appointment. When I inquired to set up an appointment in Washington, it would have costed me over $400 USD to get a medical there. Instead I did it in Vancouver while visiting my husband, which cost me $200 CAD. It might also take months for you to get an appointment, so I would call to inquire about their wait list ahead of time. It would have taken me 3 months to get one in Washington, and only two weeks in Vancouver (BC).

 

[xCami]

No, the medical exam should be done upfront. During the medical exam by a panel physician your spouse will be given a sheet of paper with your information on it that you send with your outland PR application. I would do it as close to the time you're going to mail off the application though, because they're only good for 12 months (even though most Americans are getting through the PR process in 2-4 months right now).

Your spouse should also send their FBI background check with the application now. CIC has re-approved the use of FBI approved 3rd party channelers, which enables you to get a background check in as little as a single day now. Background checks directly from the FBI (not a channeler) are still taking multiple months to obtain.

Information on US police checks from the CIC:

Information on US police checks from the FBI and detailed instructions on how to obtain one:

How to find a panel physician:Find the one closest to you and call them to set up an appointment. When I inquired to set up an appointment in Washington, it would have costed me over $400 USD to get a medical there. Instead I did it in Vancouver while visiting my husband, which cost me $200 CAD. It might also take months for you to get an appointment, so I would call to inquire about their wait list ahead of time. It would have taken me 3 months to get one in Washington, and only two weeks in Vancouver (BC).

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to call up the clinic and find out how much it costs and how long until we can get an appointment. Since we live in Florida it won't be very cost effective to go to Canada for it.

I can't see why anyone would go directly with the FBI for a background check if it takes months! I'm going to have to look into the other option.

I just saw someone post today that their outland application for their US citizen spouse was approved in 1 month! Thats crazy! But if the wait times are currently down that is very good news!

One thing I still can't find any info on is- how long do we have to "land" after the application is approved? Once approved we plan to move within 2 to 3 months because once we are gone we wont be returning. Its too expensive for us to travel back and forth and we will be flying.

 

[Decoy24601]

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to call up the clinic and find out how much it costs and how long until we can get an appointment. Since we live in Florida it won't be very cost effective to go to Canada for it.

I can't see why anyone would go directly with the FBI for a background check if it takes months! I'm going to have to look into the other option.

I just saw someone post today that their outland application for their US citizen spouse was approved in 1 month! Thats crazy! But if the wait times are currently down that is very good news!

One thing I still can't find any info on is- how long do we have to "land" after the application is approved? Once approved we plan to move within 2 to 3 months because once we are gone we wont be returning. Its too expensive for us to travel back and forth and we will be flying.

For over a year at least the CIC only allowed them directly from the FBI until May this year.

The validity of the COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) lasts as long as your medical, so one year after you do the medical exam for your application. (So, if your application takes 3 months, you'll have approximately 9 months to land depending on when you did the medical).

Yes, most American applicants through Ottawa right now are taking very little time to process. Only a few days after sponsorship approval my eCAS says "in process" with a 3rd line, so I should be expecting a decision soon. I applied in the beginning of April. Two April applicants through Ottawa already have their COPR (my husband didn't get his sponsorship approval until a week ago, so I'm a couple weeks behind them).

 

[xCami]

For over a year at least the CIC only allowed them directly from the FBI until May this year.

The validity of the COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) lasts as long as your medical, so one year after you do the medical exam for your application. (So, if your application takes 3 months, you'll have approximately 9 months to land depending on when you did the medical).

Yes, most American applicants through Ottawa right now are taking very little time to process. Only a few days after sponsorship approval my eCAS says "in process" with a 3rd line, so I should be expecting a decision soon. I applied in the beginning of April. Two April applicants through Ottawa already have their COPR (my husband didn't get his sponsorship approval until a week ago, so I'm a couple weeks behind them).

Thats great, it will really help speed up me getting the application together. Once I find out when we can get the medical appointment, I'll know when we can apply. This may go a lot quicker then I thought, I'm so glad!

That time frame will give us plenty of time to prepare once the application is approved, assuming the approval doesn't take long.

Thank you for your help I'll come back to this forum as I have questions with preparing the application.

 

[Decoy24601]

Thats great, it will really help speed up me getting the application together. Once I find out when we can get the medical appointment, I'll know when we can apply. This may go a lot quicker then I thought, I'm so glad!

That time frame will give us plenty of time to prepare once the application is approved, assuming the approval doesn't take long.

Thank you for your help I'll come back to this forum as I have questions with preparing the application.

No problem ;D. There's no guarantee that the processing times for Americans through Ottawa won't slow down again, but I doubt it will, not now at least. I'll let you know when I get DM so you can have an idea of how long the process might take if the sponsorship approval portion is slow (It took 51 days and I didn't even get an email/letter about it for a week after. I found out through the call center).

 

[xCami]

No problem ;D. There's no guarantee that the processing times for Americans through Ottawa won't slow down again, but I doubt it will, not now at least. I'll let you know when I get DM so you can have an idea of how long the process might take if the sponsorship approval portion is slow (It took 51 days and I didn't even get an email/letter about it for a week after. I found out through the call center).

Yeah, thats why I want to send off my application asap. Please do let me know! Hopefully you'll be hearing from them soon, goodluck

 

[Decoy24601]

Yeah, thats why I want to send off my application asap. Please do let me know! Hopefully you'll be hearing from them soon, goodluck

Thank you ;D good luck to you too. I'll keep you updated.

 

[MelissaJohn]

1.) As long as you are not on welfare, or declared bankruptcy before you should be fine. I am sure there is no minimum requirement for married couples, it's more for common law partners.

2.) You have to move to Canada before his visa expires, there is no extension allowed on the visa I believe. But you are allowed to travel back to the U.S.A if need be.

3.) A letter from your mother stating she will let you live with her until you re-establish yourselves is good, some people say to get it notarized but I didn't, I just had her sign it. Also, if you could show you have job offers or a little write up of jobs you would apply for this would help you.

4.) The marriage license and the photos of your relationship should be good, again a little write up of why you have no formal wedding photos will help.

5.) Interviews are not always necessary it depends on if the visa officer needs confirmation on things that may give them doubts. So you might and you might not have an interview.
Medical exams are necessary for all applicants I believe. You should do this before you send your application and provide the paper you receive from the panel physician in your application.
It doesn't have to be right away, but I think it just moves the process along easier, and less money to ship that little paper receipt if you do it later on.

6.) You can call the CRA hotline, it is a robot, of course, it will take you through a number of options, you request your "Option C Printout/Notice of assessment"
they will ask for your birth date and social insurance number you enter it and it will ship it to you.
Now if you want it shipped outside of Canada I think you have to talk to someone. BUT Where the application says you need and original option c printout
it CAN be a photocopy, I called CIC they said it was ok, and I have been accepted as a sponsor. I had it mailed to my parent's house where they scanned and emailed
it to me, I printed it and added it to my application. It only takes a short time to arrive in Canada, but to have it shipped outside takes weeks!

Just a tip, It's not required but it is a good idea to write a cover letter there are samples online if you google. You just add a little write up about why your applying and a little fact with anything you might think the visa officer may find strange.

For example, my husband's birth name is not what people call him. So his facebook, skype, and everything use a different name. So we explained why they would see a different name in the chat logs than in the documents.

It just helps the visa officer understand anything he might doubt, and will be less of an issue to explain if you have an interview. There are outlines on what to write online!

Hope that helps!

 

[Sunset0505]

Hey everyone!

I'm a Canadian citizen and current Green card holder. I've been living in Florida with my US citizen spouse since September 2013. I posted on this forum a few months ago, but we have now decided we would like to go through with the process of applying for permanent residency for my husband. We would like to apply by the end of this year and move by the end of 2017.

So far all I know is that the best way to apply is Outland so we can live and work in the US while waiting on the application, and that it takes about 6-8 months.

I do have some questions though:

*How does the sponsorship process work? Is there an income requirement? I don't make a lot of money. Will we need a co-sponsor?

*Do we have to move to Canada immediately upon receiving permanent residency?

*How do we show proof that we intend to move to Canada? We will be moving in with my mother so we can establish ourselves and search for employment. Will a letter from her and other family members be enough?

*We never had a formal ceremony or engagement, just a court house wedding with the two of us. So we don't have any pictures or details to add. We do however have plenty of photos of us together throughout our relationship (6 years) Would this be enough?

*Is there an education requirement for permanent residency or much later on citizenship? My husband does not have a high school diploma but is working on getting his GED.

*Will we need to attend an interview and/or will he need to get a medical exam?

*I haven't worked in Canada since 2012 and that was the only year I filed taxes and worked, so I have nothing to show for Canadian taxes. Will this be a problem?


Ahh I know this is a very long post but I'm both excited and nervous about this whole process! I can't wait to get it going. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much

You say that you have an American PR card...are you aware that to maintain your PR card you have to prove that you live in the US or that you are living with a US citizen that must work abroad?...just an FYI...