Moving future wife from the US to Canada

[SteveA]

Hello ladies and gents,

Just wondering on what people think/recommend on my situation. I am marrying a girl from a the United State and we are planning on her moving to Canada. We are getting married in November of 2013. To sponsor her for PR status I was told it was best to do it after we are married. My question is, what are the chances of her being allowed entry into Canada after we married (in the US) so that she can be a "visitor". The idea was, get married, come to Canada and apply for the PR status. Most likely applying for extended stay in Canada as well considering the possible time length it will take to get the PR status done.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your help!

 

[canadianwoman]

Lots of people have done this. She can come as a visitor after you are married. She should have proof of ties to the USA to show the border agent (if asked), because occasionally people are refused entry if the border agent does not believe they are just visiting. A return ticket with a confirmed date helps here, plus she should be clear that she is just visiting.

However, if you send in the PR application before she comes up, when she enters Canada she should have a copy of the application/the receipt/or the sponsor approval to show you have already applied to sponsor her. Then she just says she wants to visit you while waiting. Proof you have funds to support her (or she has her own funds) will help. Americans are almost always let in with no problem in this scenario.

In either case, the border agent will most likely let her in. If no earlier date is specified, she can stay for 6 months. She can apply to extend this stay at about the 5-month mark.

 

[rickk85]

Hey guys,

I'm in a similar situation as OP except my wife is already visiting me (Customs let her in). Her 6 months are almost up and we're getting her PR application started from within Canada. According to her, it says she needs a TRV or temporary visitor visa to begin the process, which we've compiled the documents it asks for.

My question is: from reading on these boards it sounds like the Officer will only approve a TRV if he/she feels there's sufficient ties to her home country and she will leave at the end of the TRV. Obviously, her being my wife and us applying for PR kind of stand in the way of that. Should she not be applying for TRV to extend her stay and perhaps something else?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[canadianwoman]

She can apply to extend her stay. Is she an American citizen?

 

[rickk85]

Oh awesome. Yes, she's an American citizen. Is applying for an extension different from the TRV?

 

[SteveA]

Hey Rick,

Although I am not quite there yet and I am no expert on this, as I understood, you only need a TRV if she is from a country that requires a visa to visit Canada. My plan was, get married, come back to Canada (we are getting married in the US), and that by default allows her to be here for just under six months. When time gets close for her to leave (around 4 months) we would apply for the "Extended Visa"

"cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp"

All the while waiting patiently for the PR Visa to go through which we would apply for ASAP after getting back into Canada.

Just my 2 cents at the moment.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Oh awesome. Yes, she's an American citizen. Is applying for an extension different from the TRV?

As said above, TRV is only for non visa-exempt countries, so your wife wouldn't be able to get one.

If her 6 months is almost up, send in the extension ASAP. She should ask for longer than 6 months; if you haven't submitted the PR app yet, have her ask for 14 or 15 months. She needs to include an explanation that you are sponsoring her and she is requesting that much time so that you guys can get the app submitted and processed. If you have already paid the fees, include the receipt. With the extension submitted, she will be on Implied Status and allowed to stay until a decision is made on it.

For the app, a photocopy of her entry stamp into Canada is the proof of her visitor status. If you send the app after her status expires and while she is on Implied Status, I would also suggest including proof of the extension app, such as the fee receipt.