Moving to Canada with Thai Wife

[ma2rten]

I currently live together with my Thai wife in Bangkok. We would like to move Canada together. I am a Canadian citizen (my father was born in Canada), but have never lived there before. I do remote freelance work and I am location independent.

We would like to move to Canada as soon as possible (but not in the winter ). Unfortunately the regional office (Singapore) is one of the slowest in the world for Spousal Visa applications (26 month).

My wife is of Chinese decent and has light skin (like it or not, but this may be favorable if she should get assessed by Bangkok embassy staff). She is 10 years older than me and has an 8 year old child, whom we want to take with us and whom I would like to adopt as soon as we are in Canada. However, if it would be favorable for our application the child could stay in Thailand with the grandmother for some time.

What would be the best course of action? Apply for PR in Bangkok or Canada? What are the chances for her for getting excepted for a TRV?

 

[cdnmom]

I currently live together with my Thai wife in Bangkok. We would like to move Canada together. I am a Canadian citizen (my father was born in Canada), but have never lived there before. I do remote freelance work and I am location independent.

We would like to move to Canada as soon as possible (but not in the winter ). Unfortunately the regional office (Singapore) is one of the slowest in the world for Spousal Visa applications (26 month).

My wife is of Chinese decent and has light skin (like it or not, but this may be favorable if she should get assessed by Bangkok embassy staff). She is 10 years older than me and has an 8 year old child, whom we want to take with us and whom I would like to adopt as soon as we are in Canada. However, if it would be favorable for our application the child could stay in Thailand with the grandmother for some time.

What would be the best course of action? Apply for PR in Bangkok or Canada? What are the chances for her for getting excepted for a TRV?

Hello Ma2rter

Since you are a Canadian Citizen you can apply while you are still with your wife in BKK. Since the processing time is so long through Singapore you should get the application in asap... Even though Singapore is showing 26 months there have been people that are finished in 6-12 months. As your work is location independent you will have to show proof of your plans on resettling in Canada once your wife receives her PR

You can add the child to the application without the adoption at this time... as dependent children of the Principal applicant can be sponsored as well

There have been a few people I know that have successfully received a TRV once Stage 1 (Sponsor's application) has been approved
You have to indicate in your application that you have Dual Intent...

Any other questions you may have... ask away
Good luck

 

[Rob_TO]

I currently live together with my Thai wife in Bangkok. We would like to move Canada together. I am a Canadian citizen (my father was born in Canada), but have never lived there before. I do remote freelance work and I am location independent.

We would like to move to Canada as soon as possible (but not in the winter ). Unfortunately the regional office (Singapore) is one of the slowest in the world for Spousal Visa applications (26 month).

My wife is of Chinese decent and has light skin (like it or not, but this may be favorable if she should get assessed by Bangkok embassy staff). She is 10 years older than me and has an 8 year old child, whom we want to take with us and whom I would like to adopt as soon as we are in Canada. However, if it would be favorable for our application the child could stay in Thailand with the grandmother for some time.

What would be the best course of action? Apply for PR in Bangkok or Canada? What are the chances for her for getting excepted for a TRV?

Due to the super long processing times out of Singapore, Inland may actually be the better choice for you. To apply inland your wife and her child will need to apply for a TRV visitor visa to Canada first. She would need to show strong ties to Thailand (job, family, home ownership etc), and convince the visa officer that they would return to Thailand after the visa expires. However since she is married to you, they may feel she has stronger ties to Canada (you) and does not intend to return, so there's a high chance her TRV would be denied. You seem to have some knowledge about applying for TRV out of Thailand though, so perhaps know some more details here!
Anyways if its approved and they come to Canada, you can then immediately apply for inland sponsorship. Stage 1 would take around 11 months after which your wife would get an open work permit. Stage 2 would then take around 8 months longer. So total time is around 19 months give or take. During this entire time both your wife and her child must remain in Canada, and couldn't return to Thailand even for a visit, for any reason whatsoever.

The 2nd option is to apply outland through Singapore office. Processing time could be long... so basically you would need to just continue your life as-is in Thailand together, and whenever the PR application is completed that's what you'd make the move to Canada.

 

[ma2rten]

Any other questions you may have... ask away

Ok, here we go.

Since you are a Canadian Citizen you can apply while you are still with your wife in BKK.

If there is an interview, would it be in Bangkok or Singapore? Is there an option to have the interview in Thai? Is it together or separate?

Since the processing time is so long through Singapore you should get the application in asap... Even though Singapore is showing 26 months there have been people that are finished in 6-12 months.

That is good news. But, still a lot uncertainty.

As your work is location independent you will have to show proof of your plans on resettling in Canada once your wife receives her PR.

What kind of proof? Given the uncertainty of about the waiting time, anything concrete like airplane tickets, job offers, rent agreements etc. would be difficult.

You seem to have some knowledge about applying for TRV out of Thailand

Just what I read here and on the CIC website. Maybe you are referring to my remark about light skin. That was more based on knowledge about Thailand in general, than on the embassy in particular.

The 2nd option is to apply outland through Singapore office. Processing time could be long...

If there is a good chance that she can get a TRV (maybe a study visa to study English), I think I would prefer outland. Mainly because it does not involve lying to the embassy...

Another question: so far I assumed that I would have to apply for sponsorship here, but actually my official residence is in Germany. Where do I have to apply as a sponsor?

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help guys (or gals).

 

[cdnmom]

Ok, here we go.
If there is an interview, would it be in Bangkok or Singapore? Is there an option to have the interview in Thai? Is it together or separate?

If an interview is required it will be in BKK... She has the option to request a translator as I believe the interview is in English... On the application it asks if a translator is required

That is good news. But, still a lot uncertainty.

What kind of proof? Given the uncertainty of about the waiting time, anything concrete like airplane tickets, job offers, rent agreements etc. would be difficult.

Yes... obtaining any of those when you have no idea when she may get her PR... you can have family or friends write a letter that you will be staying with them until you are able to find your own living arrangements.

Just what I read here and on the CIC website. Maybe you are referring to my remark about light skin. That was more based on knowledge about Thailand in general, than on the embassy in particular.

I don't have a comment on this...LOL

If there is a good chance that she can get a TRV (maybe a study visa to study English), I think I would prefer outland. Mainly because it does not involve lying to the embassy...

You are required to show a lot of money to get a study visa ... some people are successful on getting a TRV from BKK once sponsorship is approved.

Another question: so far I assumed that I would have to apply for sponsorship here, but actually my official residence is in Germany. Where do I have to apply as a sponsor?

The sponsorship will be processed through Mississauga and the PR application will be done in Singapore as it based on where the applicant is residing

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help guys (or gals).

 

[on-hold]

I highly doubt that the Canadian embassy discriminates in favour of light-skinned, Chinese-descended Thais, that would be disgusting.

 

[Rob_TO]

If there is a good chance that she can get a TRV (maybe a study visa to study English), I think I would prefer outland.

Keep in mind that even if she gets a visitor visa, it is most likely only good for less than 6 months and you may not be able to extend it.

Getting a study visa to attend an ESL academy also has it's limits. Most people come to Canada to study english for 1 year, and then go back to their home country. Extending a study permit beyond 1 year is also not guaranteed. Plus you need to consider that a study permit involves her registering and paying for studies for the duration of the study permit period... which can add up in cost over an extended time.

So basically even if she gets to Canada via visitor or study TRV.... if you apply outland there is no guarantee she will be able to stay in Canada during the entire processing time. If Singapore takes a long time with the application, you guys will need to be prepared to return to Thailand to wait out the processing at some point if she's not able to keep her status here.

 

[ma2rten]

@ cdnmom

Thanks alot.

@ on-hold

Thailand has a class system that is not unlike the Indian caste system. Chinese-descended Thais are usually high or middle class. All actors that you see on TV have light skin. All people in advertisements have light skin.

In many relationships between Westerners and Thais, the Thai is a bar-girl (aka prostitute). In nearly all relationships between Thais and Westerners the Thai is female, low class, younger, mainly motivated by money or staying in a western country. You see why the embassy would be reluctant to issue a visa in such a case.

Light skin will always be an advantage in an evaluation by Thai staff. Partly it's rational and in part it maybe is disgusting (from a Canadian perspective). But, if you think about isn't it also disgusting that it's much easier for rich people to get a Visa than for poor ones? What happened to the (North) American dream where you come with next to nothing, and make something out of it? I'm getting carried away...

 

[Spaz]

There're so many Thai wives who apply outside Canada and receive their PR less than 26 months. It's a case by case thing, I think. In my opinion, if you're not in a rush moving to Canada, applying from BKK is a better choice because you don't have to worry about being apart from your wife like other couples. Both of you can continue working and living life until the process is done, then move to Canada. I apply inland and still for AIP. It's been almost 11 months now. The worst part is that I can't work It's kinda difficult.

Good luck!

 

[on-hold]

I took the liberty of sending you a personal message, no point in arguing in public and I understand your point of view. If you're not familiar with the messaging system, look in the Inbox in the upper right corner.