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once issued permanent residence do i have to enter canada and stay ?

M

massacarrara

Full Member
Oct 23, 2007
24
0
Hi All !

I am an American citizen getting married to a Canadian citizen in December. I am going through the process right now, filling out the forms and such. I am going to graduate university in August 2008. I want to sent in the application for permanent residence ASAP so I can be with my husband come September 2008. For the location we are sending my application to, it only takes 42 days to process. I am scared that if I sent my application in too soon, I will be forced to leave my studies and must immigrate to Canada once they issue my permanent residence....

Is this true? Do you know when I must immigrate to Canada?
Thanks!
 
G

Gdaymate

Star Member
Sep 26, 2007
151
2
I think you'll find that the 42 days refers to processing the first step only, which is Approval in Principle (AIP). The rest of the process will take at least six months but it depends on many things so it's hard to give an accurate estimate.

Once you receive Permanent Residency you will be given a time period to make your landing (initial entry) into Canada. This is the date that your medicals will expire which is usually one year after they are done. For example, if you do your medicals now and your visa is processed in the next 6 months you would have about six months to make that initial landing. After that you can move to Canada when you are ready, keeping in mind that you have to comply with certain residency requirements to maintain your visa. You need to live in Canada for 2 years out of the first 5 years to keep your PR but any time you spend out of Canada travelling with your Canadian citizen spouse will count towards that time.

So no panic, time is definitely on your side.
 
G

Gdaymate

Star Member
Sep 26, 2007
151
2
Maybe one of the more senior forum members will have an idea of the order and time frame for the next steps but basically it's the background and security checks. So the time taken to complete those steps depends on how many different states and countries and you've lived in, what organisations you're a member of etc.
 
M

massacarrara

Full Member
Oct 23, 2007
24
0
Do I do the medicals after they have accepted my application and such? Because in the application packet there is nothing about medicals.

Thanks so much for your help!
 
G

Gdaymate

Star Member
Sep 26, 2007
151
2
It depends on whether you file in-land or out-land. For out-land you must do your medicals and get all your police checks first and there most definitely are instructions for this in the application packet.

I've not seen an in-land application packet personally so perhaps if you're sure there is nothing regarding the medicals in your packet it's for an in-land application (and may a senior member correct me if this is not the case!). My understanding is that for in-land CIC will request the medicals during the process and will send you the instructions at that time.
 
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