Outland Spousal Sponsor: Funds and Intent to Resettle

[dotsot]

So, my Canadian citizen wife is sponsoring me for PR. We live in New York right but plan on relocating as soon as I'm finished with my schooling. We sent in affidavits from friends and family with our application concerning intent to resettle along with their ability/willingness to support us and thought we had read somewhere that we didn't need to prove funds for a spousal sponsorship. Our mistake, I guess. We just received this email from Ottawa:

"In order for us to continue the processing of your application, we require the following documents:

· Funds, proof: Proof of funds such as but not limited to; an employment letter, government issued documents ( example:T4`s), pay stubs, bank statements showing several months history, etc.

This must be received at this office by: 2014/08/24

· SPR’s residency: Evidence that your sponsor resides in Canada, or has taken steps to re-establish residence in Canada. This includes but is not limited to: pay stubs, T4 slips, utility bills, banking history, employment letters, lease agreements, etc. Driver’s licences, property tax assessments, social insurance or health insurance cards are not sufficient to show intent to return.

This must be received at this office by: 2014/08/24"

What are our options here? We don't plan on resettling until May 2015, applying early since we were unsure of how long the processing will actually be and a PR helps my case in getting a job offer. So, a job offer for 10 months in the future seems unlikely. My wife made the mistake of closing her bank account after leaving. Could she run up to a BMO in Quebec and set up an account with here parents' address? We've already worked out staying for free with my wife's parents and other family if job plans don't work out. Would a "lease agreement" with them suffice? What about funds? Do paystubs from the US count? Do outland applicants have any options other than showing a ton of money in a savings account?

 

[steerpike]

There is no "minimum income" required. But that does not mean they don't want to see proof of your income. Everyone has to send in an option C and other documents. I guess they just want to make sure you are not planning to go on welfare.

Also, you need to be prepared to move when the PR is granted. After that you can then return to the USA and continue your schooling, or whatever. I'm not sure how many months leeway you have, but in principal, you are supposed to move to Canada right when the PR is granted.

 

[dotsot]

"you are supposed to move to Canada right when the PR is granted."

Wow, I had not realized that. Does anyone have any understanding of whatever flexibility? Am I supposed to drop my studies in the middle of a semester (and forfeit my tuition) if I get awarded PR next March?

 

[Edgehead78]

"you are supposed to move to Canada right when the PR is granted."

Wow, I had not realized that. Does anyone have any understanding of whatever flexibility? Am I supposed to drop my studies in the middle of a semester (and forfeit my tuition) if I get awarded PR next March?

You should have applied later. You said you're not willing to settle in Canada before May 2015, so why applying so early?
COPR doesn't lasts forever. Usually it expires at your medicals anniversary date.

 

[dotsot]

"You should have applied later. You said you're not willing to settle in Canada before May 2015, so why applying so early?"

I'm not sure that's fair. There is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the issue. The CIC website lists a 15 month wait-time for 80% completion. Using that as a rough guide hardly seems unreasonable. Anyway, paying rent in the states without an income on my part would get quite expensive and I didn't like the idea of sneaking in with my PR application pending, or, even worse, (since I'm aiming to be a college instructor) not receiving my PR before the fall or summer semester begins.

 

[morgan22]

Hey dotsot, I also received notification that my Canadian wife needs to prove that she resides in Canada.

What documents did you send in for proof of sponsor's residence? What response has CIC given you?

 

[Alurra71]

So, my Canadian citizen wife is sponsoring me for PR. We live in New York right but plan on relocating as soon as I'm finished with my schooling. We sent in affidavits from friends and family with our application concerning intent to resettle along with their ability/willingness to support us and thought we had read somewhere that we didn't need to prove funds for a spousal sponsorship. Our mistake, I guess. We just received this email from Ottawa:

"In order for us to continue the processing of your application, we require the following documents:

· Funds, proof: Proof of funds such as but not limited to; an employment letter, government issued documents ( example:T4`s), pay stubs, bank statements showing several months history, etc.

This must be received at this office by: 2014/08/24

· SPR's residency: Evidence that your sponsor resides in Canada, or has taken steps to re-establish residence in Canada. This includes but is not limited to: pay stubs, T4 slips, utility bills, banking history, employment letters, lease agreements, etc. Driver's licences, property tax assessments, social insurance or health insurance cards are not sufficient to show intent to return.

This must be received at this office by: 2014/08/24"

What are our options here? We don't plan on resettling until May 2015, applying early since we were unsure of how long the processing will actually be and a PR helps my case in getting a job offer. So, a job offer for 10 months in the future seems unlikely. My wife made the mistake of closing her bank account after leaving. Could she run up to a BMO in Quebec and set up an account with here parents' address? We've already worked out staying for free with my wife's parents and other family if job plans don't work out. Would a "lease agreement" with them suffice? What about funds? Do paystubs from the US count? Do outland applicants have any options other than showing a ton of money in a savings account?

Did you note in your application that you don't plan to go to Canada until 2015? You do realize that Ottawa is processing US applications as quickly as 3 months, majority are done by 8 months.

The paystubs from the US are fine. You don't need to necessarily show proof of income for sponsor approval, however, they want to be assured that you can care for yourselves once you are granted PR so you won't end up on welfare.

Proof of the Canadians intent to return is where you are going to fall into a problem. Anything that you have done in preparataion to move is considered proof. If you have spoken with realtors, prospective employers, schools (for school age children if you have them) communications with friends/family that are in Canada that you have had discussions with. There are many ways to prove intent to return, however you two are going to have a hard time if you already noted you won't be doing it until next May.

 

[tink23]

Did you note in your application that you don't plan to go to Canada until 2015? You do realize that Ottawa is processing US applications as quickly as 3 months, majority are done by 8 months.

The paystubs from the US are fine. You don't need to necessarily show proof of income for sponsor approval, however, they want to be assured that you can care for yourselves once you are granted PR so you won't end up on welfare.

Proof of the Canadians intent to return is where you are going to fall into a problem. Anything that you have done in preparataion to move is considered proof. If you have spoken with realtors, prospective employers, schools (for school age children if you have them) communications with friends/family that are in Canada that you have had discussions with. There are many ways to prove intent to return, however you two are going to have a hard time if you already noted you won't be doing it until next May.

Any of the above suggestions are good to prove intent for your wife to return to Canada once you have been granted PR. Rental searches, job searches,.... Also, you can always land once you receive your PR status. You need to do so fairly quickly because the COPR expires, usually one year from when you did your medical exam. Once you have landed you can give an address of a family member in Canada, where the PR card will be sent and they can mail it to you so that in May 2015 you won't have any trouble returning and restablishing your family home in Canada.