outland vs. inland application

[Landon10000]

My wife recently got a job in Canada, and I'm planning on moving there with her soon. I am American and she is a Canadian citizen, but wanted to go ahead and move to Canada ASAP. I read the spousal sponsorship post, but had some questions.

1. a. Can I choose to apply outland and still come to Canada as a visitor?
b. is there a minimum time I must wait before coming?

2. is this proper wait times? (couldn't post the link, but it's to CIC website processing times -> family sponsorship) so approx. 20 months if i apply in Canada and approx. 8 weeks + 11 months if I apply outside?

3.a. what happens once I'm approved for sponsorship? It's just gateway to apply to PR card?
b. are there any restrictions before approved for sponsorship?

Thanks for any help

 

[CharlieD10]

1. Yes, you may, lots of Americans do. No, there is no minimum time to wait before coming.
2. That is correct. However, be advised that the 11 months Outland is the average time for 80% of applications, your time could be much shorter in actuality. For example, some applicants from Feb and Mar 2011 are now receiving PR visas from Buffalo.
3a. Your wife is is approved to sponsor you, then your application for PR is approved, and you "land" as a permanent resident by receiving a visa to do so.
3b. As a visitor, you may not work or attend school without a relevant permit. You are not covered by public health care. Don't show up at the border with all your possessions and no proof of ties to the US. If possible, ensure your wife accompanies you and has proof that you are applying for PR or planning to do so.

 

[Landon10000]

Thanks CharlieD10 for the help.

3a. so step 1 is sponsorship approval, step 2 is PR application is approved. So after sponsorship, my PR application will start getting processed. When you say "land" - do you mean I can work currently with some form of a temporary visa until my PR app is approved? Or when I "land" is actually when my PR is approved?

3b. when you say no proof of ties to the US - do you mean passport and other documents (like marriage certificate, a copy of my application, birth certificate)?

I'm plannin on driving across with a car full of items, but she wont be able to accompany me. I was going to go ahead and apply this week, then in a couple weeks time when I travel just bring a copy of the application to show I am doing so, and tell them my situation.

 

[CharlieD10]

You "land" when your PR application is approved. You may arrive as a visitor before this, but until you get the permanent resident visa, you are just visiting.

Proof of ties to the US means things that show that you will return to the US, an apartment lease, home mortgage, bank statements etc. Anything that says you will return to the US at the end of a specified time.

The final decision is yours, of course, and you might get better advice on the Buffalo thread regarding your border crossing. However, I am going to err on the side of caution and tell you that it is possible that if the border guard does not believe you have sufficient proof of ties to the US, they can refuse you entry into Canada, and in the extreme, even ban you from entering the country for up to a year. This is POSSIBLE, but not PROBABLE. It depends on how much you mean by "full", and how much proof you have to show for a PR application already being in process. Get some advice on the Buffalo thread on how to approach this.

 

[QCSunshine]

"3a. so step 1 is sponsorship approval, step 2 is PR application is approved. So after sponsorship, my PR application will start getting processed. When you say "land" - do you mean I can work currently with some form of a temporary visa until my PR app is approved? Or when I "land" is actually when my PR is approved?"

Unless you have a work permit to do so, you won't be able to work while you are visiting Canada before you have PR. (You can not study either.)

Also, I don't know if you have begun preparing, but it takes a while to get all the documents together. If you can't pull the application together as soon as you would like (it took me much longer than I had wanted), you can still go ahead and pay the fees before you enter Canada. That helps show you are serious about the application, and then you might have more time to gather documents, if you find you need it.

Good luck!

 

[arcticcat43]

My fiance is in Canada (refugee claim) we are planning to do inland, could we do outland, her refugee claim has been in for 17 months and still no hearing, and if we do inland and she has her hearing and they deny her PR what then? CIC said to do inland and which ever claim gives her PR cancels the other, but as I said what if IRB denies her claim before inland is done, are they both cancelled then.

So unsure but need to decide quick :-\