I'm an American citizen and I have been in Vancouver, Canada as a legal visitor for the last year. I entered YVR airport in April of 2010 and my fiancée and I got married in July. I applied for a visitor visa renewal one month before it was set to expire and I explained that I was married to a Canadian citizen and was intending to do a spousal sponsorship app. I included proof or marriage, etc. I waited 5 months for an answer. Found out in January that I was refused due to "failure to verify identify" or some such nonsense. Was told by someone at the CIC call center this is usually due to not including passport copy (which I did include). The notice said that my time was now up and that I had 90 days to apply for restoration or leave. I was told by Canadian immigration that it would be best for me to cross the border at Blaine, WA and then come back into Canada to renew my visitor visa so that I can submit the sponsorship paperwork. I feel really awkward about having to lie to border officials about my intentions on entering the country. I don't intend to leave so why should I tell them I am going to? The same official at CIC told me that if I send the restoration app along with the spousal sponsorship paperwork and then was denied the restoration, I would still have to leave Canada and they would throw out my sponsorship application. However, I re-read the application packet I was sent and it says that If I am out of status I can still apply. I feel so confused and completely jacked around. I want to be with my husband as I have no ties back in the USA. I would essentially be homeless if I was forced to leave. If it is true that I can apply while being "out of status" then what is the point of telling me to leave or face the consequences? My husband is really insulted that he, as a Canadian citizen, is having to face the prospect of sending his wife away. Can anyone shed any light on this frustrating situation? I go into tears just thinking about it.
