Question(s) about outland sponsorship of English bf

[JCanada]

Hello All!

I'm just trying to initialize all this paperwork needed to bring my English boyfriend to Canada... It looks like we've got the proof, etc, that we need, but I have a few questions...

I think we're going to go the outland route as it looks quicker, he's in England at the moment, and I've got a good job in Canada lined up.

Can anyone tell me if he is able to visit me on a visitor visa after we have submitted the outland paperwork and are waiting to hear the good news?
Or does he need to stay in England in case they request an interview?
Or perhaps, do they keep his passport that entire time?

Also, is it a massive headache to do the paperwork yourself? - ie, is it worth paying an agency to help us?

Thanks so much! Best of luck to everyone wading through paperwork or waiting on an answer

J

 

[Leon]

You say boyfriend and I assume you mean common law partner because in order to sponsor him, if you aren't married, you need to have lived together for at least 12 months as common law partners and be able to prove it.

Haivng that, if you apply for him outland, he can visit Canada like any other UK citizen without getting a visa. If an interview is required, he would have to return to the UK though. They do not keep his passport the entire time. They will request it when they are about ready to issue his visa and mail it back to him with the visa. If he is in Canada at the time, he can send it from Canada and request that they mail it back to him in Canada. He could then land by making a quick trip to the US and then land as he comes back.

 

[JCanada]

Thanks so much for the quick reply, Leon! Oh man, is there ever a lot of paperwork to shuffle through here... and yes, he's my common-law partner, we've been living together in England for two years.

Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions before it's all over.

Cheers!
J

 

[wowsers]

Leon is so senior that hardly anyone is reckless enough to contradict him! However, here goes! What he says about passports may at one time have been the procedure, but that would have been before my membership of this forum began. Passports are no longer requested where the applicant is visa exempt, such as an UK citizen applying outland via the London VO. He gets a document called a COPR (confirmation of permanent residency) through the post. It is not stamped in the applicant's passport and the London VO does not ask for the passport to be sent to them.

 

[JCanada]

Thanks Wowzers! Even easier!

 

[zardoz]

I would also add, that if you have documentary proof of your cohabitation in the UK with him (what was YOUR immigration status in the UK?) and he's not a member of some dodgy organisation, the chances of an interview are tiny. I note that you refer to him as "English" rather than "British", which makes me think he's a native.. This again reduces the odds of complications.

 

[chala]

Hello All!

I'm just trying to initialize all this paperwork needed to bring my English boyfriend to Canada... It looks like we've got the proof, etc, that we need, but I have a few questions...

I think we're going to go the outland route as it looks quicker, he's in England at the moment, and I've got a good job in Canada lined up.

Can anyone tell me if he is able to visit me on a visitor visa after we have submitted the outland paperwork and are waiting to hear the good news?
Or does he need to stay in England in case they request an interview?
Or perhaps, do they keep his passport that entire time?

Also, is it a massive headache to do the paperwork yourself? - ie, is it worth paying an agency to help us?

Thanks so much! Best of luck to everyone wading through paperwork or waiting on an answer

J

No it is not a massive headache to do the paperwork unless you are lazy. Anyone who can read and write with common sense can complete the forms required. Just be sure to read the instructions carefully and more than once if need be. You don't need to waste your money on expensive lawyers or consultants who probably know little more about the process than you. If you have a question just post it on this forum where many informed folks will help out. Best luck with your application.

 

[Leon]

Leon is so senior that hardly anyone is reckless enough to contradict him! However, here goes! What he says about passports may at one time have been the procedure, but that would have been before my membership of this forum began. Passports are no longer requested where the applicant is visa exempt, such as an UK citizen applying outland via the London VO. He gets a document called a COPR (confirmation of permanent residency) through the post. It is not stamped in the applicant's passport and the London VO does not ask for the passport to be sent to them.

Thanks for correcting me. Immigration changes their habits fast and there is no way for one person to keep tabs on all the changes. Each person who happens to know of a change because it is relevant to their case should absolutely correct me and everybody else who is wrong. Only that way can we make sure that we always have up to date info and keep this the forum up to date as well.

 

[QuebecOkie]

I second the "no representative needed" opinion. I've read countless times on this forum of incompetent or lazy representatives who not only aren't of much help, but who have at times even created further problems for the applicants (not telling them of a necessary part of the process, or not relaying a request from CIC to the applicant, etc). Unless your case is especially complicated (prior criminal record, divorced with shared custody of kids, etc.), there's absolutely no need to hire a professional to help you. Yep, there's a lot of paperwork, and yep, there will be times when you just want to set fire to the whole d*mned pile of it, but most people are absolutely capable of putting together a solid application without a representative. This forum is an invaluable source of information when you do have questions.

Good luck!

 

[JCanada]

Thanks so much, you guys! I'm so glad I found this forum, I wish I'd had the same moral support when I'd applied for my British ancestry visa, what a load of nightmare paperwork THAT was!

I'm sure I'll be on here again asking inane questions (don't worry, I'll search through previous posts first!)

J

 

[taffy7]

When i first started i was terrified . This forum helped me so much,couldn't have done it without there help.Ask away . There is also a london outland thread you may be interested in .

 

[taffy7]

I would also add, that if you have documentary proof of your cohabitation in the UK with him (what was YOUR immigration status in the UK?) and he's not a member of some dodgy organisation, the chances of an interview are tiny. I note that you refer to him as "English" rather than "British", which makes me think he's a native.. This again reduces the odds of complications.

This made me laugh ,when you have been in Canada for a very long time , most English ,Welsh , people will say British until we get into a conversation then we strongly tell you which one we are. We do this because people can't tell the accent its a funny world.

 

[JCanada]

This made me laugh ,when you have been in Canada for a very long time , most English ,Welsh , people will say British until we get into a conversation then we strongly tell you which one we are. We do this because people can't tell the accent its a funny world.

LOL, Taffy7, it was one of those super-cute accents that got me into this pile of dreaded paperwork in the first place!

 

[JCanada]

Also, does anyone know, does the "each of your family members" thing go for the identity cards, police checks, medicals, and current photos as well? Surely that's only for whomever is being sponsored and not their entire family back home who aren't coming to Canada?

Thanks!

 

[Leon]

It's only for your boyfriend. Your boyfriend will write a form for his additional family info naming his parents, siblings etc. but none of these people are his dependents so will not be included in his immigration application and will be not getting PR along with him.

The only people who have to do medicals and fill out forms are the people actually included in the PR application and for you, that would be your boyfriend and his dependent children if he has any.