Questions about the forms

[Cvstos]

Hello all! I'm Cvstos, and as you may have guessed, I'm trying to move to Canada. (Go figure, huh?)

I'm from the US, and I've married a Canadian. I'm mostly staying here in Canada with my wife but I need to be able to return to the US periodically, so I plan on applying from outside Canada via my US address.

But, I'm going through the forms and there are a few things that are rather unclear and calling the CIC helpline and using their website has proven unhelpful, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to aid me.

First, the US, as far as I know, does not have a "National Identity Document", so I had to check no there. (I do have a Passport but I don't think that's what they're talking about.) Will this hurt me?

Second, they ask how many years of school I've had. Do they mean after Elementary? (For me, that would be 3 years middle school, 4 high school, 4 college, for a total of 11. Is that what I should put?) It's on form IMM0008END_2D, Question 2 on "Education/Occupation Detail".

Third, which immigration office should I request? The Ottawa one? It seems to have the fastest processing times of the US/Canadian offices. In theory.

Forth, on one of the forms it asks if I'm living with her. I can't but no, because it then asks when she returned to Canada, but she never really left. I could put yes, it's more or less true. We could either have me work but be away from her or be here on a visitor visa and be with her, and we chose the latter. So, more or less I am living with her. But technically my legal address is a US one. Should I just put yes or is there a better way to do this?

That's all I have at the moment, although I'm sure I'll think of more. Thank you very much in advance for any advice I can get. These forms are... intimidating, to say the least.

-Cvstos

 

[computergeek]

Hello all! I'm Cvstos, and as you may have guessed, I'm trying to move to Canada. (Go figure, huh?)

I'm from the US, and I've married a Canadian. I'm mostly staying here in Canada with my wife but I need to be able to return to the US periodically, so I plan on applying from outside Canada via my US address.

Don't confuse "outland" with "you must be living outside Canada". For an "outland" application you can list an in-Canada address (I did it - lived in Canada during the entire Outland application).

But, I'm going through the forms and there are a few things that are rather unclear and calling the CIC helpline and using their website has proven unhelpful, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to aid me.

First, the US, as far as I know, does not have a "National Identity Document", so I had to check no there. (I do have a Passport but I don't think that's what they're talking about.) Will this hurt me?

No. CPP-O knows very well that there are no US identity cards.

Second, they ask how many years of school I've had. Do they mean after Elementary? (For me, that would be 3 years middle school, 4 high school, 4 college, for a total of 11. Is that what I should put?) It's on form IMM0008END_2D, Question 2 on "Education/Occupation Detail".

Don't get lost in the generic forms: they apply to all sorts of classes. For spousal this really doesn't matter, but they mean from first grade onwards. So what you described is 16 years.

Third, which immigration office should I request? The Ottawa one? It seems to have the fastest processing times of the US/Canadian offices. In theory.

Write CPP-O or Ottawa. If you write anything else, CPC-M will ignore it and send the application to Ottawa - it's the only office YOU can pick (CIC can transfer to NYC or LA if THEY want to do so).

Fourth, on one of the forms it asks if I'm living with her. I can't but no, because it then asks when she returned to Canada, but she never really left. I could put yes, it's more or less true. We could either have me work but be away from her or be here on a visitor visa and be with her, and we chose the latter. So, more or less I am living with her. But technically my legal address is a US one. Should I just put yes or is there a better way to do this?

Again, don't get hung up on address. If you want, list your US address as your residential address and your Canadian address as your mailing address (that's where they should send your COPR).

Note: the only time "where you live" REALLY matters is when you have a choice of visa offices (like a UK citizen living in the US would be able to choose CPP-O or London) OR if you have an Inland application (which requires that you be present in Canada living with your sponsor). "Outland" and "Inland" really relate to WHERE the application is processed - in your case, it will be processed OUTSIDE CANADA (which means, ironically, Ottawa - proving that Americans are not the only geographically challenged people in the world.)

One final note: make sure you maintain legal status in Canada while the application is in process. When you get the sponsor approval letter, carry a copy of that letter. Before that, use the fee receipt if they ask you at the border.

 

[Cvstos]

Thank you very much! This will help greatly!

Also, right now I'm here in Canada on a visitor visa. They grilled me thoroughly at the airport but I had all my documents for dual intent in order so they let me in. I'm here until January, and hopefully by then I'll be in the immigration system to make things easier for getting another visitor visa, this time with a record.

 

[computergeek]

Thank you very much! This will help greatly!

Also, right now I'm here in Canada on a visitor visa. They grilled me thoroughly at the airport but I had all my documents for dual intent in order so they let me in. I'm here until January, and hopefully by then I'll be in the immigration system to make things easier for getting another visitor visa, this time with a record.

Did they stamp your passport? If so, you should send a copy of that stamp in your passport along with your visitor renewal request.

If you haven't filed yet, at least pay the PR application fee and send along the fee receipt - it goes a long way towards demonstrating that you are serious about the process.

 

[Cvstos]

Did they stamp your passport? If so, you should send a copy of that stamp in your passport along with your visitor renewal request.

If you haven't filed yet, at least pay the PR application fee and send along the fee receipt - it goes a long way towards demonstrating that you are serious about the process.

I will be submitting everything very soon. They did stamp and sign the passport. I have to go home in January for some medical stuff and will be "home" in the US for a little while, resetting the visitor visa to day one.