Sponsor "living" as a tourist abroad - which address to put?

[muchacha]

Hi all,

A quick question that should be relatively straight forward....I am a Canadian citizen sponsoring my husband in Nicaragua. I "reside" in Nicaragua (i.e., I am here for extended periods of time), and I am in Canada about 4 months per year. Even though I sort of live here in Nicaragua, I am technically always here just as a tourist. So for my mailing address on form IMM 1344, I have my Canadian address since this is, for most purposes, where I live.

Does anyone foresee any problems with this? elsewhere in the application it is made very clear that I reside here in Nicaragua with my husband for most of the time.

Thank you in advance!

 

[fandv]

Hi all,

A quick question that should be relatively straight forward....I am a Canadian citizen sponsoring my husband in Nicaragua. I "reside" in Nicaragua (i.e., I am here for extended periods of time), and I am in Canada about 4 months per year. Even though I sort of live here in Nicaragua, I am technically always here just as a tourist. So for my mailing address on form IMM 1344, I have my Canadian address since this is, for most purposes, where I live.

Does anyone foresee any problems with this? elsewhere in the application it is made very clear that I reside here in Nicaragua with my husband for most of the time.

Thank you in advance!

Hola Muchacha,

Nice that you asked that question! I will be going through a similar thing, so I am interested to know what others will say about this, as I've been wondering about the same thing too.

By the way, will you be providing proofs of your intention to resettle in Canada? If so, what sort of proofs?

It's kind of a grey area....because you "live" in Nicaragua, but at the same time, you're actually a tourist there. I will be going through a similar thing too...I plan to reside in my future wife's country (Indonesia) as her PR application is being processed, and will remain there until she gets her PR approved. I will be on a tourist visa too (while in Indonesia). The difference (from your case) is that I will be in Indonesia continuously...

 

[muchacha]

Hey fandv! Glad to hear we are in the same situation. It's always nice to hear of other people in the same boat... sometimes this whole process feels a bit isolating!

For proof of our intention to return to Canada, we don't have very much concrete evidence. I have included a brief settlement plan, a letter from my parents stating that we can live with them for however long, a bank statement showing my savings, and some various proof that I am applying to another post-graduate program this fall (while I haven't even applied yet, I included proof that I wrote the entrance exam this past May, along with my exam results). I also had some unofficial emails from a previous boss discussing future employment opportunities, as well as report cards from a local university where my husband is studying English. None of it is really official evidence, but it all goes along with what I have stated in our settlement plan. I hope it will be sufficient.... :S

Good luck!!

 

[Farfelu]

I believe you must reside in Canada while your sponsorship application is undergoing so you need to enter your Canadian address in all the sponsor's forms. The other alternative is that you declare you are living exclusively outside of Canada, then you would enter your Nicaraguan address. In order to opt for the "living exclusively abroad" option you'll have to demonstrate that you have no ties to Canada but that you intend to resettle there once your spouse is granted PR.

So it basically boils down to where do you carry your normal business including employment, property, rent and other personal affairs. I recommend you to read the guide and the relevant Operational Manual to see which situation you fall in and proceed accordingly.

Op Manual link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip02-eng.pdf

See Section 13 "Assessing a sponsor's eligibility" which details some of the factors considered to determine if a person is eligible to sponsor his/her spouse, it includes a residency requirement which may be of interest to you.

In our case, my husband who is the sponsor is a Canadian citizen who's been living in Central America for over 10 years, so basically he is considered a resident of this country, not of Canada, so instead he'll have to show that he'll resettle in Canada once my PR is granted.

I hope this helps.

 

[fandv]

Hey fandv! Glad to hear we are in the same situation. It's always nice to hear of other people in the same boat... sometimes this whole process feels a bit isolating!

For proof of our intention to return to Canada, we don't have very much concrete evidence. I have included a brief settlement plan, a letter from my parents stating that we can live with them for however long, a bank statement showing my savings, and some various proof that I am applying to another post-graduate program this fall (while I haven't even applied yet, I included proof that I wrote the entrance exam this past May, along with my exam results). I also had some unofficial emails from a previous boss discussing future employment opportunities, as well as report cards from a local university where my husband is studying English. None of it is really official evidence, but it all goes along with what I have stated in our settlement plan. I hope it will be sufficient.... :S

Good luck!!

Hi Muchacha,

Indeed this process feels so isolating, and not to mention so tedious and crazy

As for myself, I will be providing the following proofs of my intent to resettle in Canada (and if any are applicable to you, you should do the same!!)

1. A letter from my parents stating that once we're back in Canada, we can reside temporarily at their house until we find our own place.

2. A letter from a family friend (he's actually my parents' friend, but he and his family know me very well too), stating their awareness that I plan to go back here.

3. Since I am employed by a Canadian company, I am in fact required by the CIC to submit an employment letter that states the duration of my employment, my salary, and the regular hours I work per week. In that letter will be a statement from my employer, acknowledging the fact that they know of my plan to reside in Canada with my future wife.

4. A Canadian credit card statement.

5. A Canadian bank statement.

6. A cellphone statement (Bell Canada). My phone number is amazing in that it's extremely easy to remember, so I don't want to cancel my subscription or else I'd lose the number. So...might as well use this to my advantage, and I'll be showing the most recent statement when I will be applying later on.

7. A letter showing detailed future plans in Canada. We will also be having a second wedding reception in Canada, so I will make sure to highlight that fact as well.

8. There's a possibility that we could have our first child born in Indonesia, and I will be emailing the Canadian embassy in Indonesia to ask exactly what documentations are required to apply for the baby's Canadian citizenship certificate, and how to apply for a temporary passport for the baby (so that we can depart to Canada right away, without having to wait the 8 to 12 months that it takes for the baby's citizenship certificate to be issued). So I will be submitting this email, which will hopefully make the CIC realise that indeed we are planning to reside in Canada.

9. I'll be showing our apartment contract in Indonesia, highlighting the fact that it's a temporary contract, and that it's only gonna be for about 1 year.

10. I'll be showing my tourist visa in Indonesia, highlighting the fact that I really will only be there temporarily, just so I could be together with my future wife as her PR application is being processed.


So, 10 proofs...!! I hope mine will be sufficient! ;D

 

[fandv]

I believe you must reside in Canada while your sponsorship application is undergoing so you need to enter your Canadian address in all the sponsor's forms.

Muchacha has stated that she is a Canadian citizen, and therefore she does not have to reside in Canada while the sponsorship application is undergoing. If she were a Canadian permanent resident (which she is not), then yes she would be required to reside in Canada

According to the CIC:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/3900ETOC.asp

If I live outside Canada, may I sponsor?

If you are a Canadian citizen, you may sponsor a spouse, a common-law partner or conjugal partner, or a dependent child who has no children of his or her own. However, you must demonstrate that you will live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.

Note: Permanent residents residing abroad may not sponsor from outside of Canada. Canadian citizens travelling as tourists are not considered to be residing abroad.

 

[Creampop]

See this is a toughy, cus technically you don't reside in Nicaragua you are a visitor. so again technically since you live in Canada you would not have to prove your intent to re-settle as you (the citizen) live here. The way you are talking you are filing the app out as if you are a citizen that lives abroad with their spouse and you want to sponsor your spouse and come back with you when the process is over and if that is the case you would not have a Canadian address. unless you write a letter stating that this is your parents address and explain the whole situation etc... you visit for extended periods so that you can be with your husband...

Note: Permanent residents residing abroad may not sponsor from outside of Canada. Canadian citizens travelling as tourists are not considered to be residing abroad.

Thank You Fandv... this is exactly what I was saying...she would then use a Canadian address and would not have to provide a settlement plan....

 

[fandv]

See this is a toughy, cus technically you don't reside in Nicaragua you are a visitor. so again technically since you live in Canada you would not have to prove your intent to re-settle as you (the citizen) live here. The way you are talking you are filing the app out as if you are a citizen that lives abroad with their spouse and you want to sponsor your spouse and come back with you when the process is over and if that is the case you would not have a Canadian address. unless you write a letter stating that this is your parents address and explain the whole situation etc... you visit for extended periods so that you can be with your husband...

Thank You Fandv... this is exactly what I was saying...she would then use a Canadian address and would not have to provide a settlement plan....

Hi Creampop,

Nice insights!!

Now you got me thinking:

A. So let's say Muchacha or I provide our Canadian address, but then what if there are physical letters and whatnots from the CIC?

(Physical letters = for instance, if they tell us that something is missing in our application, or perhaps a letter containing an update of our application, or may be 2nd medical exam request, or perhaps a request to send our foreign spouse's passport, etc etc).

The letters would then arrive in Canada, at our parents' house......such a big hassle, because then our parents would have to forward the stuff to us (to Nicaragua for Muchacha, and to Indonesia for me), not to mention the risk of the stuff getting lost in transit.
Would be a lot nicer to have the address in Nicaragua/Indonesia, so that we can get our stuff directly from the CIC right?

Is this a big concern? Apart from sending us updates/requests through physical letters, do they also send it electronically (i.e: through emails)? Any advice about this?


B. I'm also anxious about which Indonesian visa I should be applying. I have 2 options:

a. Limited stay permit (has to be renewed every 1 year, and I can ALWAYS remain in Indonesia.)

b. Social visa (has to be renewed every ONE month, but after every 6 months I have to get out of Indonesia and apply (not renew) for a brand new one, then I can renew again every 1 month, and have to get out again after 6 months, and so on......)

Very clearly, the limited stay permit is a lot more convenient.

If you were the Canadian immigration officer, would you question why I would have a 1 year Indonesian visa (instead of a shorter term visa), if I intend to go back to Canada? Would you doubt my claims to resettle in Canada?

 

[Sweden]

Hey!

Not sure it will help a lot but - my sponsor lives outside of Canada, and he has just been approved. He has no employment offer in Canada, or a house etc. We are living outside of Canada, and we will move soon, when I get my PR.

So - we just explained our plans wrote a detailed timeline of the steps we need to do to leave the country where we are, and put dates when we intend to go. Letters from parents and friends explaining that they know that you want to go back and they could host you are good as well.

About putting an address in Canada: as long as there is somebody to open the letters, I think you could be good. CIC communicates by mail and by snail mail - and you can not choose.

AS you are a canadian citizen you are allowed to be outside of Canada to sponsor, no problem. If you feel that it is more practical ( less delay, safer post system) you could put your address in Canada, and explain your situation - visitor visa, and coming back and forth.

If there is a physical letter - maybe your parents can scan it to you ? if you had a representative in Canada ( like a lawyer), he would get all your communications, so in a way, it's not that different ( at least in my opinion). The only thing you risk is that if they return your file, then it will create delays... but then - it gives you a good reason to check and recheck your file to make sure that nothing is missing, all forms signed, completed etc, then you should be good...

If they send a letter, they don't send a mail to confirm, and vice versa - the only thing you can be sure of is that AOR are by mail, but approval can come by snail mail or email....

About the visa - I think you can go for the permanent visa, explaining that the other option (the one month one) was too time consuming etc, and explain what you will do to cancel the visa once you have the PR ( hence the idea of the timeline...). My partner has a residency here, and he explained what he needs to do ( administrative steps, taxes, closing of bank account, etc) to leave the country, and the deadline for each - and he got approved. The important point is that you prove that you will move to Canada.. quotation from moving companies, correspondence with future employers, quotation from plane tickets, showing how you intend to support yourself once back in Canada ... everything is good - there is no one ultimate proof (apart from already living in Canada!) but a variety of them - depending on your case. Start gathering things, and address any red flag in advance, try to cover as much as possible - and you should be good.

Good luck!
Sweden

 

[muchacha]

Thank you all for the advice!

I think I will go back to that first form and change my answer to the question "Are you a Canadian living exclusively outside of Canada?" from YES to NO. (this question has given me such a headache! I think I have changed it at least 3 times now)

I will then attach a note, highlighting the part of the instructions that says Canadian citizens travelling as tourists are not considered to be residing abroad. and attach a note explaining my situation in a bit of detail.

The reason I originally had it as YES was that I thought I had read somewhere on the CIC website that the definition of "residing" was physically being somewhere for extended periods of time, where you have set up a house/life, etc.... but I can't find that anywhere now, and the part quoted above is right there in black and white. Phew, I'm glad i asked this!!

I think I will still keep my settlement plan and other proof of coming back to Canada in there, just in case there are any doubts.

Gracias!

 

[Creampop]

I think good proof for you would be tickets, stamps in your passport copy of visitor visa etc... showing how often you are coming and going. My husband and I have been together 13 years but just recently married but I included in my app all bus tickets, plane tickets, rental car receipts from my home to Canada and back. anyways GL!

 

[muchacha]

Hey Creampop,

Yep, I've got all of that as well (flight itineraries, passport stamps, tourist cards). I have proof that I come back and forth very frequently, proof that I've lived with my husband for 3ish years amidst all the travelling, proof that I am integrated into his life/family, proof that I technically live in Canada and am coming back to Canada.... I don't even know exactly what I'm trying to prove anymore!! I'm just putting everything and telling the 100% truth, and hoping for the best

Thanks to all for the help!! Such a confusing process.

 

[fizban]

> I will then attach a note, highlighting the part of the instructions that says Canadian citizens travelling as tourists are not considered to be residing abroad. and attach a note explaining my situation in a bit of detail.

I will do this as well as I am in the same situation, a Canadian citizen "living" outside of Canada most of the time as a tourist.

How did this work out for you muchacha?