Sponsoring my Korean wife for permanent residency

[jalee5225]

So, after sending in a cover letter with my application last time, they have started processing our application on Sept.8. Finally!
I guess we are just playing the waiting game now?

Just a couple remaining questions. Since we have applied as 'outland'...

My wife's visitor visa runs out in November. Do we have to worry about this?

I'm assuming we can travel to the States if need be? Last time she came back into Canada (from Korea) she was held up by customs/immigration for nearly 3 hours (a lot of it was due to the line up that day) but should we expect an 'interview' every time she leaves/re-enters the country?

Thanks!

 

[Rob_TO]

My wife's visitor visa runs out in November. Do we have to worry about this?

Since your wife is visa-exempt to Canada, she doesn't have a visitor visa... she has visitor "status". Big difference between that and actually requiring a visa.

And yes you do need to worry about it, since with an outland app there is no implied status. So you need to maintain her visitor status separate from the PR application. There are basically 2 ways to do this:
1. Apply for an extension while in Canada. You will need to pay a fee, and some people have gotten a 12 month extension. Just note any visitor status is ended the second you leave Canada.
2. Exit and re-enter Canada. This will basically reset her status (or any extension request that may be in progress) and upon entering you should get a fresh 6 months. Of course this way is free.

I'm assuming we can travel to the States if need be? Last time she came back into Canada (from Korea) she was held up by customs/immigration for nearly 3 hours (a lot of it was due to the line up that day) but should we expect an 'interview' every time she leaves/re-enters the country?

Yes she can travel to the states.
Vast majority of people report that CBSA is much easier on you if you have a PR app in progress. So make sure to bring a copy of the sponsor approval, fee payment, or any other docs that show the PR app is in progress... and hopefully CBSA won't give her a hard time.

 

[jalee5225]

Since your wife is visa-exempt to Canada, she doesn't have a visitor visa... she has visitor "status". Big difference between that and actually requiring a visa.

And yes you do need to worry about it, since with an outland app there is no implied status. So you need to maintain her visitor status separate from the PR application. There are basically 2 ways to do this:
1. Apply for an extension while in Canada. You will need to pay a fee, and some people have gotten a 12 month extension. Just note any visitor status is ended the second you leave Canada.
2. Exit and re-enter Canada. This will basically reset her status (or any extension request that may be in progress) and upon entering you should get a fresh 6 months. Of course this way is free.

Yes she can travel to the states.
Vast majority of people report that CBSA is much easier on you if you have a PR app in progress. So make sure to bring a copy of the sponsor approval, fee payment, or any other docs that show the PR app is in progress... and hopefully CBSA won't give her a hard time.

Right, visitor status, not visa.

So, if we cross the border into the states, does that refresh her visitor status for another 6 months, even if we are only gone for a few hours, or does she have to fly out ( still have a return ticket to Korea) for it to refresh?

 

[tcbaek]

After you are approved as a sponsor, his file would transfer to Manila.
Did you get a email or mail that you are approved?

Then, you or your husband would get email that his file transferred to Manila.

Yes, approved to sponsor and his application was sent to Ottawa instead of Manila. Im a little worried.

 

[Rob_TO]

Right, visitor status, not visa.

So, if we cross the border into the states, does that refresh her visitor status for another 6 months, even if we are only gone for a few hours, or does she have to fly out ( still have a return ticket to Korea) for it to refresh?

Any exit/entry usually refreshes your status (doesn't matter if by road or plane, or if you're gone for minutes or days), assuming when you entered Canada all you got was a stamp in your passport (which assumes a max 6 months stay).

The exception is if you got issued a "visitor record" document upon entry with a firm date you are supposed to leave Canada by. In this case, upon re-entry CBSA may simply keep the visitor record in force with the same exit date expectation.

 

[Rob_TO]

Yes, approved to sponsor and his application was sent to Ottawa instead of Manila. Im a little worried.

CPC-Ottawa often takes outland applications when the usual visa office is overloaded. Completely normal.

 

[bartjones]

My wife's visitor visa runs out in November. Do we have to worry about this?

I'm assuming we can travel to the States if need be? Last time she came back into Canada (from Korea) she was held up by customs/immigration for nearly 3 hours (a lot of it was due to the line up that day) but should we expect an 'interview' every time she leaves/re-enters the country?

Thanks!

I agree with Rob, either a trip to the States or an extension application will reset her status. It's just a personal view, but I'd recommend the extension application. The fee is only $100, if you have a PR app in process, a place to stay and enough money to support yourself, those extensions are granted fairly routinely and you don't need to risk leaving the country. It's highly likely that CBSA will let her back in if she goes to the States, but it's never guaranteed.

 

[jalee5225]

I agree with Rob, either a trip to the States or an extension application will reset her status. It's just a personal view, but I'd recommend the extension application. The fee is only $100, if you have a PR app in process, a place to stay and enough money to support yourself, those extensions are granted fairly routinely and you don't need to risk leaving the country. It's highly likely that CBSA will let her back in if she goes to the States, but it's never guaranteed.

Gotcha. Extension it is then. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Joeweed]

Hi again everyone,

I have a couple of questions about the income issue.
For 17, I have called for my "Option C" printout from CRA (even though I've been in Korea for 10 years).

For 18, I can easily get my letter from employer (a university that I've been at for a while). As you might know, university salaries are quite low in Korea (2.2 a month). Of course I have been supplementing heavily. We have two children so my question is: can I just let them know of my uni stuff, or should I include a statement of self-employment income as well?

For 19, how do I know if my income is less than the minimum?

Thanks

 

[bartjones]

For 18, I can easily get my letter from employer (a university that I've been at for a while). As you might know, university salaries are quite low in Korea (2.2 a month). Of course I have been supplementing heavily. We have two children so my question is: can I just let them know of my uni stuff, or should I include a statement of self-employment income as well?

I'm assuming you're sponsoring your spouse. I was in a similar situation. I just reported the income from my main job, not all the privates etc. You'll be fine because if you are sponsoring your spouse there is no minimum income requirement,

For 19, how do I know if my income is less than the minimum?

Again, no minimum income requirement for spousal sponsorship.

 

[Joeweed]

Thanks a lot, Bart

 

[Chaemi]

Hello everyone, I just came across this thread, and what a thread it is. Congratulations to all the people who have been success in their application. I (M) am starting mine now, sponsoring my Korean Common Law Partner (F). We have lived together in Toronto for 1.5 years, together 2.5+ and now started the PR process.

She finished college and now has a 3 year work visa so we are going to apply Outland, as well as a full time job downtown, so hopefully that aids us in any financial questions or concerns CIC has. We are gathering all the paperwork now, she has had all her Korean documents translated and sent over, got the up-front medical, fingerprints done. We've had some problems just understanding wording in the outlines/checklists throughout the process though.

In appendix A of the document checklist it says:

Supply nine (9) recent photos taken in the last six months for you and each family member.

Are these passport type pictures, or just any picture out and about. We are submitting lots of pictures of our dating history, is this what they are referring to? And each family member, only if we had children? (we don't).


Thanks for your help Nice to see lots of people in the same situations helping each other, I know CIC sure doesn't.

 

[neggo]

Hello everyone, I just came across this thread, and what a thread it is. Congratulations to all the people who have been success in their application. I (M) am starting mine now, sponsoring my Korean Common Law Partner (F). We have lived together in Toronto for 1.5 years, together 2.5+ and now started the PR process.

She finished college and now has a 3 year work visa so we are going to apply Outland, as well as a full time job downtown, so hopefully that aids us in any financial questions or concerns CIC has. We are gathering all the paperwork now, she has had all her Korean documents translated and sent over, got the up-front medical, fingerprints done. We've had some problems just understanding wording in the outlines/checklists throughout the process though.

In appendix A of the document checklist it says:

Supply nine (9) recent photos taken in the last six months for you and each family member.

Are these passport type pictures, or just any picture out and about. We are submitting lots of pictures of our dating history, is this what they are referring to? And each family member, only if we had children? (we don't).


Thanks for your help Nice to see lots of people in the same situations helping each other, I know CIC sure doesn't.

The photos HAVE to be immigration photos, not passport photos. The appendix a form should have photo specifics and all you have to do is show the photographer.

The photos showing your dating history are different. And since I assume she's the only one being sponsored by you, she is the only one that needs to provide those immigration photos.

 

[storm43]

study permit during Outland PR application

Hello Guys,

I am not sure if this fits the thread but I have a few questions with regard to study permit. To briefly describe our situation,
- Submitted Outland spousal sponsorship application a few weeks ago (thanks to you guys!)
- My wife got accepted to 1-year George Brown program which commences in January after writing an entrance test here in Toronto
- Valid study permit is required but my wife is NOT eligible to apply from Canada

And it makes us look at alternative options in applying for study permit from the States or even back in Korea (wife will have to fly back to Korea in this case). We do not want it to cause any issues with our PR application but at the same time she would like to start studying as soon as possible. I am not sure if it is a good idea to cross the border just apply for study permit. Does anyone have any knowledge with regarding this? Also, assuming she receives a valid study permit somehow, her status in Canada will change from “visitor” to “student” and we are worried if it will potentially cause issues. Any response would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Sean

 

[floomy]

this is link you wanna read.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=483&t=15

Assume she is in Canada as visitor.

1. she does not need to go back to Korea or travel to US to apply for study permit.
she can apply for study permit sending app to LA visa centre.

2. it would not jeopardize her app if she change her status visitor to student.

3. she must have legal status in Canada, when she applies for student permit.
so make sure she extend her visitor status.


correct me if there is wrong info.