Sponsoring my Korean wife for permanent residency

[Rob_TO]

Where do I send the permanent residence application and sponsorship? Manila or Canada?

Also Can my wife enter Canada while waiting for her approval?

You send the complete application to CPC-Mississauga. Yes your wife can enter as a visitor during the process.

My wife and I are doing an outland application (she's Korean) and we will be moving to Canada within the next few months mid app. I just assumed this would be okay. However, is it? Can you move to Canada mid application? Will my wife need a visa or anything? I just assumed that once we applied and she had a reciept for proof she would be okay in Canada until a decision.

Technically no, she can't "move" to Canada before she gets PR status. However she can "visit" Canada indefinitely until her app is approved. Typically a visa-exempt traveler will get 6 months of visitor status by CBSA upon entry, and then can apply to extend that as needed while in Canada. So just need to make sure she presents herself as a visitor to CBSA (have a return ticket if possible, luggage typical of a visitor, and avoid the words "moving" or "living" in Canada).

If you bring proof of the PR app in progress, usually CBSA is more lenient as they know you are just waiting out the process here.

Also update her address with CIC to your Canadian address, so they will send the COPR directly to Canada once her PR is approved.

 

[Tapioca Cold]

Back again for another question.

My wife and I will be sending our application in a day or two. My wife is Korean and we are doing an outland application as we both live together in Seoul,, Korea. However, I noticed that my wife's documents are instructed as "Send your completed application to your sponsor’s Canadian address."

Well, I don't live in Canada and therefore do not have a Canadian address. Does Canada only assume that outland applications are for couples living separately (one in Canada and one abroad)? Seems odd.

Surely there must be an easier way. I just assumed we would send our information together as a family unit from our current address here in Seoul.

Perhaps my wife should put her documents in an envelope and put our Korean address on them? Not sure. Help is much, much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Brian

 

[floomy]

I put my Korean address only (same as your situation, both of us (me and husband )lived in Korea when mailed out applications)
you can put your parents' address if you can.


FYI: VO normally correspondence through email to request any supporting docs and send SA letter to your/her email.

If you plan to come to Canada and wait for her PR, you can change address on your CIC account.

hope it helps.

 

[Rob_TO]

Back again for another question.

My wife and I will be sending our application in a day or two. My wife is Korean and we are doing an outland application as we both live together in Seoul,, Korea. However, I noticed that my wife's documents are instructed as "Send your completed application to your sponsor’s Canadian address."

Well, I don't live in Canada and therefore do not have a Canadian address. Does Canada only assume that outland applications are for couples living separately (one in Canada and one abroad)? Seems odd.

Surely there must be an easier way. I just assumed we would send our information together as a family unit from our current address here in Seoul.

Perhaps my wife should put her documents in an envelope and put our Korean address on them? Not sure. Help is much, much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Brian

Put ALL the documents (sponsor + applicant + country specific) in 1 package, and mail it to the CPC-Mississauga address indicated.

It really doesn't matter where you are mailing it from.

 

[NRSY]

I just got an email from the Manila Visa Office about our application ...

"Dear Applicant,

This refers to your application for permanent residence in Canada.

You submitted photos which do not meet our current standard specifications. In order for our office to issue your visa(s) and/or Confirmation of Permanent Resident form(s), you must submit two (2) photos of yourself and of each accompanying family member respecting precise specifications that can be found at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/pdf/5445EB-e.pdf.

The required photos must be submitted thru the Visa Application Centre (VAC). Find a VAC in your area at http://www.vfsglobal.ca/canada/.

The issuance of your visa(s) and/or Confirmation of Permanent Resident form(s) is time sensitive so it is important for you to submit your correct photos within 15 days from the date of this letter. Failure to comply within the given timeframe will lead to a delay in the processing of your application.



Sincerely,


Permanent Resident Unit "

Does this mean they are close to issuing a visa/COPR if we send in correct photos? Also, We are currently in Canada... it says we must submit the photos through the Visa Application Center... but none are listed for Canada? These are only photos of the applicant.. correct?

does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[tcbaek]

Does anyone know what the Driver's Abstract is called in Korean? I know where to get it, I am just wondering what the name is of it so I can ask!

 

[floomy]

Does anyone know what the Driver's Abstract is called in Korean? I know where to get it, I am just wondering what the name is of it so I can ask!

cannot write in Korean , leave the link.
http://www.efine.go.kr/notification/help/helpPop.do?contentType=010900

there are some official docs that you can get on the internet.

 

[Joeweed]

Hi,

Fortunately everything is in process for our family now, but I just received this note from Manila.

You submitted photos which do not meet our current standard specifications. In order
for our office to issue your visa(s) and/or Confirmation of Permanent Resident
form(s), you must submit two (2) photos of yourself and of each accompanying family
member respecting precise specifications that can be found at:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/pdf/5445EB-e.pdf.

We followed the specifications to a T (or so we thought), but is the right size just passport size? Also, I am a Canadian citizen, as our two young children by birth, does this mean my wife and the rest of us must send in photos as well?

Thank you for your kind help

 

[Joeweed]

Ok, I will send passport size photos. However, must I only send the applicant's photos (my wife)? I mean, I wouldn't have to send mine, and our children's who are already Canadian citizens, right?

 

[Joeweed]

OK... this might be useful to others. So, we did send the right sizes of photos of my wife to begin with. However, after just speaking with someone at the Canada visa offices in Seoul, apparently, so many people were sending in passport size photos, the CIC is sending this email to everyone whether they have sent the correct photos or not. Even more annoyingly, we have to send different pictures than the ones we originally sent.

And naturally, we only have to send pictures of the applicant and the rest of our family are non-accompanying members.

 

[boxedj]

OK... this might be useful to others. So, we did send the right sizes of photos of my wife to begin with. However, after just speaking with someone at the Canada visa offices in Seoul, apparently, so many people were sending in passport size photos, the CIC is sending this email to everyone whether they have sent the correct photos or not. Even more annoyingly, we have to send different pictures than the ones we originally sent.

And naturally, we only have to send pictures of the applicant and the rest of our family are non-accompanying members.

We were told we needed new pictures as well, and THIS time decided to go to a photographer that explicitly state they specialize in passport photos and permanent resident Visa photos. She told me a lot of people are needing to take new pictures because the standards changed in January, and that anyone who submitted their application before then (but wasn't processed) were having to get new pictures taken.

She told us that the requirements were now the same as the passport photos, where before they were different.

--Not sure if she was correct or not / just wanted to put that information out there as well.

 

[drcoolfred]

Hi, is this a good list of documents I need for an inland application for a Korean spouse?

1. most recent korean tax year filing
2. proof of owning a house in korea
3. family relations certificate
4. marriage relation certificate (do i need both 3. and 4.?)
5. police check for korean spouse
6. medical check
7. 9 recent photos from last 6 months + wedding photos and older photos
8. application government standard photos

are there any other documents I need or any here I don't need?

 

[Rob_TO]

Hi, is this a good list of documents I need for an inland application for a Korean spouse?

1. most recent korean tax year filing
2. proof of owning a house in korea
3. family relations certificate
4. marriage relation certificate (do i need both 3. and 4.?)
5. police check for korean spouse
6. medical check
7. 9 recent photos from last 6 months + wedding photos and older photos
8. application government standard photos

are there any other documents I need or any here I don't need?

If applying INLAND, not sure if you should do the medical upfront. since inland apps take so long, odds are she will just need to do a 2nd medical later. Could be better to wait until CIC asks for the medical. Best to check the inland thread here on latest strategies people are using.

Why are you applying inland? For a straightforward case like yours an outland app should be done in under 1 year, during which time your wife can stay in Canada under visitor status. Plus she can come and go from Canada as she likes without any risk to the application.

 

[drcoolfred]

thanks for that advice. so it would be okay to apply as outland and then arrive there? shortly after? do i have to wait until the sponsor is approved? we intend to go really soon

 

[Marticus]

Hi folks,

Question for you regarding land entry into the USA from Canada...

My wife and I live in Vancouver, my wife is Korean, she landed in 2014, and is a Canadian permanent resident. All sorted there.

We want to go and check out a Mariners game, and are going to drive down. Besides her passport, and her permanent residency card - is there anything else she requires for entry into the US (and then, re-entry into Canada)?

We did the ESTA visa waiver program years ago when we went to the US, to go cruising, when we flew in from Canada (via Incheon). I'm not sure if she still requires this ESTA approval or not? Does anyone know for sure on this?

Thank you,