Sponsoring spouse while working abroad

[501cdn]

Hello,

I am Canadian but have been working in Belize for about 4 years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. When looking over the sponsorship application it clearly asks that once approved for PR will you remain in Canada. Some I have spoken to have said that it is still possible to sponsor.
My wife has Belizean PR. We have two children who were born here and have already received Canadian citizenship/passports.

 

[Canada2020eh]

Hello,

I am Canadian but have been working in Belize for about 4 years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. When looking over the sponsorship application it clearly asks that once approved for PR will you remain in Canada. Some I have spoken to have said that it is still possible to sponsor.
My wife has Belizean PR. We have two children who were born here and have already received Canadian citizenship/passports.

Yes you can sponsor while living out of the country BUT with the caveat that you will be returning to and living in Canada once the PR application has been approved. If you are planning to continue living abroad now would not be the time to do it as returning to Canada is not in your immediate future plans. When you have an idea when you might return to Canada you could plan an application accordingly. Normal processing time is about a year without the current covid influence.

 

[501cdn]

Yes you can sponsor while living out of the country BUT with the caveat that you will be returning to and living in Canada once the PR application has been approved. If you are planning to continue living abroad now would not be the time to do it as returning to Canada is not in your immediate future plans. When you have an idea when you might return to Canada you could plan an application accordingly. Normal processing time is about a year without the current covid influence.

Thank you very much for your response.
I would still like to visit Canada from time to time during vacation time, and thus we have applied for a TRV. Hoping for the best, our only significant ties here are my work, her residency, I have applied for PR as well and our children are Belizean.

 

[canuck78]

Thank you very much for your response.
I would still like to visit Canada from time to time during vacation time, and thus we have applied for a TRV. Hoping for the best, our only significant ties here are my work, her residency, I have applied for PR as well and our children are Belizean.

If you don't have significant proof your family will be relocating to Canada your sponsorship application will be denied so save your money.

 

[501cdn]

If you don't have significant proof your family will be relocating to Canada your sponsorship application will be denied so save your money.

Thank you for your reply.
We can't relocate but do need to be able to visit home.

 

[Canada2020eh]

You can certainly apply for TRV's.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Thank you for your reply.
We can't relocate but do need to be able to visit home.

Well you’re not planning on moving back, so PR obviously would not fit your situation. As mentioned Visitor Visa would . Since you’re visiting & and not becoming a Permanent Residence

 

[501cdn]

Well you’re not planning on moving back, so PR obviously would not fit your situation. As mentioned Visitor Visa would . Since you’re visiting & and not becoming a Permanent Residence

Yes exactly. I've heard that spousal visas are usually rejected but hoping they understand our situation.

 

[armoured]

Yes exactly. I've heard that spousal visas are usually rejected but hoping they understand our situation.

Your ties to Belize (work, kids, presumably school, etc) are actually fairly strong. That reflects to some degree to your spouse.

For spouses of Canadians living abroad it is not impossible to get visas - arguably à bit easier than for those trying to bring their spouses to visit them in Canada.

 

[501cdn]

Your ties to Belize (work, kids, presumably school, etc) are actually fairly strong. That reflects to some degree to your spouse.

For spouses of Canadians living abroad it is not impossible to get visas - arguably à bit easier than for those trying to bring their spouses to visit them in Canada.

Thank you very much. That's reassuring.

 

[armoured]

Thank you very much. That's reassuring.

Now keep in mind it's not a guarantee. And you need to separate in your mind the concept of getting her permanent status in Canada and getting a visitor's visa. (Sorry one small note - you don't mention what nationality she is, getting a PR in Belize, so presumably some other country, that potentially is a wrinkle)

Start with the TRV application and just present it truthfully - you're employed, how long you have been there, how long you have been together, your spouse has/is getting Belize PR, your kids are in school, you want to come as a family to visit e.g. the grandparents and family (or whatever the reasons are).

It's not a lock but circumstances are different from the (not uncommon) case of a citizen wanting to bring their spouse for a visit, and high likelihood the intent is to stay in Canada.

But again: keep separate from PR/spousal sponsorship.

And if you should get refused, look at the reasons, and apply again.

(I'm also assuming your spouse has no previous issues or reasons for refusal of course)

 

[501cdn]

Now keep in mind it's not a guarantee. And you need to separate in your mind the concept of getting her permanent status in Canada and getting a visitor's visa. (Sorry one small note - you don't mention what nationality she is, getting a PR in Belize, so presumably some other country, that potentially is a wrinkle)

Start with the TRV application and just present it truthfully - you're employed, how long you have been there, how long you have been together, your spouse has/is getting Belize PR, your kids are in school, you want to come as a family to visit e.g. the grandparents and family (or whatever the reasons are).

It's not a lock but circumstances are different from the (not uncommon) case of a citizen wanting to bring their spouse for a visit, and high likelihood the intent is to stay in Canada.

But again: keep separate from PR/spousal sponsorship.

And if you should get refused, look at the reasons, and apply again.

(I'm also assuming your spouse has no previous issues or reasons for refusal of course)

Thank you for the detailed response. Definitely understand it isn't a lock to get the visa but it is our only option. We have already applied for the TRV (Applied: 10/10/2020, biometrics: 2/11/2020). My wife is originally from Pakistan and has been living here for the past 3 years. She came here as a dependent on my work permit and as of this year she is a PR of Belize. Children are both under 3 so not in school as yet.

She doesn't have extensive travel history. We have traveled to Mexico many times as well as Guatemala but she hasn't been to USA, UK etc. She was also only recently able to open a bank account after getting PR so she has limited funds in it. Ties to Canada: Apart from our immediate family, her brother and sister do live in Canada.

Question: We received our younger childs Canadian passport after applying for TRV. Should I update the application via webform or is it not needed? I did include the passport and proof of citizenship certificate receipt.

 

[501cdn]

Thank you all for the advice.
@armoured @canuck78 @Canada2020eh @Copingwithlife

Our TRV was approved today. Now, I am trying to figure out where to send the passport for stamping.
Haven't been through this process before can we just pick any office and send with the approval letter through DHL/Fedex etc.? The following is what we received in the letter.

To find out where to send your passport, visit our website:
https://www.canada.ca/content/canadasite/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account/where-submit-passport.html.

 

[kunturkar.aditya]

Can you explain a bit about your application. So that people can also benefit. TRV for spouse are difficult.

 

[armoured]

Thank you all for the advice.
@armoured @canuck78 @Canada2020eh @Copingwithlife

Our TRV was approved today. Now, I am trying to figure out where to send the passport for stamping.
Haven't been through this process before can we just pick any office and send with the approval letter through DHL/Fedex etc.? The following is what we received in the letter.

To find out where to send your passport, visit our website:
https://www.canada.ca/content/canadasite/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account/where-submit-passport.html.

Congratulations. For others reading this, the TRV approval case is a bit different, as the Canadian citizen lives abroad and is well-established with spouse and (Canadian) children there as well, so not a typical 'spouse wants visa to settle in Canada' situation (they are not intending to settle in Canada in near future).

You need to find the closest visa application centre that is open:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-visa-application-centre.html

You will be using the nearest location for where your spouse resides and is applying from, presumably Belize (per the line 7 in visa application).

I see the San Salvador office is 'partly open' but I don't know if they'll accept in your case. It's possible the consulate (honorary consulate) in Belize may be able to advise although they would not process themselves (Canadian high commission / embassy is itself in Guatemala). It may be wherever your spouse submitted biometrics.

Note that the companies that run the visa application centres have their own websites-
https://www.ttsvisas.com/ (seems this is the company that does this in the Americas, no experience with them - VFS global as below seems to provide some links to TT services)

That company should have a help line or chat line through which to inquire. They don't seem to have any presence in Belize though. What you want to specify is that you have been asked to submit passport and how to do that (these days, through courier).

For reference for applicants from other countries:
https://www.vfsglobal.ca/Canada/ (for most of the rest of the world, I think)

I suggest you also check the forums here for visitors and see what other applicants in central america/mexico are doing right now with passport submissions:
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/forums/visitors.8/

Good luck.