Sponsoring wife from overseas without marriage certificate?

[Abdel403]

Hello,

Here is my situation, I have my Canadian citizenship for few years now. I sponsored my first wife and after some personnel problems now got officially divorced in Canada. I’m trying to make the Canadian divorce official and effective with my original country (Exequatur).

Over there I cannot get an official marriage certificate until I get the divorced papers approved in my original country. This process is taking a long time.

Is there a way over there to verbally marry or show a marriage ceremony and start applying for the sponsorship without providing the marriage certificate (yet)? All in order to speed up the process.

Otherwise I have to still wait few more months before they locally deliver the divorce certificate then I have to go there and marry with an official to get the marriage certificate and then apply to immigration Canada. I know the easiest simplest way is to wait few more months. But It’s been a long time going thru the divorce in Canada, now more time to get the divorced approved back home, then marry then wait more for the sponsorship to be approved..etc .. that’ll take so much time and also have to travel forth an back few times.

Any ideas?

 

[MilesAway]

No, you must wait until you are officially divorced, otherwise it will be seen as bigamy, which is illegal and thus not valid by Canadian law. The only other option is to be common-law, which is where you have lived together for 12 consecutive months.

 

[Abdel403]

We live apart each in a different country. Is it see as bigamy although I have the Canadian divorce certificate?

 

[Abdel403]

I thought about some other options like sponsoring a Fiancée? or maybe try to go to the Canadian embassy over there and see if they can marry us?

 

[MilesAway]

Canada does not have a Fiance(e) visa.

In order to sponsor your spouse, the marriage must be legal in the country where you are married and in Canada. Since the divorce is not yet recognized in your home country, I don't think it would be valid there. You need to wait, unfortunately. Or you could possibly go to a third country and get married there.

 

[Abdel403]

The third country option not feasible. So I should wait. I have just to try to make sure I get all the paperwork ready and translated and sent on time..etc.
Been many years since I did it, I hope it will not take time.

If we get married over there and send the paperwork for processing, can I bring her to stay with me until they're ready? probably she won't have access to full medical coverage if I do that.

 

[MilesAway]

If she is not visa-exempt, then she would have to apply for a TRV. If successful, she could come visit you in Canada. If not, she would need to wait.

 

[Abdel403]

Thanks.