spousal sponsorship and changing status

[Iyah01]

Hi.. I am a temporary foreign worker here in Canada.. My work visa and permit will expire on April 2014.. I have a Canadian boyfriend and we are planning to get married by March and I am also planning to change my status as a visitor and get a visitors visa so I can extend my stay here in Canada..He is planning to sponsor me a month after the marriage.. But i heard that applying for spousal sponsorship in Canada takes longer and I cannot leave while the waiting for the approval.

.My question is, is it possible for us to do the outland application while Im staying here as a visitor? If so, how?
Will it affect the process?

Also, if I get pregnant while Im on visitors visa.. Would that be enough proof that our relationship is genuine? We are new couple but our relationship is genuine and not just for convenience.. We are planning to have a family and live life together.. ButI know that we have to provide enough proofs...

I would really want to know everybody`sadvice and opinions on this... Thanks in advance...

 

[andrew-brit]

1. Yes, you, the principal applicant can be in Canada as a visitor and you can apply outland. This is the starting point for you.

2. Getting pregnant to provide proof is a bad idea. Relationship proof can be property leases with both your names on it, photos, valentine's cards, flight tickets on vacations you both went to, phone records showing communication etc. Obviously some applicants have children with their partner/spouse but the way you worded it sounded like you think this will guarantee you PR. If all you include is a scan of your baby then your application will most likely be refused.

 

[Ponga]

Yes! Submitting an Outland application while you are in Canada is a popular choice, as long as you maintain your legal status while waiting.

Follow the instructions for your country of citizenship, which you can find on the CIC website. The only potential pitfall, is that if you are requested to attend an interview (if they doubt your relationship), you would likely need to return to your home country for the interview. Weigh this `possibility' against the ridiculous processing times for an Inland application (could easily be 2 years total) and determine which option is best for you.

Pregnancy will not help prove your relationship is genuine, however...if you do get prego and wait until after you deliver the baby, you would receive a regular PR (not conditional, as other couples receive if they are in a marriage or common-law relationship for 2 years or less at the time CIC receives the application). Conditional PR is really no big deal, since it simply means that the couple must continue to live together for 2 more years, at which time the `condition' (Condition 51) magically disappears.

Start by reading through the very first thread here that outlines the Spousal Sponsorship process.

Good luck!

 

[Rob_TO]

Also, if I get pregnant while Im on visitors visa.. Would that be enough proof that our relationship is genuine? We are new couple but our relationship is genuine and not just for convenience.. We are planning to have a family and live life together.. ButI know that we have to provide enough proofs....

What country are you from?

In general, a quick relationship and then a quick civic wedding and applying for PR, can make CIC suspicious yours is a marriage of convenience (done only to apply for PR). They are more lenient in this with visa-exempt applicants (like from the US, Australia or UK) and more strict on those from countries requiring special visas.

If you do have a wedding with a shorter than usual relationship (in general around 1 year), then just try to have as "normal" a wedding as possible. i.e. one that involves a typical ceremony and reception, and where as many of both you and your spouse's family/friends are present.

Also keep in mind if you get pregnant before submitting the PR application, you will not be able to complete the x-ray portion of medical exam (or at least its not recommended due to possible harmful effects to fetus) so while you can submit the app it may be delayed until after you deliver the baby.

Also if you are in Canada as a visitor and have no healthcare, it can cost quite a lot of money to go through a pregnancy and delivery.

 

[bigredmoose]

What country are you from?

In general, a quick relationship and then a quick civic wedding and applying for PR, can make CIC suspicious yours is a marriage of convenience (done only to apply for PR). They are more lenient in this with visa-exempt applicants (like from the US, Australia or UK) and more strict on those from countries requiring special visas.

If you do have a wedding with a shorter than usual relationship (in general around 1 year), then just try to have as "normal" a wedding as possible. i.e. one that involves a typical ceremony and reception, and where as many of both you and your spouse's family/friends are present.

Also keep in mind if you get pregnant before submitting the PR application, you will not be able to complete the x-ray portion of medical exam (or at least its not recommended due to possible harmful effects to fetus) so while you can submit the app it may be delayed until after you deliver the baby.

Also if you are in Canada as a visitor and have no healthcare, it can cost quite a lot of money to go through a pregnancy and delivery.

To give you an idea of costs, the hospital I work at charges a flat fee of $2,600 a day for non-residents of Canada, which includes tourists and people on temporary work visas. This does not include doctor's fees, however. Assuming the father has provincial health coverage, then there should be no extra costs for the baby as they're generally covered. Assuming no complications to the mother and assuming no semi-private or private rooms are used, then I would expect a bill around $10,000 for a 2 or 3 day stay. As for private insurance, they don't seem to *actually* cover pregnancies, regardless of what the agents say on the phone when they're trying to sell you the policy.

Oh I just thought of something, that $10k is just to deliver the baby. There's also pre-natal care!

 

[Rob_TO]

To give you an idea of costs, the hospital I work at charges a flat fee of $2,600 a day for non-residents of Canada, which includes tourists and people on temporary work visas. This does not include doctor's fees, however. Assuming the father has provincial health coverage, then there should be no extra costs for the baby as they're generally covered. Assuming no complications to the mother and assuming no semi-private or private rooms are used, then I would expect a bill around $10,000 for a 2 or 3 day stay. As for private insurance, they don't seem to *actually* cover pregnancies, regardless of what the agents say on the phone when they're trying to sell you the policy.

If a visitor can get a midwife, their services are free for all prenatal check-ups (except ultrasounds I think) even if not under provincial healthcare (at least they are free in Ontario). And if you can do delivery with a home birth or at a birth centre, the delivery itself would be free also. And if you deliver in a hospital with a midwife they can usually discharge you around 4-5 hours after the delivery so cost should be very cheap for brief hospital stay. All this is assuming no complications of course.

For private insurance, there are special kinds of policies if you buy them a certain amount of time BEFORE you get pregnant, that will cover pregnancy related costs and even delivery. However once you become pregnant, you can no longer buy any policy since it would then be a pre-existing condition.

 

[Iyah01]

I really appreciate your responses guys... So after we get married, do we have to live atleast one year together before he could sponsor me?

 

[andrew-brit]

I really appreciate your responses guys... So after we get married, do we have to live atleast one year together before he could sponsor me?

No. The one year of continuous cohabitation is for common-law. If you are married you can apply as soon as you have the marriage certificate.

 

[Iyah01]

Other than the marriage certificate what are the other things that we have to provide?

And also I want to ask if its possible for me to apply for a visitors visa inside Canada before my work permit expires? Do I have to leave Canada and re-enter again or can i stay here and just change my status as a visitor?

 

[Iyah01]

Other than the marriage certificate what are the other things that we have to provide?

And also I want to ask if its possible for me to apply for a visitors visa inside Canada before my work permit expires? Do I have to leave Canada and re-enter again or can i stay here and just change my status as a visitor?