Re: Spousal sponsorship Questions
Amalia.S said:
Hello,
My husband and i are preparing for our sponsorship application from within Canada and there are a few things i need to ask.
1. As soon as I send our application, do i have to extend my stay every 6 months or is it done automatically?
2. While I am awaiting results, could I leave Canada in order to see my family? If the answer is yes, how long can I leave Canada for?
3. Will I have problems re-entering Canada?
4. Somewhere in the application, I am asked to present my proof of legal status. What is exactly a proof of legal status and how do I obtain it?
Thank you for your help in advance.
Since you are submitting an Inland application...
1. Include an Open Work Permit application (form IMM5710) with the Inland application. This will give you what is called `Implied status', which will cover you for the duration of the [incredibly lengthy] processing time of ~ 2 years. This will ONLY work if your current legal status does not expire before your Inand application and OWP is received by CIC! The correct amount for the OWP is $255 (NOT $155), so make sure you pay the full amount, along with the PR fees ($550 [$75 + $475] minimum, but the RPRF of $490 should also be included if you can afford to do so). Submitting the Inland application alone does NOT extend your legal status in Canada. For an Inland applicant, the OWP does.
2. Yes you can leave, but it's not advisable because if your are denied re-entry into Canada, your application will be canceled! You would also lose your implied status. This is probably the biggest `anchor' for an Inland applicant. Having said that, some people have been able to leave (briefly) and return, but there is absolutely no guarantee that you would be successful.
3. Perhaps!
4. Where is it asking for this? As of Feb 2005 a person did not need legal status to apply with an Inland application, but...the instruction guide was updated last September saying that legal status is now a requirement. Are you saying that one of the forms specifically asks for proof of legal status? In the past, a person could select `other' for status, followed by `Out of Status- requires restoration'. Maybe that's no longer the case?
Proof of legal status would be a recent stamp in your passport (within the last 6 months), or a valid: Visitor Record, Study Permit, Work Permit, Temporary Resident Permit, etc..