Hi All,
I think I know what we need to do, but would love some input from the experts on this forum. I am a US citizen, my husband is a Canadian citizen currently here in the US on a student visa. We have a daughter born in March of this year and we have sent in her application for a Canadian citizenship application. My husband is applying for jobs in Canada as his degree wraps up. We are planning on applying for my PR as an outland application, hopefully within the next month or so. If he then gets a job before I get PR (which seems likely) our plan is to have my daughter and I come in on a tourist visa to stay with him. (Though hopefully her Canadian citizenship will come through soon, though I am not sure we'd be able to get her Canadian passport quickly thanks to COVID.) We did do a consult with a lawyer who actually was the one who suggested this plan to us,though we intend to prepare our own application. My questions are:
1. Has anyone done this where they enter under dual intent as a US citizen as a tourist and telling the officer at the border that your PR application is in progress? The lawyer made it sound like so long as you say you are reuniting your family, and state that you know that if your PR doesn't come in within 6 months that you have to leave or apply for an extension, you should be fine, but I would love to hear more from people who have done this.
2. There are a couple things that it looks like we will have to explain, specifically the fact that my husband doesn't currently have a job yet but is looking, that we intend to move to Canada, and the added info as we have been married 1.5 years. We were planning on writing a letter of explanation from my husband as the sponsor for the whole package with sections headed for each thing that needs explanation with written explanation and a list of supporting documents for each thing. For instance for the job thing something like: "I am finishing up my doctorate degree from X University with an anticipated graduation date of December 2020. Because I am still in school I am not currently employed in Canada. However, I am actively looking for work in Canada. As of [today's date] I have applied to the following positions [list positions] and have received an interview at Y place and Z place. See screenshots of job applications attached for proof of this."
3. Under the additional documents for people married less than 1.5 years, are the letters from family and friends letters they write in support of your relationship addressed to the immigration folks, or mail jointly addressed to you? I know that is a dumb question, but want to be sure I understand that.
4. For the question on where you would live in Canada, given that we don't know yet and it will be based on my husband's job do we just write that, or pick a province where he's applied for jobs, or...?
5. Any other tips or suggestions? Do's or dont's?
Thanks so much!