kidvicious1 said:
Hello
I am a UK citizen. I am marrying a Canadian citizen May 12th 2012. I have a visitor visa until June 14th 2012. I plan to apply for an extension to visitor visa - HOWEVER, if it is denied, can I stay in Canada whilst applying for PR? Or do I have to leave because it was denied, then apply for PR in the UK? I have seen conflicting information on several websites, including the CIC. I would like to remain in Canada until PR is granted, but I do not want to act illegally.
Please help?
Thanks so much,
Natalie.
Hello Natalie,
My experience is that you do not need a valid visa if you're applying inland. However, I think there are some things you should consider to make your process faster - or at least the wait to be with your hubby shorter - while maintaining a legal status at all times:
1. Applying inland takes much, much longer than applying outland. However, applying outland doesn't mean you need to be outside of Canada during the process: you can stay as long as your visitor visa is valid. I have seen people apply to the London, UK Visa Office and obtain their PR through sponsorship within as little as 5 months, and during all this time they were in Canada with a visitor visa (keep in mind that those processing times on CIC's website give them a biiiiiig margin so that people won't bug them with, but visas are usually awarded faster than stated there - unless you're out of luck and they lose you application, like what happened to me). If you apply inland, your process is not likely to be processed in less than a year;
2. If you are under 35, why not apply for a Working Holiday visa (or "International Experience Canada" visa) while waiting for your PR? It's awarded really fast - 8 weeks max -, but there is a yearly quota (better hurry). If you receive such visa, you'll be entitled to work from day 1. More information here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx?view=d;
3. Now, my personal solution: my nationality does not allow me to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, so I applied to a university and am here now under a student visa. I applied for PR outland (which would have made things much faster, had they not lost my application only to find it 4 months later), but I'm here with my hubby and it's perfectly legal.
Best of luck in choosing the best solution for yourself!
Agga
