Starting a new life with my Thai GF

[hollafame]

Hi everyone,

I am originally from Montreal, Quebec and I have been living in Bangkok for about 6 years. My Thai girlfriend and I are wanting to start a new life back in my home of Montreal, Canada to be closer to my parents and family (and possibly starting our own family there).

I was wondering a few things:
1) What is the best and fastest way of doing it? (I heard that getting my Thai gf a Tourist visa then marrying her inland would be the best)
2) Approximately how long would it take to do everything?
3) What would be the costs involved like including immigration lawyers and what have you.
4) I am not too fussed about the institute of marriage and she isn't either so I have read also about getting a common law visa is possible
5) She also wants to improve her English so she wants to go to school for that. Can she also be able to come here on a student visa?
6) I have also heard that Quebec can help with some education programs for new immigrants? Does anyone have info about that?

As you can see, we are quite flexible in getting this visa so I was wondering some thoughts on certain options that are available to me at this point.

Thank you so much in advance.

A Canuck in Thailand

 

[scylla]

Hi everyone,

I am originally from Montreal, Quebec and I have been living in Bangkok for about 6 years. My Thai girlfriend and I are wanting to start a new life back in my home of Montreal, Canada to be closer to my parents and family (and possibly starting our own family there).

I was wondering a few things:
1) What is the best and fastest way of doing it? (I heard that getting my Thai gf a Tourist visa then marrying her inland would be the best)
2) Approximately how long would it take to do everything?
3) What would be the costs involved like including immigration lawyers and what have you.
4) I am not too fussed about the institute of marriage and she isn't either so I have read also about getting a common law visa is possible
5) She also wants to improve her English so she wants to go to school for that. Can she also be able to come here on a student visa?
6) I have also heard that Quebec can help with some education programs for new immigrants? Does anyone have info about that?

As you can see, we are quite flexible in getting this visa so I was wondering some thoughts on certain options that are available to me at this point.

Thank you so much in advance.

A Canuck in Thailand

You're posting in the wrong section of the forum. Family sponsorship is a federal matter - recommend you join the Family Sponsorship section of the forum.

To answer a few of your questions: You must be married or common law in order to sponsor your girlfriend for PR. Common law means that you have lived together continuously for at least one full year and can prove this 1 year of cohabitation. To sponsor her inland, she will need to obtain a TRV. These can be relatively difficult to get unless she has prior travel to countries requiring visas and and demonstrate strong ties to her home country to show she has no plans on remaining in Canada long term. If the TRV is approved, you can come to Canada and sponsor her inland. If it's refused, you would have to sponsor her outland. Processing will take around a year.

It is not recommended that she apply for a study permit to study English in Canada. The chances of refusal are very high. IRCC does not regard this as a genuine reason to come to Canada as a student - too many people before have applied for this who are actually intended immigrants (similar to your wife). If she wants to come to Canada to study, it should be for a college diploma or university degree that is directly linked to her previous education and work experience.

 

[hollafame]

Thank you for your answer.

I will post it in the family section.