Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[jstnmlr]

SO! GUESS WHAT!!! PPR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!!! Love to see another PPR... 1 person down, 1 million to go...

 

[cbennett]

Just got my PPR email. I could just cry from relief!!!

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

I don't know that this is good advice, but I'm not certain.

Here's why. While *I* don't doubt the validity of your marriage, CIC might. A small civil ceremony is more likely to be a "marriage of convenience" than a big to-do affair. They specifically ask who was invited to the wedding, whether there was a reception and they also want photos of the wedding and reception included. I believe that these questions are there to validate the marriage.

If your relationship is sufficient to stand on its own (without the marriage certificate), then go for it. But if you've had a short courtship / dating phase and haven't lived together long enough to be common-law, then I'd suggest making the wedding something that appears valid and not just something on paper to facilitate the immigration process.

I could be wrong, but I think that's what a lot of people do in this situation. It's what we did, and it's what another couple I know here in QC did a few years ago (the wife received her PR no problem). I agree you have to have proof that your relationship is real, but the CIC isn't going to require you to spend thousands of dollars on a big wedding to prove it. All that said, I wouldn't recommend actually stating on your application that you go married like that just for immigration purposes.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

These trips to back to the US in my mind anyway, constitue a reset of the 6 months visitor limit. In my case, I have relatives in the State that I could stay with if I had to while waiting -- but so far, so good.

Am I flirting w/ danger here?

If they haven't stamped your passport/given you a visitor record then I would assume the same thing. Once they give you a visitor record or a stamp you have to see them again for official re-entry before the expiration.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Have you ever stopped at the border and actually spoken with the customs and immigration agents? I've visited with them many times over the past 18 mths, and not once have they ever told me there was a rule about leaving every 3 or 4 days, even before I was married/PR app submitted. As of my first entry they gave me a visitor record and informed me that I had to either leave the country or go back to see them to renew my visitor record/entry by the day before the expiration date listed on my VR. I've never had a problem a the border (*knock wood*) about the fact that I am living in Canada with my husband as a visitor, and have been living here as a visitor since May 2010.

Obviously if you like what you're doing don't change, but it might be worth the effort of having a conversation with the Canadian border guards next time you cross if you'd prefer not having to come and go like that.

I'm afraid you might be. As for myself, I've been told three different stories in regards to how long I can stay as a visitor before I got married. One story was 6 months minus a day, implying that the clock resets when you reenter. Meanwhile, I was also told not to stay longer than three days per week, with the implication that four days a week means you're staying in Canada longer than you're outside of it. Finally, I was told once that yes, it's six months minus a day, but for a whole twelve months. Now, do they mean for a calendar year? Does the year 'start' when you first enter? Damned if I know, let alone keep track. So, I stay for 2-3 days, leave for at least four, and endure my wife begging for me to stay longer just for me to say, 'Sorry. I can't.' because I'm just not willing to take that risk. It is incumbent upon me, the visitor, to follow the rules, and not my wife. This is basically why this reality I face doesn't compute in her head. Then, I'd have to hear he go on about how she used to go to the States all the time for Taco Bell, (because the Taco Bell in Canada just sucks!) and I just reply to her, "You're just very lucky, and you don't even realize it, because if you make coming over that much of a habit, they will stop you!"

So be very careful.

And yes, the Taco Bell in Canada really does suck. Badly!

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Did it come visa email or snail mail? Your letter makes it sound like it must have come via snail mail if they gve you 30 days and that time limit is almost up?

SO! GUESS WHAT!!! PPR!!!!!!!!!!!!


AMAZING RIGHT!!!

So check this out-

We got the letter today, dated October 12th 2011. We have 30 days to send in the passport. Uhm...that gives us until Friday.
So, instead of mailing it (we live in the freaking tundra-theres no way we could get the passport to LA by Friday via mail) SO, instead we
booked a flight to LA on Tuesday!! Ahhhh! Im so excited!!!!!!!!!! Hubby will hand in his passport Thursday morning, and Friday he will land

What a battle, Im so happy we're almost done.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Sorry for all of the posts in a row! Just catching up on the weekend's worth of conversations!

Congrats to everyone who got PPR already this week (crazy since it's only 10 am!). Fingers crossed that we get a lot more today (and yes, I will be checking my inbox even more obsessively than usual)!

 

[eeeeeeeelectric]

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!

SO! GUESS WHAT!!! PPR!!!!!!!!!!!!


AMAZING RIGHT!!!

So check this out-

We got the letter today, dated October 12th 2011. We have 30 days to send in the passport. Uhm...that gives us until Friday.
So, instead of mailing it (we live in the freaking tundra-theres no way we could get the passport to LA by Friday via mail) SO, instead we
booked a flight to LA on Tuesday!! Ahhhh! Im so excited!!!!!!!!!! Hubby will hand in his passport Thursday morning, and Friday he will land

What a battle, Im so happy we're almost done.

 

[eeeeeeeelectric]

My wife lives in a border town in BC, and I live in a small city in the USA, just south of there. I work in the USA, and go up every weekend to see and stay with my wife from Friday night to Tuesday morning (except for some Saturdays when I cross back into the US to work in a small town at the border for extra scratch).

So far, I have not been issued a visitor's stamp. I just use my Nexus card, even in non-Nexus border crossings.

I get asked this question a lot, "How often do you visit your wife? To which I answer honestly, and tell them I am in process of getting my PR. I once got pulled into the border office when she got approved to be my sponsor (we hadn't gotten the notification yet), and they wondered why I was on their computer with a File number, yet using a US passport.

That's the worst I've had in over 14 months of this (we were dating 3 months before we got married).

 

[eeeeeeeelectric]

One more...
E-Cas tracker loving told me, for the second time now, that my medicals were received.

Oh e-cas, how we love you so. 8)

 

[mjh49783aa]

Muwahahahaha! Sorry, I couldn't hold it back... I tried, honest!

From what I've heard, that's valid advice -- but to not waste money on a "lawyer" -- rather go to an "immigration consultant" for a cheaper price and better service.

Okay. I wasn't aware of that as an option.

Are you saying you did not keep a copy for yourself???

Why would we do that? No one we've talked to ever mentioned that as an idea.

All good things to have on hand...

Yup, and it seems US border guards and TSA agents are at the top of that list...

We got a grouchy Canadian border guard once... I still joke that she must have been a dual-citizen and works half-time for Canada and half-time for the US.

All we can do is just smile and go on. Some people like to huff and puff, but unless they have anything on you, that won't do anything to you. Not unless they're really stupid and arrogant. (which worries me a little) I don't know. It must be the way I wear my hat or something.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Apart from people who have gotten work visas while waiting, that sounds like a pretty ideal situation actually. I wish that the economy in northern VT was better and I had been able to find something decent enough down there to make it worth the hour long commute and/or renting a place on the other side of the border.

My wife lives in a border town in BC, and I live in a small city in the USA, just south of there. I work in the USA, and go up every weekend to see and stay with my wife from Friday night to Tuesday morning (except for some Saturdays when I cross back into the US to work in a small town at the border for extra scratch).

So far, I have not been issued a visitor's stamp. I just use my Nexus card, even in non-Nexus border crossings.

I get asked this question a lot, "How often do you visit your wife? To which I answer honestly, and tell them I am in process of getting my PR. I once got pulled into the border office when she got approved to be my sponsor (we hadn't gotten the notification yet), and they wondered why I was on their computer with a File number, yet using a US passport.

That's the worst I've had in over 14 months of this (we were dating 3 months before we got married).

 

[mmshock]

I could be wrong, but I think that's what a lot of people do in this situation. It's what we did, and it's what another couple I know here in QC did a few years ago (the wife received her PR no problem). I agree you have to have proof that your relationship is real, but the CIC isn't going to require you to spend thousands of dollars on a big wedding to prove it. All that said, I wouldn't recommend actually stating on your application that you go married like that just for immigration purposes.

This is what we did. We were planning on a July wedding and we were planning a September move to Canada as my husband was starting school. When we realized the time involved in processing applications, we almost immediately had a quick courtroom ceremony and didn't tell anyone except my parents who were present.... Nobody knew until the day before our faux wedding in July!

We still had loads of proof in regards to our relationship being real. In regards to the wedding question on the application we said we had a small ceremony and dinner and as many of our friends and family were unable to attend (left out the main detail as to why of course!) we were going to have a large party in July. We didn't have any proof as to this party 6 months down the line, but I guess it didn't matter as I got my PR in exactly 6 months.

 

[eeeeeeeelectric]

I'm really lucky to be in a profession that is in demand in both the US and Canada. I have a Canadian job waiting for me, but I am inelligible for a work permit as it is a contractor/self employment position. I'm welcome to join them once I land, though.

We have friends who are engaged, one living in East Vancouver, and one living in Australia. That is good perspective for us as to just how lucky we are. We only live 1 hour apart.

Apart from people who have gotten work visas while waiting, that sounds like a pretty ideal situation actually. I wish that the economy in northern VT was better and I had been able to find something decent enough down there to make it worth the hour long commute and/or renting a place on the other side of the border.

 

[CandC2009]

SO! GUESS WHAT!!! PPR!!!!!!!!!!!!


AMAZING RIGHT!!!

So check this out-

We got the letter today, dated October 12th 2011. We have 30 days to send in the passport. Uhm...that gives us until Friday.
So, instead of mailing it (we live in the freaking tundra-theres no way we could get the passport to LA by Friday via mail) SO, instead we
booked a flight to LA on Tuesday!! Ahhhh! Im so excited!!!!!!!!!! Hubby will hand in his passport Thursday morning, and Friday he will land

What a battle, Im so happy we're almost done.

CONGRATZ!!!!!!!! I'm so Happy for you!!!!!!!!

We sent hubbys passport via fedex and are impatiently waiting for it back (sent them a paid envelope back to us so im keeping and eye to see when that tracking number activates)