Travel outside of Canada while awaiting PR

[Theodusko]

My wife (fiancée when she applied for her PR) and I (Canadian citizen) need to travel outside of Canada for our wedding in her home country. We've timed the wedding to be just after her current 6 month stay is up to save us from having to apply for a visa extension. She has a valid multi entry visa, so legally it shouldn't be a problem to come back.

I'm wondering if the border agent will be suspicious of someone leaving and coming back like that.

And I am especially wondering what we should state as the purpose of our visit to Canada... Telling them we plan to live there without having her PR in hand doesn't sound like a great idea. But telling them we are "just visiting" sounds awfully suspicious as well...

Any advice?

 

[Bungali88]

Which PR application did you apply for? Do you have proof of your visa application? Emails, receipts, letters? That will help.

 

[Theodusko]

Applied for spouse sponsorship as common law. Updated with our marriage license since then.

We have things like receipts and email correspondence from the marriage certificate update. Guess I can show them that.

Still nervous about telling them she is waiting on her PR though as I've heard from others that the agent could deny entry if they feel the person won't leave the country if their application is denied. Which seems weird considering that's a "risk" with any inland application... But maybe the risk of an applicant not leaving that they're considering in those cases is something more then the fact that she's married to a Canadian citizen and leaving would clearly suck for both of us... I mean, in our case in the unlikely event that she WAS denied we would just move back to her country. That's where I lived for the past 10 years and where we met. No idea what kind of criteria border agents look at to determine an applicant is a "risk" for something like this.

I don't know, I'm probably overthinking it. I just don't want to face any chance of her getting blocked at the border.

 

[Jnicole45]

This is where "Dual Intent" comes in. You tell them she's visiting while you wait for a decision on her Permanent Residence application. Dual intent (entering Canada with valid status and the intent to immigrate) is allowed.

Don't overthink it. She has a valid multiple entry visa, it doesnt sound like she has overstayed previously, you're married, you're aware that she may have to extend her visa if the process takes longer. Be honest with them and be upfront about her intention to stay until she has a decision on your application, you should be fine. And worst case scenario, like you said, you could move back to her home country together