Urgent - Adding Spouse with COPR expiring in Dec 2020

[HarisAli]

Hi All,

I am in a dire situation. My COPR is expiring in Dec 2020. I could not travel earlier due to Covid situation. Now I am getting married by the end of this month (Oct,2020).
I am in a dilemma to whether raise a webform now and inform IRCC of my upcoming marriage or should I inform them once I get married? Also, should I inform them the reasons why could I not travel earlier before as well as when I can travel again?

Any lead on this would be extremely helpful.

 

[scylla]

Hi All,

I am in a dire situation. My COPR is expiring in Dec 2020. I could not travel earlier due to Covid situation. Now I am getting married by the end of this month (Oct,2020).
I am in a dilemma to whether raise a webform now and inform IRCC of my upcoming marriage or should I inform them once I get married? Also, should I inform them the reasons why could I not travel earlier before as well as when I can travel again?

Any lead on this would be extremely helpful.

You have to wait until after you are married.

Once you are married, you will have to return your COPR (it will no longer be valid since it was issued to you when you were single and your status has changed). You will then be required to submit all of the paperwork to add your spouse to your existing application (including PCCs and medical). IRCC will then process your spouse's paperwork and issue a new COPR to you and also to your spouse (assuming you indicate your spouse is accompanying). The process of adding your spouse to your application and having IRCC review this information and issue a new COPR will likely take 4-6 months.

 

[souslaplage]

If I were you, I would delay the marriage and land as a PR first, when possible. You can marry later and sponsor your spouse. The process to add your spouse in the process now will cause a huge delay in your process. We are waiting for 14 months now...

 

[gotusk]

If I were you, I would delay the marriage and land as a PR first, when possible. You can marry later and sponsor your spouse. The process to add your spouse in the process now will cause a huge delay in your process. We are waiting for 14 months now...

Have you added your spouse after your AOR as a single applicant??
I would be thankful for your answer....

 

[souslaplage]

Have you added your spouse after your AOR as a single applicant??
I would be thankful for your answer....

Yes, actually I was added in my husband's application, after PPR (he was approved and had his COPR canceled).

 

[HarisAli]

You have to wait until after you are married.

Once you are married, you will have to return your COPR (it will no longer be valid since it was issued to you when you were single and your status has changed). You will then be required to submit all of the paperwork to add your spouse to your existing application (including PCCs and medical). IRCC will then process your spouse's paperwork and issue a new COPR to you and also to your spouse (assuming you indicate your spouse is accompanying). The process of adding your spouse to your application and having IRCC review this information and issue a new COPR will likely take 4-6 months.

I am of the same view to raise a webform once I have a legal marriage certificate to present. But I have heard horrible stories of process further getting delayed upto an year or more. So I am quite confused.

 

[HarisAli]

If I were you, I would delay the marriage and land as a PR first, when possible. You can marry later and sponsor your spouse. The process to add your spouse in the process now will cause a huge delay in your process. We are waiting for 14 months now...

I have heard that sponsoring a spouse is even slower than this. Takes an average 12 months period (before this Covid situation). Plus as per the current situation, doing a soft landing isn't feasible either. I am just keeping my fingers crossed. Can you please share the list of docs that were asked? I want to fill up and complete as many docs to save time. It would be extremely helpful! Thanks!

 

[scylla]

I am of the same view to raise a webform once I have a legal marriage certificate to present. But I have heard horrible stories of process further getting delayed upto an year or more. So I am quite confused.

If you get married before you land in Canada and become a PR, then you really have no choice.

It's mandatory that you add your spouse to your application and return the COPR you were issued originally. Failing to do so is misrepresentation and will result in you never being able to sponsor your spouse for PR. So again, you have no choice. You are required to follow the process.

Yes, this will add significant processing time to your application since IRCC will now have to process all of the information related to your spouse. Pre-COVID-19, this normally caused around a four month delay. I don't know what the processing is like now. But it's certainly months.

 

[scylla]

I have heard that sponsoring a spouse is even slower than this. Takes an average 12 months period (before this Covid situation). Plus as per the current situation, doing a soft landing isn't feasible either. I am just keeping my fingers crossed. Can you please share the list of docs that were asked? I want to fill up and complete as many docs to save time. It would be extremely helpful! Thanks!

Yes, it's slower. You must also be living in Canada at the time you sponsor your spouse and then continue living in Canada while the application is processed. Your spouse will most likely not be approved for a TRV to come to Canada. So you will most likely spend the better part of a year apart while you wait for the application to be processed.

The much better / smarter option is to get married before you land in Canada and then add your spouse to your existing application. Sure, it's a bigger pain now. But the alternative is worse for most people.

 

[HarisAli]

If you get married before you land in Canada and become a PR, then you really have no choice.

It's mandatory that you add your spouse to your application and return the COPR you were issued originally. Failing to do so is misrepresentation and will result in you never being able to sponsor your spouse for PR. So again, you have no choice. You are required to follow the process.

Yes, this will add significant processing time to your application since IRCC will now have to process all of the information related to your spouse. Pre-COVID-19, this normally caused around a four month delay. I don't know what the processing is like now. But it's certainly months.

Thank you! I don't think delaying wedding and then going for the Spouse Visa route would be any quicker than this?

 

[gotusk]

Is it advisable to add spouse after AOR according to looking at current processing time for spousal sponsorship?
What are the complications comes to my current PR application as a single applicant?

answers will be appropriated...

 

[gotusk]

Yes, actually I was added in my husband's application, after PPR (he was approved and had his COPR canceled).

Is it advisable to add spouse after AOR according to looking at current processing time for spousal sponsorship?
What are the complications comes to my current PR application as a single applicant?

answers will be appropriated...

 

[scylla]

Is it advisable to add spouse after AOR according to looking at current processing time for spousal sponsorship?
What are the complications comes to my current PR application as a single applicant?

answers will be appropriated...

Your question isn't at all clear.

Did you apply as single and then get married?

Were you married at the time you applied - but listed your spouse as non-accompanying?

Something else?

 

[gotusk]

Your question isn't at all clear.

Did you apply as single and then get married?

Were you married at the time you applied - but listed your spouse as non-accompanying?

Something else?

I have applied as a single. I am not married till now.
but I am looking forward for more details if I get married somewhere by December and add her in my current application.

 

[scylla]

I have applied as a single. I am not married till now.
but I am looking forward for more details if I get married somewhere by December and add her in my current application.

Read the responses provided above. If you get married before you land in Canada and become a PR, then it is mandatory that you return your COPR and add your spouse to your application. You cannot use your COPR to land.