US Citizen Living in Canada - Applied Inland - Second Guessing Ourselves

[erikjosu]

Hello All,

My wife and I recently sent in our application for inland spouse sponsorship PR (mailed July 25th, so it hasn't even arrived yet). Over the weekend I've been doing some additional research and I think we may have made an error by choosing the inland route (I know, I know, I should have looked in these forums to begin with, but I was just following the CIC website).

Here are our details:
I am a US citizen and she is a Canadian citizen. About 3 years ago, my company moved me to Canada for work, so I have a NAFTA professional work permit expiring April 2016. My wife is gainfully employed and we've been married for about 8 years, so not really worried about the actual approval part of the application. I am more concerned about the possibility of my employer requesting me to return to the United States before I receive my PR. Based on the current wait times listed on the website, it will be February or March of 2016 by the time everything goes through! That is cutting it way too close in my opinion and there is a very good possibility my employer would try to make me return prior to that time. I can't just quit my current job and apply to a Canadian company because my work permit is exclusive to my current employer.

My questions are:
-If I stay with inland and am forced by my employer to return to the US before PR is approved, will my application be nullified?
-Is an outland application possible for someone who lives in Canada and has a current work permit?
-Since it is so early in the process, I believe I can just withdraw my application, correct? If so, would I receive any of my documents (FBI check, Option C printout, etc.) back?

Hopefully I've given enough information about my situation. I really appreciate any help you can offer as this is such a complicated process!

Regards,

Erik

 

[Ponga]

Hello All,

My wife and I recently sent in our application for inland spouse sponsorship PR (mailed July 25th, so it hasn't even arrived yet). Over the weekend I've been doing some additional research and I think we may have made an error by choosing the inland route (I know, I know, I should have looked in these forums to begin with, but I was just following the CIC website).

Here are our details:
I am a US citizen and she is a Canadian citizen. About 3 years ago, my company moved me to Canada for work, so I have a NAFTA professional work permit expiring April 2016. My wife is gainfully employed and we've been married for about 8 years, so not really worried about the actual approval part of the application. I am more concerned about the possibility of my employer requesting me to return to the United States before I receive my PR. Based on the current wait times listed on the website, it will be February or March of 2016 by the time everything goes through! That is cutting it way too close in my opinion and there is a very good possibility my employer would try to make me return prior to that time. I can't just quit my current job and apply to a Canadian company because my work permit is exclusive to my current employer.

My questions are:
-If I stay with inland and am forced by my employer to return to the US before PR is approved, will my application be nullified?
-Is an outland application possible for someone who lives in Canada and has a current work permit?
-Since it is so early in the process, I believe I can just withdraw my application, correct? If so, would I receive any of my documents (FBI check, Option C printout, etc.) back?

Hopefully I've given enough information about my situation. I really appreciate any help you can offer as this is such a complicated process!

Regards,

Erik

1. Quite possibly, since you will need to be in Canada to attend the landing interview. If you are denied re-entry into Canada, for some reason, that is when it would kill your Inland application.

2. Yes, and for an American applicant, that has legal status in Canada, it really is the best option.

3. Absolutely. You're better off getting those again ASAP, as they would likely arrive before your returned application. It's a bit of a hassle, but you're going to save a lot of time in the long run!

Good luck!

 

[Rob_TO]

Cancel the inland app and apply outland. In your situation there is zero reason for you to apply inland.

A condition of inland app is that you and your sponsor live together IN CANADA for the entire PR processing time (around 18 months).

You may need to get some forms again if they've expired (like FBI check) and may be a bit of a hassle to put an outland app together, but you will be much better off overall.

 

[erikjosu]

OK, thanks to both of you for the assistance. I've been leaning towards changing to outland and hearing from you pretty much confirms it. I do have a few more questions:

-On IMM 3910 it states I need an upfront medical exam. Is that actually the case or should I just wait until it is requested? We live in Edmonton and when I looked into doing upfront medical the first available appointments seemed to be a long time away. If I understand the process correctly, if they request a medical exam they give a period of two or three months to get it done. With the actual request from CIC, I think I have an easier time scheduling a medical exam. Does that sound right?

-Can my medical exam be done in Canada?

-On IMM 3910 they request us to "supply four (4) recent photos for each member of your family and yourself". Is that referring to immigration photos? Is it for both myself and my wife? Is it four copies of the same photo or four different photos? I think you typically receive only two immigration photos when you have them taken.

-Worst case scenario, if I am moved back to US by my employer while the outland application is processing, I would just need to notify them of an address change and everything would proceed accordingly? If approved, I would then just need to cross the border back into Canada to "land"?

Thanks again,

Erik

 

[Rob_TO]

-On IMM 3910 it states I need an upfront medical exam. Is that actually the case or should I just wait until it is requested? We live in Edmonton and when I looked into doing upfront medical the first available appointments seemed to be a long time away. If I understand the process correctly, if they request a medical exam they give a period of two or three months to get it done. With the actual request from CIC, I think I have an easier time scheduling a medical exam. Does that sound right?

For outland apps, medicals should be done upfront, and proof of doing medical submitted with the app. This is actually a requirement on checklist, so there's a chance they could return app if you don't do the medical.

Also doing the medical upfront ensures quickest processing time. Getting them to request it later, could delay the app by several months.

-Can my medical exam be done in Canada?

Yes, by any CIC panel physician. Just go to the one most convenient location to where you are.

-On IMM 3910 they request us to "supply four (4) recent photos for each member of your family and yourself". Is that referring to immigration photos? Is it for both myself and my wife? Is it four copies of the same photo or four different photos? I think you typically receive only two immigration photos when you have them taken.

It's 4 of the same immigration photo. For our app, my wife needed 9.

Photos are only for the applicant and dependents. Not sponsor.

-Worst case scenario, if I am moved back to US by my employer while the outland application is processing, I would just need to notify them of an address change and everything would proceed accordingly? If approved, I would then just need to cross the border back into Canada to "land"?

Yep, with outland app you can be residing in or out of Canada, doesn't matter. Once PR is approved they mail you COPR documents to whatever address you have on file, and you just take them to nearest land border, or take an international flight into Canada, to "land".

 

[MizAngel]

My husband and I live in Edmonton and he had his medical done a couple weeks after we sent in our application. They never requested any paperwork in relation to his medical but our ecas shows that they received them, so if you can't get your medical appointment for a couple weeks, I wouldn't wait to send in your application.

 

[kiwi123]

I got my medical done in Edmonton a couple of weeks ago. Try Heritage Medicentre, they offered me appointments as soon as the next day after I called. No idea how the price compares to anywhere else, it was $400 everything included. You walk away with paperwork that day, quite simple.

 

[commonlawsponsor]

I don't even know if it is possible but I would at least look into trying to cancel the delivery of your application and paying for whatever company you sent it with, to deliver back to your home.

 

[lellen]

Hi, just wanted to give this information in case it helps you a little bit.

I was in the same situation, I applied inland on March 14 and because things were taking so long and my work permit expires in August, I was super super scared that I was going to be FORCED to stay in Canada without being able to work! In May 21st we sent a letter withdrawing the application, and we asked for all our documents to be returned to us. We didn't hear anything back really, so a week later we started getting everything ready for outland. We applied outland on June 11, by then we had already gathered the documents again (it was much easier the second time).

To this day, we have not heard anything about our withdrawal, we called CIC and they told us the refund will take 16 weeks to arrive (we actually paid twice), and I have no idea what's going on with my inland app but honestly, it was THE BEST decision we could've made, we're expecting to receive SA next week or something soon, and people from my country's VO are getting their PR in six months. I still don't know if our documents are going to be returned or if they're going to shred them.

But yes that's what I know about withdrawing.

 

[erikjosu]

Thanks for the replies all, you've all been VERY helpful!

 

[MizAngel]

I got my medical done in Edmonton a couple of weeks ago. Try Heritage Medicentre, they offered me appointments as soon as the next day after I called. No idea how the price compares to anywhere else, it was $400 everything included. You walk away with paperwork that day, quite simple.

That's where my husband went as well. There's one in Kingsway that I think charged a bit more, but I can't remember the exact amount.