Visitor visa for sister in law - who should do it?

[Zuzu1983]

Hi everyone,

I'm a canadian citizen, and currently sponsoring my wife for PR (inland). We got married in 2022 with a simple ceremony at the court house with my immediate family and my wife's closest friends, with the full intention that we would wait a year or two and then do a proper wedding celebration. One major reason for having a 2nd wedding, was so that my wife's family in Brazil could come to attend.

Our 2nd wedding is happening in October this year, and despite inviting a few family members (aunt, cousin etc.) to come, only my wife's sister is going to come (their parents are deceased) from her side. We are paying for the trip (about 1 week long), we'll write the letters, etc.

Now that my SIL has had her passport made (she's never been outside of the country), we are applying for her visitor visa under Family visit.

My main question is: should my wife (her sister) be the one to submit her visitor visa request, even though my wife is still undergoing her spousal sponsorship and therefore has only temporary resident status currently? Or myself as a citizen?

Thank you!

 

[scylla]

Hi everyone,

I'm a canadian citizen, and currently sponsoring my wife for PR (inland). We got married in 2022 with a simple ceremony at the court house with my immediate family and my wife's closest friends, with the full intention that we would wait a year or two and then do a proper wedding celebration. One major reason for having a 2nd wedding, was so that my wife's family in Brazil could come to attend.

Our 2nd wedding is happening in October this year, and despite inviting a few family members (aunt, cousin etc.) to come, only my wife's sister is going to come (their parents are deceased) from her side. We are paying for the trip (about 1 week long), we'll write the letters, etc.

Now that my SIL has had her passport made (she's never been outside of the country), we are applying for her visitor visa under Family visit.

My main question is: should my wife (her sister) be the one to submit her visitor visa request, even though my wife is still undergoing her spousal sponsorship and therefore has only temporary resident status currently? Or myself as a citizen?

Thank you!

Your sister in law is the one who submits the visitor visa application, not you or your wife. You and your wife can provide a letter of invitation.

 

[Zuzu1983]

When you get the forms and steps, there are checkboxes around whether you are going to visit a family member who is a Canadian citizen, or who is a temporary resident.

Is there any difference in how visas are processed or considered if we choose one or the other? Should she pick visiting a citizen (her sister in law) or a temporary resident (her sister)?

 

[canuck78]

When you get the forms and steps, there are checkboxes around whether you are going to visit a family member who is a Canadian citizen, or who is a temporary resident.

Is there any difference in how visas are processed or considered if we choose one or the other? Should she pick visiting a citizen (her sister in law) or a temporary resident (her sister)?

Makes minimal difference but would ensure that you and your spouse are both included on the invitation letter. Your SIL will be expected to show she can cover the cost of travel and has strong ties to Brazil. I would include a copy of the wedding invitation and/or confirmation of booking venue as additional proof of the wedding. The fact that she has never travelled internationally hurts the application.

 

[Zuzu1983]

Hi everyone, just wanted to give an update.
We applied for the visa, I wrote the invitation letter and we provided receipts of the expenses of our wedding, invitation etc to support her case (as she is single, never travelled outside her country, but does own property in Brazil and has her work there).

When we applied for the Visa, the processing time estimate was at 55 days. As time went by, it was cutting so close to the wedding (and the processing time estimate kept going up, to the 80+ days), so we had to make a decision a few days before the wedding, and my sister in law was not able to attend.

Lo and behold, her visa got approved not even 48 hours before our wedding in the end... even so, there would not have been enough time to submit and retrieve her passport, and then travel for 15hrs+ to get here. So she missed our wedding. But, she has a visa so she'll be able to visit us at some point.