Visitor visa while waiting for outland PR Application approval?

[chs2yyc]

Hi,

My future wife and I plan on getting married in August. I am Canadian citizen who employed FT, my future wife is an American citizen.

Is it possible to obtain a visitors visa for her so she can live with me in Canada while we wait for the outland PR application to be approved?

Also, if she crossed the border without a visa, I heard that border patrol decides how long she could stay. What would be the factors that make up this decision (especially if she was coming to stay with me?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[Canstralian/Oznadian]

Hi!

The USA is a visa exempt country, so your wife doesn't need a visitor's visa. That being said, when she arrives she should be honest and let immigration know that she's applied for permanent residency. They will stamp her passport for 6 months (some people have even had it stamped for a year). She also needs to let them know she will leave the country if it's not approved. If by a month before the 6 months is up she still hasn't had PR approval, she can apply for an extension of her visitor's visa. While waiting for approval of the visa, she has implied status (as a visitor). We applied for an extension for my Australian husband (Australia is also a visa exempt country), it took them 6 months to even open the application and then it was approved for another 6 months (they may have given him longer, but he had to renew his passport). Hope this is helpful. Best of luck.

 

[chs2yyc]

Thank you so much for you answer!

 

[RobsLuv]

Not advisable for her to try to enter the country by herself when married to a Canadian and being sponsored for PR. You should be accompanying her to speak on her behalf. Details can be found on the US2Canada website - Visiting Page, Visitor Record info.

 

[muffy1]

I was in the OP's position way back when we first started filling out the forms and had no clue about anything. I was never given a problem whatsoever. In fact, it was only through the border officer's request that I obtain a visitor's record on one of my many trips back and forth that I knew anything of the visitor record. I can't speak from any thorough expertise but only from my own experiences and I have never once had a problem. (Knock on wood)

 

[AAL1984]

ok i think you are worrying too much, your future wife is an American, she wont have any issues crossing border, unless she has a criminal record or something. I have lost count in terms of how many times my sis and bro in law (US citizens) have driven into Canada, passport never stamped and one time guy didnt even take passport just told em to go ahead. All they ask is where you live , where
are you going and for how long. Americans can stay for up to 6 months, but you dont have to give them every little detail, no reason too. Just say you are coming for a visit etc... will stay for a week etcc no bigge they dont stamp or do anything. Canadian border people are nice, its the US guys who are strict.

 

[kourts]

When I crossed I explained I was going to visit my wife for a few months while the application is in process,had the receipt that the application was paid for, and a return ticket as proof that I'd be going back.I think I also had a printout of the money that was on my debit card. The guy said I did my homework but since I planned on being there for a few months I needed to see immigration, I went back they seen I had in fact applied to be PR in there computer and gave me a stamp for 6 months. They didn't even look at the papers I had. After 5 months I applied for an extension, and they gave me a year. I also crossed the border on my own without my spouse.