What should I do

[iamspartacus]

I am a Canadian citizen living in the USA. I want to sponser my wife who is here with me in the USA

Do we complete the immigration here in the USA OR do we move back to Canada & do it there.

If we do it in Canada - how do we get across the border OR what steps should we have completed before we leave

Does anyone know what the expense would be to fully complete the immigration process ( minus any letters/medical expenses)

Thanks

- Gordon

 

[maja22]

1. Canadian citizens not residing in Canada may sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner and/or dependent children who have no dependent children of their own. Canadians travelling abroad as tourists are not considered to be residing outside Canada.

Sponsors not residing in Canada must provide evidence that they reside exclusively outside Canada on the date of giving the undertaking and will reside in Canada at the time their sponsored spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner and/or children become permanent residents of Canada. Evidence that they will reside in Canada may include one or more of the following:
◦letter from an employer;
◦letter of acceptance to a Canadian educational institution;
◦proof of having rented/bought a dwelling in Canada;
◦reasonable plans for re-establishing in Canada or severing ties to the other country.

So, you can sposnor your wife from USA, but as soon as she gets PR you must return to canada and live there.
This info can easily be found on Canadain Immigration and citizienship webste
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/3900E2.asp

 

[maja22]

If you decide to stay and apply from US, you can do that. The application kit and all the forms you both need to fill out are on this website, you can print them and fill them out, collect all the proof of your relationship, additional required documents and etc and send it to the CPC (Case Processing Centre). Read the Application kit carefully and you will get all your answers.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/index.asp

 

[maja22]

Fees are 75$ + 475$ and then when Permanent Resience is approved for your wife you pay Right of Permanent residence Fee 490$

Here you choose: Immigration Applications for Persons in Canada or Outside Canada and they will calculate your fee.
https://services3.cic.gc.ca/efee/efee.do?lang=en

 

[iamspartacus]

I dont & probably won't have any of the following:

letter from an employer;
◦letter of acceptance to a Canadian educational institution;
◦proof of having rented/bought a dwelling in Canada;


Our plan was once we're approved we would find a rental apartment & then move so would that count as "reasonable plans for re-establishing in Canada or severing ties to the other country."

 

[Cdagal]

No. You need to be able to prove that you are going to relocate or you will be refused.

 

[iamspartacus]

Our daughter has dual citizenship ( with me being Canadian & my wife being American ) are there any fee's involved with her ?

My wife has 2 other kids here in the US but they are NOT coming. I know we can put them on the application but are there fee's for them too ?

 

[iamspartacus]

No. You need to be able to prove that you are going to relocate or you will be refused.

so before we start this, we will need to rent a apartment ?

 

[maja22]

NO. You need to give them proof that you will move back to Canada. What is your plan in future is not enough for immigration. Maybe you won't move back, how would they know that.
Your other option is to apply for PR for your wife from US and when the application is in process you can move back to Canada and start establishing. Your wife is american citizen so she wouldn't have any problems coming to canada as a visitor. Visitiors can legally stay in Canada for 6 month. Of course she wouldnt be able to work there but it's just until PR is issued.
I don't know if this is an option for you, but just something to think about.
Now I don't know if you have to provide that proof from emloyer and proof that you rented a place and etc with your application or you can do that later. I guess this would be clear when you check out the forms and document checklist and see what they require

 

[maja22]

Our daughter has dual citizenship ( with me being Canadian & my wife being American ) are there any fee's involved with her ?

My wife has 2 other kids here in the US but they are NOT coming. I know we can put them on the application but are there fee's for them too ?

If your daughter is Canadian why are you including her in your application for Permanent residence? There are no fees for your daughter. check this calculator I sent the link

 

[maja22]

I am not sure what kind of fees would be added fro your wife's kids, but I think if you inculde them you have to pay depending on how old they. Here what the webiste says:
Principal applicant, if less than 22 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner (including a dependent child of the sponsor, a child to be adopted and an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew, or grandchild) - 75$

A family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older, or is less than 22 years of age and is a spouse or common-law partner - 550$

A family member of the principal applicant who is less than 22 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner - 150$

I couldnt figure that out for you. But if her kids are not coming to canada woth you, do not include and do not worry about it

 

[waitingintz]

You DO NOT need to rent an apartment before you apply. That would be unreasonable considering how long the process can take.

I am sponsoring from outside of Canada. As evidence of my intent to return I submitted the following:

evidence of maintained financial ties to Canada - bank account, credit card, taxes filed while abroad
personal belongings - evidence of maintaining a storage unit with all my belongings in it
statemtents - letter from my parents stating their excitement of my plan to return to Canada and a statement from me explaining my plans for relocation, where we'll stay, etc
Expiring work permit for where I am currently living.

It's clearly not always possible to submit job offers and leases as proof since it could take a year before you actually move so just get creative and look at it from a big picture perspective

 

[Leon]

Our daughter has dual citizenship ( with me being Canadian & my wife being American ) are there any fee's involved with her ?

My wife has 2 other kids here in the US but they are NOT coming. I know we can put them on the application but are there fee's for them too ?

Your daughter will not be included on the immigration form since she is already a citizen. She will be listed on the additional family information form. No fees for her.

As for your wifes 2 other kids, if they are under 22 yrs. of age, you must list them on the immigration form as dependent children and they will also need to have medicals. You have a choice of listing them as accompanying or not. If you say they are not, you will not have to pay any immigration fees and they will not get PR.

If the children are not listed on the immigration forms, that is misrepresentation. If they do not have the medicals, immigration will accept certain excuses like the children are of age and are refusing or that the other parent has full custody and refuses the medicals. If that were to happen, your wife would have to write a statement saying that she understands that she can never sponsor these children for PR.

 

[iamspartacus]

So if we do the begining application & when that's accepted, we move to Canada. Is there a form for a change of address ? So they know where to send the Permanent Resident

 

[Leon]

Once your application has been processed, they will request your wife's passport so they can put the PR visa in it. When she gets it back, she would normally have several months to go to Canada to land as a PR. If she doesn't do that, the visa will expire and you would have to start from scratch.

When arriving in Canada with the visa, she will do the immigration paperwork at the border. Doesn't take too long. At the same time, she can give an address to mail her PR card to. If she doesn't have an address yet, she can ask for instructions on how to notify them of her address at a later time. I believe you can phone it in, change it online, by fax or by mail.