When to apply?

[amye2024]

My partner, myself and our two small children live outside Canada. I'm a Canadian citizen and I want to sponsor them for us to move to Canada.
We're planning to move in about 10 months. When will be the right time to fill out and send the application documents? Right now it would be a bit more difficult for me to provide any proof that we're moving because it's a long way away and I haven't told my employer or found accommodations or booked a flight. Obviously.

But if we apply just a couple months before moving, my partner and kids would only be on a visitor visa for a pretty long time. Is that a problem? Would their visitor visa be valid as long as the application is in process? I know he can ask for a work permit when we arrive. But we'll have to contact the school district about the school situation.
I'd love some tips from your first hand experience.

*Since they were born outside Canada after 2009, my kids are currently not eligible for a Canadian citizenship. If that changes anytime soon of course I will apply for their citizenship.

 

[armoured]

My partner, myself and our two small children live outside Canada. I'm a Canadian citizen and I want to sponsor them for us to move to Canada.
We're planning to move in about 10 months. When will be the right time to fill out and send the application documents? Right now it would be a bit more difficult for me to provide any proof that we're moving because it's a long way away and I haven't told my employer or found accommodations or booked a flight. Obviously.

Now is the better time(esp considering it will probalby take you 4-8 weeks to get the app ready). It will be much more convenient for you all to arrive and 'land' and them to become PRs upon arrival. Allows soonest access to health care (immediate in many provinces), get social insurance #, no issues with schooling or other services.

Provide what you can now that demonstrates your intent to return. Even searches, research, minor social arrangements, whatever. Include a short factual letter of intent of how you'll do the rest and why you can't do so much now.

Key step here: continue to follow up on these items and keep records so that you can respond quickly and properly to a follow-up request from IRCC (if you get one). Failure in many cases (or issues anyway) is people who apply with little and then forget about it and have weak evidence when asked later.

Do this and apply now and there is a decent chance (even good) that all will be in order for you to arrive in ten months. It may depend on which country applying from and eg security/criminal tests (NATO/USA/UK/AUS/NZ usually quicker).

But if we apply just a couple months before moving, my partner and kids would only be on a visitor visa for a pretty long time. Is that a problem? Would their visitor visa be valid as long as the application is in process? I know he can ask for a work permit when we arrive. But we'll have to contact the school district about the school situation.

You're correct that all of this is a problem. I see zero advantage to waiting and applying later.

*Since they were born outside Canada after 2009, my kids are currently not eligible for a Canadian citizenship. If that changes anytime soon of course I will apply for their citizenship.

Are you certain? Were you born outside Canada? If you were born in Canada or naturalized, they are (almost certainly) already citizens.

There is a court case / judgment that will likely result in your children being made citizens (automatically basically) but the proper approach now is for you to apply with them as dependants. If it changes, deal with it then (it shouldn't delay things anyway).

Note, even if that doesn't happen, your children can apply for citizenship as PRs / children of a citizen after your arrival.

 

[amye2024]

Now is the better time(esp considering it will probalby take you 4-8 weeks to get the app ready). It will be much more convenient for you all to arrive and 'land' and them to become PRs upon arrival. Allows soonest access to health care (immediate in many provinces), get social insurance #, no issues with schooling or other services.

Provide what you can now that demonstrates your intent to return. Even searches, research, minor social arrangements, whatever. Include a short factual letter of intent of how you'll do the rest and why you can't do so much now.

Key step here: continue to follow up on these items and keep records so that you can respond quickly and properly to a follow-up request from IRCC (if you get one). Failure in many cases (or issues anyway) is people who apply with little and then forget about it and have weak evidence when asked later.

Do this and apply now and there is a decent chance (even good) that all will be in order for you to arrive in ten months. It may depend on which country applying from and eg security/criminal tests (NATO/USA/UK/AUS/NZ usually quicker).



You're correct that all of this is a problem. I see zero advantage to waiting and applying later.



Are you certain? Were you born outside Canada? If you were born in Canada or naturalized, they are (almost certainly) already citizens.

There is a court case / judgment that will likely result in your children being made citizens (automatically basically) but the proper approach now is for you to apply with them as dependants. If it changes, deal with it then (it shouldn't delay things anyway).

Note, even if that doesn't happen, your children can apply for citizenship as PRs / children of a citizen after your arrival.

Thank you so much for your detailed response!
I'm working on the application and obtaining the needed documents. It's still not clear to me whether the principal applicant is only my partner or also our dependent children. They are minors (2 and 6 years old).

 

[armoured]

Thank you so much for your detailed response!
I'm working on the application and obtaining the needed documents. It's still not clear to me whether the principal applicant is only my partner or also our dependent children. They are minors (2 and 6 years old).

There is only one principal applicant, your spouse. The others are dependents.