Worried about my fiancé being denied entry at airport.

[oden123]

I am a Canadian citizen currently living in New Zealand with my fiancé who is a samoan citizen, living in New Zealand as a permanent resident.

We want to move to Canada. I am worried that at the airport they will deny his entry. We are hoping to get married within the first month of our time in Canada, and then apply for a sponsorship visa.

Do we straight up tell them that we plan to get married and apply for the sponsorship visa?
Should we just say he is coming to visit to see if he likes Canada?
Should we travel separately?
Should he have a return ticket, even though we are hoping he will be accepted for the sponsorship visa?

Sorry for all the questions, but we are really hoping to make this move smoothy. We have no other motives than being together as a couple!

Thanks.

 

[scylla]

A return ticket is mandatory. He's not allowed to move here at this time - only visit. Without a return ticket - he most likely won't be able to board the plane to fly here. Has he already obtained the necessary visa to come here as a visitor?

 

[Hurlabrick]

He can only come as a visitor and as such, CBSA will fully expect a visitor to have a return ticket and they will expect him to have 'strong ties' that remain in New Zealand (a house / place he is living, a job etc.). Of course as a visitor he cannot work.

No problem with you flying together, you just truthfully say that he is visiting with you. If specifically asked about any future plans you may have, you must of course answer truthfully, but shouldn't be a problem as long as he can demonstrate those strong ties.

 

[oden123]

A return ticket is mandatory. He's not allowed to move here at this time - only visit. Without a return ticket - he most likely won't be able to board the plane to fly here. Has he already obtained the necessary visa to come here as a visitor?

Thanks for your info! He doesn't need to apply for a visitor visa. Just coming to Canada he should be granted one. I'm just worried about if when we do arrive what do we say to customs!

 

[oden123]

He can only come as a visitor and as such, CBSA will fully expect a visitor to have a return ticket and they will expect him to have 'strong ties' that remain in New Zealand (a house / place he is living, a job etc.). Of course as a visitor he cannot work.

No problem with you flying together, you just truthfully say that he is visiting with you. If specifically asked about any future plans you may have, you must of course answer truthfully, but shouldn't be a problem as long as he can demonstrate those strong ties.

Thanks for your reply. Ok, so we will make sure he has a return ticket, but is it ok if we truthfully say he is coming for a visit, and that we intend to apply for the sponsorship visa?? And that if he gets denied we will follow all rules and he will go back home?

When we move, he won't have strong ties

 

[canuck78]

If he shows up with all of his possessions that will set off some red flags.

 

[scylla]

Thanks for your info! He doesn't need to apply for a visitor visa. Just coming to Canada he should be granted one. I'm just worried about if when we do arrive what do we say to customs!

That's incorrect, at a minimum, he needs an eTA. He needs to apply for this in advance. He won't be allowed to board the plane without one.

 

[Hurlabrick]

Have you been living together for at least 12 months continuously and can prove it? If so, then you could apply now outland and travel once your application is well under way and land under 'dual intent'.

Or get married now and apply outland and land under dual intent.

But, even if going under dual intent, still need to land as a visitor and be seen to be a visitor (return ticket etc.).

 

[oden123]

That's incorrect, at a minimum, he needs an eTA. He needs to apply for this in advance. He won't be allowed to board the plane without one.

ok, thank you for that information, I was unaware.

 

[Bs65]

ok, thank you for that information, I was unaware.

Use only the official Government ETA site not one of those that pop up from a search and claim an extra fee for completing a simple application. Cost is 7 dollars for a 5 year ETA, usually approved within hours unless in the unlikely even they ask for more information. Apply sooner rather than later is usual advice given as said without an ETA a visa exempt passport holder cannot board a plane for Canada.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

 

[jester]

A return ticket is mandatory. He's not allowed to move here at this time - only visit. Without a return ticket - he most likely won't be able to board the plane to fly here. Has he already obtained the necessary visa to come here as a visitor?

Mandatory according to whom? Hint: It's not

I'd say it depends entirely on the mood of the CBSA minion. Our experience; I'm a Canadian citizen, my wife Filipino. We arrived at YVR this spring. She has a visitor visa good till next summer. She arrived on a one-way ticket. She's visited here a few times in the past and never over-stayed. Told the officer we we just married the week prior in the Philippines and where returning to Canada with dual-intent. Told him she is entering as a visitor and we intend to file in-land ASAP.

No hassle, no secondary, no visitor record. The whole interaction was less than 90 seconds. His chief concern seemed to be if we were bringing back any large sums of money by way of wedding gifts. Stamp, stamp and we're on our way. Airline also never asked anything either.

A return ticket would likely help, but it's certainly not "mandatory".

 

[scylla]

Mandatory according to whom? Hint: It's not

I'd say it depends entirely on the mood of the CBSA minion. Our experience; I'm a Canadian citizen, my wife Filipino. We arrived at YVR this spring. She has a visitor visa good till next summer. She arrived on a one-way ticket. She's visited here a few times in the past and never over-stayed. Told the officer we we just married the week prior in the Philippines and where returning to Canada with dual-intent. Told him she is entering as a visitor and we intend to file in-land ASAP.

No hassle, no secondary, no visitor record. The whole interaction was less than 90 seconds. His chief concern seemed to be if we were bringing back any large sums of money by way of wedding gifts. Stamp, stamp and we're on our way. Airline also never asked anything either.

A return ticket would likely help, but it's certainly not "mandatory".

You're extraordinarily lucky. I would go buy a lottery ticket.

In the vast majority of cases, airlines refused entry when a visitor doesn't have a return ticket. We say mandatory here because we've seen way too many cases where people arrive at the airport and are either refused boarding or have to purchase a horrifically expensive last minute one way ticket before the airline will let them fly.

 

[camilafsn]

I am a Canadian citizen currently living in New Zealand with my fiancé who is a samoan citizen, living in New Zealand as a permanent resident.

We want to move to Canada. I am worried that at the airport they will deny his entry. We are hoping to get married within the first month of our time in Canada, and then apply for a sponsorship visa.

Do we straight up tell them that we plan to get married and apply for the sponsorship visa?
Should we just say he is coming to visit to see if he likes Canada?
Should we travel separately?
Should he have a return ticket, even though we are hoping he will be accepted for the sponsorship visa?

Sorry for all the questions, but we are really hoping to make this move smoothy. We have no other motives than being together as a couple!

Thanks.

Hi! Just wanted to share my personal experience:
I've crossed the border 3 times with a visitor visa and have never had a problem!
This last time l came, l was already married, with my sponsorship in process (5 months)
l had nothing that indicate my return to my home country: no ticket, job, school, nothing at all!!
It was just fine, the office at the border asked me what my intention was to enter Canada and l said: to visit my husband.
He asked if l had applied for sponsorship l said: Yes, it's almost done!
He also asked how long l intended to stay for l said 120 days (just a random number).
The other times before that, when l wasn't married yet he asked where my bf lived and what he did for work, that was all.
So good luck and l hope it goes snoothly for you and don't worry too much