Would like PMM's advice. Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

[mdan1984]

Hello

I have a question regarding the process for my wife to get a permanent residence card. I am a Caucasian guy born here in Canada. In August 2008 I went to China to be with my wife and to be with her to apply within Beijing for a Permanent Residence Card. We started the process, gathering papers and organizing it all in about 2009. Then we hired a immigration company in Beijng to put all the necessary documents together and submit it for us. I found out early 2010 that I had a job here in Canada that was really good. So I brought my wife to Canada in April 2010. She was on a Visitor visa. Remember the process for the permanent residency had been started in Beijing in Late 2009 (Not submitted though....yet). So we came to Canada together, her on a visa in April 2010. Here's where it starts to get interesting. My wife gave birth to our son here in Kamloops BC on August 1st, 2010. By now the immigration company in Bejing told us that we had to submit the application for permanent Residency as a “Within the country” applciation as opposed to what it would have been if we stayed in China. It would have been out of country in that case.
In August 2010 my wife and I had our son. Now at that time obviously there would be no medical coverage right. She had C-section and was in hospital for a few days and the bill totaled almost 20,000.00.
In June 2010, our application for permanent residence was submitted to Vegreville Alberta. Because now it's an “In country” application.

November 2010, my wife has a family emergency with her mother. So she and our son went back to China. And are still there. Now we know that applcations submitted last april are being openend. So we know that CIC will get to our application package in about 2 months. I need to get my wife and son back here before that happens because she will need a medical examination as part of the application process. So she is in Beijing and in the process of applying for a Visitor Visa back here. But now immigration has told her that she can get visa but entering Canada might be problem because they can see on their computers that she owes the country's medical system almost 20,000.00. So getting back here might not be possible.

I was hoping that after my wife gets her PR card, that some of this medical debt would be covered by BC medical and that we wouldn't run into this problem.
At any rate.
Now to the question Number 1. If she happened to get entry into Canada, inspite of this debt.
Because I have made about 5 payments on this large medical debt on her behal. And we can prove that. At any rate, if she DOES gain entry into Canada, what I want to know is when CIC processes applications, when they run into this kind of situation, where in my wifes case there is a medical debt, do they continue processing the applciation or do they write it off. Because I can submit proof that we are not taking advantage of the medical system or running away from our responsibiltiy. . Hey, I am Canadian., Want my son to be Canadian. So he was born here. I am making payments.

Question number 2. The border will definately take notice of this. So if I armed my wife with valid proofs of the 5 payments we have made on the medical debt and a letter from the health authority saying that we ARE on a payment schedule, do you think there will be any problems at the border?
So, 2 questions guys.
Thanks a lot for taking the time.
Blessings to you all

Michael

 

[rjessome]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Hello

I have a question regarding the process for my wife to get a permanent residence card. I am a Caucasian guy born here in Canada. In August 2008 I went to China to be with my wife and to be with her to apply within Beijing for a Permanent Residence Card. We started the process, gathering papers and organizing it all in about 2009. Then we hired a immigration company in Beijng to put all the necessary documents together and submit it for us. I found out early 2010 that I had a job here in Canada that was really good. So I brought my wife to Canada in April 2010. She was on a Visitor visa. Remember the process for the permanent residency had been started in Beijing in Late 2009 (Not submitted though....yet). So we came to Canada together, her on a visa in April 2010. Here's where it starts to get interesting. My wife gave birth to our son here in Kamloops BC on August 1st, 2010. By now the immigration company in Bejing told us that we had to submit the application for permanent Residency as a “Within the country” applciation as opposed to what it would have been if we stayed in China. It would have been out of country in that case.
In August 2010 my wife and I had our son. Now at that time obviously there would be no medical coverage right. She had C-section and was in hospital for a few days and the bill totaled almost 20,000.00.
In June 2010, our application for permanent residence was submitted to Vegreville Alberta. Because now it's an “In country” application.

November 2010, my wife has a family emergency with her mother. So she and our son went back to China. And are still there. Now we know that applcations submitted last april are being openend. So we know that CIC will get to our application package in about 2 months. I need to get my wife and son back here before that happens because she will need a medical examination as part of the application process. So she is in Beijing and in the process of applying for a Visitor Visa back here. But now immigration has told her that she can get visa but entering Canada might be problem because they can see on their computers that she owes the country's medical system almost 20,000.00. So getting back here might not be possible.

I was hoping that after my wife gets her PR card, that some of this medical debt would be covered by BC medical and that we wouldn't run into this problem.
At any rate.
Now to the question Number 1. If she happened to get entry into Canada, inspite of this debt.
Because I have made about 5 payments on this large medical debt on her behal. And we can prove that. At any rate, if she DOES gain entry into Canada, what I want to know is when CIC processes applications, when they run into this kind of situation, where in my wifes case there is a medical debt, do they continue processing the applciation or do they write it off. Because I can submit proof that we are not taking advantage of the medical system or running away from our responsibiltiy. . Hey, I am Canadian., Want my son to be Canadian. So he was born here. I am making payments.

Question number 2. The border will definately take notice of this. So if I armed my wife with valid proofs of the 5 payments we have made on the medical debt and a letter from the health authority saying that we ARE on a payment schedule, do you think there will be any problems at the border?
So, 2 questions guys.
Thanks a lot for taking the time.
Blessings to you all

Michael

First of all, your son IS Canadian. Secondly, the Beijing company was WRONG because you still could have applied to the Beijing office even though you were both living in Canada. But what's done is done.

Now, question for you. Are you saying someone at Citizenship and Immigration Canada said that they will give her the visa but CBSA won't let her back in? That doesn't make sense. Why would they give her the visa then? Find out if she is hearing this directly from CIC or from a consultant.

I had no idea that CIC could see there was a medical debt owing. Maybe PMM can comment on this.

If you want to continue with the inland application, she MUST return to Canada. Otherwise, it will be refused.

 

[suenim]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

The medical debt should not prevent her from the getting a visa. That is kinda the least of her worries. Her leaving Canada while an inland application process is bigger. If she does not get back in, her inland app would be forfeited and she would have to apply outland. If and when your wife becomes PR, when she gets provincial medical coverage, don't count on it paying any of the medical bill because it is not retroactive.

It is most times difficult for a spouse of a Canadian from a non-visa exempt country to get a visitor's visa at any rate because it is now obvious the visit won't be temporary. You could have submitted an outland application while your wife was here in Canada. You probably would have completed the process already. With a visitor's visa, she would have less of a hassle traveling in and out of Canada.

All in all, if she gets back in... that's good and the inland process could continue. If she does not, she can file an outland app. Right now it says Beijing is taking 4 mths. Good luck.

 

[suenim]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

I had no idea that CIC could see there was a medical debt owing. Maybe PMM can comment on this.

Never heard of it either. Let's see.

 

[Black-Berry]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Hi Michael,

first of all were you aware that if you have an Inland Application in process and the sponsored person leaves the country and for whatever reason is not let back in, the PR application is cancelled?. And she will have to submit an outside country Application??.. Sorry. dont mean o scare you but just wante to let you know of the possibility..

it doesnt matter if you are in debt when you apply for PR or sponsorship esp since your debt was accumulated after the fact that you submitted your application, CIC canada doesnt care how much money you have in the bank or if you are in debt. So long as you arent on welfare, dont have a criminal record, dont owe the gvt money (which doesnt include health authority fees) needless to say, it wont hurt to have the payments in hand and have your wife mention it just incase. . Its always best to be truthful with CIC because they are thegvt they have ways of finding this out.!..

best of luck though and congrats on the new baby

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Now, question for you. Are you saying someone at Citizenship and Immigration Canada said that they will give her the visa but CBSA won't let her back in? That doesn't make sense. Why would they give her the visa then? Find out if she is hearing this directly from CIC or from a consultant.

I had no idea that CIC could see there was a medical debt owing. Maybe PMM can comment on this.

Hi there. Thanks so much for the response. Interesting you say that. Because it was the Canadian Embassy in Beijing that called her after she submitted her visa application. They said she can give her a visa but that the border MIGHT (key word) not let her through. It was the lady that called my wife after the submission of the visa that told her that she can see a debt to the Medical authority here in Kamloops. That would suck if they don't let her in because that would mean I would have to get our son. He is 5 months old. Needs Mom. So that would be a disaster. Let alone I have work back here. I don't have the support network for them to refuse access to my wife, but let my son come in. Impossible scenario.

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

The medical debt should not prevent her from the getting a visa. That is kinda the least of her worries. Her leaving Canada while an inland application process is bigger. If she does not get back in, her inland app would be forfeited and she would have to apply outland. If and when your wife becomes PR, when she gets provincial medical coverage, don't count on it paying any of the medical bill because it is not retroactive.

It is most times difficult for a spouse of a Canadian from a non-visa exempt country to get a visitor's visa at any rate because it is now obvious the visit won't be temporary. You could have submitted an outland application while your wife was here in Canada. You probably would have completed the process already. With a visitor's visa, she would have less of a hassle traveling in and out of Canada.

All in all, if she gets back in... that's good and the inland process could continue. If she does not, she can file an outland app. Right now it says Beijing is taking 4 mths. Good luck.

Hi there. Thanks for the reply.
We udnerstand that if she doesn't get back into the country before they ask for a medical examination. They will cancel it and we will have to re apply. So that is why we are going to get her another visa back here. I didn't know that we could have still applied for an outland because we were told we had to apply from within Canada because she decided to come here.

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Never heard of it either. Let's see.

Hi there

Yeah. It was surprising to my wife when someone from the visa application office in Beijing called her the day after she applied for the visa and told her that she is showing a debt of 20,000.00 for Medical. She then said that she could issue a visa, but that there may be complications when she comes through the border. Do you think the border would be able to see that.
The lady from the visa application office says that because of this debt, that my wife on a watch-list or Red-listed and that the borde would be able to see taht. And that it might be complicated for her to enter.
But I can give my wife proof of 5 payments that we have made to the health authority. And a letter that the health place has written to us saying that we are INDEED on a payment schedule. That will show the border that we are not monsters running away from our responsibility.
Any comments?
Thanks man

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Hi Michael,

first of all were you aware that if you have an Inland Application in process and the sponsored person leaves the country and for whatever reason is not let back in, the PR application is cancelled?. And she will have to submit an outside country Application??.. Sorry. dont mean o scare you but just wante to let you know of the possibility..

it doesnt matter if you are in debt when you apply for PR or sponsorship esp since your debt was accumulated after the fact that you submitted your application, CIC canada doesnt care how much money you have in the bank or if you are in debt. So long as you arent on welfare, dont have a criminal record, dont owe the gvt money (which doesnt include health authority fees) needless to say, it wont hurt to have the payments in hand and have your wife mention it just incase. . Its always best to be truthful with CIC because they are thegvt they have ways of finding this out.!..

best of luck though and congrats on the new baby

Hi there. How are you?
Thanks for the reply. We were aware of it. But my wife has never had problems entering any country in the past. Until this situation came up and we learnt, AFTER she went back to China, that the debt would maybe prevent her from entering, we would have no worries of her going back and being allowed in again. First of all, our son is Canadian, and I am Canadian. If i knew that the debt would be showing all over the place, then she wouldn't have gone back obviously. Because it would have been too risky.
Yes. We are happy to have our son. He is growing like a weed and I haven't been able to see him in person since November 2010. I see him on skype webcam. But that is not the same. But is better the nothing.

Thanks

Michael

 

[rjessome]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Hi there. Thanks so much for the response. Interesting you say that. Because it was the Canadian Embassy in Beijing that called her after she submitted her visa application. They said she can give her a visa but that the border MIGHT (key word) not let her through. It was the lady that called my wife after the submission of the visa that told her that she can see a debt to the Medical authority here in Kamloops. That would suck if they don't let her in because that would mean I would have to get our son. He is 5 months old. Needs Mom. So that would be a disaster. Let alone I have work back here. I don't have the support network for them to refuse access to my wife, but let my son come in. Impossible scenario.

I think your wife should have those documents for re-entry into Canada as well as to show the visa post. If they give her the visa and she is with your 5 month old Canadian son when entering, I doubt they will deny her entry.

I would still really like you to wait to get PMM's comments on this. He's the most senior person on this board and is very informed about the inner workings of CIC and CBSA.

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

I think your wife should have those documents for re-entry into Canada as well as to show the visa post. If they give her the visa and she is with your 5 month old Canadian son when entering, I doubt they will deny her entry.

I would still really like you to wait to get PMM's comments on this. He's the most senior person on this board and is very informed about the inner workings of CIC and CBSA.

Hi there
Thanks for the info.
Until you told me who the PMM was I had no clue who everyone was talking about.
How would I get him to respond to this topic. Or do we just wait to see?

 

[angelbrat]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

Something else worries me......medical HAS to be sent in with the original Inland application.

Someone is really giving you wrong information here. You will NOT get back any medical bills once your wife is PR. Her application will be returned anyway as there was no medical enclosed with it. This whole situation is a mess. She should NOT have left Canada with an Inland application.

Her biggest problem in returning is that the Border guards will rightly be suspicious that she intends to stay in Canada. A temporary visa is issued because it is understood the person will leave Canada at the end of it. Having a Canadian debt does not apply. In-fact, common sense tells you that owing money in Canada, it is best the person is in Canada to be able to pay it. Hard to process debt collection in China.

All in all this seems a bit of a mess.

 

[ditta]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

I agree with you Angelbrat, however it is weird that they did not return the application somewhere in September...if the OP sent it in June, they started processing it in September or October and it should have been obvious that the medicals are missing. This is somewhat strange as well.

 

[mdan1984]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

I agree with you Angelbrat, however it is weird that they did not return the application somewhere in September...if the OP sent it in June, they started processing it in September or October and it should have been obvious that the medicals are missing. This is somewhat strange as well.

What do you mean by that?

 

[ditta]

Re: Would this effect whether or not my wife gets a PR card

I meant that they are checking whether the application package you send is complete or not when they start processing it. If something is missing they return it to the applicant with intructions. If you did not send the medical with the original package they should have sent it back to you as the medicals has to be done before you apply inland. If you know the number of the call centre, give them a call, talk to an agent and ask why they did not give you instructions to complete the medicals. I know some people whose medicals has been misplaced and therefore their application was transferred to local office, but they sent the receipt of medicals with their original application. That might going to happen to you as well and you will end up with an even longer processing time and probably an interview. Local CIC offices are very different, some is faster, some is very very slow.
I`m no expert, some seniors will give you better ideas for sure. I hope you can straighten things out, best luck to you and your wife and son!