Can you leave the country during pr process?

[danisa]

Hi all,

I started my pr under the live in caregiver last dec/2009. Last month I receive a letter that said I meet the eligibility requirement to apply under the program and also my open work permit, I'm not working as a live in caregiver anymore but since I want to visit my family this Christmas I decide to start looking for a job until next year. Also in this letter they ask me for a police certificate for each state in Mexico that I have lived, I try to get this documents from here without luck so I plan to process this documents in Mexico.
I have a Canadian tourist visa and a valid work permit.

I am just wondering if there is anything to prevent me from returning to Canada?

I would really appreciate any help/advice at all.

Thanks

[longstory]

I strongly advise against leaving Canada for anything at all, what is requested from you can be obtained over the phone, you will need to get the mailed certificates translated into English and notarized, then forward it to immigration. I am sure you are looking forward to go home for holidays but you should ride it out till you get your PR.

[stubaxle]

I'm in a similar situation but with inland spousal sponsorship. I was under the impression that the Approval in Principal to Permanenet Residence status should only take a few weeks, but apparently this could now be nine months. Sadly, under this impression, we bought flights to the UK for xmas and intended to go travelling in asia for our honeymoon....luckily we didn't commit to flights there!

I called the call centre on friday and I was advised that the only way my application would be affected would be if I were to be refused entry to Canada on my return. Basically I didn't get an answer to the question of not being in Canada while my application was processed. I think we've decided to return home for xmas but then come back to canada in mid january, I think being away for months wouldn't be a good idea. Its reasonable that we should spend xmas with my family as i haven't seen most of them for 18 months!

Basically I think if you take your Work Permit and Visitor permit to show immigration on your return, you shouldn't have a problem. Call the call centre, at least then you're getting advice from the right source.....

[danisa]

Thanks for the answers, I'm start having doubts since I notice new changes in the live in caregiver program, last year before my approval I leave the country for a month with my bf, I was working as a live in caregiver but My pr process was on file and I didnt have any problems. I try to get by phone the police check for my city and they said must to be in person the only one I could done was the Federal. =(

[canadiangirl]

I'm in a similar situation but with inland spousal sponsorship. I was under the impression that the Approval in Principal to Permanenet Residence status should only take a few weeks, but apparently this could now be nine months. Sadly, under this impression, we bought flights to the UK for xmas and intended to go travelling in asia for our honeymoon....luckily we didn't commit to flights there!

I called the call centre on friday and I was advised that the only way my application would be affected would be if I were to be refused entry to Canada on my return. Basically I didn't get an answer to the question of not being in Canada while my application was processed. I think we've decided to return home for xmas but then come back to canada in mid january, I think being away for months wouldn't be a good idea. Its reasonable that we should spend xmas with my family as i haven't seen most of them for 18 months!

Basically I think if you take your Work Permit and Visitor permit to show immigration on your return, you shouldn't have a problem. Call the call centre, at least then you're getting advice from the right source.....

I'm in a similar predicament. We sent our spousal sponsorship away the beg. of May...but it doesnt look like we'll be approved in time for our trip at the end of January. His work visa expired in May so we dont even have that to show. All I have is the reciept from our payment....they should have a form or something you can obtain saying you are going through the process. It's very frustrating!

[Earal]

i think it is okey to go outside of canada while processing is still in process as long as you have a valid re-entry visa in your passport...if not you can apply in buffalo it only takes 3-4 weeks processing.
but to make it 100%sure ask CIC call center what is the best thing to do...

[danisa]

I call the lawyer who process my case, he said even if you call to immigration they will always said anything would warranty your entry, but if you have your tourist visa and in my case a work permit and my letter I should be ok, My tourist visa expire this January but instead to wait for the process in  buffalo or LA and spend Christmas in Canada i will send my paper work in my country and it takes just 4 days. I already print all the forms and everything looks ok so far. It's always frustrating to don't know exactly what to do but like my lawyer said if you have everything in order nothing can go wrong.