Can you still enter Canada with a PermRes app In process?

[4maple-1eagle]

I hear the family sponsorship route takes 6-12 mo to get perm residency?    I am a US citizen and my wife is the Canadian citizen sponsor.  If I submit that now, but need to arrive in June,  will i have any problem getting in, even though the application is still in processs, if this is the route I take ?

[wilson]

Yes you can still enter Canada. Before getting the PR visa you have to go back to US and enter via any port of entry to register your landing for further processing of PR and issuance of PR Card.

[medellinguy]

they might not let you in at the border...you need to still show them strong ties with the US (employment letter, renting contract etc...) so the officer will think you will go back to the USA even though your application is being processed...until you have PR, you need to show your ties to your home country.

[Baloo]

I hear the family sponsorship route takes 6-12 mo to get perm residency?    I am a US citizen and my wife is the Canadian citizen sponsor.  If I submit that now, but need to arrive in June,  will i have any problem getting in, even though the application is still in processs, if this is the route I take ?

If the application is in process visa exempt visitors don't usually have problems entering.
But as always, immigration never guarantees that a visitor can enter.
When attempting to enter, carry copies of all the PR documentation with you, and be nice

[TracyS]

Oh!  This has made my heart lurch!  I've just submitted my application for permanent residence.  We're leaving tomorrow night for a 3 week holiday in Canada, a trip that was booked way before the application was sent in.  Do I need to take a copy of my application as mentioned by Baloo?  We have a return ticket booked, there is no intention of staying in Canada, it's just a holiday to see the family.

[asurania]

Oh!  This has made my heart lurch!  I've just submitted my application for permanent residence.  We're leaving tomorrow night for a 3 week holiday in Canada, a trip that was booked way before the application was sent in.  Do I need to take a copy of my application as mentioned by Baloo?  We have a return ticket booked, there is no intention of staying in Canada, it's just a holiday to see the family.

I would take your receipt of payment , letter of employment, land title/rental agreement/mortgage statement or something to show that you will go back

[j2m]

Oh!  This has made my heart lurch!  I've just submitted my application for permanent residence.  We're leaving tomorrow night for a 3 week holiday in Canada, a trip that was booked way before the application was sent in.  Do I need to take a copy of my application as mentioned by Baloo?  We have a return ticket booked, there is no intention of staying in Canada, it's just a holiday to see the family.

If you have copies of the application you have submitted and payment of fees receipts it will make life a whole lot easier. You may breeze through with no questions, but IF you do get questioned your application will be extremely helpful. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just be prepared, that's how I always handled it. As soon as I laid my HUGE file on the desk, the IO realized that I came prepared and always let me right through, after reading through my paperwork and verifying that I had, in fact, submitted my application.

[Bangkokcanuck]

I can tell you from my personal experience my wife had previously asked for and received two visitors visa's to Canada. We were talking about going again this summer for a few weeks to look at home in BC, assuming all would be easy with the RP application. When we went to the Embassy in Bangkok the woman we spoke to said the chances of her getting a Visitor's visa this time were somewhere between slim and none.

The whole process of getting the Visa's before involved us proving we had strong ties to Thailand, home, car, business, family etc and we would be returning for sure. But with a RP application in process they would not be inclined to risk letting her go. I realize that is not going to be the case for residents of every country but it is sure seems to be from Thailand.

[Baloo]

The whole process of getting the Visa's before involved us proving we had strong ties to Thailand, home, car, business, family etc and we would be returning for sure. But with a RP application in process they would not be inclined to risk letting her go. I realize that is not going to be the case for residents of every country but it is sure seems to be from Thailand.

It appears that when a spouse who is not from a visa exempt country, is outside of Canada and there is a PR application active, very few will be granted a TRV to visit Canada.
IO's seem to believe that the visiting spouse will overstay.