I am confused and wondering if anyone can help me with their expert advise.
As a US CITIZEN I would like to spend time with my girlfriend in Canada for up to 6 months. Do I need any documentation? My understanding has been no because US CITIZEN can have up to six months IN CANADA without documentations and would be considered legal. Is this a correct assumption?
It depends on how long the IO at the Port of Entry admits you. For 6 months, you require the ability to maintain yourself in Canada.
As love is blind, what happens If I decide to marry her in Canada during the 6 months period? When we get the marriage certificate, how soon after that can we apply for spousal sponsorship from within Canada. Is there any time requirement that you must have known each other before you marry her, so as to not run in to "time delays" and even denials during the application process?
If you marry, you can apply in-Canada once you have obtained the marriage certificate, criminal records checks, and done the medical, see:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/spouse.asp and
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp After I submitted the application for spousal sponsorship, what do WE need to do to prepare for the rest of the process?
I read through the forum that this process takes about 44 days and yet I read this process is taking 9 months to a year? What is the timeline?
If you apply in-Canada through Vegreville it takes 6/7 months to receive approval in Principle, during which time you can neither work nor attend school. If you apply as an outside applicant (though you can remain in Canada) the sponsorship takes 44 days at Mississauga for either approval or refusal of the sponsorship and then averages 3-12 months at Buffalo. Again you cannot work or attend school without a work permit or study permit.
If we start the sponsorship process, but the application takes more than 4 months to process, and I've almost exhausted the 6 months period, what do I do? Do I need to apply for extension for temporary stay?
You have to apply for an extension at Vegreville.
God forbid, but if I have a need to go back to my city in the US due to personal emergency after I submitted my application for permanent residency via spousal sponsorship, my understanding is that the process may have to start all over again. Do they make exceptions for those who seriously have to go back for a short period of time?
There is no guarantee that you would be re-admitted to Canada as a visitor, in that case the application will have to be re-submitted if you apply in Canada.
At what point do I or my girlfriend need to provide proof of funding for support? Can anyone clarify that?
When she submits the sponsorship, although she doesn't have to meet the Low INcome Cutoff Figure (LICO) she still has to complete the financial evaluation. She cannot be on public assistance, except for disability, she cannot be an undischarged bankrupt and she cannot have sponsored a spouse in the previous 3 years.
Now the most important thing is.... work................
If I am on visitor's only.................... I can't look for a job? or yes?
You can look , but you can't work.
If yes, then if an employer hires me, I still need a work permit or not; given I have work experience in retirement home, marketing or activities, hotel, or property management or general sales. My question is that specific because there are those that need work permits and there are those that don't need it. If no, I can not look for a job until CIC issue one, how long does that take? Bottom line, I just want to get a feel of how long I can be expected to be without a job?
Unless you have specific skills that a employer requires and is willing to apply for a Labour Market Opinion from HRSDC that there are no Canadians or PRs available for the job and they have advertised widely (takes 8-20 weeks) you aren't going to be working until you receive Approval in Principle (AIP) for an In-Canada application (6-7 months) and then you can apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP). The OWP application should be submitted with the fee to Vegreville with the sponsorship. Or until you are landed as a PR.
Is a medical required for the sponsored to be finalized and accepted for PR? If so, can this be done ahead of time and where?
It is to be submitted with the application and the sponsorship. Don't forget you will require a FBI fingerprint check as well, which is taking 12-16 weeks to be submitted with the application. Also CIC may request state clearances.
I know all these questions are on the internet somewhere, but consolidating these answers directly relating to the questions from an expert or from ones with experience will help.
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