Principal Applicant able to visit Canada after step 1?

[Vaughn]

HI

From reading the posts on this website i originally thought that after you are married and you are waiting for the spousal PR sponsorship to be completed your spouse will not be allowed to enter Canada. However i have recently heard from a immigration lawyer that once the paperwork has been submitted and step 1 (approval of sponsor) is completed with Mississauga forwarding the paperwork to the appropriate office, the spouse that you are sponsoring can then apply for a visitors visa and may even be able to work in Canada while waiting for step 2 approval of the principal applicant.

Is this correct?

Please advise

[canadianwoman]

The applicant can come in if the border official allows it. If someone of their nationality does not need a TRV to enter Canada, they will almost certainly be allowed in, just like any other tourist from their country. If they need a TRV, it is usually very difficult to get one once the applicant has applied for a PR, but it is not impossible.

[Vaughn]

Thanks for the reply. She will need a TRV. This lawyer knows that....they said that if you explain the situation and reference the case number you should be able to do it. I am a bit confused....

[Bangkokcanuck]

Thanks for the reply. She will need a TRV. This lawyer knows that....they said that if you explain the situation and reference the case number you should be able to do it. I am a bit confused....

GOOD LUCK.. my wife was turned down flat for TRV after I had been approved to sponsor her. That was after having received two TRV for her in the past before we filed any paperwork. We did in fact explain to the Canadian Embassy in BKK that we had filed and we wanted the TRV to see a couple of houses we want to buy in BC. they didn't even let us finish the plea before saying there was nearly ZERO chance she would get it. We did apply and they turned us down flat... so I would think your lawyer is being very optimistic.

[maya2011]

My husband also didn't get TRV when he applied as my fiance - they thought he may overstay. We didn't apply again after I was approved the sponsor - I have heard that they don't issue one again for overstay so we're just patiently waiting. 

Has anyone been successful in receiving a visitor/TRV while PR application was in process?

[USCanFam]

I made a very similar post recently, but we're coming from the US, so things might be different, but I was told lots of people have done this without any issues. Again, they might've just meant from the US, I think you're coming in from overseas.

[canadianwoman]

Someone from a visa-exempt country can come in - either just as a visitor, or they can show the PR paper work and get a visitor record. It's when the person needs a TRV that it becomes difficult. A few forum members have reported that they got one, but most are like Bangkokcanuck's wife, who have been refused even though they had a lot of proof they would not overstay. Basically, the applicant will need a lot of evidence that they will leave Canada, and even then there is no guarantee they will be issued a TRV. There's no harm in trying, though: just gather as much evidence as possible of her ties to her home country. Maybe check with other people using the same visa office to see if any got a TRV, and how, while the PR was being processed. The likelihood of success varies by country.