Spouse visa

[xloobyloox]

Just wondering how I'd go about this. im from the uk

I'm wanting to move to Canada to live with my partner who is a Canadian citizen and get married.

I just found out it can take from 6 - 12 months to process but I can still go to canada in the mean time.

Can I:

A. Go to Canada while my applications are getting processed, to get married?
or
B. Do I have to go to Canada and get married before I send off the applications?

and
C. Do I have to stay in Canada once I am married or can I move back while the application is getting processed.
and
D. Do I automatically get a spouse visa if I get married in Canada or do I have to be accepted for the applications from immigration?

Thanks

[Leon]

A.  If you are applying as common law, meaning that you have lived together for at least 12 months, you can apply as common law, then get married any time afterwards and update your status with CIC if your application is not finalized by then.  If you do not qualify as common law, you must get married before you apply.

B. If you do not qualify as common law, you have to get married first but you don't have to get married in Canada.  You can get married in the UK or somewhere else.

C. If you file an outland application, meaning you are still officially living in the UK, you can visit back and forth while it is getting processed.  For outland, there's first about 7 weeks of sponsorship approval and after that it gets sent to the UK, average 4 months in London for processing.  Then you get your PR visa and can officially move to Canada.  If you file inland, that means you are living in Canada with your spouse, it is not advised to leave while you are getting processed.  In that case you would have to apply for a work permit too and you would get your work permit in about 6 months and PR later, in 1 to 2 years.  Outland has the right to appeal if you are denied, inland does not.

D. If you get married in Canada, you will still have to apply to immigration.  It is up to you if you choose to file outland or inland.