Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[NevilleUK]

WOW.  3 approvals!!!!
Congratulations Irish Colleen, Kristin B and Boredmonkeyman.
Your positive responses keep us all going!  

I second that! Congrats to all who recently received COPR! I'm hoping to hear any day now myself! You've all reassured me that progress IS being made in London. Right, off to check my application status again  

[Fhaider]

congrats

[bally21]

GOT SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP APPROVAL!!!!!!!       
Applied Feb 8th, approved May 17th!!! 99 days! Finally!! I was going to call them up today breathing fire!! haha

And today is marks exactly 1 month left in the UK!! Roll on June 17th 

p.s it was approved by Ottawa

[Canooknic]

Congratulations everyone that has received good news this week; for those that are still waiting every day is one day closer!! Waiting is terrible, but it's worth it.

Today is our 1 year 'Canaversary' - I can't believe we've been here for a whole year, the time has flown by.

[mrmcstevie]

Hi everyone! I'm Scottish and my wife is Canadian. We both live in Denver, US, at the minute, and are here on US visas. My wife has just got a job on Vancouver Island, starting August, and we plan to drive a UHaul over the border in about a month. I (obviously) want to stay in Canada and we will look to apply outland via London.

Do you foresee any problems with crossing the border? I assume we are okay to tell them that we will be applying for PR for me, and that I intend to extend my stay in Canada until the process is complete. Should we have our marriage certificate, her job offer letter, etc.. to hand?

Also, should I include a work permit and study permit application (I'd like to do both) with the bumpf we send off to Mississauga?

Thanks in advance 
Steve

[Weegie]

Hi everyone! I'm Scottish and my wife is Canadian. We both live in Denver, US, at the minute, and are here on US visas. My wife has just got a job on Vancouver Island, starting August, and we plan to drive a UHaul over the border in about a month. I (obviously) want to stay in Canada and we will look to apply outland via London.

Do you foresee any problems with crossing the border? I assume we are okay to tell them that we will be applying for PR for me, and that I intend to extend my stay in Canada until the process is complete. Should we have our marriage certificate, her job offer letter, etc.. to hand?

Also, should I include a work permit and study permit application (I'd like to do both) with the bumpf we send off to Mississauga?

Thanks in advance 
Steve

Hi Steve,

Do you currently have a work permit to work in Canada? Or will you apply for in Canada once you are there? If you have one as you enter Canada, there will be no issues showing this to the Customs folk and telling them you intend to apply for PR (although telling them is not necessary). If you are entering Canada only with your UK passport, you will have visitor status for 6 months. You will need to show that you will definitely leave withing the 6 months or at least have the means to leave i.e. to purchase a flight. They don't like knowing that you might stay there permanently if you do not have a work permit. If you do not have a work permit your safest bet would be to buy a cancellable single flight back to the UK i.e. within the 6 month period of you entering Canada to prove that you planned to leave, and then just cancel it once you arrive in Canada. That would be the safest option. I'm not saying they wouldn't let you in if you didn't have that, but they might. Or else you could chance it and then just book one online at the border to show that you have the means to fly home.
If you have a work permit before you get into Canada, you will be fine. However, even the process to get a work permit is difficult.
You shouldn't tell them you plan to extend your stay until the process is complete - they technically shouldn't let you in if they don't think you are going to leave (eventually).
It is okay to tell them you plan to apply for PR, but they still expect your stay to only be temporary.

Maybe if I know more detail as to your plans, I can help you better before I continue to waffle on!

Cheers

[mrmcstevie]

Hi Weegie,

I don't have a work or student permit for Canada. I was hoping to include the applications with the sponsorship application (if that's how it's done). We did think about the cancellable flight option, so that looks like the best bet. How about I also have a letter from my parents/friends saying that they will expect me in the UK and intend to provide me with accommodation (since we've come direct from the US)? I can then apply for an extension to my 6 months and hopefully all should be done by the time that runs out.
This is DEFINITELY gonna be our last move! I don't care if I hate Nanaimo, we're staying!

Thank you for your help.

[dishy_max]

Hi Weegie,

I don't have a work or student permit for Canada. I was hoping to include the applications with the sponsorship application (if that's how it's done). We did think about the cancellable flight option, so that looks like the best bet. How about I also have a letter from my parents/friends saying that they will expect me in the UK and intend to provide me with accommodation (since we've come direct from the US)? I can then apply for an extension to my 6 months and hopefully all should be done by the time that runs out.
This is DEFINITELY gonna be our last move! I don't care if I hate Nanaimo, we're staying!

Thank you for your help.

Steve - you will be coming to Canada as a visitor and will hopefully be granted a 6-month visitors permit.  The Border control can turn you away or limit your stay if they have any concerns that you might not leave.  If you haven't filed anything BEFORE you cross the border, it should be ok/easier - all you do is say "I'm travelling and am here to visit and tour this city/province/country."  If they ask you if you can afford a flight home, you say "yes I have $x.xx in the bank and can afford to purchase a ticket home" or show proof of a return ticket.  A letter from your friends is likely not worth much (sorry but it's true) but a letter from your family holds more weight; saying something like they expect you home for....(an event of some sort? [we used my hubby's Nan's 100th birthday]) and that you will be living with them when you return, until you can find accommodation.  Our imigration lawyer was great and said most people get into trouble when they start offering information if the question hasn't been asked.  Only answer the question that you were asked.  Stop.  Wait for the next question.  

And re applications - you should only apply for one thing; is it a work permit or is it permanent residency?  If you send off for both, they will likely send them both back to you, tell you to sort out what you want and reapply when you know.  You might want to do a bit more research on all of this before you do anything or make any moves - sounds like you guys are in the beginning stages still.  

P.S. - You might want to reconsider driving over the border with a UHaul - if I was border control...it would look like a permanent move to me.  Perhaps you and your wife come over separately?? Anybody else have any thoughts on that??

[dishy_max]

Congratulations everyone that has received good news this week; for those that are still waiting every day is one day closer!! Waiting is terrible, but it's worth it.

Today is our 1 year 'Canaversary' - I can't believe we've been here for a whole year, the time has flown by.

Nic - happy "Canaversary".  We had ours back in March - fantastic feeling eh?! 

[Canooknic]

Thank you! I can't believe how different our lives are to last year, I'm so happy!!

Unfortunately my sister-in-law is still a 1st class b1tch about me taking her darling brother and nephews away from her but hey-ho I'm sitting in glorious Canadian sunshine and she's moaning in the UK rain...again!! 

[Weegie]

Steve - you will be coming to Canada as a visitor and will hopefully be granted a 6-month visitors permit.  The Border control can turn you away or limit your stay if they have any concerns that you might not leave.  If you haven't filed anything BEFORE you cross the border, it should be ok/easier - all you do is say "I'm travelling and am here to visit and tour this city/province/country."  If they ask you if you can afford a flight home, you say "yes I have $x.xx in the bank and can afford to purchase a ticket home" or show proof of a return ticket.  A letter from your friends is likely not worth much (sorry but it's true) but a letter from your family holds more weight; saying something like they expect you home for....(an event of some sort? [we used my hubby's Nan's 100th birthday]) and that you will be living with them when you return, until you can find accommodation.  Our imigration lawyer was great and said most people get into trouble when they start offering information if the question hasn't been asked.  Only answer the question that you were asked.  Stop.  Wait for the next question.  

And re applications - you should only apply for one thing; is it a work permit or is it permanent residency?  If you send off for both, they will likely send them both back to you, tell you to sort out what you want and reapply when you know.  You might want to do a bit more research on all of this before you do anything or make any moves - sounds like you guys are in the beginning stages still.  

P.S. - You might want to reconsider driving over the border with a UHaul - if I was border control...it would look like a permanent move to me.  Perhaps you and your wife come over separately?? Anybody else have any thoughts on that??

You can apply for both a work permit and permanent residency at the same time. You can have dual intent in Canada and they are completely fine with that - as long as you leave once your work permit expires (even if your PR is still in process). Unfortunately it is hard to get a work permit unless you have been offered a job. I had both a work permit application and PR application in at the same time. However, to get a work permit my employer had to get a labour market opinion to show that they couldn't hire a Canadian to do the job. Only with an employer-applied-for LMO can you then apply for a work permit.

[mrmcstevie]

D'oh. I guess I'll skip the work permit until I get PR. I'll put in a study permit application as I have been studying here in the US (because I'm unable to work on the visa). As for the border, it seems strange that they would have a problem letting us across in a UHaul. After all, my wife is a Canadian citizen, and it is a permanent move to Canada, at least by my wife! I'd prefer to be honest, and tell them that at the very least my wife is moving up, and I am there to get her settled in. If they ask, I'll say it's my intention to apply outland for PR. I'll book a flight for 6 months after we arrive, in case I do need to leave, though I'll get it refunded once (or if) my extension is approved, and also have a letter from my family re: accommodation.

When we cross, am I right in thinking we should have a list of our belongings, including their costs, as we may have to pay import duty on them. Are there any other things I should know about the border? It seems from what I've read that it's less painful to enter there rather than via an airport.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your help.
Steve

[sway_in_de_wind]

We are only a couple of days off two months since they received our application to sponsor. This is dragging, feels so slow.

We didn't pay electronically, we sent a bank draft with the application, so don't have any client numbers or reference numbers. If we call them will the tell us if we have one yet so we can check our status on line? Or is it just a case of sit and be as patient as I can.

If its the latter how will they notify me of their decision? Do the send it by post or e-mail?

Thanks

[Rosie Lee]

Thank you! I can't believe how different our lives are to last year, I'm so happy!!

Unfortunately my sister-in-law is still a 1st class b1tch about me taking her darling brother and nephews away from her but hey-ho I'm sitting in glorious Canadian sunshine and she's moaning in the UK rain...again!! 

Love that...Arn't families great!! lol

[bally21]

Thank you! I can't believe how different our lives are to last year, I'm so happy!!

Unfortunately my sister-in-law is still a 1st class b1tch about me taking her darling brother and nephews away from her but hey-ho I'm sitting in glorious Canadian sunshine and she's moaning in the UK rain...again!! 

I know how you feel!! I have the exact same situation and it's awful we were hoping to enjoy our last month at home but now we just want to leave ASAP. All our memories of the last few months here have been ruined by bitter family members. Ugh! Can't wait to get to Canada and see my family and be around people who actually like me!! haha