my wife is a canadian citizen, im an american citizen i have a few questions

[jwharris08]

i know that my wife can sponsor me, however my question is once we apply how long until im able to work. do i have to wait until the entire process is over or can i begin work prior to the application being completed ? how do i apply for a nafta/tn visa? what are the requirements for that ?

 

[andrew-brit]

You should apply outland. To apply outland you can both be living in Canada, or you can both be living outside Canada.

Based on current US applicants timelines you could receive your PR visa in as little as 6 months, sometimes faster.

If you apply outland you cannot work until you land as a PR but as stated above your application could be approved in a relatively quick time.

 

[jwharris08]

and if i apply inland couldnt i work sooner ?

 

[spaceexp]

and if i apply inland couldnt i work sooner ?

Yes, if you apply inland you can work after your wife (sponsor) gets approved, but that takes looong. The whole inland application process lasts much longer than outland though, and you cannot leave Canada, not even for a vacation.

To be honest, since you are from USA, it's better to just apply outland.

 

[missmatalini]

and if i apply inland couldnt i work sooner ?

If you applied inland you could work after first stage approval, which is taking roughly a year. . .

Whereas Outland has you processed and landed right now in around 6-8 months.

So. . . based on that I'd strongly recommend Outland

 

[QuebecOkie]

I applied inland (US citizen) back in 2012, and it was DUMB, DUMB, DUMB when I did it, and things are worse now. Took me a year to get PR, and I couldn't visit my family or take a vacation for all of that time, and timelines have only grown longer since my process was completed.

As a US citizen, trust the members of this board, you DEFINITELY want to apply outland.

 

[jmarie88]

and if i apply inland couldnt i work sooner ?

I applied inland and regret doing so, only because it is taking so long for the whole process (it's been over a year and I have not gotten through step 1 yet.)

Many inland applicants are more concerned with getting their work permits which come after step 1. I heard there's a new policy coming that once you get your AOR (Acknowledgment Of Receipt which is sent approx. 1 month after our application is sent) then you can receive your open work permit. I just want to be able to go back to the States to visit family, but if you're more concerned in working then it MAY be faster to do so applying inland. But, who knows how long it will take for the work permits to be sent... Below is the link. I would wait until it's official and on the CIC website to believe it.


https://www.change.org/p/citizenship-and-immigration-canada-improve-processing-time-for-inland-spousal-sponsorship-and-grant-open-work-permit-upon-aor/u/8977701?tk=V63DfZy3-2wpi90EZV21bADJMMcdlszWH1dwIjN2bH4&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email

 

[rhcohen2014]

I applied inland and regret doing so, only because it is taking so long for the whole process (it's been over a year and I have not gotten through step 1 yet.)

Many inland applicants are more concerned with getting their work permits which come after step 1. I heard there's a new policy coming that once you get your AOR (Acknowledgment Of Receipt which is sent approx. 1 month after our application is sent) then you can receive your open work permit. I just want to be able to go back to the States to visit family, but if you're more concerned in working then it MAY be faster to do so applying inland. But, who knows how long it will take for the work permits to be sent... Below is the link. I would wait until it's official and on the CIC website to believe it.


https://www.change.org/p/citizenship-and-immigration-canada-improve-processing-time-for-inland-spousal-sponsorship-and-grant-open-work-permit-upon-aor/u/8977701?tk=V63DfZy3-2wpi90EZV21bADJMMcdlszWH1dwIjN2bH4&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email

again, this has not been confirmed by it actually happening yet. so it's REALLY not advised for US applicants to apply inland UNTIL this proves true, which presumably won't be until january/february. There's that chance that this is false, or will be delayed further. right now us OUTLAND applicants are getting approved in 6 months or so. RIGHT NOW, the fastest way to be able to legally work is OUTLAND, NOT inland. If that changes next year, then maybe it will change opinions. until it actually starts happening, and inland applicants actually get their owp permit approved in less than 15 months, it is not advised to apply inland!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AshleyAnne]

i know that my wife can sponsor me, however my question is once we apply how long until im able to work. do i have to wait until the entire process is over or can i begin work prior to the application being completed ? how do i apply for a nafta/tn visa? what are the requirements for that ?

Right now timelines are about 6-8 months, as a USA citizen you apply to the Ottawa visa office and you can travel back and forth if you apply outland. ALSO you have a right to appeal if they try to prove your relationship false, which you DO NOT have as an inland application.
As for Nafta/tn visa, it is technically a work visa, which you can find a lot of info on within the CIC website, however it is called a work permit or visa and is only for those who qualify.
I'm currently applying with my husband as an outland application, I'm a Canadian born and raised citizen while he is American. Right now applications who applied in June are seeing a lot of decisions made on their applications. Hopefully that means my husband and I will hear something within the next month or so. Applying outland really wasn't that bad. I took a lot of time putting everything together as they requested and triple checked we had everything, but honestly it was not horrendous. We had Sponsorship Approval (SA) by August 28th and we applied July 11th. That meant he could come into Canada on a visitors visa and stay for an extended amount of time. (6 months without extension) We just had to prove he had health insurance, suffieciant funds in his bank account and a flight back home for approx 5-6 months away. Since I was moving back they questioned that. If we had stayed in Canada he could have applied to extend the visa, but we are back for the holidays.

I'd strongly suggest applying outland ASAP and just staying in the USA to work and such until your approved. Just much less hassle and the wait won't drive you quite as crazy if you are working!


USA NAFTA/ TN information:
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/nafta.html

Canada work permit information:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/work.asp

 

[rhcohen2014]

We had Sponsorship Approval (SA) by August 28th and we applied July 11th. That meant he could come into Canada on a visitors visa and stay for an extended amount of time. (6 months without extension) We just had to prove he had health insurance, suffieciant funds in his bank account and a flight back home for approx 5-6 months away. Since I was moving back they questioned that. If we had stayed in Canada he could have applied to extend the visa, but we are back for the holidays.

i'm guessing the reason your husband had to show this type of proof was because he was accompanying you back. for the most part, the biggest "ties" accepted are proof of housing and employment in the US. i've never had to show bank account info or health insurance info. of course everything is subject to the officer who greets you. if you can work remotely for your us company, even better. they love to see that because it suggests to them you won't be taking a job away from a canadian. <----- this is CBSA's biggest concern.

also, it's not necessary to have sponsor approval to visit, it just helps prove the applicaiton has been submitted, and at that point, most likely CBSA can look it up in their system. it's recommended to always travel with proof of the application until approval.

USA NAFTA/ TN information:
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/employment/nafta.html

Canada work permit information:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/work.asp

i believe both types of work permits available for US citizens require an actual offer of employment from an employer to get approved. i don't think NAFTA requires a LMIA for approval. I'm sure those more educated on the subject can explain. The regular work permit definitely does, which costs a company lots of money and time to be able to prove they can't find a canadian to do the job.

At this point, applying OUTLAND is the quickest way for a US citizen to work, even taking into account work permit applications.

Applying outland really wasn't that bad. I took a lot of time putting everything together as they requested and triple checked we had everything, but honestly it was not horrendous.

+1. it's really *easy* compared to what others have to go through. for me, the hardest part was waiting for sponsor approval. then after that, it was quick and painless.

 

[AshleyAnne]

i'm guessing the reason your husband had to show this type of proof was because he was accompanying you back. for the most part, the biggest "ties" accepted are proof of housing and employment in the US. i've never had to show bank account info or health insurance info. of course everything is subject to the officer who greets you. if you can work remotely for your us company, even better. they love to see that because it suggests to them you won't be taking a job away from a canadian. <----- this is CBSA's biggest concern.

Yep! Exactly. Because he was with me he had to prove that, unfortunately his company didn't have any travel options, so because he was with me and because he wasn't working he had to show banking info and medical insurance, that showed that he had enough money to support himself for several months and the insurance was because he also did not have USA insurance, so they wanted to know that he wouldn't bankrupt himself in Canada due to medical. We also had to give our address and my mom's info (Where we were staying) the whole thing was about an hour. We just made sure to have all our stuff together (App and paper work) then they sent us over to Canada while keeping his passport to get insurance and a bank receipt. Just good things to have even if you don't need them. better safe than sorry every time! I was also told to have most of that when traveling extended stay to USA and yet they didn't look at a single thing outside my passport. Just better to have it and not need it all.

 

[fruitball4u]

Okay, am I just blind or what? Where in the world is everyone getting this "6-8 months" idea from? On the CIC website it shows that processing Outland via NYC or LA is a 24+ month wait for PR. Can someone please clear this up for me? Is there a link that I can verify this at? I am waiting on fingerprints so I still have time to change up my paperwork as I had been planning on applying inland.

 

[missmatalini]

Okay, am I just blind or what? Where in the world is everyone getting this "6-8 months" idea from? On the CIC website it shows that processing Outland via NYC or LA is a 24+ month wait for PR. Can someone please clear this up for me? Is there a link that I can verify this at? I am waiting on fingerprints so I still have time to change up my paperwork as I had been planning on applying inland.

6-8 months is coming from the average time it's taking someone to get Permanent Residency based off of personal experience.

That's why they have spreadsheets here, because it keeps track of how long it's taking. . . The wait times posted in CIC is just an estimate.

I'd suggest applying Outland, you'll probably be finished MUCH faster!

 

[fruitball4u]

Ah, okay. Are the spreadsheets just listed in the forum or is there a specific place to check it out?

I've got pretty much everything figured out for inland, so excuse my ignorance on this next question:

I originally came over on a TFW permit, which was good for two years (it expires in June 2015). We are hoping to have my application in by the end of April (I'm dumb and didn't realize that getting fingerprints and my FBI background check would take 3-4 months, so now we have to wait on that), and I was planning on sending in an application for an OWP along with my inland application in order to receive implied status so that I can stay legally.

If I apply outland, I obviously wouldn't be able to have implied status, so how would that work? Would I have to go back to the States and re-enter on the hopes that they would let me in? I'm not concerned with working at this point - I'd prefer to be able to work, so if this whole "OWP on AOR" thing is for real and goes through, I'd definitely consider applying inland anyway, but if it isn't going to happen then I may as well apply outland and just tough it out without a job for the 6-8 months. I'm just not sure how that would affect my status and my ability to stay in Canada.

 

[Amalthea]

Okay, am I just blind or what? Where in the world is everyone getting this "6-8 months" idea from? On the CIC website it shows that processing Outland via NYC or LA is a 24+ month wait for PR. Can someone please clear this up for me? Is there a link that I can verify this at? I am waiting on fingerprints so I still have time to change up my paperwork as I had been planning on applying inland.

US applications are processed in Ottawa, NOT NY or LA. Only applications with major red flags seem to go to NY or LA - which is why the wait times are SO long. Those are very complicated, difficult applications with major red flags and issues, hence why they are at 24+ months.

Most apps in ottawa are being processed in 5-8 months. There are several spreadsheets showing this trend, here is one ;
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq6VF-LGjkR9dGNpLUxQZ1Z0Mm80aE5ZWDBvWklEQUE#gid=0