Spousal sponsorship

[scylla]

Hi all. I'm new here and just found out about this forum. I am about to sponsor my husband and still on the process of collecting all documents to submit. We got married January. He worked for a year in Libya and recently before our marriage in Saudi Arabia for 2 years. He is now back in our native country Philippines where we had the wedding and to wait for his papers to come to Canada. He already obtained an NBI or police clearance from the Philippines but does he still need to provide police clearance for living in Libya and Saudi Arabia? Libya is in chaos right now and my husband told me that it is not that easy to obtain document ie. police clearance from Saudi Arabia. Thanks.

Yes - he must provide police certificates for Libya and Saudi Arabia. My husband was in a somewhat similar situation. He had to provide a police certificate for Kuwait from the mid-80's but was unable to obtain one after several months of trying. Instead of supplying the police certificate, we included a letter in the application than explained everything we had done to try to obtain that police certificate (and also provided proof of the emails we had sent to various embassies and consulates asking for help - and their replies). My husband's application was processed without any issues. So my advice to you and your husband would be to try to obtain both police certificates and document all of your attempts. If you cannot get the police certificates, include a letter instead explaining the situation and provide proof of your attempts. Hope this helps.

 

[maja22]

Hello everyone, I posted the same question in december thread but didnt get much answers, hope maybe someone here can help:

I would like to hear your opinion or own experience about one thing. What if I travel back to Canada (Im in Lithuania right now) and had only one-way ticket: to canada? The reason I want to buy one way ticket is that I believe I would receive PR sooner or later while in canada and I would land just maiking a short trip to US and back. So there is no sence for me to buy return ticket to Lithuania (I was always buying return) because I don't know when I would go back there in the future.
Do you think immigration officers in airport would know that I dont have ticket back and would it be a problem if I said I will buy one later?My status in canada would be visitor and we don't need visa to travel to canada. Would they know that I applied for PR and that my file still in process?
Hope someone can answer from experience by traveling with one way ticket.
thanks

 

[snj]

hey All...
i will b filling out the applications for sponsoring my husband. I am canadian and he is indian...v got married last year in june baq in india. v currently reside in Saudi Arabia due to his job. I am a homemaker. Now what are our chances. I am having dual citizenship. i have a canadian passport and oci card frm india. I will be applying from Saudi Arabia. What things should i keep in mind to make my case strong. Also is der any site which walks us thru da application coz dey really seem complicated. thank u all !

 

[fleo]

Do you think immigration officers in airport would know that I dont have ticket back and would it be a problem if I said I will buy one later?

He could ask for it, and yes, it probably would be a problem. But in 99% of the cases return tickets are cheaper than one-way anyway (one-ways are in 'higher class', more flexible and normally unrestricted), so you could just come on a return ticket and then cancel your return flight.

 

[Latvian]

Labas vakaras Asta!

I was travelling with one way ticket to Canada when I arrived first in 2009, however I had my work permit letter I got from Canadian Embassy in Warsaw. Based on that letter I was supposed to get work permit on arrival, so they did not ask any questions. I'm not sure ab what do they see at the border control, as far as I'm aware if they have any doubts they will direct you to Immigration. And these guys know all. How are you flying? They Airline which was asking for return ticket was AirCanada and they even did not allow people to check in without one. That happened with my wife & son and I had to buy them return ticket right away so they can fly out from London. And I aslo thing that Immigration will ask for a reason why have you left Canada since you applied inland... does it look like sharing experience?

Feel free to send me personal message, if you wish.

Good luck!

 

[gseaborn]

My wife came to Canada as a live-in Caregiver. Unfortunately she worked with a less than ethical agency, and when she got here she had no employer. She had no place to live, so since we had started dating I told her that she could live with me. She was able to find an employer briefly, but they got placed outside of the country and so she was without employer again. At this point she became pregnant and was unable to find another employer. After our child was born, it only made sense for her to look after our child. We have since had another child.
My wife does not even come close to meeting the 24 month requirement for the Live-in Caregiver program. She has been living with me, for 3 years, and I have fully supported her, including claiming her on my taxes. We have joint bank account and all of the other things that a couple has.
I am in the process of sponsoring her, doing the paperwork, and am not sure how I should be going about it--I have concerns and want to ensure that my wife, and mother of our children, stays here with us forever.
What family class program should I be applying under? Are there any special considerations I need to deal with before or while I am applying. Immigration is a scary process, especially when it is someone that is the focal point of your life. Any assistance/guidance is greatly appreciated!

Best regards,

Greg

 

[Leon]

If you are living together for 12 months or more, you should apply to sponsor her as a common law partner.

 

[maja22]

Thank you for sharing. I see I have to buy return ticket. I would probably buy one with the rigth to change date later (will cost extra).

Hello Latvian, I think you are confusing me with another lithuanian girl in the forum because I am not Asta, but it's ok. Thanks for sharing. I think I will fly with LOT this time. Oh, and I applied outland, so I can (have to) leave canada every 6month. And that's ok too because I miss my family and like to visit them.
Will be flying next wee, hope no problems at the boarder

 

[pepe261]

Hello everyone, I posted the same question in december thread but didnt get much answers, hope maybe someone here can help:

I would like to hear your opinion or own experience about one thing. What if I travel back to Canada (Im in Lithuania right now) and had only one-way ticket: to canada? The reason I want to buy one way ticket is that I believe I would receive PR sooner or later while in canada and I would land just maiking a short trip to US and back. So there is no sence for me to buy return ticket to Lithuania (I was always buying return) because I don't know when I would go back there in the future.
Do you think immigration officers in airport would know that I dont have ticket back and would it be a problem if I said I will buy one later?My status in canada would be visitor and we don't need visa to travel to canada. Would they know that I applied for PR and that my file still in process?
Hope someone can answer from experience by traveling with one way ticket.
thanks

Hi Maja22,

if you are planning to apply inside canada I would recommend you to buy a round trip ticket. When I arrived to Canada last time I came here with a tourist visa and I had planned to get married with my wife here (she is canadian and she was waiting for me) So what happened was that when I got to customs at the Toronto Airport the official asked me to show him my return ticket. Thanks God I had it otherwise I think they wouldn't let me get into Canada. Then I lost my ticket because I am still waiting for my PR but I least I am in Canada with my wife.
I hope this post helps you to clear up your situation.
Cheers.
Pepe

 

[KB73]

Understanding the spousal sponsorship process is the first step. The next is having a lot of patience. Depending on where your file is being processed, it may require an awful lot of patience.

Buried in the immigration system's manual is an interesting paragraph which states:

"Processing Priorities

Applications for permanent residence from spouses, common law partners, conjugal partners and dependent children have the highest priority, along with children to be adopted. Other members of the family class follow. These are operational, not regulatory priorities. The department aims to process 80% of sponsorship and permanent resident applications of this priority group of spouses, common-law partners and conjugal partners, and dependant children within six months."

Meanwhile, on the Citizenship and Immigration website, you can find the actual processing times for spousal cases at visa offices abroad. Of the 44 offices that submitted information, only 6 offices met the 80%/6 month target. This includes cases which resulted in a refusal. According to the numbers, if you have fallen in love or entered into an arranged marriage in Kenya, you can expect to wait an average of 29 months for your application to be processed. In Abu Dhabi, you have a slightly shorter wait of 27 months.

When looking at these cold numbers, it would appear visa offices and the ministry are not aware of their own 80%/6 month policy. If they are, then they must be choosing to ignore it.

We have noticed that processing times are growing in this category. We have to ask ourselves – WHY? Why can Beijing process spousal cases in 4 months, and New Delhi in 6 months, while others take so much longer that it would be laughable - if it weren't so frustrating.

Unfortunately, the powers that be hold all the cards. It is they who decide the processing times, and it is they who decide if they want to honour those processing times. One thing you do have, however, is a voice and a vote. If you have sponsored a spouse and are awaiting a decision that is long overdue, write the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, or contact your local MP. With the election on May 2nd, they may be more inclined to listen to your complaint.

 

[maja22]

Hi Maja22,

if you are planning to apply inside canada I would recommend you to buy a round trip ticket. When I arrived to Canada last time I came here with a tourist visa and I had planned to get married with my wife here (she is canadian and she was waiting for me) So what happened was that when I got to customs at the Toronto Airport the official asked me to show him my return ticket. Thanks God I had it otherwise I think they wouldn't let me get into Canada. Then I lost my ticket because I am still waiting for my PR but I least I am in Canada with my wife.
I hope this post helps you to clear up your situation.
Cheers.
Pepe
[/quote]

Hi, I would probably needed to put more information about myself. I already applied outland in December and my file is in process in Warsaw embassy. I am waiting for decision from them and was hoping to receive it while I was in Lithuania. But apparently they didn't finish processing my file and the wait can be longer, so I want to go back to my husband to Canada and wait there. I hoped that I can save some $ and buy one way ticket, but now I think there is no point on risking to have problems at the boarder.
Thanks everyone for sharing

 

[Baloo]

I hoped that I can save some $ and buy one way ticket, but now I think there is no point on risking to have problems at the boarder.

The price difference between a one way ticket and a return, is not as big as you might think.

 

[Latvian]

Hi Maja22,

Lithuanian flag got me confused ;D (sorry Asta) since you applied outland you better have return ticket, and Baloo is right - the price difference is not that big. Actually when I was buying return ticket with Air Canada it was even cheaper than one way, just had return date 6 months later and it reduced the price. It was non - refundable though... we never used it...

Good luck!

 

[fleo]

I hoped that I can save some $ and buy one way ticket, but now I think there is no point on risking to have problems at the boarder.

Again, in most cases a one-way ticket will actually be more expensive than a return. Another option would be a fully refundable return ticket, which will cost more but you will end up paying only 50% or so as you will be refunded for the cancelled return flight.

 

[Heckler]

In my case I looked at buying a one way ticket from Air Canada from London, UK, to Vancouver for my landing this past weekend.
The return ticket was $450 CHEAPER than the one way
I bought a return instead! Even if I'd paid more & bought a refundable ticket I wouldn't have saved anything.