While Outland PR is processing, can spouse come to Canada as a visitor?

[Baloo]

I was without my passport in Canada for 6 weeks.... I survived

True.

Of course there is aways the option to travel back with the passport, wait for (or collect the passport) then return to Canada.
That can add a few $$ to the bill

I guess that many of the "outland PR while in Canada" group don't want to be away from their wife/family (in Canada) anyway.

[NYQUE]

Hello all, I just wanted to share my experience as a guidance.

My wife is sponsoring me, she lives in Quebec, I am from a non-exempt visa country (El Salvador) and I'm on a student visa in the US. I've had 4 TRV since I have family in Québec City and I have visited many times.

I got married in Canada on 2009, and my TRV Visa expired on October 2010, I went one last time to apply for a TRV and in all documents I stated I was married to a Canadian Citizen, maybe because they saw my travel history I was granted another TRV that was good until May 2011, during all that time I've been traveling maybe once a month or 2 months and never had any problems at the border, always telling the truth, I was going to visit my wife in Québec.

We started the PR process and the application was received on April 15 since we did it ourselves and even with the application in process I never had any problems visiting my wife, now since I work here in the States I can't stay for extended periods of times, I used to travel for holiday weekends, and the longest stay I had was 1 month, now I'm hoping the whole process will be done before the year ends so I can have a smooth transition.

But to answer the question, as some people have said before it always depends of the Immigration Officer at the border, but if you tell the truth and probe you are going back you should be fine, I never had any issues going back and forth, I visited maybe 12 or 13 times in a period of 1 year and a half.

Hope it helps, have a good day all!

[umeboshi]

Okay, thanks everyone. That helps a lot, I think we'll just try and have my wife come to Canada as a visitor while the outland application is processing and see if we can deal with it from within Canada.

Thanks again


 @ Baloo: Yeah, we were debating on whether to just have my wife go back to Japan once the passport request stuff was ready but that really would add a lot of $$'s. If we can just change our address to Canada and have it sent over that would definitely be ideal.

[raymond12]

This is not correct.

In the case you describe the TRV would still be likely to be refused, as the risk of overstay still exists.

There are many people that have visited Canada with permanent resident applications in process.
The majority are from visa exempt countries;  others can also apply, but as previously stated they are often refused because of the assumed risk of "overstay".

then call cic.gc.ca so that you will be enlightened......

[awor]

Rather glad to be from the US for this... I'll be able to send our passport books in but still have our passport *cards* on hand so we can cross the border if there's an emergency or whatever!

[Baloo]

then call cic.gc.ca so that you will be enlightened......

raymond12, you were given bad information.

Sadly, calling the CIC helpline does not always result in a "correct" answer, many people have been provided incorrect information, it happens quite a bit.

When you said:

it is possible to apply for visit but you have to give up your pr application. this word came directly from a visa officer.

Who was the visa officer, based where?

Where (in the OP manuals) does it state, when applying for a TRV, the applicant must terminate their permanent resident application?
Clearly it is not the case, as plenty of applicants are in Canada on a TRV while waiting for their permanent resident application to be processed.
"Outland while in Canada" is a valid way to apply for PR, how would this be possible if visitors had to terminate their active applications?