Overseas spouse and dependents of protected person and convention refugee timeline - Share here

[Flowercita]

My situation is a little different from the example above, and I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience.

I received my PR eCoPR on August 12, 2026, and received the PR cards for myself (Principal Applicant) and Dependant 1 on September 2, 2026. However, I am still waiting for Dependant 2's PR card.

At the same time, my spouse is outside Canada and is being processed as an overseas dependent.

My spouse's timeline:​

• February 7, 2026 : AOR / confirmation that my spouse was added to my PR application
• May 7, 2026 : Medical request
• May 9, 2026 : Requested to complete IMM 0008, IMM 5645 and IMM 5642 again
• May 15, 2026 : Medical completed and submitted
• May 21, 2026 : Police clearance, birth certificate and ID submitted through webform
• June 1, 2026 : Biometrics request
• June 3, 2026 : Biometrics completed
• September 5, 2026: Police certificate requested again (not submitted yet)
• September 5, 2026 : Requested Address history and working history again
• September 7, 2026 : Pre-Arrival Services letter received

I understand that the Pre-Arrival letter is not a confirmation or approval of my spouse's PR, but I am hoping it is a positive sign that the application is progressing smoothly.

I will submit the newly requested police certificate as soon as possible.

For those who had an overseas spouse/dependent, especially those who received Pre-Arrival after their principal applicant already received eCoPR, how long did it take from Pre-Arrival to Passport Request (PPR) / final decision?

Any experiences or timelines would be greatly appreciated.

Wishing everyone waiting the best of luck.

My husband received pre arrival two times. Once in may and again on August.

According your timeline, everything is complete so I think he will receive soon the passport request ( RFV letter). Good luck!

 

[canuck78]

While the targeted, one-time initiative for onshore Protected Persons has successfully streamlined domestic PR processing, overseas dependants remain subject to severe processing delays.

The mounting backlog highlights the urgent socio-economic cost of prolonged family separation.

All eyes are on the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan (in November?) to see if IRCC will launch a specialized project or dedicated target to bring these families together.

This was always going to be an issue but the reasoning behind the 1 time policy doesn’t work for dependents so I can’t imagine the quota for dependents will rise especially next year. There is no extra quota and other programs have processing times that are even longer (decades). The 1 time policy continues next year so the annual PR target is already ~450k and not 385k that the government has been announcing to try to reassure the general population that they now have immigration under control and have reduced the number of PRs.

 

[canuck78]

My situation is a little different from the example above, and I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience.

I received my PR eCoPR on August 12, 2026, and received the PR cards for myself (Principal Applicant) and Dependant 1 on September 2, 2026. However, I am still waiting for Dependant 2's PR card.

At the same time, my spouse is outside Canada and is being processed as an overseas dependent.

My spouse's timeline:​

• February 7, 2026 : AOR / confirmation that my spouse was added to my PR application
• May 7, 2026 : Medical request
• May 9, 2026 : Requested to complete IMM 0008, IMM 5645 and IMM 5642 again
• May 15, 2026 : Medical completed and submitted
• May 21, 2026 : Police clearance, birth certificate and ID submitted through webform
• June 1, 2026 : Biometrics request
• June 3, 2026 : Biometrics completed
• September 5, 2026: Police certificate requested again (not submitted yet)
• September 5, 2026 : Requested Address history and working history again
• September 7, 2026 : Pre-Arrival Services letter received

I understand that the Pre-Arrival letter is not a confirmation or approval of my spouse's PR, but I am hoping it is a positive sign that the application is progressing smoothly.

I will submit the newly requested police certificate as soon as possible.

For those who had an overseas spouse/dependent, especially those who received Pre-Arrival after their principal applicant already received eCoPR, how long did it take from Pre-Arrival to Passport Request (PPR) / final decision?

Any experiences or timelines would be greatly appreciated.

Wishing everyone waiting the best of luck.

A prearrival letter means they have passed eligibility. Timeline could be weeks to years.

 

[canuck78]

My husband received pre arrival two times. Once in may and again on August.

According your timeline, everything is complete so I think he will receive soon the passport request ( RFV letter). Good luck!

Confused I thought he got PPR on September 1st?

 

[Flowercita]

Confused I thought he got PPR on September 1st?

No. Requested passport. They get PR until do the landing, right?

 

[God's own 269]

No. Requested passport. They get PR until do the landing, right?

PPR means passport request.

 

[God's own 269]

A prearrival letter means they have passed eligibility. Timeline could be weeks to years.

Does overseas dependant get eligibility letter?. Mine just got pre arrival. I got my PR early August. Should we be expecting pre arrival?
We have done police report, biometrics and all and our country is not part of the concurrent processing. How long for PPR after pre arrival?

 

[God's own 269]

For those with dependants overseas, im August 2023 applicant. Got my ecopr may 06. Same day my dependants were requested for medical and complete other form ( did it before but ircc requested again).

Aug 13 requested for police certificate, for spouse, and the imm5604 ( asked because of the minor).

Sep 01, passport requested. So around 4 months after I got the PR.

Our country is part of the pilot project and we submitted all documents quickly. Smooth process, no issues with security, no sickness to report. No changes in family structure.

Why they are processing some app faster than other? No idea. But you should know is possible to get it fast ( well , 37 months for them, not fast at all, but faster than others).

Hold on and keep hope and faith.
My best wishes for all you guys.

Thanks for sharing and giving us hope. I am just wondering why they sent you imm 5604. I thought that its for when one parent is not relocating permanently with the minor. The unaccompaning parent will have to fill and sign because there is a possibility that they may never see the child again. I thought its for seperated or divorced parents. No?

 

[Flowercita]

Thanks for sharing and giving us hope. I am just wondering why they sent you imm 5604. I thought that its for when one parent is not relocating permanently with the minor. The unaccompaning parent will have to fill and sign because there is a possibility that they may never see the child again. I thought its for seperated or divorced parents. No?

That was for my spouse to sign it. Even if he is coming ,he must sign and accept the child is going to immigrate to Canada (even without him). Its a way to be sure the government won't have problem. Must be sure the other parent agree.

 

[God's own 269]

Thank

That was for my spouse to sign it. Even if he is coming ,he must sign and accept the child is going to immigrate to Canada (even without him). Its a way to be sure the government won't have problem. Must be sure the other parent agree.

This is the first time I am hearing of this. Thanks for the info and your reply.

 

[Flowercita]

PPR means passport request.

Lol, I didn't know . So it was the same

 

[Odin90210]

Does overseas dependant get eligibility letter?. Mine just got pre arrival. I got my PR early August. Should we be expecting pre arrival?
We have done police report, biometrics and all and our country is not part of the concurrent processing. How long for PPR after pre arrival?

Is your processing office in Accra?

 

[Freivy]

Good day, people whose file was processed at the Accra visa office how long did it take to get final decision? In months.

 

[God's own 269]

Is your processing office in Accra?

Yes.

 

[God's own 269]

Good day, people whose file was processed at the Accra visa office how long did it take to get final decision? In months.

Have your dependents gotten medical, pre arrival and eligibility passed?