Future Planning - is Spousal Sponsorship a Valid Route?

[Wostear]

Hi there!

I am still in the very early stages of thought regarding these issues but I have a few questions on family sponsorship.

Firstly some background. My girlfriend and I are currently in a long term (4 years) long distance relationship. She is Canadian and I am British. We are currently both enrolled in full time university courses. I graduate in just over a year and as it stands it's looking increasing likely that I will be the one to move over to Canada, provided that everything stays as it is now.

Given that we are both still young (21 and 22) and having both gone straight into higher education, we haven't had the chance to live together. This would discount common law partner as an avenue for immigration. Conjugal is also not a possibility as I believe our situation would not class as eligible for this route. Correct me if I'm wrong. We have spoken at length over the possibility of marriage and both agree we would like to marry but would obviously rather wait for a time when we are more settled. My first question is this; if we were to legally marry but without any real wedding celebrations or honeymoon ect ect on the premise that we will hold an event with all the formalities once we become settled, how would this be perceived on an application? Would they simply see it as committing fraud to enter Canada? Or, the truth (in our eyes); that we are doing this so that we can be together? I am aware that at the very best I could expect to be pulled for an interview, but how would it come across? At this point in time we would have nearly six years of proof of genuineness, would this be enough? Having no experience with immigration control, would they be compassionate and understanding or more hard line and likely to deny such an application?

The other route would be to get a work permit and live together in order to qualify as common law. However we would rather avoid the uncertainty of this route. Given that if anything goes wrong in the application such as processing time or denial I would be forced to return to Britain meaning the dismantling of anything that we might have put in place for the future. However if this is the best route to take then of course we would take it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I'm sure you have more interesting things to be doing! Having said that any and all advice is welcome. As I mentioned earlier this is still some ways off (although I am aware that the processing time can be as much as 18 months) so at the moment its all theoretical.

I look forward to discussing this further with you.

 

[Bs65]

Just apply for an IEC open work permit, valid for 2 years and although there is a random quota they rarely get turned down unless incorrectly submitted or some criminal past. The quota for 2019 is open now for applications and once you get an application through the process you usually have a year to arrive. Depends I guess on timing of completing your masters but there is always the 2020 program but at least you work pending a spouse sPonsorship.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/eligibility.asp?country=gb&cat=wh&#country_category_name

Spouse sponsorship is averaged at 12 months and often less for straightforward applications.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...vices/application/check-processing-times.html

Cannot comment much on the marriage route but if the proof is there of a long term relationship, photos, correspondence etc. Plus a wedding does not have to be a grand wedding plenty of people just married in front of a registrar with witnesses. Just my view anyway and expect there are alternatives .

 

[msb]

My wedding was just as you said, a court wedding with witnesses, although i did buy a gown, we decided that later on we can redo it once established here in canada
That didnt cause any problems with immigration, thats what we wrote in the application as well.

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hi there!

I am still in the very early stages of thought regarding these issues but I have a few questions on family sponsorship.

Firstly some background. My girlfriend and I are currently in a long term (4 years) long distance relationship. She is Canadian and I am British. We are currently both enrolled in full time university courses. I graduate in just over a year and as it stands it's looking increasing likely that I will be the one to move over to Canada, provided that everything stays as it is now.

Given that we are both still young (21 and 22) and having both gone straight into higher education, we haven't had the chance to live together. This would discount common law partner as an avenue for immigration. Conjugal is also not a possibility as I believe our situation would not class as eligible for this route. Correct me if I'm wrong. We have spoken at length over the possibility of marriage and both agree we would like to marry but would obviously rather wait for a time when we are more settled. My first question is this; if we were to legally marry but without any real wedding celebrations or honeymoon ect ect on the premise that we will hold an event with all the formalities once we become settled, how would this be perceived on an application? Would they simply see it as committing fraud to enter Canada? Or, the truth (in our eyes); that we are doing this so that we can be together? I am aware that at the very best I could expect to be pulled for an interview, but how would it come across? At this point in time we would have nearly six years of proof of genuineness, would this be enough? Having no experience with immigration control, would they be compassionate and understanding or more hard line and likely to deny such an application?

The other route would be to get a work permit and live together in order to qualify as common law. However we would rather avoid the uncertainty of this route. Given that if anything goes wrong in the application such as processing time or denial I would be forced to return to Britain meaning the dismantling of anything that we might have put in place for the future. However if this is the best route to take then of course we would take it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I'm sure you have more interesting things to be doing! Having said that any and all advice is welcome. As I mentioned earlier this is still some ways off (although I am aware that the processing time can be as much as 18 months) so at the moment its all theoretical.

I look forward to discussing this further with you.

As you are British / Canadian combination, no problem at all with a 'registry office' wedding. What Canadian immigration are concerned about is what is 'normal' for your culture. In some cultures, weddings are a huge deal with loads of planning and relatives. For Brits, a registry office wedding is perfectly normal. You can also prove it is genuine given the 4 years of your relationship, with I assume photos, emails, webchats, friends who can vouch etc to prove it. So registry office wedding not a problem at all.

You could try for inland spousal sponsorship, you just have to get into Canada on a visitors permit. If you then marry, you can apply for an OWP at the same time as sending in your spousal sponsorship, but OWP's often take 4 months to come through.

To be common law, you must live together for at least 1 year continuously and be able to demonstrate 'financial entanglement' (stuff in joint names etc. Of course you would not be able to work while in Canada, not certain of her position if she came to live in the UK for a year or so.

You DEFINITELY do NOT qualify tor conjugal sponsorship as there is no barrier to living together for one year or getting married, so forget about that as a route.

Outland spousal sponsorship is stated to process 80% in 12 months, but straightforward UK / Canadian applications rarely take the full 12 months, most come through in 6 - 10 months depending on which VO it goes to.

 

[np08]

As you are British / Canadian combination, no problem at all with a 'registry office' wedding. What Canadian immigration are concerned about is what is 'normal' for your culture. In some cultures, weddings are a huge deal with loads of planning and relatives. For Brits, a registry office wedding is perfectly normal. You can also prove it is genuine given the 4 years of your relationship, with I assume photos, emails, webchats, friends who can vouch etc to prove it. So registry office wedding not a problem at all.

You could try for inland spousal sponsorship, you just have to get into Canada on a visitors permit. If you then marry, you can apply for an OWP at the same time as sending in your spousal sponsorship, but OWP's often take 4 months to come through.

To be common law, you must live together for at least 1 year continuously and be able to demonstrate 'financial entanglement' (stuff in joint names etc. Of course you would not be able to work while in Canada, not certain of her position if she came to live in the UK for a year or so.

You DEFINITELY do NOT qualify tor conjugal sponsorship as there is no barrier to living together for one year or getting married, so forget about that as a route.

Outland spousal sponsorship is stated to process 80% in 12 months, but straightforward UK / Canadian applications rarely take the full 12 months, most come through in 6 - 10 months depending on which VO it goes to.

Just a correction there regarding inland - British nationals do not require visitor visas for Canada. Only an ETA.