American visitor status extension questions

[tinpanalley]

If anyone can help it would clear up a lot of question marks for my wife and I.
She's American, I'm Canadian, we're living in Quebec, she came in with me in September
We began the Canada application for sponsorship, got it approved no problem. Just sent in the Quebec one, still waiting.
Now... we want to extend her visitor status so she doesn't have to leave while we keep waiting for the rest of the process to permanent residence.

Questions:
1. When we renew, what length of time is acceptable to ask for? How does one figure this out?
2. They never physically stamped her passport when we entered Canada. How do we demonstrate proof of the day she entered if they ask?
3. Do we need to mention at all that we're in the midst of getting the QC approval of my sponsorship after having been approved by Canada?
4. When they say, "if you're in Canada, say that you're in Canada" is it ok that she's only technically visiting?
5. Considering it can still be several months before she gets the residence, can one just continue to renew?
6. If one were to take the route of exiting and reentering the country the same day, isn't that seen as you taking a loophole? Wouldn't that be weirder than straight-up asking to stay longer?
7. Can one say flat out that one is extending to remain with their spouse while the process continues, understanding that one will not work or get health care?
8. If I (citizen) get a job, and they offer health care for myself and spouse, can she accept it? Isn't she supposed to be JUST visiting?

Thank you to anyone who can help. We're a bit confused and still within decent time to send it in but don't wanna mess up and have to send it in again losing further time.

 

[tinpanalley]

Any chance anyone can give me any input on this?

 

[CDNPR2014]

hi,
are you assuming you need to extend your wife's stay by physically driving to the border? if so, that is not the case, and it's suggested to apply to extend her stay ONLINE. She does not need to go to a land border to extend her stay. if you attempt to leave canada and then return the same day, that is not extending her stay, that is simply leaving and re-entering canada. this is not recommended and it is not necessary to do.

1. it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a 12+ month extension. i'd recommend asking for 6 months or more. they can always give you less, but they will never give you more than you ask for.
2. as a us citizen, she doesn't need her passport stamped. if the online application asks this question, then provide the date, and they will be able to confirm this on their end. it's a non issue.
3. it is usually recommended to include information about the current PR application in your online application. this shows you understand the rules.
4.i don't understand this question. this leads me to believe you think you have to physically leave canada to extend her stay. that's not how it works, so you may want to clarify this question. if she's currently visiting in canada, then if she's ever asked why she's in canada, she says she is visiting her husband. there is nothing wrong or illegal about this.
5.yes, however as suggested above it's best to ask for at least a 6 month extension and APPLY ONLINE so that you don't have to keep paying for extensions.
6.again, there is no reason for her to travel to the border to extend her stay. technically, if she leaves canada and returns a short time later, she is re-entering and any stay she had before would be over. she would not technically be "extending" her stay if you leave and come back.
7. yes, it is perfectly acceptable to apply to extend your stay as a visitor because you want to continue visiting your spouse while your PR application processes. her understanding of healthcare is irrelevant.
8. employers only provide supplemental insurance, they do not provide basic medical coverage. whether or not your company will offer supplemental insurance to someone who only has visitor status and is not provincially covered is dependant on the insurance company. not all companies allow this. it has nothing to do with immigration.

 

[tinpanalley]

hi,
are you assuming you need to extend your wife's stay by physically driving to the border?

No, I thought I was clear when I said "If one were to take the route of exiting and reentering the country...". If one WERE to. Just for arguments sake.

1. it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a 12+ month extension. i'd recommend asking for 6 months or more. they can always give you less, but they will never give you more than you ask for.

I just thought if you said 18 months because I think that's about how long the approvals are taking right now it might look, I don't know, greedy. But then I was concerned that at some point they might say, "ok, enough renewals, she has a home in the US supposedly, so it's time to go back" or something to that effect. Is that inaccurate?

4.i don't understand this question. this leads me to believe you think you have to physically leave canada to extend her stay

No, I explained the physical exit/entry above, but let me clarify... This is about them asking what her residential address is. We're not sure what that should be. Here or the address she is coming from in the US. This is extremely confusing for outbound applicants visiting their spouses like my wife is. What do they define residence as in this case. That was my question.

5.yes, however as suggested above it's best to ask for at least a 6 month extension and APPLY ONLINE so that you don't have to keep paying for extensions.

This we don't understand at all, because we see no option to renew without paying 100$. We see no FREE renewal. Do you happen to have any link or documentation that shows that a renewal can be free of charge?


Thanks!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

But then I was concerned that at some point they might say, "ok, enough renewals, she has a home in the US supposedly, so it's time to go back" or something to that effect.

This is about them asking what her residential address is. We're not sure what that should be. Here or the address she is coming from in the US. This is extremely confusing for outbound applicants visiting their spouses like my wife is. What do they define residence as in this case.

This we don't understand at all, because we see no option to renew without paying 100$. We see no FREE renewal. Do you happen to have any link or documentation that shows that a renewal can be free of charge?

They pretty much never refuse extensions when there is a sponsorship app in process.

Use her Canadian address.

There is no free renewal. The other poster meant that you should ask for a longer extension so that you only have to renew this one time instead of multiple times.