AOR received, moving (temporarily)

[slee381]

Hello,
I just received my AOR today (from application delivered August 1). My Canadian husband unexpectedly got a job in Australia (where I am from) so we will be moving possibly in December (pending his visa)

His contract will have a fixed term of employment to satisfy Australian visa requirements. Likely 2-4 years. We will keep bank accounts open, and with his family here, we won’t be cutting any ties to Canada.

I have looked at the spreadsheet and am guessing that it will be another 3 months before a test date. I also read it’s another 3 months until the ceremony.

Questions:
1. Is our move going to be a problem? I’ve obviously met the physical presence requirements and will maintain the number of days needed per my PR. I ticked the box giving them permission to see my passport entries and exits

2. Are my guesses of the test and ceremony dates somewhat accurate? Considering that Christmas/New Year is coming up, there’s often delays involved there. We are just trying to see if we can delay our arrival to Australia to maybe have me stay here long enough to do the test so it’s only one trip back that I would have to make.

3. If I have to come back to do my test and ceremony, can I choose to do one or both in a different province? I applied from Toronto and flying to Vancouver is easier for me from Melbourne.


Thanks!

 

[Seym]

1) Many people have done that with no issues at all, including in the forum. There may be some additional scrunity depending on your application, and IRCC can always ask for this or that document, but being outside Canada is not an issue.

2) There's no way to know. Could be 3 months before the test, could be in 6, could be way more... Each application is different. If you're willing to stay here and only going back from Australia once, you'll need to be ready to stay for a long time without knowing when it's the time...

3) IRCC decides on your local office depending on your Canadian address, and moves the application when the applicant goes elsewhere in Canada. Not sure how it works if you leave the country all together, but my guess is that you'll stay at your current local office. In all cases, you don't chose your own office yourself.

 

[slee381]

Thanks. Appreciate the reply. Makes me feel better that it happens a lot with no issues. My friend went back to Russia for 10 months with her kid (her husband didn’t go stay her that whole time, so that raised some concerns) and I know it’s caused issues for her getting hers approved.

I’ll decide whether I change my address to my friend’s in Vancouver or to my in-laws.

1) Many people have done that with no issues at all, including in the forum. There may be some additional scrunity depending on your application, and IRCC can always ask for this or that document, but being outside Canada is not an issue.

2) There's no way to know. Could be 3 months before the test, could be in 6, could be way more... Each application is different. If you're willing to stay here and only going back from Australia once, you'll need to be ready to stay for a long time without knowing when it's the time...

3) IRCC decides on your local office depending on your Canadian address, and moves the application when the applicant goes elsewhere in Canada. Not sure how it works if you leave the country all together, but my guess is that you'll stay at your current local office. In all cases, you don't chose your own office yourself.

 

[Aby444]

Thanks. Appreciate the reply. Makes me feel better that it happens a lot with no issues. My friend went back to Russia for 10 months with her kid (her husband didn’t go stay her that whole time, so that raised some concerns) and I know it’s caused issues for her getting hers approved.

I’ll decide whether I change my address to my friend’s in Vancouver or to my in-laws.

As Seym mentioned, as long as you have applied and gotten AOR, you are fine.

I have seen cases on this forum where people have even updated their international address and it didn't give them a problem. It varies case by case.

If you have friends in other smaller areas like Surrey, Victoria, Barrie, Oshawa, Pickering etc, I would suggest you used an address there because these areas do not have a permanent visa office so what they do is accumulate applicants and have them do both their tests and oaths on the same day or a day apart. This would save you multiple trips back to Canada. If interested in this option check out the list of temporary offices https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-temporary-offices.html

All the best

 

[slee381]

As Seym mentioned, as long as you have applied and gotten AOR, you are fine.

I have seen cases on this forum where people have even updated their international address and it didn't give them a problem. It varies case by case.

If you have friends in other smaller areas like Surrey, Victoria, Barrie, Oshawa, Pickering etc, I would suggest you used an address there because these areas do not have a permanent visa office so what they do is accumulate applicants and have them do both their tests and oaths on the same day or a day apart. This would save you multiple trips back to Canada. If interested in this option check out the list of temporary offices https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-temporary-offices.html

All the best

This is pretty useful info. I think my friend in Vancouver actually lives in Surrey. I’ll look into that!

 

[slee381]

For what it’s worth, in case anyone else has a similar question, I got my first test invite (via email) 2 weeks prior to test (Jan 30) and then the second test invite (via mail) 1 week prior (Feb 20).

So less than 2 weeks after my test was scheduled, I was notify of my new date.
It can be a pretty quick turn around, I was expecting 2-3 months before I get invited again.