Hi all,
My partner and I are planning to move to Canada soon and I wanted to check if I have my facts straight, and also know what is advisable for us to say when crossing the boarder.
Some facts:
-I’m Canadian, he’s Japanese
-We’ve been living together in Japan for the past 9 months (myself with a working holiday visa)
-He lived in Canada a couple years ago with a working holiday visa and at the end of his year there a lawyer helped him apply for a work visa which was refused (they applied knowing it would be refused, the intention being to gain extra time to stay while it was being processed)
-He’s now been out of Canada for over a year, and living and working in Japan for 1 year
-I already have employment arranged for when I’m back in Canada.
We intend to get married at city hall once we’re in Canada and then submit an inland sponsorship application (and open work permit application). My understanding is that so long as he gets a visitor visa extension before his initial 6 month visitor visa expires, then he should have no trouble staying in Canada until the application is complete.
Assuming I have that information correct, then we’re wondering what to say when crossing the border. We’d like to fly in and cross together, but is it odd that he’d be coming to “visit” me at the same time I’m moving back? He has many friends in Canada since he used to live there, so maybe that would strengthen his reason for visiting? Also, my feeling is that it would be less complicated if we don’t mention our intent to marry. Our engagement is very low key and I’m not sure how the border could know. Could we not just say that we’re a couple, I’m moving back to Canada, he’s visiting for a couple weeks, and if pressed on the relationship distance say “we’re still figuring it out” or “it’s just long distance for now”...?
Just to add, he can show he has work in Japan, and we’re planning to book him a return flight, just to raise less questions.
Thanks for any help and advice!!
My partner and I are planning to move to Canada soon and I wanted to check if I have my facts straight, and also know what is advisable for us to say when crossing the boarder.
Some facts:
-I’m Canadian, he’s Japanese
-We’ve been living together in Japan for the past 9 months (myself with a working holiday visa)
-He lived in Canada a couple years ago with a working holiday visa and at the end of his year there a lawyer helped him apply for a work visa which was refused (they applied knowing it would be refused, the intention being to gain extra time to stay while it was being processed)
-He’s now been out of Canada for over a year, and living and working in Japan for 1 year
-I already have employment arranged for when I’m back in Canada.
We intend to get married at city hall once we’re in Canada and then submit an inland sponsorship application (and open work permit application). My understanding is that so long as he gets a visitor visa extension before his initial 6 month visitor visa expires, then he should have no trouble staying in Canada until the application is complete.
Assuming I have that information correct, then we’re wondering what to say when crossing the border. We’d like to fly in and cross together, but is it odd that he’d be coming to “visit” me at the same time I’m moving back? He has many friends in Canada since he used to live there, so maybe that would strengthen his reason for visiting? Also, my feeling is that it would be less complicated if we don’t mention our intent to marry. Our engagement is very low key and I’m not sure how the border could know. Could we not just say that we’re a couple, I’m moving back to Canada, he’s visiting for a couple weeks, and if pressed on the relationship distance say “we’re still figuring it out” or “it’s just long distance for now”...?
Just to add, he can show he has work in Japan, and we’re planning to book him a return flight, just to raise less questions.
Thanks for any help and advice!!
