Canadian future husband sponsoring US wife

[MustLoveCats]

I have a few questions pertaining to my FH (future husband) sponsoring me. He is a natural citizen of Canada, and I am a natural United States citizen. I have been doing some reading on the forums and now I see that difference in age, education and religion are considered red flags? Is this true? My FH and I are 7 years apart, I am in school for my masters and he has a high school diploma, and I'm Christian and he's atheist. Why would these things matter to the Canadian government? Couples have differences but that's why they communicate to understand and show respect to the other. And to be honest I thought he was my age at first until he told me.

We are getting married October 2017. He will come down here for the wedding, stay for a week then go back up. I found out on the Canadian website that it is taking 13 months for a spousal sponsorship application to process. We were thinking of him applying in 2018 when my name has changed on everything. Upon approval and being able to live in Canada, how long would it be until I would be able to become a PR? I have a few medical issues, not deadly, but require doctor appointments and daily medication, so this is a concern for us because I need to be able to have access to healthcare. As well as because some of my medical issues pertain to reproductive area issues we would like to try to conceive as soon as we are living together.

Also just to confirm, because it would just be me (his future spouse) and no dependents, there is no income requirement, correct?

 

[CaroM8]

Since you are from the US, it's gonna be a lot easier than if you were from anywhere else really.

Apply OUTLAND as soon as you get married, and some people get their approval within 6 months. Your age difference is ok don't worry, I don't think 7 years is a red flag. It's more for couple that have 20 or more!

And you are correct, no income requirements.

 

[CDNPR2014]

hi,

us and canadian couples generally have a low threshold for proving relationship validity. the "issues" you mention are not issues for us applicants. these issues can make it difficult for other applicants from countries where these things are not the norm culturally. my husband is catholic, i am jewish; i have a master's degree, he has a high school diploma. we had no issue at all getting approved. a 7 year age difference is not significant to warrant suspicion.

it is currently taking us applicants 4-6 months to get approved. the times posted on the cic website are NOT averages and do not reflect real time processing times. it is difficult to say whether the trend will remain the same in 2018 as that is over a year away.

IUpon approval and being able to live in Canada, how long would it be until I would be able to become a PR?

to clarify, when your application is approved and you go through the landing process upon entry to canada, you become a PR right away. There will be an expiration date on your approval paper by which you need to land by.

depending on which province you plan to live in, you will most likely not be eligible for canadian healthcare until you are landed as a pr. many provinces also have a waiting period, so it is not always received right away. for example, ontario's OHIP has strict requirements for eligibility, so you won't qualify until you land. plus there is a 90 day wait period before it kicks in. if you plan to give birth prior to landing as a pr, you will want to make sure you still have health insurance in the us (assuming you plan to stay there during pregnancy). OR if you plan to visit canada while your application processes, you want to be prepared to pay out of pocket in canada or get travel insurance BEFORE you get pregnant, so it's covered (a pre-existing pregancy is usually not covered in travel insurance).

there is no income requirement for spousal sponsorship, so no need to worry about that.

 

[keesio]

Your age difference is ok don't worry, I don't think 7 years is a red flag. It's more for couple that have 20 or more!

Even 20 is not a big deal if the man is older. People with 30+ gaps have been approved.

IRCC does tend to view situations where the woman is older with a bit more suspicion. But that is usually where the applicant is from a developing country.

 

[MustLoveCats]

it is currently taking us applicants 4-6 months to get approved. the times posted on the cic website are NOT averages and do not reflect real time processing times. it is difficult to say whether the trend will remain the same in 2018 as that is over a year away.


to clarify, when your application is approved and you go through the landing process upon entry to canada, you become a PR right away. There will be an expiration date on your approval paper by which you need to land by.

depending on which province you plan to live in, you will most likely not be eligible for canadian healthcare until you are landed as a pr. many provinces also have a waiting period, so it is not always received right away. for example, ontario's OHIP has strict requirements for eligibility, so you won't qualify until you land. plus there is a 90 day wait period before it kicks in. if you plan to give birth prior to landing as a pr, you will want to make sure you still have health insurance in the us (assuming you plan to stay there during pregnancy). OR if you plan to visit canada while your application processes, you want to be prepared to pay out of pocket in canada or get travel insurance BEFORE you get pregnant, so it's covered (a pre-existing pregancy is usually not covered in travel insurance).

Wow. 4-6 months is sooner than we thought. I guess maybe he should apply for me while I'm in my last semester of grad school? I graduate hopefully in August 2018. How long generally does a person have to land?

FH does live in Ontario. So essentially once I land, 3 months from that date I should be a PR and receive healthcare? We have no intention to conceive until I am officially living with him for that very reason.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Wow. 4-6 months is sooner than we thought. I guess maybe he should apply for me while I'm in my last semester of grad school? I graduate hopefully in August 2018. How long generally does a person have to land?

FH does live in Ontario. So essentially once I land, 3 months from that date I should be a PR and receive healthcare? We have no intention to conceive until I am officially living with him for that very reason.

how long a person has to land depends on various factors. some people get weeks, some get months. generally, the expiration date on the approval corresponds with the 1 year anniversay of the medical exam or 6 months from the passport validity date.

again, you officially receive PR status as soon as you go through the landing process with immigration at a border or airport. this can be the same day you receive your letter or anytime up until the approval letter expires. the 3 month wait period only refers to OHIP eligibility, not pr status.

 

[profiler]

Additionally, you can still see a doctor. You would just have to pay out of pocket until OHIP is valid. That's all we do for now..

My wife and I are also 7 years apart too, she is Russian Orthodox amd I am baptized Anglican (not practicing). So it's not so terrible .

 

[MustLoveCats]

how long a person has to land depends on various factors. some people get weeks, some get months. generally, the expiration date on the approval corresponds with the 1 year anniversay of the medical exam or 6 months from the passport validity date.

again, you become a PR as soon as you go through the landing process with immigration at a border or airport. this can be the same day you receive your letter or anytime up until the approval letter expires. the 3 month wait period only refers to OHIP eligibility, not pr status.

Thank you btw. This is a lot to think about regarding when he should submit the paperwork. I have to finish school no matter what and have a household to pack. At least it's nice to know that it should not take years but months. So breaking it down it normally should take 4-6 months for the application to process, then I would have 6-12 months to permanently land. I become a PR upon landing. I will not get healthcare until 3 months after that. Is that correct?

 

[profiler]

90 days from when you apply for OHIP.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thank you btw. This is a lot to think about regarding when he should submit the paperwork. I have to finish school no matter what and have a household to pack. At least it's nice to know that it should not take years but months. So breaking it down it normally should take 4-6 months for the application to process, then I would have 6-12 months to permanently land. I become a PR upon landing. I will not get healthcare until 3 months after that. Is that correct?

technically yes, however keep in mind you may also have less than 6 months to land once you receive your approval paper. no one can tell you exactly how long you will have, as it will depend on many unknown factors at this point. also, while 4-6 months is the average now for us applicant approvals, it is not possible to say that will be the trend in 2018.

 

[MustLoveCats]

Additionally, you can still see a doctor. You would just have to pay out of pocket until OHIP is valid. That's all we do for now..

My wife and I are also 7 years apart too, she is Russian Orthodox amd I am baptized Anglican (not practicing). So it's not so tertible .

Is it a lot to pay out of pocket when you're waiting? How long have you been waiting for healthcare coverage?

It's good to know with the similar issues you had no problems with the spousal sponsorship approval. This is relieving some of my stress.

 

[CDNPR2014]

90 days from when you apply for OHIP.

no, it's 90 days from the date the person becomes a pr. a person can apply for ohip on the 90th day of residency and receive coverage immediately. if a person applies for ohip before 90 days of residency, then it will not kick in until 90 days. when a person applies for OHIP is irrelevant.

 

[profiler]

no, it's 90 days from the date the person becomes a pr. when a person applies for OHIP is irrelevant. a person can apply for ohip on the 90th day and receive coverage immediately.

OHIP has a 90 day wait from the date you apply, unless somehow you convince them to waive that.

 

[CDNPR2014]

OHIP has a 90 day wait from the date you apply, unless somehow you convince them to waive that.

no it's not. it's 90 days from when you establish residency, meaning LANDED as a pr. again, when you apply for OHIP is completely irrelevant.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/
Eligibility
Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage (OHIP). Generally, to be eligible for Ontario health coverage you must :

be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or among one of the newcomer to Canada groups who are eligible for OHIP as set out in Ontario’s Health Insurance Act ; and
be physically present in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period; and
be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency in the province; and
make your primary place of residence in Ontario.
OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario. The ministry strongly encourages new and returning residents to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period.

 

[profiler]

I'll bring you next time we go to the Service Ontario office then . They told us explicitly that it's 90 days from the date of application. Two different agents (who issue OHIP); one senior told us that...

be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency in the province;

Also, this is what you wanted:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_waiting_pd.aspx