Coming to Canada before applying for Inland Sponsorship

[TheRandomWalk84]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, and new to this terrain, so please pardon the newbie questions.

I'm curious as to how you go about entering Canada when you intend to apply for PR status, there. Is it typical to be married before coming? Are there any advantages to marrying after you're already there? When coming to Canada from the US, on a visitor visa, what additional information might I need at customs/the border?

The "Spousal sponsorship" sticky was very helpful, so if anyone can recommend threads that address some of these questions, it would be greatly appreciated.

My girlfriend (who lives in Canada) and I have recently become engaged, and we have decided that we would like to start our lives on her side of the border. From what we have read, the inland sponsorship seems the most appealing to us, so we've decided to pursue this.

I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this, and even more so, anyone lending their time to shed some light on these questions.

Thank you!

James

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, and new to this terrain, so please pardon the newbie questions.

I'm curious as to how you go about entering Canada when you intend to apply for PR status, there. Is it typical to be married before coming? Are there any advantages to marrying after you're already there? When coming to Canada from the US, on a visitor visa, what additional information might I need at customs/the border?

The "Spousal sponsorship" sticky was very helpful, so if anyone can recommend threads that address some of these questions, it would be greatly appreciated.

My girlfriend (who lives in Canada) and I have recently become engaged, and we have decided that we would like to start our lives on her side of the border. From what we have read, the inland sponsorship seems the most appealing to us, so we've decided to pursue this.

I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this, and even more so, anyone lending their time to shed some light on these questions.

Thank you!

James

Welcome James...

To apply for sponsorship you will need to either get married and then you can apply for spousal sponsorship immediately (well as soon as your marriage cert comes through) or you will have to live together continuously for one year to apply via the common law route.

Inland applications allow to PA to apply for a OWP (which takes around 4 months to process). You must be living in Canada with your sponsor.

Outland..you can stay in the US while your app is processed or you can live in Canada. If you are in Canada being processed outland you cannot get an OWP.

Unless you want to wait a year for common law route (after having lived together for that time) getting married sooner rather than later would benefit you.

 

[Rob_TO]

When coming to Canada from the US, on a visitor visa, what additional information might I need at customs/the border?

Just know that when you get to the border as a "Visitor", you need to look/act like a "visitor" to Canada and not someone who is intending to permanently move to or live in Canada.

So this means having luggage typical of a visitor, a return flight in less than 6 months (if flying), being able to show residential and other ties in the US, and never use the words move/living when talking to CBSA. If CBSA does suspect you're really intending to live permanently in Canada, they can deny entry and possibly give you a temporary ban on entering again.

Whether you're married or not at the time you enter isn't really important. You don't have to volunteer the info that you intend to get married or apply for PR once in Canada, however if asked directly you should be honest about it. It's not illegal for visitors to get married in Canada, as long as CBSA is convinced you'll follow the rules around your visitor status.