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Divorce after becoming PR

deadbird

Hero Member
Jan 9, 2016
648
193
Cross posting from EE sub forum.

My wife and I jointly applied for an EE application, and we recently became landed Canadian PRs. However, it looks like we are headed for divorce. While this completely sucks, since we had planned a life together in Canada, I would like to be clear about the immigration ramifications of a possible divorce.

More details:
- We did a short landing and both of us are presently living in the US.
- I did not sponsor her, but we applied together where I was the principal applicant and she was my spouse.

Questions:
- Is either of our PR status going to be affected by a divorce?
- Is it likely that when we go up for PR renewal/citizenship our application will me marked for secondary inspection?
- If yes to either of the above questions, is there a certain time frame after becoming PRs that it is safe to get a divorce?

Thanks
Deadbird
 
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Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
Others will comment but once you are PRs makes no difference whether you stay married or not given your PR status is an individual responsibility to keep and maintain. Same goes for qualifying for citizenship each individual needs to qualify in their own right so being divorced once PRs has no impact it is just a sad fact of life.
 

supreets2

Star Member
Aug 16, 2016
75
8
IMO since you're now a PR, so it does not matter. Just make sure your divorce decree clearly states its a no fault divorce, so that later down the line you don't get an objection on your citizenship application.
 

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
IMO since you're now a PR, so it does not matter. Just make sure your divorce decree clearly states its a no fault divorce, so that later down the line you don't get an objection on your citizenship application.
To add to this for later on obviously make sure you keep all your own documentation secure, PR documents, marriage and ultimately divorce paperwork given often when going through a divorce dividing things up documentation can go unintentionally missing, just saying.
 

NetMecca

Hero Member
Dec 12, 2013
541
121
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
LANDED..........
14-07-2009
I am under the impression that unless there is a direct connection to sponsorship or special conditions, this should not prove an issue. If you want to make absolutely sure however I would suggest that you have a conversation with an immigration lawyer asap.

In addition you should combine that conversation with a divorce lawyer. When immigrating to another country (even with only PR status) there are potentially some fairly significant jurisdictional issues at play. Which court will grant your divorce? (Canadian court or some other court) This will have a potentially dramatic impact on the divorce settlement and division of assets. Canadian law can be unexpected when it comes to things such as this. In some cases they may not even uphold foreign prenups. Had to redo mine when I landed in Canada.

Very complicated issue.

Be wise to get proper legal advice as soon as possible.
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
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Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
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NOC Code......
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App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
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VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Cross posting from EE sub forum.

My wife and I jointly applied for an EE application, and we recently became landed Canadian PRs. However, it looks like we are headed for divorce. While this completely sucks, since we had planned a life together in Canada, I would like to be clear about the immigration ramifications of a possible divorce.

More details:
- We did a short landing and both of us are presently living in the US.
- I did not sponsor her, but we applied together where I was the principal applicant and she was my spouse.

Questions:
- Is either of our PR status going to be affected by a divorce?
Once you are a landed PR, the divorce will not affect your PR status. However, you will have to get the divorce entered in Canada too along with the country where your marriage was originally registered.

- Is it likely that when we go up for PR renewal/citizenship our application will me marked for secondary inspection?
No, there will be no issues as for citizenship, you file individual application, unlike PR where you have a primary and dependent applicants.

- If yes to either of the above questions, is there a certain time frame after becoming PRs that it is safe to get a divorce?
You can get divorced anytime as long as you can show that the intent of getting married was not to come to Canada or fraud the immigration system.


Thanks
Deadbird
 

deadbird

Hero Member
Jan 9, 2016
648
193
Thanks @legalfalcon

Would you happen to know what is involved in registering the divorce in Canada if the divorce is finalized in the US?

Also, for PR renewal, there is no concept of primary and dependent applicants after divorce right?
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Thanks @legalfalcon

Would you happen to know what is involved in registering the divorce in Canada if the divorce is finalized in the US?

Also, for PR renewal, there is no concept of primary and dependent applicants after divorce right?

Since you will get diverted as per US law, you need not enter anything in Canada as you were not married in Canada. As an express entry applicant your PR is not conditional, and as long as they is no issue with you getting married for the sole purpose of getting into Canada, you are all good.

When its time to renew your PR card, just fill the required form and apply. Thats is is, you need not mention the dependents etc. However, your UCI number may be the same as the primary applicant in EE application.
 

Anonymousy

Newbie
Nov 17, 2018
1
0
My husband and I applied for immigration in Canada, we'll get our PR card very soon. We've been to Canada just a month ago. My husband is the principal applicant. If we get divorced, does this affect my PR? Will i still have PR in Canada?
 

PMM

VIP Member
Jun 30, 2005
25,494
1,946
Hi

My husband and I applied for immigration in Canada, we'll get our PR card very soon. We've been to Canada just a month ago. My husband is the principal applicant. If we get divorced, does this affect my PR? Will i still have PR in Canada?
1. Has no effect on your PR if you emigrated under skilled worker
 

Blues123

Newbie
May 5, 2019
3
0
My ex-wife was in Canada on a work visa when we got married.Before her work visa expired we both applied for PR through express entry ,she was the principle applicant and i was dependent applicant. After we got our PR she existed Canada and reentered as PR and i came from Pakistan as PR .We got married in Pakistan and unfortunately got divorced through Pakistani law system.Now i am in Canada living here as PR and planning to get married from Pakistan.Will there be any issue in sponsoring my spouse to become PR in Canada?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,959
12,759
My ex-wife was in Canada on a work visa when we got married.Before her work visa expired we both applied for PR through express entry ,she was the principle applicant and i was dependent applicant. After we got our PR she existed Canada and reentered as PR and i came from Pakistan as PR .We got married in Pakistan and unfortunately got divorced through Pakistani law system.Now i am in Canada living here as PR and planning to get married from Pakistan.Will there be any issue in sponsoring my spouse to become PR in Canada?
How long were you married before you applied for PR? How many days did you spend together after you landed and became PR? How long after did you divorce?
 

21Goose

VIP Member
Nov 10, 2016
5,247
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AOR Received.
Feb 2017
hello everyone,
I have a question. me and my husband applied for divorce but we didn't get the divorce yet. but he went to India and got remarried. He got PR using me and cheated me with this marriage, without letting me know he got engaged back home, then we applied for divorce in Canada. Is there anything I can do to stop him bring his new wife here.
Please let me know.
Thanks
If he got married without divorcing you, he committed the crime of bigamy. You can file a police complaint in India. You can probably also file a case in Canada, though I'm not sure how that goes and you should talk to a lawyer here.

If you can prove that he got married before he was legally divorced, his second marriage is not legal and he will not be able to sponsor his spouse.

You should talk to a lawyer.
 

21Goose

VIP Member
Nov 10, 2016
5,247
1,615
AOR Received.
Feb 2017
Hey,
Thanks for the reply. We applied for divorce. Still not declared by the court and he is already married to the new girl. I can’t let him sponsor her as he used me to get the PR, I was the primary applicant.
I will talk to the lawyer as you said.
When he tries to sponsor her, he will be asked for his marriage certificate and his divorce decree. If the dates on those documents prove that he got married before he got divorced, IRCC won't let him sponsor his spouse in any case.
 

21Goose

VIP Member
Nov 10, 2016
5,247
1,615
AOR Received.
Feb 2017
But I believe in India, we need to register marriage ourselves. But he is already Married. He might register it later after getting the divorce declaration. In that case what can I do
A marriage doesn't have to be registered to be legal. Under Indian law, a marriage conducted by a socially accepted ceremony/method is as valid as a marriage conducted before a magistrate/court marriage. Registering the marriage simply makes it easier to deal with paperwork.. but your marriage starts the day you get married in whatever way is acceptable in your community. It doesn't start the day you get it registered.

You have to talk to a lawyer in India. This will honestly come down to your resources and ability to fight him in India. If you don't have the ability to fight this case, you may want to figure out what you really want and what you can afford.

You really need to talk to a lawyer in Canada and get his/her advice, and then figure out how you can contact a lawyer in India (and whether you want to).

What are you trying to get out of this? Are you trying to protect yourself, or are you trying to go after your ex?

If you are already divorced, or close to being divorced, you may want to cut your losses and move on with your life in peace. However, obviously this is a personal decision.