Family Sponsorship First Steps

[josejbracho]

Hello everyone,

I come here to ask a couple of questions regarding Family Sponsorship for my soon-to-be wife since I recently got the PR and I'm thinking ahead about this very important step for us to live together in Canada.

Our plan is as follows: I will be landing in Canada in October this year, and after a couple of months she is planing to visit me with a tourist visa in order for us to get married there.

Now to my queries:

- Is there a time I have to wait after landing in order to sponsor?
- Is it possible to apply in the outland stream even if she's on a tourist visa in Canada?
- What documents could I be gathering in advance in order to have everything sorted as soon as possible?

Thanks in advance for your help, I'm just starting to gather some information about this process and would like to proceed in the best way possible.

 

[scylla]

You have recieved your PR visa but haven't landed in Canada yet - correct? Or have you already landed and officially become a PR?

If you haven't landed, it's very important for us to know when you are getting married. If you get married before you land in Canada, your PR visa will no longer be valid and you will have to add your wife to your application and wait for new visas to be issued before landing.

 

[Kayaker]

Also, if you have previously lived with her for 12 months or longer, you MUST add her to your PR application before you land.

If you have not lived with her for 1 year, and if you are not planning to get married before you land in Canada and become a PR, everything is alright.

- You can sponsor your wife as soon as you are married and you have all the documents for your application.
- She can be in Canada as a tourist and apply "Outland". It is recommended to do so, because Inland processing takes so long.
- Go to CIC's page and find the checklist for her country. They have a list of all the documents she needs.

 

[josejbracho]

You have recieved your PR visa but haven't landed in Canada yet - correct? Or have you already landed and officially become a PR?

If you haven't landed, it's very important for us to know when you are getting married. If you get married before you land in Canada, your PR visa will no longer be valid and you will have to add your wife to your application and wait for new visas to be issued before landing.

I haven't landed, we plan to get married in Canada after I make my landing, I will not change my status before because I know it represents a change in my application.

Also, if you have previously lived with her for 12 months or longer, you MUST add her to your PR application before you land.

If you have not lived with her for 1 year, and if you are not planning to get married before you land in Canada and become a PR, everything is alright.

- You can sponsor your wife as soon as you are married and you have all the documents for your application.
- She can be in Canada as a tourist and apply "Outland". It is recommended to do so, because Inland processing takes so long.
- Go to CIC's page and find the checklist for her country. They have a list of all the documents she needs.

I tried to include her as a non-accompany family member as my common-law partner but unfortunately we didn't have the necessary documents to prove that we've lived together for 12 months or longer so she was taken out of my application. The officer that called me for verification told me this would not affect our future applications for sponsorship and that she didn't have a doubt of the legitimacy of our relationship.

Thank you both for your responses, I will check the list of documents and start gathering ASAP.

 

[scylla]

I haven't landed, we plan to get married in Canada before I make my landing, I will not change my status before it because I know it represent a change in my application.

You have to add her to your file. If you don't - you will never be able to sponsor her. You will also be committing misrepresentation by landing on a visa for a single person - this means CIC may decide to revoke your PR status.

You have two choices:

1) Get married after you land.
2) Get married before you land, return your visa, add your wife to your application, wait for new visas to be issued.

You have no other options.

 

[Kayaker]

I tried to include her as a non-accompany family member as my common-law partner but unfortunately we didn't have the necessary documents to prove that we've lived together for 12 months or longer so she was taken out of my application. The officer that called me for verification told me this would not affect our future applications for sponsorship and that she didn't have a doubt of the legitimacy of our relationship.

It would probably be a good idea to mention that in your application for her PR - just in case. The information (that you tried to include her as your common-law partner but failed) should be in CIC's system, but just to make sure some careless CIC employee doesn't misunderstand or something... try to be as specific as possible, provide them with the name of the officer who told you this (if you know) or at least the date of the phone call.

 

[josejbracho]

You have to add her to your file. If you don't - you will never be able to sponsor her. You will also be committing misrepresentation by landing on a visa for a single person - this means CIC may decide to revoke your PR status.

You have two choices:

1) Get married after you land.
2) Get married before you land, return your visa, add your wife to your application, wait for new visas to be issued.

You have no other options.

Sorry, I edited my comment after I reread it, I meant we plan to get married in Canada AFTER I make my landing not before, sorry. Thank you for your input.

 

[josejbracho]

It would probably be a good idea to mention that in your application for her PR - just in case. The information (that you tried to include her as your common-law partner but failed) should be in CIC's system, but just to make sure some careless CIC employee doesn't misunderstand or something... try to be as specific as possible, provide them with the name of the officer who told you this (if you know) or at least the date of the phone call.

Perfect, will do. I actually have a letter from CIC stating in all details what happened with our failed attempt and the specific date of the phone call with all the information that I provided, will include that in her PR application. Thank you so much for your help.