Getting a SOWP by flagpoling in BC?

[Tarikla]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for people who successfully managed to get their SOWP at a land border in BC. My wife (a US Citizen) is applying for PR Inland, and as such, will be eligible for a SOWP once we get the AOR. The last 2 times we went to the border, they first denied us entry as we brought too much of my wife's belongings for a Visitor, were advised to store most of it and come back, then once we came back with that done the same day, let us in with a 2 months visitor record for her, as she isn't holding a job currently in the US and we weren't married yet at the time. 2 weeks later, now married we took a day trip to the US to get her monthly medication, and at the border they almost revoked her visitor record and denied her entry, needing a very long chat to convince the border agent to let us through, with the reasoning that "you should wait until you can submit the PR application and have the marriage certificate before having her come over".

Following those 2 close calls, we're extremely scared of crossing the border again and finding her stranded on the US side, but we know that she could get an OWP extremely quickly if we go to the border versus waiting 4 1/2 months by doing it online and that with an OWP she'd have way less trouble crossing the border and visiting her friends still in the US.

Does anyone have experience getting a SOWP at the land borders in BC? Right now it feels like a coin flip that it'd even work, even with all the proper documentation.

 

[scylla]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for people who successfully managed to get their SOWP at a land border in BC. My wife (a US Citizen) is applying for PR Inland, and as such, will be eligible for a SOWP once we get the AOR. The last 2 times we went to the border, they first denied us entry as we brought too much of my wife's belongings for a Visitor, were advised to store most of it and come back, then once we came back with that done the same day, let us in with a 2 months visitor record for her, as she isn't holding a job currently in the US and we weren't married yet at the time. 2 weeks later, now married we took a day trip to the US to get her monthly medication, and at the border they almost revoked her visitor record and denied her entry, needing a very long chat to convince the border agent to let us through, with the reasoning that "you should wait until you can submit the PR application and have the marriage certificate before having her come over".

Following those 2 close calls, we're extremely scared of crossing the border again and finding her stranded on the US side, but we know that she could get an OWP extremely quickly if we go to the border versus waiting 4 1/2 months by doing it online and that with an OWP she'd have way less trouble crossing the border and visiting her friends still in the US.

Does anyone have experience getting a SOWP at the land borders in BC? Right now it feels like a coin flip that it'd even work, even with all the proper documentation.

So to be clear, you are applying for an OWP and not a SOWP. SOWP are for situation where the spouse is in Canada on a study permit or work permit.

The answer is that we have no one on the forum who has successfully obtained an OWP linked to spousal sponsorship through flagpoling. It's not possible based on everyone's experiences here and applying online is the only option.

Flagpoling is generally a higher risk activity (i.e. higher chance of issues at the border). I would definitely not recommend it in your case given the issues you've already had a the border. Plus, to the best of my knowledge, no one here has ever been successful in doing this. (SOWPs are a different matter but your wife is not applying for a SOWP.)

EDIT: Sorry, one more comment to add. You should be aware that an approved OWP and having a spousal sponsorship application in progress does not guarantee re-entery to Canada. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Tarikla]

So to be clear, you are applying for an OWP and not a SOWP. SOWP are for situation where the spouse is in Canada on a study permit or work permit.

The answer is that we have no one on the forum who has successfully obtained an OWP linked to spousal sponsorship through flagpoling. It's not possible based on everyone's experiences here and applying online is the only option.

Flagpoling is generally a higher risk activity (i.e. higher chance of issues at the border). I would definitely not recommend it in your case given the issues you've already had a the border. Plus, to the best of my knowledge, no one here has ever been successful in doing this. (SOWPs are a different matter but your wife is not applying for a SOWP.)

EDIT: Sorry, one more comment to add. You should be aware that an approved OWP and having a spousal sponsorship application in progress does not guarantee re-entery to Canada. Just something to keep in mind.

I see, someone else here told me that I could get the OWP at the border as they got theirs. Thank you for the insights, sure doesn't seem like a guarantee and we'd rather play it safe for sure.

 

[scylla]

I see, someone else here told me that I could get the OWP at the border as they got theirs. Thank you for the insights, sure doesn't seem like a guarantee and we'd rather play it safe for sure.

Are you sure it was an OWP specifically tied to an inland spousal sponsorship application and not a SOWP tied to a spouse's study permit or work permit or a PGWP?

 

[Tarikla]

Are you sure it was an OWP specifically tied to an inland spousal sponsorship application and not a SOWP tied to a spouse's study permit or work permit or a PGWP?

Yes, we discussed it over the family sponsorship forum here, and it was linked to an Inland spousal sponsorship. But like you said, in my situation it's probably better if my wife avoid the border as much as possible

 

[scylla]

Yes, we discussed it over the family sponsorship forum here, and it was linked to an Inland spousal sponsorship. But like you said, in my situation it's probably better if my wife avoid the border as much as possible

Ah - OK. Interesting to know. I've only seen refusals.

It's obviously your choice. However given your experiences to date at the border, I personally would avoid the border as much as humanly possible until she has PR.