Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.
You can't really compare immigration processes between two countries as some are easier than others. You're taking the right steps by keeping your application in mind, but don't focus too much on it. Enjoy your wedding and the focus should be about you as a couple and not an immigration process. Are you currently together, or doing long-distance?
You've mentioned that you have photos, and evidence of travel. Those are all good things. Have you downloaded and looked at the document checklist and the forms that you will need to submit? Your best guide is the one posted by IRCC itself on this process.
You should expect the process to take many months (IRCC's goal is to process 80% of all applications within 12 months from receipt).
You will submit one package as your application. Be precise! Make sure you've double and triple checked everything following the checklist, and make sure all the forms are included in the correct order and signed where they need to be signed. If anything is missing or incomplete, IRCC will send the application back to you and you'll have to correct it. You then get put back at the bottom of the pile to be processed once you submit again.
Unfortunately, once you submit everything to IRCC (to the Case Processing Centre (CPC) in Mississauga, you won't hear anything for up to 2 months or more. It's around the 40-60 day mark that people are currently getting their AOR 1, or, Acknowledgement of Receipt. Once you get this you'll know that your file has been received and processing will start. This will usually come to you by e-mail and it includes your application number and Unique Client Identifier (UCI-number).
With this information you can link your application to an online profile which will then be used to communicate with you, and where you can upload other documents as required. CPC-M or the Visa Office will at some point after AOR1 request that you upload your police certificates and your Schedule A Background Declaration. You'll also be informed that the Principle Applicant (PA) will have to undergo a medical exam by an approved doctor. There are many doctors around the world who can do this. Have a look now via the IRCC website to find a doctor close to you. The results of the medical exam are usually sent directly to IRCC, but you'll have to have the exam within the time frame specified in the Medical Request. All of these types of requests (including document submissions) usually have to be answered and completed within 30 days. If you can't meet these timelines for whatever reason you will have to submit a letter in its place as to why you weren't able to submit, and list the steps and time in which you do expect to be able to submit.
Once that's all done, the waiting begins, or rather it continues as you'll probably be a few months into the process already. You will receive sporadic updates from IRCC until later on in the process but you can follow along on the various online systems. Your file will likely be transferred to a Visa Office closer to the country of residence of the Principle Applicant, and you'll receive a message about this. Here a Visa Officer really examines your case and they will determine what further steps are needed from you (if any) and they will determine the outcome of the application. Interviews are not the rule, but rather they are used when the visa officer has doubts about the genuineness of the relationship and its purpose in respect to your application. Even if there's no interview, a Visa Officer may request additional documents such as more chat transcripts, photos, evidence of travel, or anything else they deem necessary in making their determination. If that's the case you'll receive instructions on what is required and how and where to send it. If an interview is required you will be informed and instructed on the process.
Behind the scenes, the Visa Officer is scrutinizing your application and making a determination whether your relationship is genuine, and whether the relationship was not entered into for the purposes of getting status in Canada. Additionally, based on the information from the application and the police checks, background checks are run on the Principle Applicant. This process may involve checks in Canada and in other countries with Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies (CSIS/Interpol). Sometimes this can take quite a bit of time. The medical results are assessed but carry less weight for spousal applicants than they would for, for example, economic class migrants.
Once all of this is successfully passed you will see online that a decision has been made in your application and you can expect to receive a communication from the Visa Office requesting your passport or copies of your passport plus any additional receipts or photos that they need to issue the Confirmation of Permanent Residence letter and applicable travel papers. With these in hand the PA can travel to Canada and upon entry will have a quick discussion with the CBSA officer who will finalize the paperwork, update information, and send off the application for a PR Card to be sent to an address in Canada. From this point on the PA will be a PR.
Things you can start gathering (though I'd try to have them ready as close as possible to when you are going to submit the application) would be:
- Police certificates from the country/countries the PA is living in and has spent most of their adult life. (note, if you have them before you are ready to submit the application, you can include them in the initial package, otherwise wait for the request to come in)
- Passport-type photos as per the PR specifications found on the IRCC site and in the application guides.
- chat logs and phone/video records showing communication between yourselves
- Employment details
- Check the country specific requirements for spousal applications to see if any additional documents are needed, or anything needs to be submitted as an original or a certified copy.
- Get any documents that aren't in English or French translated to one of these two languages.
I must add, and it's good to get this going now, if your fiancé is living outside of Canada, you will have to show in the application that they intend to return to Canada. To satisfy this requirement start making plans now on where you're going to live and start taking the steps on moving such as emailing realtors, opening bank accounts, applying for jobs in Canada. This is also evidence that will be part of your initial application. With uncertainty about the timelines it can be difficult to make concrete plans, but you will have to show IRCC that you are indeed going to be in Canada when the process is done.
