Inland application, can someone guide me?

[jordana]

Hello:

I'm 26 years old, from Spain. Me and my husband got married the 25th July 2009. We sent our application in September, it was received on October 26 and they started processing it on November 26th 2009.

I entered Canada with a visitor's Visa and extended it one time (until september 13th 2009) of course, I sent another extension application before it expired.

We have not received any news from the CIC since we sent the application. (it's now 1 st May 2010)

I know that in the phase 1 of the Spouse Sponsorship (Inland) you have to wait 6 months or so until your husband is approved as an sponsor, and once you get the CIC letter you can have a work permit. But I am clueless about Phase 2.

Can someone help me, please?

I'm terribly stressed due to the wait and I think that some extra info about the process would help me a lot.

Is not easy to live fearing that some bureaucracy could separate me from the person who I love most in the world.

 

[matthewc]

You should hear something in the next week or two, if the processing times don't change:

http://carroll.org.uk/cic/estimate?rcvd=2009-10-26&class=8

No point getting more stressed - nothing has changed since you sent in the app, other than they opened the file.

 

[matthewc]

You asked about what happens next:

If all goes well, in a few weeks they will grant "approval in principle", which means they accept your relationship is genuine, and (in principle) you qualify to become a PR.

After that, the admissibility checks are completed - medical, criminality, and background checks - then they invite you to a landing interview at your nearest local CIC office (the landing is a formality and nothing to worry about).

In some cases, if they suspect the relationship is not genuine, they will transfer the file to local CIC for further investigation and possibly an interview before approval-in-principle.

On the other hand, if you're lucky, they may have already complete the admissibility checks at the time AIP is granted, in which case you get AIP and a final decision at the same time.

 

[sogwap]

Does an Inland PR application automatically entitle you to an Open Work Permit (OWP) after first stage approval?
Or do you have to specifically request OWP when you first apply Inland for PR?

 

[matthewc]

AIP on an inland application automatically entitles you to an OWP. However, you still have to apply for it. The best way is to include the work permit application together with the inland PR application, in the same envelope. If you do that, they send you the work permit straight away upon granting AIP. Alternatively, you can send the application after they grant AIP, although that means an additional wait before you can work.

 

[jordana]

Thank you very much guys. That information is really soothing.

I hope everything will go all right and I will be finally able to stay with my husband without worrying all the time for the decision to be made.


It's not easy to wait such a long time without working, studying or even volunteering (I asked and the CIC told me that I could not) Specially since I'm used to be very active and to serve the community.

What I really wonder is how possibly can take so long to process the inland applications.

 

[jordana]

Oh, by the way. I didn't sent the Open Work Application, I didn't knew how to do it and I applying for my PR in Québec. I was told that extra bureaucracy must be done in that case.

 

[matthewc]

Inland applications aren't prioritised. I agree it should be faster, but from CIC's perspective it makes sense to prioritise reuniting families that are separated. As far as CIC is concerned, if you're already in Canada with your family, you can afford to wait longer for processing.

(Don't get me wrong, I realise not being able to work and get healthcare coverage are problems, and don't agree with making people wait so long, I'm just explaining my understanding of the reasoning behind CIC's resource allocation.)

As for volunteering, that is usually allowed, as long as you're not doing a job that would otherwise be paid, or taking a rare volunteering opportunity away from a Canadian or PR:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/institutions/work-volunteer.asp

 

[angelbrat]

My application for Family sponsorship Inland was received by Vegreville on 29th September 2009.

All background checks, medicals etc were done and I have now received my AIP and should be landing in Vancouver in July 2010.

So totally, from submitting the application to getting my landing status it will have taken approx. 10 months, with another 6/8 weeks until I get my PR card after landing.

I hope that makes you feel better, be patient, these things do take time but it is possible to get PR status Inland under 1 year.

 

[jaune]

Oh, by the way. I didn't sent the Open Work Application, I didn't knew how to do it and I applying for my PR in Québec. I was told that extra bureaucracy must be done in that case.

Jordana, I applied inland from Quebec too. You should be receiving a letter from CIC inviting you to proceed with MICC, Quebec, it's another set of undertaking forms that you would have to send to obtain your Certificat de Selection du Quebec(CSQ) but MICC claims that this part usually takes only 20 working days. (However, I've waited for a bit longer than that now for my CSQ...)

So, if you didn't apply for OWP in the beginning, you could only apply for it until you get the AIP.

 

[jordana]

The letter has arrived!

Now we have got to contact Quebec's government. Oh my God, I'm so happy!! even if I know this is just a milestone that indicates that we arrived to the half of the way, but for me, it means the world.