Inland spousal sponsorship, proof of status in Canada

[renalard]

Hi there!

I am filling out forms for an inland spousal sponsorship application including OWP.

My wife, the sponsor, is canadian citizen and I'm the principal applicant from Germany. We moved some weeks ago from Germany (lived both there for some years) to Canada.

IMM5533 (the application checklist) asks under the supporting document for sponsored person section, question 1, for proof of my status in Canada if I am living there (temporary resident visa, study/work/temporary resident permit, etc.).

I have none of the mentioned documents, as I'm from a visa-exempt country I got no visa, visitor record or any stamp in my passport upon arrival (they don't stamp passports anymore...)

The only thing I have is a eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) approved email from IRCC with eTA number.

As far as I know I have temporary visitor status for 6 months from the date of entry, but no proof for that except the eTA. Would it be sufficent to just provide my eTA email or is there a way to get a visitor record from somewhere?

Also in IMM5710, coming to Canada, question 4, asks for the document number of the most recent visitor record or permit (if applicable). Should I put in N/A or the eTA number?

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[Jnicole45]

I'm also from a Visa-exempt country (USA) and I didn't need an eTA, so when I applied I just wrote out a statement as explanation of my visitor status in Canada. I explained that I arrived to canada on [date] as a visitor, with the intention of maintaining my visitor status (by applying for a visitor record if necessary) for the duration of the process. I also explained that I had included an OWP application so that I could maintain legal status in Canada while waiting for a decision on my PR. You could write up something like that (or, bare minimum, that you entered Canada as a visitor on [date]) and also include a copy of your eTA email.

Since you're applying for an OWP you dont really need a visitor record because, if your 6 month visitor status were to expire before a decision is made, you would have implied status to stay in Canada until a decision is made for your OWP. I would only advise applying for a visitor record if you submit your PR/OWP package within a month or so of the end of your 6 month visitor status, because if your application gets returned because you missed/forgot something, then you'd be out of status (it has been taking around a month or so from when they receive it to when they begin to review for completion and return it if necessary). But since you've only recently arrived, you have plenty of time to submit your application, with plenty of buffer in case it gets returned

Lastly, just put N/A for the most recent permit/record since you dont have one.