Leaving Canada On A Visitor Record

[bscinto92]

Hi there,
I have a few questions regarding visitor records as well as questions about becoming a citizen after marriage (to a Canadian citizen).
I will start with my questions about my visitor record. I am a United States citizen, visiting my boyfriend (and soon to be husband) who is and has been a Canadian citizen since birth. I came here in December unsure of how long I was going to stay due to some decisions that needed to be made as far as getting married. I extended my VR once since then and it is now valid until August 1st of 2012. I recently got in touch with some family members that I have not spoken to in a long time and they would like for me to come back to visit them sometime soon. I am not sure what would be the best thing to do. Should I wait until it expires, and then go back to the US to visit? And if I do leave after it expires, am I allowed back into Canada and will I be issued a new VR?

As far as getting married is concerned, I am aware of the fact that you can be eligible for citizenship in Canada after marrying a Canadian citizen. Now, if my boyfriend and I get married before my VR expires... will I still have to renew it again even though we are married and we will have applications in process for me to become a citizen of Canada? Also, I am just curious as to how long it takes to become a citizen after getting married... I'm sure it must be a long process, but I just would like to have an estimate of about how long it is going to take and how easy or difficult of a process it is, and maybe and guesstimate of about how much all together the cost of the fees will be. My friends and family back home really want to see me soon, since it has been so long, and I was hoping that when my boyfriend and I get married before August 1st (the date of which my VR expires) that I can go back after that and not have any problems or hassles getting back in since him and I will be married and I will still be waiting on my applications to process. I know I'm asking a lot of questions all at the same time here, but I am nervous that they will not let me back in just because I do not have a certain document that may be needed and then would not be able to see my boyfriend/husband again. I would like for this to go as smooth as possible and that is why I'm here asking these questions, because I need advice from people who have been in the same, if not similar, situations. Any help would be really really realllyyy appreciated!!!

Also, if it helps any, my port of entry is and should remain as Pearson International Airport. I dont know if that makes a difference in how easy it is to come in and out of Canada but I figured i should let you guys know just in case it does matter. I do not plan on going back and forth a million times to the US and back, I just would like to visit once by myself and maybe another time further down the road with my boyfriend when he gets his passport! : )

Thank You!!!

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi there,
I have a few questions regarding visitor records as well as questions about becoming a citizen after marriage (to a Canadian citizen).
I will start with my questions about my visitor record. I am a United States citizen, visiting my boyfriend (and soon to be husband) who is and has been a Canadian citizen since birth. I came here in December unsure of how long I was going to stay due to some decisions that needed to be made as far as getting married. I extended my VR once since then and it is now valid until August 1st of 2012. I recently got in touch with some family members that I have not spoken to in a long time and they would like for me to come back to visit them sometime soon. I am not sure what would be the best thing to do. Should I wait until it expires, and then go back to the US to visit? And if I do leave after it expires, am I allowed back into Canada and will I be issued a new VR?

As far as getting married is concerned, I am aware of the fact that you can be eligible for citizenship in Canada after marrying a Canadian citizen. Now, if my boyfriend and I get married before my VR expires... will I still have to renew it again even though we are married and we will have applications in process for me to become a citizen of Canada? Also, I am just curious as to how long it takes to become a citizen after getting married... I'm sure it must be a long process, but I just would like to have an estimate of about how long it is going to take and how easy or difficult of a process it is, and maybe and guesstimate of about how much all together the cost of the fees will be. My friends and family back home really want to see me soon, since it has been so long, and I was hoping that when my boyfriend and I get married before August 1st (the date of which my VR expires) that I can go back after that and not have any problems or hassles getting back in since him and I will be married and I will still be waiting on my applications to process. I know I'm asking a lot of questions all at the same time here, but I am nervous that they will not let me back in just because I do not have a certain document that may be needed and then would not be able to see my boyfriend/husband again. I would like for this to go as smooth as possible and that is why I'm here asking these questions, because I need advice from people who have been in the same, if not similar, situations. Any help would be really really realllyyy appreciated!!!

Also, if it helps any, my port of entry is and should remain as Pearson International Airport. I dont know if that makes a difference in how easy it is to come in and out of Canada but I figured i should let you guys know just in case it does matter. I do not plan on going back and forth a million times to the US and back, I just would like to visit once by myself and maybe another time further down the road with my boyfriend when he gets his passport! : )

Thank You!!!

1. You choice when you leave, your visitor status expires once you leave Canada and every entry is a new entry.
2. You seem to be confused about citizenship and Permanent residence.
3. You have to be a Permanent resident, before you can become a citizen. Once you are married or have lived in a common law relationship for a year, your spouse can sponsor you for permanent residence. The forms and instructions are here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp You submit a complete sponsorship and application to Mississauga with the application and attachments. As a US citizen you should do an "out of Canada" spousal, much faster than "in Canada" . If your spouse is approved as a sponsor, your application will be processed in Buffalo. Presently the processing time in Mississauga is 75 days at Mississauga and 11 months in Buffalo for 80% of spousal applicants. Note your criminal records checks and proof of the medical must be included with the application. Your require proof of the relationship as well.
4. Once you are "landed" as a Permanent Resident, you can apply for citizenship after residing in Canada for 3 years in the 4 years on the date you sign the citizenship application. 1/2 the time spent in Canada as visitor can be counted for citizenship up to a maximum of 1 year.

 

[Pippin]

PMM....does the time spent in Canada as a visitor count 50% toward citizenship for everyone, or just for spouses? Thanks.

 

[PMM]

Hi

PMM....does the time spent in Canada as a visitor count 50% toward citizenship for everyone, or just for spouses? Thanks.

Everyone

 

[Woman_USA_to_Canada]

From my understanding (after speaking with an Immigration Representative and a supervisor at a border crossing) they are reluctant to let you back in, unless you have re-entry documents. The reason being is that you cannot enter under the pretences of visiting because your intention has changed (to get married). Therefore, you cannot satisfy to a border agent that your intention is to leave at the end of your permitted time (expiration of visitor's record/stamp on passport). A visitor's record does not grant you re-entry and you are subject to the mercy of the border agent on duty.

Personally, I would not chance it. You can either marry you husband here in Canada and have him sponsor you for Permanent Residency (PR) - Family Class (Inland) or marry him and return to the US and apply outland. Now, there are instance where persons living in Canada make outland applications while living in Canada. This is a precarious thing to do. It is not honest, it is well known by immigration whether or not you are in the country or not, it is less likely you will be granted another visitor's record extension, if you have an interview it will have to be outside Canada and you still risk leaving and not being able to return until PR is granted.

Please know that if you apply for PR, it is unlikely that you will be able to travel to the US until your PR is granted. As PMM stated, once you leave Canada, you forfeit any implied/visitor's status currently held and must be able to satisfy border crossing requirements.

There are many sacrifices made in immigrating to a country; this could include a prolonged period of time either without your Canadian spouse or without your US family. I wish you the best in your decision.

I wish you the best.

 

[BeShoo]

I apologize for reviving an old thread, but I was browsing a particular topic and there are misleading statements that I want to correct.

Now, there are instance where persons living in Canada make outland applications while living in Canada. This is a precarious thing to do. It is not honest, it is well known by immigration whether or not you are in the country or not, it is less likely you will be granted another visitor's record extension, if you have an interview it will have to be outside Canada and you still risk leaving and not being able to return until PR is granted.

It is perfectly permissible to make an outland application while living in Canada as a temporary resident (visitor). All that is necessary is that you do have a permanent address in the U.S. in addition to your temporary address in Canada.

It's true that you would have to do an interview outside Canada if one is requested, but that shouldn't be a problem if you are a citizen of the country you are applying from. It is also true that there is some risk that you might have to stay in the U.S. until PR is granted if you traveled there for an interview, but in practice the risk is fairly low for a U.S. citizen in the middle of the PR application process.

You don't have a right to visit Canada as a U.S. citizen, but U.S. citizens will usually be admitted if they satisfy all the borer crossing requirements. The border officer has to be satisfied that you have the means and intention of returning to the U.S. if PR is not granted, that you have some means of support in Canada without work, that you will not study in Canada without a study permit, and that you have sufficient attachment to the U.S. to want to return there. (Obviously, you can't have any criminal violations, etc., barring entry.)

My common law partner and I have gone to visit his family in the U.S. four times while we have been preparing his PR application, and each time, they examined his Visitor Record and allowed us to return to Canada with very minimal questions, similar to what they would ask of a Canadian citizen. Granted, they do not have to treat an American visitor this way and could deny him entry at any time, but he has complied with all conditions, and they really don't have much valid reason to make things difficult. So yes, it's always a risk to visit the U.S. during an outland application process, but it doesn't seem to be as big a risk as some people think it is.