Moving to Canada after outland application is submitted, and other questions!

[red.kaede]

Hi everyone,

I am a Canadian citizen and my husband is not. We met while working in Japan and got married here last December. We had planned to do an outland application and wait until it was approved, but recently we have been considering moving to Canada. My questions are -

If we submit the outland application for here, then if he comes to Canada with me on a visitor visa, can he apply for an open work permit once in Canada?

Is it okay to change your address and even your country of residence in the middle of the application?

If we did wait until we got to Canada to submit the application, how many months does our proof of cohabitation have to go back?

Lastly - isn't there a helpline I can cal and get answers to these questions? I just want to talk to a human being!

Thank you so much in advance for any answers..

 

[Rob_TO]

If we submit the outland application for here, then if he comes to Canada with me on a visitor visa, can he apply for an open work permit once in Canada?

No, there is no OWP associated with an outland app

Is it okay to change your address and even your country of residence in the middle of the application?

Yes it's fine.

If we did wait until we got to Canada to submit the application, how many months does our proof of cohabitation have to go back?

If you are married, there is no cohabitation proof required for specific amounts of time.

If you submitted an inland app with OWP app, you just need to make sure you're cohabiting in Canada at the time you submit the app and during the entire process.

Lastly - isn't there a helpline I can cal and get answers to these questions? I just want to talk to a human being! .

You can call the IRCC customer service line, but just note they are quite often wrong on issues. You are better off asking your questions here.

 

[red.kaede]

Thanks Rob! So it seems like having him come on a tourist visa is the best plan... I'm hoping since he has savings and we've traveled to the US, Europe, etc they won't deny a tourist visa.

Do you recommend declaring in the tourist visa application our intentions? I would assume we have to be honest, right? The problem is, his work visa for Japan won't be usable. I'm not sure if they'd believe he'll return to his home country since he has lived and worked in Japan since 2010. Although if he was denied for some reason we would likely both try to move somewhere together... maybe we can just say that and hope he is granted a tourist visa?

 

[zardoz]

Thanks Rob! So it seems like having him come on a tourist visa is the best plan... I'm hoping since he has savings and we've traveled to the US, Europe, etc they won't deny a tourist visa.

Do you recommend declaring in the tourist visa application our intentions? I would assume we have to be honest, right? The problem is, his work visa for Japan won't be usable. I'm not sure if they'd believe he'll return to his home country since he has lived and worked in Japan since 2010. Although if he was denied for some reason we would likely both try to move somewhere together... maybe we can just say that and hope he is granted a tourist visa?

If you declare intent to "move" to Canada before PR status is granted, it's quite possible that they will refuse the TRV. As a "foreign national" he may "visit" Canada and no more.

 

[red.kaede]

Thank you for offering more advice. What is your recommendation then? I was planning to have him state on the tourist visa, he intends to stay in Canada six months and help me establish a new home and apply for PR, and that if the open work permit/tourist visa extension is denied, he will return to his home country and we will try to find a new country where we can both work (such as returning to Japan).

 

[Rob_TO]

Thank you for offering more advice. What is your recommendation then? I was planning to have him state on the tourist visa, he intends to stay in Canada six months and help me establish a new home and apply for PR, and that if the open work permit/tourist visa extension is denied, he will return to his home country and we will try to find a new country where we can both work (such as returning to Japan).

I wouldn't mention anywhere on TRV app he intends to apply for PR. Just mention the basics (that he intends to travel to Canada as a visitor with you), and show his funds available to support stay, ties to return to Japan or home country, previous international travel, etc etc.

 

[zardoz]

Thank you for offering more advice. What is your recommendation then? I was planning to have him state on the tourist visa, he intends to stay in Canada six months and help me establish a new home and apply for PR, and that if the open work permit/tourist visa extension is denied, he will return to his home country and we will try to find a new country where we can both work (such as returning to Japan).

What nationality is your husband? If he holds a Japanese passport, he is visa-exempt and doesn't need to go through all the hassle of a TRV application. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio.../visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html

 

[red.kaede]

Not Japanese and in need of a TVR, unfortunately:/