Moving together with Girlfriend

[philatcanada]

Hi!

I'm a Germany citizen (visa exempt) and, after traveling back and forth in the long distance relationship with my girlfriend since about a year, I made a commitment wanting to live with her in Canada and be able to apply for common law once we lived together for 12 months. I heard of examples here at the message boards where people come to the country for 6 months (tourist visa) extend for another 6 and then apply for common law. That would be perfect for me, too.

I want to travel to Canada asap and just got confused about what I'm supposed to tell the IO. Last time I visited they sent me to the second desk and the woman there was fine with everything I showed but said it doesn't seem plausible that I would just hang out at my girlfriends place for 5 months not doing anything. I then said that I'm self-employed in Germany and would be able to work for some of my German clients during the stay. Apparently that made sense for her and she granted me a 5 months visa.

I read a lot of stories here about boy/girlfriends travelling to Canada for 6 months. Reading through the story it almost sounds like visa exempts citizens almost always get the 6 months. I'm wondering now if it's really that easy and what I definitely need to bring as proof to backup my intentions to stay with my girlfriend long term.

What do you tell the IO if they wonder what you're going to do spending 6 months with your girlfriend? Wouldn't they doubt my intentions to go back if I'm able to leave for that long without having a job in my home country?

Also: How much money should you have saved up if you want to stay for 6 months?

Right now I'm really worried. I know I want to live with my girlfriend but I almost have the feeling they will definitely deny entry if I say something wrong or somehow sound suspicious. I've never overstayed or did anything illegal. I have no criminal record or medical condition.

 

[Line.a]

Hi.
I was in the same situation as you were when my partner and I first started dating. I literally went back and forth.. 2 months out 2 months home type of deal. Are you aged between 18-35 you are able to obtain an IEC (international experience canada visa) that gives you a full year to work and live in canada and you don't need to get a job before you come to canada! Go look into that for German citizens: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/germany-allemagne/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx

That's what i end up doing, because I got a warning from travelling to canada too much in the end, so I would definitely recommend that. That qualifies you to live together for 12 months.

I just checked if there were any remaining visas left as there are only 400 pr year. So you'd either have to wait till February next year or try and see if there are any employers who are willing to get you a LMO (labour market opinion) in order to get a work permit and then try it out that way. I know how you feel, I had to wait half a year for my IEC I continued to travel out to my boyfriend, but I would be careful with it, as it sounds like you have been out here a fair bit already. If you have genuine reasons and you have enough ties to Germany like a letter from your current employer or place you study, letters from your family stating you are home. If you guys have lived together for a period of 12 months continuesly you may be able to get sponsored as a common-law partner.

Hope this helps

 

[philatcanada]

Hi Line.a!

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me. It's good to hear that others have been in this situation, as well.

I already took part in the Canadian Experience Class. That's how I met my girlfriend while staying on a Working Holiday Visa. Right now there is no other option for me than coming in as a tourist.

How did you get through the boarder when they warned you that you're travelling to Canada too much? How did you prove that you're going to go back home?

 

[Line.a]

Well I obtained my IEC visa doing a so called flagpole so I went to USA to get turned around back to canada and they pretty much have to take you in that way. I was pretty unsure and nervous about, but the IEC should get me a year as we planned for, and they were very nice, didnt even mention anything. That's the last time I crossed the border. I recently applied for a extension of my stay however (which you can do more than once) and do it 30 days before your current stay runs out, and if you haven't heard anything from them and your status runs out then you are on implied status. I have decided to stay in canada until I get my PR because I'm too scared to go home and not being able to return, because that warning seemed pretty solid lol.

He did ask me everything that he possibly could do, about me living in the uk before I moved out (I'm danish) and why I have travelled to certain countries haha.. Pretty intense. I was being honest and stood my ground however, so if you plan to go visit your girlfriend again and you get pulled in just make sure you have as much proof that your relationship is genuine and you have strong ties to your home country such as a letter from employer, family and friends. This may sound like a lot, but better safe than sorry. If you are granted less than 6 months extend it as much as you can until you guys have lived together for a continued 12 month period

 

[philatcanada]

Thank Line.a!

Oh man, that sounds terrifying them asking you all these questions. I definitely don't want to leave again once I'm there now, too. But I better don't tell that the IO at the border.

Yes, I'm bringing proof for my ties. I own my own business here with a business partner. I will ask him to setup some letter that proves that I have this business and work together with him and that he needs me here to fullfill my duties as a business owner. I'll also bring the form that shows the registration of my company and company business accounts that show my income. My biggest worry is that they would ask me more and more about my business. I have some Canadian clients and I bet that would sound suspicious to them. I plan on working for some of my clients while I stay, not the Canadian ones though, but they're probably not going to believe me.

I already decided to simply stay for 6 weeks only and then immediately apply for an extension. I don't have enough savings to be allowed for 6 months I think. If I say it's only 6 weeks, my $2500 should be enough I think, plus I can just say this is a holiday and it wouldn't sound too weird.

Did you get pulled out because you told the IO that you are planning on staying in Canada and apply for an IEC? Or did you always just say I want to visit my boyfriend and then come back home?

 

[Line.a]

Yes, bring as much as you possibly can. I'm honestly not too sure what I'd say if they ask why you have Canadian clients, but if they ask you if you are intending to engage in work while staying on holiday you should probably find a good answer to that one.. I honestly have no idea how I got through it all but I knew it was lurking and I had a bad feeling about it all. My situation was very complicated because I lived in England and therefore I had to move back to Denmark to be able to participate in the IEC. I traveled back to Europe and back to canada with the IEC in progress and there it hit me.. They don't like people returning to canada so quick!! I just told him I acknowledged my mistake and I should have thought better about it and understood if he'd deny me, that my intentions were to stay with my bf. and then he looked through my passport for a while and stamped it (I swear my stomach dropped a mile or so)

so in case you are going through the same.. Be as calm as you can be, they are just doing their jobs. Have a sheet of paper with your girlfriends and maybe one of her family members on in case they want to make sure.

Yup, I always said hi I'm here to visit my boyfriend. They'd usually ask me what I have planned to do or who else I'm staying with. All you really can do is try. I doubt you're going to be denied unless you did something alike me.

 

[Spikey92]

Hey,

I am from Germany as well

I'll just tell you some of my experiences. When I first got to canada as a visitor( i just finished school at that point and wanted to "explore the world") the officer actually sent me to an immigration officer who then asked me a lot of questions,wanted to see how much money I had etc etc . I was like wooa guys Im just here to travel a little bit . Idk maybe they saw all my lagguage and thought i was gonna stay forever or whatnot Anyways I ended up getting a 6 months visitor visa. But when I came back shortly after i left Canada the first time (this time I had a WHV) I was very nervous I wouldnt get my visa. They asked me where I was going to stay and I said at a friends place(they didnt ask boyfriend or whatnot so i didnt say anything else : ). I had my bank statement ready,health insurance etc. i did not have a return ticket but an explanation ready but they never asked . I was like okay?! I heard so many horror stories about people getting denied because they dont have a return ticket.The officer never asked for that.neither asked me how much money I had on me.
While I was on my WHV i left canada to go to Germany for 3 weeks,I came back and reentered without any problems. No questions nothing.

But this is just MY EXPERIENCE! Other people might not be as lucky. Just wanted to share my exp.


All the best for you ! If u have any questions about the sponsorship appl. in the future feel free to message me as my bf and I are going through it right now