Police Clearance?

[Prelude]

Hello!

My wife is in the process of getting an outland PR application together. We've assembled most of the necessary things at this point and are just waiting on her FBI clearance to come back. We sent it via express mail that had to be signed for upon receipt in the second half of May and included the form for paying by credit card. I know it generally takes 12+ weeks to go through, but I don't see a charge for it yet on the credit card and I'm a little worried. Is this normal? Is it likely they just haven't gotten to hers yet and will process payment when they do?

Also, she's been in Canada since March 4. We've had to update her VR twice in order for her to stay, and her current VR goes until September 18. She's only had visitor status while here (no work or study permit). Does the time she's been here count as "living" in Canada? As of September 4, she'll have been here for six months. Would that mean she'll need RCMP clearance as well for her PR application, as it asks you to have it for any country you've lived in for 6+ months since you were 18, or is she safe because she's only in Canada as a visitor?

It's hard for us to get to a place that'll process the RCMP clearance quickly, so we definitely want to be sure before doing it.

 

[Ponga]

If your request was received by the FBI in mid-May, you probably won't see the credit card charge until sometime (mid?) next month. They charge the card as soon as they open your envelope but before they actually run the prints. This is important to keep in mind because your prints can still be rejected (because they are not legible) even after your card has been charged.

Your wife does not need an RCMP clearance. CIC will conduct their own check for Canada.

Good luck!

 

[LN13]

We sent ours in near the end of April and it was charged last week if that helps any.

 

[Prelude]

You're both fantastic. Thank you! That takes a big weight off my shoulders and gives us a better idea of what to expect.

Also, another question so I don't gum up the forum with new topics:

We've started up the process for applying for a visitor visa online and gotten the code to start a CIC account for her (the code format is "QK4350881372" like the website gives, as an example). I'm assuming the proof of medical exam we got for her outland app is sufficient for this, too, right? We wouldn't need to do a whole new medical exam? The office we did it at used e-medical, so we got the form with the barcode on it and everything. Since we're applying for the visa online, can we just provide a scan of that sheet?

 

[Prelude]

Eek, also I saw this thread: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/visitor-visa-grantedwife-of-pr-t273759.0.html

This lady is from India and her husband only has PR in Canada, and she said she was told she had a "98% chance" of being denied for a visa. Is my wife's situation likely to be like that, too?

I'm a Canadian-born citizen and she's from America. Should the visa thing work out alright? We don't want to apply and waste additional time/money if she's likely to be denied.

 

[Aquakitty]

Eek, also I saw this thread: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/visitor-visa-grantedwife-of-pr-t273759.0.html

This lady is from India and her husband only has PR in Canada, and she said she was told she had a "98% chance" of being denied for a visa. Is my wife's situation likely to be like that, too?

I'm a Canadian-born citizen and she's from America. Should the visa thing work out alright? We don't want to apply and waste additional time/money if she's likely to be denied.

She's an American citizen? Why are you filing a visa app then, the US is a visa-exempt country. Once she enters Canada she is automatically a visitor, no problem. She can legally stay for 6 months. At least a month before the end of the 6 months, apply for a visitor record extention. This is not the same as a vistor visa.

 

[Prelude]

Yikes, thank you!

When we got the current VR at the Alberta/Montana border, the Canadian border agents were pretty irate and told us she shouldn't be trying to get a new VR through them. They told us that in order to extend this one (which is good until September 18) we'd need to do it through the CIC, and that borders "don't normally handle this".

She'll have been in Canada for six months as of September 4, and is hoping to go back to America for a little while to deal with some things back home. However, we're worried that if she goes back across the border, they won't let her back in.

I'm living in BC again and the closest border is, of course, Washington. Her home state is Ohio. Usually she flies to Washington and I drive down to get her. We don't want her to go back, do what needs doing, and then fly all the way to the Washington only to get denied entry into Canada. After all, she's already spent her allotted six months here. What should we do?

She really needs to go home to take care of something, but we don't want to be separated for six months. What would you guys recommend?

 

[Aquakitty]

Yikes, thank you!

When we got the current VR at the Alberta/Montana border, the Canadian border agents were pretty irate and told us she shouldn't be trying to get a new VR through them. They told us that in order to extend this one (which is good until September 18) we'd need to do it through the CIC, and that borders "don't normally handle this".

She'll have been in Canada for six months as of September 4, and is hoping to go back to America for a little while to deal with some things back home. However, we're worried that if she goes back across the border, they won't let her back in.

I'm living in BC again and the closest border is, of course, Washington. Her home state is Ohio. Usually she flies to Washington and I drive down to get her. We don't want her to go back, do what needs doing, and then fly all the way to the Washington only to get denied entry into Canada. After all, she's already spent her allotted six months here. What should we do?

She really needs to go home to take care of something, but we don't want to be separated for six months. What would you guys recommend?

As soon as she crosses the border she "resets" the timer on the 6 months, so a visitor record extension is not necessary. However, she could start the process of extending her visitor record now for peace of mind, but even having one is not a guarantee of getting back across the border.

From my experience though, I think you are over worrying. We've crossed over many times even with him being out of status for more than a year. All I suggest telling the border guards is the truth, that she is VISITING you in Canada while you prepare your PR application (it's not recommended to say "living" as they might hassle you but some people do and have no problem). They are not that hard on American citizens about crossing over or my husband would be in jail by now, lol. Just keep her in status and never tell lies and you will be fine.

Oh, one more thing you can do for peace of mind is get Nexus cards. Even if you don't use them that much, it shows them that you are precleared for any criminal activity and you'll have no issues at all with crossing.

 

[Prelude]

Really? That's good news. I thought you were only allowed to be in Canada for six months out of any given year and that if that ran out you were stuck out of the country for another six, so that's great, haha!

So if she goes home for two or so months around the end of August, you think she should be able to get back into Canada, assuming we tell them the truth--which is that she's visiting while we wait on her PR application? Usually when she comes across, they ask how long she'll be staying, but without a set return date, do you think it would be alright to tell them that she'd like to stay as long as she can but will leave when she needs to? We definitely want to comply with the law and make the border people as sure of us as possible. She does have immediate family and a home to go back to if need be, so that's all stuff we can prove.

 

[Ponga]

Really? That's good news. I thought you were only allowed to be in Canada for six months out of any given year and that if that ran out you were stuck out of the country for another six, so that's great, haha!

So if she goes home for two or so months around the end of August, you think she should be able to get back into Canada, assuming we tell them the truth--which is that she's visiting while we wait on her PR application? Usually when she comes across, they ask how long she'll be staying, but without a set return date, do you think it would be alright to tell them that she'd like to stay as long as she can but will leave when she needs to? We definitely want to comply with the law and make the border people as sure of us as possible. She does have immediate family and a home to go back to if need be, so that's all stuff we can prove.

Read through this (old) thread, which will explain `Dual Intent'; something that CBSA is [still] very much aware of:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/dual-intent-why-are-so-many-afraid-to-come-as-visitor-with-pr-in-process-t72072.0.html

Good luck!

 

[Prelude]

Ah, well that isn't so bad! Ponga, you linked me to the dual intent thing before when we had to go do border stuff, and somehow it didn't even occur to me that it potentially applied in this scenario, haha. Thank you.

I guess the thing that threw us off was thinking that we could only be in Canada for six months and then would subsequently have to stay out for six months before being allowed back in. I'm glad that's not actually the case. You guys are great and continually save us some huge hassles. I'd buy everyone some cupcakes if I could, haha.

 

[Aquakitty]

Ah, well that isn't so bad! Ponga, you linked me to the dual intent thing before when we had to go do border stuff, and somehow it didn't even occur to me that it potentially applied in this scenario, haha. Thank you.

I guess the thing that threw us off was thinking that we could only be in Canada for six months and then would subsequently have to stay out for six months before being allowed back in. I'm glad that's not actually the case. You guys are great and continually save us some huge hassles. I'd buy everyone some cupcakes if I could, haha.

A visitor record is not a bad thing to have anyways, if they do give you one at the border. You can use it to get a temp Canadian driving licence, bank accounts and such.