Some Help/Advice Please?

[Rice]

I just have to say i'm seriously glad I found this site; such a wealth of information

I do however have a couple of questions:
1. I read somewhere that the sponsors income was irrelevant when sponsoring a spouse or something along those lines? If so how does that work?
2. My Wife is pregnant. Does this mean we cannot file the application due to the medical examination?
3. How do you go about obtaining the proper photos for the sponsorship application? I read on CIC's site that they're are not the same as passport photos..

My wife is living with me in Canada. When we crossed the boarder the IO at the port of entry forgot to stamp her passport but did fill out a "PERSONAL EFFECTS ACCOUNTING DOCUMENT" so at the advise of the call center agent we filled out the Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada as a Visitor. Now according to the agent we spoke to on the phone, no fee would be necessary due to the circumstances.

Any infos/advice is greatly appreciated!
~Rice~

 

[Rice]

A little tidbit:
The sponsorship has already been paid for and we presented the receipt to the IO when crossing the boarder. Which, i'm sure, is the only reason she was permitted to enter.

 

[RobsLuv]

OK, let's see. You asked about the sponsor's income: it's not that it's "irrelevant", it's just that there are no minimum income requirements to sponsor a spouse or dependent child. So, although it is pretty important that you have a job so you can show you're able to support those you are sponsoring, you don't have to make a certain amount of money. That's why CIC still requires sponsors to provide an Option C printout (so they know you are not on social assistance or in bankruptcy), and a letter from your employer. (See the sponsor's document checklist.)

Your wife being pregnant does not mean that you cannot file the application- and do at least most of the medical exam. What it does mean is that, until her Dr tells her it's safe, she cannot complete the medical because she cannot get the chest xray done. The most expedient way to deal with this is to get the medical done without the xray, and complete the criminal clearances and the application forms and submit everything. CIC will process as much as possible, and then put the application in pending until they receive the results of the xray. When her Dr says it's safe to get the xray done, you'll be able to forward confirmation of that to CIC and they will request the results and finish with the file. There's info about this in Section 11 of the DMP handbook.

Getting the photos should be easy if your wife is in Canada - anyplace that does passport photos can also do the immigration photos. There's Japan Camera, and even the photo studios within places like Sears and WalMart can do them. Just take the photo specification sheet from the CIC application package and they can cut the photos to spec.

As far as the Extension Application - I wouldn't risk it being returned to you over advice from a Call Centre agent that the fee will be waived! It could really screw up her status here - and Call Centre agents are notorious for giving out wrong information. It's only $75! The important thing is that the application has to be received by CIC BEFORE your wife's original status in Canada expires. You will need to be able to submit something that proves her entry date - which is the disadvantage you're at if they didn't stamp her passport. If she has an airline ticket stub or something of that nature, maybe even the Personal Inventory sheet if it's dated and signed by an IO, then go ahead and submit the extension so that it's received before six months is up. Be sure to include a copy of your marriage licence, and proof that you are filing an application for PR sponsorship. (Good proof is a photocopy - be sure it's marked COPY - of the receipt you get for paying the PR application fees). You should also submit proof that there is an available income to support her so there are no concerns that she will work illegally to support herself. If you don't have a way to prove her entry date, a trip back to the border for both of you - to get her a Visitor Record - is advisable. There's specific info on how to accomplish this at the US2Canada website, under the "Visiting" tab. (Don't mention that she's already been in Canada for up to six months.)

Don't know where she's from but I suspect the States because of the no passport stamping thing. Please do yourselves a favour and file an outland application through Mississauga/Buffalo and get her permanent status as soon as possible with that baby coming.

P.S. Did they make you pay duty on her belongings coming in? That Personal Inventory sheet is supposed to be used when she lands so that she does not have to pay duty on declared belongings she's bringing in to Canada as a landing immigrant!

 

[Rice]

Thank you for your reply Rob! I was beginning to wonder if someone would.
We didn't pay any duty on what she brought. The Personal Effects Document is stamed saying "Canada Customs #26, 2008 JUN 15, Cleared Customs, 705 COUTTS". It even has a bar code on it and as you can see, shows when she entered Canada. I should mention however, that under the Landed Immigrant section the IO did not write anything in. Was he suppose to?

I've already sent off the Extension Application with a letter of explanation. Is there some way we can send the added information such as what you suggested to be added to the App.?

P.S. My wife is from the states.

 

[RobsLuv]

Thank you for your reply Rob! I was beginning to wonder if someone would.
We didn't pay any duty on what she brought. The Personal Effects Document is stamed saying "Canada Customs #26, 2008 JUN 15, Cleared Customs, 705 COUTTS". It even has a bar code on it and as you can see, shows when she entered Canada. I should mention however, that under the Landed Immigrant section the IO did not write anything in. Was he suppose to?

I've already sent off the Extension Application with a letter of explanation. Is there some way we can send the added information such as what you suggested to be added to the App.?

P.S. My wife is from the states.

No, he wasn't supposed to add anything in the "landed immigrant" section because she is not yet a landed immigrant. And I don't think it would be very easy to add anything to your extension application at this point. If it's denied you'll get a letter from CIC saying that she needs to go to the border and request an extension. BE CAREFUL that you go with her, and that you follow the instructions from US2Canada that I posted the link to earlier. It'll be dicey if she's already been here for awhile . . . try not to have to admit that and don't go in and show them the letter right off the bat. Try to start from scratch, hoping to get her an initial visitor record, which you could have insisted on (had you know to do that) when you accompanied her into Canada the first time. If she hasn't been here that long yet you might consider forgetting about the extension application for now and just take a holiday trip into the States for a week or so and come back in with her, introducing her as your wife, proving your legal marriage and that you're filing to sponsor her, and they should issue a VR there.