Sponsoring my Korean wife for permanent residency

[Van Rooster]

Thanks Rob. That's what I was thinking. Similar to having to redo the medical check I guess.

 

[CanNZ]

My wife and I are still waiting for that piece of mail, just want this to be over with now.

 

[shward6]

Hi everyone, I've been following this thread (among others) for a few months now and it's been incredibly informative! I was hoping to get some of your two cents on my situation - I'll try to keep it brief but bear with me. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

My Korean boyfriend and I have been together for four years (come March 2015) We met while I was teaching ESL in Seoul. We were together for two years and then did long distance for another two after I moved back to Canada with the intention of finding a full time job. Unfortunately, I wound up working 3 different contracts during that time and have yet to land a full time job. He joined me in Canada in December 2014 and last weekend we were married in a small civil ceremony and reception at my parents' house (so boyfriend has actually become husband!) - attended by my father, sisters, brother and uncle + aunt. Unfortunately, my mother is currently in Seoul visiting her sister and slept through the ceremony. (She was meant to join via web cam) :-[ The reason for the civil ceremony was purely a personal choice - we had both envisioned an intimate ceremony with only immediate family and then later a party with both friends and family. We should receive our marriage certificate in 8-12 weeks and file our PR application outland in Manila. As I'm currently unemployed and having difficulty finding work we've decided to move back to Korea together where we can both work and save for our intended return once he receives his PR. (My mother is Korean so I have an F4 "heritage" visa) My question to you in the forum is, by leaving Canada together am I giving CIC enough to reason to doubt our intention to return? What would others do in this situation? In my mind, it makes the most sense to go where we can both work, save and live comfortably. However, for an outsider scrutinizing our relationship, they may come to a different conclusion. I'm also wondering if the "intimate" nature of our civil ceremony will be suspect to CIC.

Other information: While I was living in Korea for four years I filed my taxes in Canada. I also have an RRSP, TFSA and a decent amount of investments with BMO that I have been contributing to since my return. (When I moved back to Canada I sent all of the money that I had saved while working in Seoul so this amount, coupled with my work savings from the past two years has contributed to these funds) My hope is that this type of information will help in showing that our intention was to always live in Canada. I was also using my Canadian credit card while I was in Korea as well. (Not sure if this matters but I'll throw it out there!) Would this, on top of a letter of support from my parents and a history of job searching in Canada, be enough?

Many thanks in advance for your response!

 

[Van Rooster]

My question to you in the forum is, by leaving Canada together am I giving CIC enough to reason to doubt our intention to return? What would others do in this situation? In my mind, it makes the most sense to go where we can both work, save and live comfortably. However, for an outsider scrutinizing our relationship, they may come to a different conclusion. I'm also wondering if the "intimate" nature of our civil ceremony will be suspect to CIC.

Other information: While I was living in Korea for four years I filed my taxes in Canada. I also have an RRSP, TFSA and a decent amount of investments with BMO that I have been contributing to since my return. (When I moved back to Canada I sent all of the money that I had saved while working in Seoul so this amount, coupled with my work savings from the past two years has contributed to these funds) My hope is that this type of information will help in showing that our intention was to always live in Canada. I was also using my Canadian credit card while I was in Korea as well. (Not sure if this matters but I'll throw it out there!) Would this, on top of a letter of support from my parents and a history of job searching in Canada, be enough?

I can offer my two cents but again the more experienced members will know better particularly in regards to applying from Korea..

CIC is going to be concerned with
1. The genuineness of your relationship
2. How you plan to reestablish yourself

1. This is where you'll need pictures, chat records, e-mails, KakaoTalk, Skype, letters etc. particularly for the long distance periods. Letters of support from friends/family. The intimate nature of the ceremony shouldn't be of huge concern, you had family members in attendance that can provide supporting letters (& pictures). Not everyone can afford or wants an elaborate white wedding. Have a look at the principal applicant questionnaire form and see what questions they ask to support the relationship. Most people on here I think also wrote a cover letter as a sponsor briefly outlining the relationship history. It's all about honesty and evidence.

2. Applying for PR you are stating your intention to return to Canada, CIC probably isn't going to doubt that, but be more concerned with how you plan to reestablish yourself. This is where evidence of job searching, real estate hunting, lease agreement, correspondence with shipping companies, letters of accommodation offer from mom/dad etc. Your financial investments might be useful in some way I'm not sure.
Other members have more experience with this one.

 

[shward6]

I can offer my two cents but again the more experienced members will know better particularly in regards to applying from Korea..

CIC is going to be concerned with
1. The genuineness of your relationship
2. How you plan to reestablish yourself

1. This is where you'll need pictures, chat records, e-mails, KakaoTalk, Skype, letters etc. particularly for the long distance periods. Letters of support from friends/family. The intimate nature of the ceremony shouldn't be of huge concern, you had family members in attendance that can provide supporting letters (& pictures). Not everyone can afford or wants an elaborate white wedding. Have a look at the principal applicant questionnaire form and see what questions they ask to support the relationship. Most people on here I think also wrote a cover letter as a sponsor briefly outlining the relationship history. It's all about honesty and evidence.

2. Applying for PR you are stating your intention to return to Canada, CIC probably isn't going to doubt that, but be more concerned with how you plan to reestablish yourself. This is where evidence of job searching, real estate hunting, lease agreement, correspondence with shipping companies, letters of accommodation offer from mom/dad etc. Your financial investments might be useful in some way I'm not sure.
Other members have more experience with this one.

Thank you so much Van Rooster! I really appreciate your help!

 

[bartjones]

My question to you in the forum is, by leaving Canada together am I giving CIC enough to reason to doubt our intention to return?

CIC is always going to address this issue if the sponsor is living outside of Canada when you apply. I would just provide a covering letter with your application explaining why you are now working in Korea and explaining how you plan to re-establish yourself once your husband has PR. The ties you have to Canada (investments, credit cards, bank accounts, etc.) are excellent evidence in support of your intent to move back to Canada, once you have PR. Just cover it all off in detail when you submit your application and I think you'll be fine.

I'm also wondering if the "intimate" nature of our civil ceremony will be suspect to CIC.

Well, you had a civil ceremony, which is not uncommon, and a small reception. A lot of people have far less. Include lots of pictures of both the ceremony and the reception and explain that this arrangement was a personal choice and, again, I think you'll be okay.

Include all that stuff Van Rooster mentioned and I think your application will go smoothly.

 

[ctcruiser]

Congrats on getting somewhere in this process finally CaNZ.
My wife and I haven't waited nearly as long as you, so I can only imagine how you feel.
We got an update today though. Since September, our status has been "file received" with no changes at all until today. My wife checked it on a whim, and it now says "decision made."
looks like we're almost out of the woods. (I feel almost guilty posting this knowing that our "woods" were more like a small garden compared to some of you guys.)

With luck she'll have her PR by the end of March and we can move on to other life plans.

CT

 

[lengjai]

anyone got good recommendation for shipping company? i know shipping by sea is cheapest. Please share the best deal. thanks

 

[floomy]

Hi everyone, I've been following this thread (among others) for a few months now and it's been incredibly informative! I was hoping to get some of your two cents on my situation - I'll try to keep it brief but bear with me. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

My Korean boyfriend and I have been together for four years (come March 2015) We met while I was teaching ESL in Seoul. We were together for two years and then did long distance for another two after I moved back to Canada with the intention of finding a full time job. Unfortunately, I wound up working 3 different contracts during that time and have yet to land a full time job. He joined me in Canada in December 2014 and last weekend we were married in a small civil ceremony and reception at my parents' house (so boyfriend has actually become husband!) - attended by my father, sisters, brother and uncle + aunt. Unfortunately, my mother is currently in Seoul visiting her sister and slept through the ceremony. (She was meant to join via web cam) :-[ The reason for the civil ceremony was purely a personal choice - we had both envisioned an intimate ceremony with only immediate family and then later a party with both friends and family. We should receive our marriage certificate in 8-12 weeks and file our PR application outland in Manila. As I'm currently unemployed and having difficulty finding work we've decided to move back to Korea together where we can both work and save for our intended return once he receives his PR. (My mother is Korean so I have an F4 "heritage" visa) My question to you in the forum is, by leaving Canada together am I giving CIC enough to reason to doubt our intention to return? What would others do in this situation? In my mind, it makes the most sense to go where we can both work, save and live comfortably. However, for an outsider scrutinizing our relationship, they may come to a different conclusion. I'm also wondering if the "intimate" nature of our civil ceremony will be suspect to CIC.

Other information: While I was living in Korea for four years I filed my taxes in Canada. I also have an RRSP, TFSA and a decent amount of investments with BMO that I have been contributing to since my return. (When I moved back to Canada I sent all of the money that I had saved while working in Seoul so this amount, coupled with my work savings from the past two years has contributed to these funds) My hope is that this type of information will help in showing that our intention was to always live in Canada. I was also using my Canadian credit card while I was in Korea as well. (Not sure if this matters but I'll throw it out there!) Would this, on top of a letter of support from my parents and a history of job searching in Canada, be enough?

Many thanks in advance for your response!

I hope this helps.

1. I applied outland when we were in Korea( husband, me and baby) and came to Canada soon after. (still in Canada)
I explained our plan in Canada on separated sheet of paper with my application.
Later I received the letter from CIC that inquired more proof of living in Canada after PR.
Luckily my husband has full time job at that time so I sent a letter from my husband work ( job title, pay etc)

I think, CIC might ask you more detailed plan or proof of your plan to live/ move in Canada so it might not be bad idea you keep looking for a job in Canada even if you are working in Korea.
(sure, it would not be easy, but worth to try)

2. we did not have wedding but we had family dinner in Canada ( my parents came to attend it)
so we explained the letter that why we did not have ceremony ( ex. we both do not like big wedding and decided to save money for baby or future etc)
they(cic ) did not inquire anything regarding to wedding.
My situation is worse than yours. Due to family incident, we do not have any picture on that day - none of family members did not take picture, no family picture etc.
of course, i explained the family incident and why we do not have any pictures on that day.

hope it helps.

good luck.

 

[ctcruiser]

Can someone who has flagpoled at the border recently give me any advice/tips on what to expect? My wife mentioned hearing that it was possible just to notify them from within Canada. Has anyone else heard anything like that? We're looking for the paperwork to show up by the end of this month and are starting to plan for the landing.

CT

 

[bartjones]

Can someone who has flagpoled at the border recently give me any advice/tips on what to expect? My wife mentioned hearing that it was possible just to notify them from within Canada. Has anyone else heard anything like that? We're looking for the paperwork to show up by the end of this month and are starting to plan for the landing.

CT

Not much to expect. Take your COPR, drive to the US border, tell them you're not trying to enter the US you just want to 'flagpole'. They will give you a document that I seem to recall is called an 'administrative refusal'. It's just a piece of paper that says you never entered the US. They will then guide you to a gate that takes you back to the Canadian border crossing and you drive back there. Tell the CBSA officer at the kiosk that you're there to do a PR landing. They'll direct you into the CBSA office. Present your COPR and they will do the rest. In our case, the place was empty and it took less than 30 minutes.

 

[Rob_TO]

Can someone who has flagpoled at the border recently give me any advice/tips on what to expect? My wife mentioned hearing that it was possible just to notify them from within Canada. Has anyone else heard anything like that? We're looking for the paperwork to show up by the end of this month and are starting to plan for the landing.

CT

We had the same experience as bartjones when flagpolling. Though in our case (landing at Rainbow bridge in Niagara Falls) we actually entered US first just to see the falls from the US side (it's not as good as Canadian side!), and then drove back naturally to Canada where my wife did her landing. Actual landing was barely 10 minutes in total.

You can also call to book a landing appt at a local CIC office instead of going to the border, but depending how busy they are you could be looking at several months for the appointment. So it's much quicker to just flagpole if the US border isn't too far.

 

[shward6]

Thank you so much floomy and bartjones! (and again Van Rooster!) I really appreciate all of your input!

 

[ctcruiser]

Cool, thanks guys. That sounds pretty easy. We live near Calgary so the border is only a couple hours away. Easy enough to do on a Saturday.
CT

 

[CanNZ]

still waiting for the COPR, hopefully it didn't get lost in the mail like my first option-c print out did.

CT Cruiser, which crossing are you going to?