Sponsorship approved / PR application in process: Can I enter Canada?

[niQo]

Currently I'm living in the USA on a visa that is about to expire in the beginning of August.
My Canadian wife is sponsoring me to become a Canadian permanent resident. She has been approved as a sponsor, but the rest of the application is still in process.

We are hoping to move to Canada at the end of July. The question is: Will I be able to enter Canada, even if my permanent residency is still in process?

Thank you for your time!

 

[wilson]

You could be allowed to Canada if you are from visa exempted country or if you have a visitor visa for Canada. The problem is that your entry will be maximum for 6 months, but it is up to the discretion of the BSA at the Canadian border.

 

[niQo]

You could be allowed to Canada if you are from visa exempted country or if you have a visitor visa for Canada. The problem is that your entry will be maximum for 6 months, but it is up to the discretion of the BSA at the Canadian border.

Right, I'm worried about the 'could' part... If they don't I kind of have a problem!

Anybody have experience with this?

 

[scylla]

I'm assuming you are visa exempt and don't require a tourist visa to enter Canada.

Assuming that's the case, you should be allowed into Canada - but there's never a guarantee. Whether you are allowed into the country or not and for how long is up to the immigration officer you encounter at the border. For this reason it's impossible to predict what your experience will be.

When you enter Canada, make sure you behave as a visitor (since you're not allowed to move to Canada yet). This means that you should be able to demonstrate ties to your home country, have sufficient funds to pay for your visit and ideally have a return ticket (not necessary, but it can be helpful). And make sure you don't pack like you're moving (pack like a visitor). If you come into Canada with items that make it look like you're moving (furniture, household items, pets, too many articles of clothing) this can cause problems and could result in entry being refused.

 

[Foster]

Right, I'm worried about the 'could' part... If they don't I kind of have a problem!

Anybody have experience with this?

My husband is an American citizen and he is here with me now on an extension of stay. He was granted the original 6 months to stay then a month before it expired we sent in an application for an extension of stay. If you wish to come to Canada just like scylla said you need to prove your ties with the US that you are going to come back home. My husband didn't bring a whole lot with him when he entered Canada and he had a return flight home but then we just cancelled it. But make sure you check the airlines policy before you do that.

 

[niQo]

I'm assuming you are visa exempt and don't require a tourist visa to enter Canada.

Assuming that's the case, you should be allowed into Canada - but there's never a guarantee. Whether you are allowed into the country or not and for how long is up to the immigration officer you encounter at the border. For this reason it's impossible to predict what your experience will be.

When you enter Canada, make sure you behave as a visitor (since you're not allowed to move to Canada yet). This means that you should be able to demonstrate ties to your home country, have sufficient funds to pay for your visit and ideally have a return ticket (not necessary, but it can be helpful). And make sure you don't pack like you're moving (pack like a visitor). If you come into Canada with items that make it look like you're moving (furniture, household items, pets, too many articles of clothing) this can cause problems and could result in entry being refused.

I'm Dutch, so yes, I'm visa exempt. The problem is that we are planning to move (think U-Haul with all our stuff) across the border! Since we are planning to drive across the border, I will not have a return ticket and also don't have a lot of ties to my home country as I haven't lived there for 5 years.
Sounds like this will be interesting...

 

[scylla]

If you want to increase your chances of being allowed in without any issues - travel separately from your wife. Have your wife drive the u-haul across the border with all of your stuff (since she's a Canadian, she is free to return as she wishes). You should then fly separately into Canada on a return ticket. That's the best option.

 

[Foster]

I'm Dutch, so yes, I'm visa exempt. The problem is that we are planning to move (think U-Haul with all our stuff) across the border! Since we are planning to drive across the border, I will not have a return ticket and also don't have a lot of ties to my home country as I haven't lived there for 5 years.
Sounds like this will be interesting...

When driving they are not as strict versus at the airport. But I agree with scylla that you both come into the country seeing as you haven't been to your home country in 5 years.

 

[niQo]

So... I did what most of you wouldn't recommend... Yesterday we crossed the border, I drove a Uhaul with all our stuff and my wife and mother-in-law were in our car with our kids.

It was NO problem to get into Canada I got 5 months on a visitor visa. Hopefully my PR application will be done before then!

Thanks for all your responses!