US outland applicants' thread :)

[computergeek]

I'm US - my Wife is Canadian.
App was received on Dec 10, 2012
We're now at "Decision Made. The office will contact you concerning this decision" since about two weeks ago.

The COPR has been issued and is in the mail on its way back to you.

What I'm wondering is what happens next?! They already have all my medicals, police reports, and I had to email them a copy of my passport after the first part of the assessment. I'm sure I'm approved - I have no reason not to be - but:

• Will they now send me a passport request? - If so is this by mail, or email? <<< I'm pretty sure this is "Yes"

The request for a copy of your passport was the passport request - that's all they need these days. You're done, you've been approved, they've printed your status document and mailed it to the address they have on file for you.

• Also, since I filed outland, will they send any information / passport requests to my address in the US, or to my wife's residence (Where I am at) here in Canada? <<< This one's important, haha.

They would send it to the address that you requested. Normally, that would be the mailing address listed in your application.

When I log into the site, under "Your current mailing address" it has the Canadian address - I'm pretty sure it had the US address before, but maybe not.

That seems to be normal for people, yes.

I'm planning to go back to the states for a week at the end of this month, but if they're going to be sending it there, or if they're going to request I show up at a Canadian Embassy / Vista Office in the states, I really cant afford to go back and forth twice. Have been out of a decent job for almost a year now!

My file is at OPP-Ottawa too, btw.

>>> Thanks for your help guys! And I promise I searched the heck out of this question, but I just couldn't find the specifics about this.

They won't require you show up at the Embassy (DC) or Consulates (NYC or LA) for your documents. It's all done by mail these days. My guess is that if it's been two weeks since DM, they probably mailed it to your US address. Do you have someone in the US checking your mail that could see if it is there? Though mail from Canada to the US can take up to three weeks.

Congratulations! It's just a matter now of presenting your paperwork at the border.

 

[theamazingaustin]

They won't require you show up at the Embassy (DC) or Consulates (NYC or LA) for your documents. It's all done by mail these days. My guess is that if it's been two weeks since DM, they probably mailed it to your US address. Do you have someone in the US checking your mail that could see if it is there? Though mail from Canada to the US can take up to three weeks.

Congratulations! It's just a matter now of presenting your paperwork at the border.

Computergeek,
I do have family checking the mailbox regularly, so hopefully it will show up soon!
Thank you so much for your answers, as with the rest of the application, I just need to be patient, but I don't like not knowing what to be expecting, so I really appreciate your help!

 

[MommyBear]

THank you very much for replying to my question! So to clarify, if I entered Canada as a visitor, and I don't overstay by leaving and re-entering, I can say that my residence is Canada?
Thanks!

If you are living in Canada, you should list Canada. If you are living in the US, you should list the US. "Outland" means your application is processed at a visa office abroad (in your case that means Ottawa, supporting my contention that Canadians are now as geographically challenged as Americans.) If you wish to apply Inland there are specific requirements that you be living in Canada with your spouse/partner. But there is no requirement that you live anywhere for Outland (only that you maintain legal status if you are living in Canada).

No. It would be a problem if you lied. Do not lie as misrepresentation is a serious problem that can cause you quite a bit of grief.

 

[computergeek]

THank you very much for replying to my question! So to clarify, if I entered Canada as a visitor, and I don't overstay by leaving and re-entering, I can say that my residence is Canada?
Thanks!

The question of residence relates to where you ordinarily live. If you are living in Canada with your spouse and simply leaving and re-entering to reset the 6 month clock, you're living in Canada. You might just consider asking for a visitor record (VR) at the border so you can extend it without leaving (it can be extended online). This is fairly common for someone with an application in process (bring your sponsor approval letter, or if you don't have that yet, the fee paid receipt for the PR application, so you can show the CBSA folks that you have applied.)

Note: if you spend more than 183 days in Canada for any reason, you are a tax resident of Canada. You must file a Canadian tax return, even if CIC doesn't consider you to be a legal resident. If you are a US Citizen, you must file a tax return each year, regardless of where you reside (unless you are completely exempt from filing a return). Failure to do so can create problems when you try to renew your passport.

 

[Concertina]

Hello!
I've looked through about 100 of pages on this forum, this thread and the general one for Family Sponsorship and I can't find the answer - I'm getting more confused. Help!
Im engaged to a Canadian- met in school 3 yrs ago, started dating 2+ years ago, engaged Jan 2013. I live and work in Michigan, he's temporarily living n working in Toronto- until June 2014. Then, we'll be able to move in together (finally!)- buy a house in the Windsor area so I can keep crossing. I don't need to move into Canada any sooner then June 2014.
What's the best order to do things in? Get married, get temp visa, send in Sponsorship/PR app? Get temp visa, get married, apply for Spon/PR?
All advice would be more than appreciated- we're worried about misstepping somewhere along this process. We were going to send in the spon/ PR app as conjugal partners n get married Sept. 2014 but luckily found this Forum - we wouldn't have an immigration barrier! So we're flexible- biggest concern is getting the right documentation so I can live in Canada and cross the border M-F while we wait on processing times for my PR.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, All!

 

[computergeek]

Hello!
I've looked through about 100 of pages on this forum, this thread and the general one for Family Sponsorship and I can't find the answer - I'm getting more confused. Help!
Im engaged to a Canadian- met in school 3 yrs ago, started dating 2+ years ago, engaged Jan 2013. I live and work in Michigan, he's temporarily living n working in Toronto- until June 2014. Then, we'll be able to move in together (finally!)- buy a house in the Windsor area so I can keep crossing. I don't need to move into Canada any sooner then June 2014.
What's the best order to do things in? Get married, get temp visa, send in Sponsorship/PR app? Get temp visa, get married, apply for Spon/PR?
All advice would be more than appreciated- we're worried about misstepping somewhere along this process. We were going to send in the spon/ PR app as conjugal partners n get married Sept. 2014 but luckily found this Forum - we wouldn't have an immigration barrier! So we're flexible- biggest concern is getting the right documentation so I can live in Canada and cross the border M-F while we wait on processing times for my PR.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, All!

You're American and thus do not need a visa. My advice is to get a Nexus card, because that's going to ease your travel over the border. The BEST order here would be: apply for PR and then request a visitor record (though technically they become invalid when you leave Canada). Tell the officer the truth - you're spouse/partner is sponsoring you (show the sponsor approval letter if you have it, the receipt if you do not) and you would like to LIVE with your sponsor while the application is in process, but you will continue to work in the US while they process the paperwork. It should not be an issue. Note that you will not have health care in Canada until 90 days after you become a permanent resident (Ontario is the stingiest province in this regard) but you may find you don't qualify for US health insurance (because you don't live in the US any longer). It may not matter as long as you continue to have some US address (relatives or friends or just a mail forwarding service even) because nobody really checks that carefully in cases like yours.

Nexus requires both the US and Canada approve you, but once you have it, you will find traveling between the countries is vastly less painful.

Good luck!

 

[cpeters8604]

Hi everyone

I am a Canadian citizen my wife is an American citizen. We have the application almost all ready to go (still waiting on FBI police certificate) Everything else is bundled up signed and dated and ready to go.

1.Should I send off the application now then send off police clearance afterwards so that step 1 of application can begin? OR should I wait the extra few weeks for the papers to arrive to avoid delay or confusion.

2. I am applying with the Outland application. Where should I be mailing the package? The office in Ottawa? This is the address that came up

CPP – Ottawa
Temporary Resident Visa Section
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1

3. is the American gov "shutdown" going to affect the process at all?

Thanks for all comments and in put it is greatly appreciated!

 

[Cvstos]

Hi everyone

I am a Canadian citizen my wife is an American citizen. We have the application almost all ready to go (still waiting on FBI police certificate) Everything else is bundled up signed and dated and ready to go.

1.Should I send off the application now then send off police clearance afterwards so that step 1 of application can begin? OR should I wait the extra few weeks for the papers to arrive to avoid delay or confusion.

2. I am applying with the Outland application. Where should I be mailing the package? The office in Ottawa? This is the address that came up

CPP – Ottawa
Temporary Resident Visa Section
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1

3. is the American gov "shutdown" going to affect the process at all?

Thanks for all comments and in put it is greatly appreciated!

I can only help with #3. There is a strong possibility it'll delay your getting the FBI certificate.

 

[computergeek]

1.Should I send off the application now then send off police clearance afterwards so that step 1 of application can begin? OR should I wait the extra few weeks for the papers to arrive to avoid delay or confusion.

As a general rule, this adds 1-2 months of processing time onto the application in most cases (because the FBI certificate won't be with your file when the visa officer first reviews it). But given the US shutdown, you may not have any choice.

2. I am applying with the Outland application. Where should I be mailing the package? The office in Ottawa? This is the address that came up

CPP – Ottawa
Temporary Resident Visa Section
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1

The entire application should be sent to Mississauga. Courier address is on Robert Speck Parkway. CIC will transfer the file (internally) to Ottawa. Once you get the sponsor approval letter, it will give you an address for the correct CPP-O address.

3. is the American gov "shutdown" going to affect the process at all?

Just because it slows down the FBI certificates, yes. If it drags on much longer (or if they just eliminate the FBI CJIS office as part of whacking the $640bn shortfall from the US budget to avoid defaulting on existing debt or something equally wacky) you might want to look into getting state certificates (not that CIC will accept them, but if NOBODY can get FBI certificates that seems to be the next logical step.)

 

[cpeters8604]

Correct me please if I am misunderstanding this. The "outland" means it is processed out of Canada. Meaning will there be delays in processing if usa is responsible for this procedure?

 

[computergeek]

Correct me please if I am misunderstanding this. The "outland" means it is processed out of Canada. Meaning will there be delays in processing if usa is responsible for this procedure?

"Outland" means it is processed by a visa office outside Canada. For US Citizens or people lawfully admitted to the US or Canada for at least one year, that means the foreign visa office in Ottawa, ON. Note that the visa offices are funded by the Canadian government, so the US government's funding issues will not directly impact the processing of a Canadian PR application.

There are indirect impacts, such as the inability of applicants to obtain an FBI Police Clearance Certificate due to the furlough of FBI workers that handle such non-essential governmental services.

 

[Mitroh]

Is there anyone here applying via new york visa office?

How much time does it take ?
They say 18 months, does it actually take that long?

 

[computergeek]

Is there anyone here applying via new york visa office?

How much time does it take ?
They say 18 months, does it actually take that long?

You can't apply via the NYC office. US/Canada applicants are processed through CPP-O (Ottawa). Files that require extra processing, such as interviews, may be referred to NYC or LA, but that's CIC's choice, not yours.

If you look at the open data project, you will find figures for 20/30/50/70 and 80%. CIC only publishes the 80% figure.

 

[krs175]

I am a Canadian Citizen and have applied for sponsorship of my spouse, who is an Indian citizen but living in USA on H1B.

Its been 6 months that I have sent the sponsorship application. My spouse's contract with the US company had ended recently and she has to leave USA. She is thinking of joining me here in Canada (She has Canadian visitor's visa).

My questions are:

Can she stay in Canada (of course < 6 months) until her immigration is done?
Will the immigration authorities send any correspondence to my spouse's address in USA (eg. passport request)?
What is the best we can do in this situation to avoid any delays?

Thank you very much. Your help is appreciated.

 

[OhCanadiana]

I am a Canadian Citizen and have applied for sponsorship of my spouse, who is an Indian citizen but living in USA on H1B.

Its been 6 months that I have sent the sponsorship application. My spouse's contract with the US company had ended recently and she has to leave USA. She is thinking of joining me here in Canada (She has Canadian visitor's visa).

My questions are:

Can she stay in Canada (of course < 6 months) until her immigration is done?

She can visit Canada and stay for as long as she is admitted (usually 6 months unless a different date is stamped on her passport or she receives a visitor's record with a different date). As always, her admission will be assessed at the border entry point so it's important to be clear regarding her intentions. Several people have shared their experiences throughout this thread if you want to read through those.

Will the immigration authorities send any correspondence to my spouse's address in USA (eg. passport request)?

Yes, though you could change her address to yours by sending an e-mail / case specific enquiry to the visa office processing her request. Remember to also advise the VO regarding the changes her employment situation.

What is the best we can do in this situation to avoid any delays?

At the border, some people have shared that they found that having their Canadian spouse with them when they cross the border is helpful so that you can confirm your intentions to sponsor her and that she is visiting and will leave at the end of her visit if she hasn't been approved as a PR yet, how you'll finance her stay since she won't work, etc.
For the application, as long as your application was complete when you submitted it, it's a matter of waiting for it to be processed.

Thank you very much. Your help is appreciated.

Good luck!