Wife pregnant during application, can we ask to defer entry?

[brownc25]

Hi all,

My common-law wife became pregnant during our sponsorship application (me, Canadian citizen, sponsoring her) and we are concerned about her potentially being forced to fly to land in Canada during her pregnancy or shortly thereafter.

We received a message last week from CIC saying "We are ready to issue the permanent resident visa that entitles you to enter Canada" and asking if any "Status Changes" had occurred since her application was submitted, of which expecting a child was one of those status changes. We are asked to inform the VO about this status change, indicating when the child is scheduled to be born (March 2019), within 30 days. We're also asked to send in a couple of documents/information (photos, photocopy of passport, height and eye colour), which I presume will be used to issue her permanent residence card. We aren't sure how long it will take before she is given her card and expected to land in Canada (within 90 days), or to what extent the VO takes into consideration that the 90-day rule of landing could leave my wife and/or newborn child in an uncomfortable situation vis-à-vis having to travel. My wife is almost in her 5th month of her pregnancy and does not want to travel to Canada until after she has given birth. We also wouldn't want to travel with a newborn of 1 or 2 months... maybe after 3 months we think it would be fine, but even then it would depend on the baby's health.

Would it be advisable to send in the requested information to the VO with a letter explaining our concerns for travel in the next short while and requesting until June/July 2019 to land so that the baby is not too young/vulnerable? What are the probabilities that CIC would allow that? If they are slim, what do you recommend that we do?

 

[zt2018]

When did she have her medical exam? Usually it is necessary to land before medical exams results expire (1 year after the test). There is no 90 day rule. Her PR card will be issued after she arrives to Canada.

 

[brownc25]

The medical was done in May of this year. I must have been misinformed about the dates associated with the obligation to land. It seems that you're right, my wife would have to arrive at the latest in May 2019 in all likelihood?

 

[canuck78]

She could also just land and return home after a quick visit. She probably doesn't want to fly back after a day because flying while pregnant may not be super comfortable but could fly back after a few days or a week.

 

[brownc25]

Yes that's an option but my wife is most interested in solutions that don't require her to fly while pregnant.

 

[DollyM]

It's unlikely that CIC will defer her landing by 8 months due to pregnancy that's only in its first trimester. If she's not due to deliver until March 2019 then she's not very far along in her pregnancy at all. There should be no reason she cannot fly up to about 7 months along, depending on airline rules. I flew long haul a good few times whilst pregnant with both of my children and although flying at 7 months along isn't that comfortable, it's not the end of the world. If she lands prior to the baby being born, and the baby is born in Canada it will automatically be a citizen and she as a PR would be entitled to medical care in Canada.

 

[canuck78]

It's unlikely that CIC will defer her landing by 8 months due to pregnancy that's only in its first trimester. If she's not due to deliver until March 2019 then she's not very far along in her pregnancy at all. There should be no reason she cannot fly up to about 7 months along, depending on airline rules. I flew long haul a good few times whilst pregnant with both of my children and although flying at 7 months along isn't that comfortable, it's not the end of the world. If she lands prior to the baby being born, and the baby is born in Canada it will automatically be a citizen and she as a PR would be entitled to medical care in Canada.

Depending on the province she may not have medical care.

 

[brownc25]

We will be going to Ontario, where she may have to wait up to 3 months for her health care to become active if I am not mistaken.

 

[kcward7]

We will be going to Ontario, where she may have to wait up to 3 months for her health care to become active if I am not mistaken.

Correct

 

[DollyM]

We will be going to Ontario, where she may have to wait up to 3 months for her health care to become active if I am not mistaken.

In the meantime you can take out private health insurance to cover the period without OHIP. If she wasn't pregnant what would you do for healthcare for the first 3 months? What are you going to do about health care for a baby in those first 3 months until your wife and baby become eligible? And do you realise that you will have to then sponsor your baby for PR and that will take time as well?

I still think it is extremely unlikely that CIC will defer your wife's landing for 8 months because she is 12 weeks pregnant. There is no reason (unless her OB/GYN in her home country says so) that she cannot fly and land in Canada.

 

[PrincessCRV]

Hi all,

My common-law wife became pregnant during our sponsorship application (me, Canadian citizen, sponsoring her) and we are concerned about her potentially being forced to fly to land in Canada during her pregnancy or shortly thereafter.

We received a message last week from CIC saying "We are ready to issue the permanent resident visa that entitles you to enter Canada" and asking if any "Status Changes" had occurred since her application was submitted, of which expecting a child was one of those status changes. We are asked to inform the VO about this status change, indicating when the child is scheduled to be born (March 2019), within 30 days. We're also asked to send in a couple of documents/information (photos, photocopy of passport, height and eye colour), which I presume will be used to issue her permanent residence card. We aren't sure how long it will take before she is given her card and expected to land in Canada (within 90 days), or to what extent the VO takes into consideration that the 90-day rule of landing could leave my wife and/or newborn child in an uncomfortable situation vis-à-vis having to travel. My wife is almost in her 5th month of her pregnancy and does not want to travel to Canada until after she has given birth. We also wouldn't want to travel with a newborn of 1 or 2 months... maybe after 3 months we think it would be fine, but even then it would depend on the baby's health.

Would it be advisable to send in the requested information to the VO with a letter explaining our concerns for travel in the next short while and requesting until June/July 2019 to land so that the baby is not too young/vulnerable? What are the probabilities that CIC would allow that? If they are slim, what do you recommend that we do?

The issuing of the COPR takes about a week or two once you send in the documents. She could be landing in Canada by the end of this month if you want to get ahead of it. Her health insurance would kick in before the baby is even born if you go that route. The PR card is not mailed to her until about 2 months after she lands, so you don't have to wait for that before she lands.

 

[brownc25]

In the meantime you can take out private health insurance to cover the period without OHIP. If she wasn't pregnant what would you do for healthcare for the first 3 months? What are you going to do about health care for a baby in those first 3 months until your wife and baby become eligible? And do you realise that you will have to then sponsor your baby for PR and that will take time as well?

I still think it is extremely unlikely that CIC will defer your wife's landing for 8 months because she is 12 weeks pregnant. There is no reason (unless her OB/GYN in her home country says so) that she cannot fly and land in Canada.

My sister is a doctor in Canada and has told me that private health care does not commonly cover costs related to pre-natal care. Private health care could, however, cover regular health care for a newborn child and emergencies.

As far as having to sponsor my baby for the PR, as I understand it (and I don't claim to be right), I understand that it all depends on where the child is born.

As it stands, we haven't received notification that my wife can land in Canada yet. I've double checked the letter I received and don't think that it is a COPR... Once she does receive notification that she can and should land, we can weigh the possibilities of her travelling before the pregnancy vs. after, but again, for now she hasn't been instructed to land.

 

[canuck78]

My sister is a doctor in Canada and has told me that private health care does not commonly cover costs related to pre-natal care. Private health care could, however, cover regular health care for a newborn child and emergencies.

Only emergencies not routine well baby exams unless you are on a very expensive travel medicine policy. Would likely be cheaper to pay for the visits.


As far as having to sponsor my baby for the PR, as I understand it (and I don't claim to be right), I understand that it all depends on where the child is born.

As it stands, we haven't received notification that my wife can land in Canada yet. I've double checked the letter I received and don't think that it is a COPR... Once she does receive notification that she can and should land, we can weigh the possibilities of her travelling before the pregnancy vs. after, but again, for now she hasn't been instructed to land.

Many medical insurance cover prenatal emergencies up to the 2nd trimester.

 

[brownc25]

^ Based on that, couldn't one understand why we would much rather stay in Spain where we have full health coverage? If possible, it seems much more preferable to me to be sure to give birth here for free and travel with our baby afterward, paying for private health care theoretically for 3 months.

 

[canuck78]

^ Based on that, couldn't one understand why we would much rather stay in Spain where we have full health coverage? If possible, it seems much more preferable to me to be sure to give birth here for free and travel with our baby afterward, paying for private health care theoretically for 3 months.

The issue is your wife has to travel no matter what. She can do a soft landing or stay forever.