worried UK citizen going to Canada to see new husband

[bjornaas]

So, I married my Canadian earlier this month. I'm returning 3 weeks later, and we have decided to apply inland for spousal sponsorship.
I'm full of worries about entering Canada this time. When I entered for the wedding, I said I was there to see my boyfriend. Now I'm back so soon to see my husband. Will this cause problems for me?
Obviously, now we plan on me staying, I won't have documents from work or my landlord (which is usually carry, just in case).
I've bought a return ticket for 8 weeks later, but I'm not sure that's enough.
Does anyone have any advice on what I should say/do?
If they don't let me in, I will ha e no home or job to return to, as I've handed in my notice to both. Nor can I bear to be without my husband any longer.
I'm a UK citizen, and he is Canadian.

Thanks x

 

[zardoz]

As you appear to have "burned your boats", please let us know how it works out for you.
Any advice that we could have offered is probably moot at this point.
What will you do if they reject you at the border or give you only a limited time "Visitor Record"?

Here is some information that you need to be aware of.

1) INLAND sponsorship will take approximately a year, not 8 weeks.
2) You MUST remain in Canada for all that time or the application will die.
3) You can apply for an Open Work Permit but it will be about 6 months before you get it.
4) You cannot work until you receive the OWP.

 

[bjornaas]

Hello,

Yes, we were prepared for PR to take 18 months to two years. My plan was to apply for an extension upon the fourth month of being there, and at the same time apply for sponsorship and work permit.
My husband is financially okay to support both of us, and we are aware I coildnt leave. I am currently saying my goodbyes to family and friends, but will have them visit us often.
My husband has said if I don't get in, he will come here. I think my job would be reinstated and I'd stay with friends until I found a new place to live. Thankfully, we have great people in our lives.
I know its silly to leave like this, but sometimes the heart over rules the head. Our inital plan was to apply outland, but after the wedding, everything felt differently, and we just wanted to be together sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, with both of our jobs, we couldn't take much time off for constant visits back and forth to each other.

So, prepare for the worst, I guess.

As I've not changed my name yet, is it worth saying I'm over to see my boyfriend again, rather than get into the husband conversation? I wouldnt like to lie though if it could be avoided, as it may look suspicious/cause problems when we got to apply for PR.

Is there someone I should maybe speak to before I do this?

Has anyone else been in this situation?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

So, I married my Canadian earlier this month. I'm returning 3 weeks later, and we have decided to apply inland for spousal sponsorship.

Hi

May I ask your reasons for applying inland instead of outland through London?

2) You MUST remain in Canada for all that time or the application will die.
3) You can apply for an Open Work Permit but it will be about 6 months before you get it.

The app isn't cancelled if a person leaves Canada, it's cancelled if they are refused entry back in. Though I fully agree that it is too much of a risk to leave, visa-exempt people who do take the risk are usually let back in the country and it doesn't affect the app.

And though the website states 6 months for stage 1, it's actually around 8 months at the moment, they are still processing October apps.

 

[zardoz]

You are completely correct. The exact wording is:

5.28. Applicants who leave Canada before a final decision is taken on their application for
permanent residence
An applicant’s departure from Canada after the application is stamped as received or after
assessment of eligibility for membership in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class
may affect their ability to become a permanent resident.
A foreign national becomes a permanent resident, if following an examination, it is established
that they meet the selection criteria and other requirements applicable to that class as per
R72(1)(d).
Foreign nationals are not provided with any guarantees that they will be allowed to return to or reenter Canada. If they are unable to do so, their application for permanent residence may be
refused because they are not cohabiting with their spouse or common-law partner at the time the
case is finalized [R72(1)(d) and R124(a)].
It may therefore be appropriate to counsel applicants who are outside Canada to withdraw their
spouse or common-law partner in Canada class application and submit a new application for a
permanent resident visa to the CPC-Mississauga (CPC-M).

As such, you CAN leave, but you are taking a significant risk.

 

[bjornaas]

My husband and I are finding it tough being apart. We both have heavy work schedules and I have no leave left to take until next year, so we would much rather be together and apply inland.
Once there I will not risk it by leaving. The most important thing to us is simply being together. I had to leave far too soon after our wedding to return to work. It was tough.

 

[IslandAnnie]

My husband and I are finding it tough being apart. We both have heavy work schedules and I have no leave left to take until next year, so we would much rather be together and apply inland.
Once there I will not risk it by leaving. The most important thing to us is simply being together. I had to leave far too soon after our wedding to return to work. It was tough.

Once you are in Canada you can still apply Outland while in in the country.... and depending on the current processing times for London VO (I think the latest processing time said 10 months, but that is for 80% of applications, so most are through in much less time..... I believe there is a thread on this forum for the London VO where you could get current average times) you could be completely through to PR before you would even have the work permit with an Inland application.

Either way, getting into Canada is going to be the big challenge, but if you are granted entry, an Outland application once you are here may be your fastest route to PR.

And although it may be tempting to say you are visiting boyfriend, anything less than the truth when dealing with CBSA or CIC could seriously impact your ability to come to Canada at all...ever. Once you make a mistake like that, you can never go back a do it over. We all painfully miss our loved ones and it would be easy to let the "heart rule the head"... but if caught in an untruth you would both need to be prepared to live in the UK, as PR in Canada for you might be impossible or take a very, very long time and cost gobs of money for lawyers.

Congrats on your marriage, and I will be hoping to hear good news here from you here.

 

[bjornaas]

Thanks for the info.

So, I'm guessing its difficult to get into the country when you say you are visiting your spouse? Has anyone been in this situation, and what type of questions were asked when interviewed? Has anyone been turned away and sent back to the UK?
Does anyone have any positive stories about going to Canada to see their beloved spouse?!
I have a return ticket should I be asked how long I am staying for..

 

[canuck_in_uk]

My husband and I are finding it tough being apart. We both have heavy work schedules and I have no leave left to take until next year, so we would much rather be together and apply inland.
Once there I will not risk it by leaving. The most important thing to us is simply being together. I had to leave far too soon after our wedding to return to work. It was tough.

As stated above, you can apply outland even while you are in Canada. Inland is really only better for non visa-exempt who couldn't otherwise stay in Canada or for those who have long processing times in the visa offices of their countries (some are more than 2 years). For you, as a UK citizen, it is better to apply outland; you get to be together, it's faster processing and you can leave the country with no risk if there is a family emergency back home.

You should be fine if you tell the border officer the truth, that you are coming to visit your husband. If they ask further, be honest and explain that you are coming to be with him while you guys apply for sponsorship. Explain that you know that you will only be a visitor, unable to work, that you will leave if the app is denied and make sure to bring proof of funds (bank statements, his wage slips etc). You guys could even pay the $1040 sponsorship fees so you can show the receipt to the border officer as proof of your intent to apply for sponsorship.