Would appreciate any advise regarding my wife and child.

[magnum_pi]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a Canadian citizen who is currently living in the Philippines. I moved to the Philippines around spring 2008 to spend time with my then girlfriend after which we got married the following spring (2009). Our daughter was born shortly after. I was set to sponsor them from the Philippines but then that when the complication happened... I got recalled to my job in Canada to return earlier than expected. They now want me to come back ASAP. I have spoken to some people with regards to the speediest way to bring them with me. Some of my friends suggested that I bring them in on a temporary visa... but from what I am reading online that seems to be frowned upon. I also talked to a immigration consultant and advised that I just use the Family class sponsorship route. The only thing I really don't look forward to that is the time I'll be away from them. I heard it takes up to six months to get permanent resident visa. Just thinking about it now seems like too much time to be away from them. My daughter would be 8 months by then if I'm lucky! Anyways I guess the answer I'm kinda hoping for is if anyone has heard or known if CIC will make an exception for something like this for the temporary visa or if they somehow expedite permanent visa requests in this situation. Any input is appreciated! I wish you and yours blessings!

Thanks!

 

[Leon]

Your daughter is actually a citizen and doesn't have to be sponsored. For her, you would apply for a citizenship certificate and once you have done that, you can apply for her temporary passport at the Canadian embassy. You will not actually get the citizenship certificate any time soon but because you have applied for it, you can get her the temporary passport.

As for sponsoring your wife, yes, you could bring her in on a tourist visa if she gets a visa. However, being the wife of a Canadian and having no reason to return to the Philippines, it's unlikely that she will get a temporary visa. You can start your sponsorship of her right now, even while you are still in the Philippines, as long as you can prove that you will be returning to Canada which shouldn't be a problem with a letter from your employer. Or you can wait until you are in Canada and start sponsorship of her then.

The time it will take, first 35 days in Mississauga, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process-in.asp#sponsorship and then an average of 5 months in Manila, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/05-fc-spouses.asp#asia

There are many people in the same situation and CIC generally doesn't make exceptions. If you believe they will, you can apply for your wifes temporary visa and see if you get it. If you do, you can bring her and the baby with you to Canada and then you will have the choice of sponsoring your wife through the Philippines which is faster or inland in Canada which is slower.

 

[magnum_pi]

Thanks Leon for your speedy reply!

Do you happen to know if I do attempt to apply for a temporary visa for my wife that it will have a negative effect on the sponsorship application? I mean I would like to give the temporary visa a shot if so...

Also just to clarify... I can apply for a temporary passport right now for my child? even without the citizenship card? I only bring this up because I read somewhere that it takes 11 months to get the citizenship card for my kid. I also asked this from the immigration consultant and she said just bring my daughter under the sponsorship route as well.

Again Leon thanks for your insight on my predicament!

 

[YorkFactory]

There's now a caveat: Canadian citizenship is no longer passed down from parent to child in every single case.

If you were born outside Canada and got Canadian citizenship from one or both of your parents, and your daughter was born outside Canada on or after April 17 of this year, she is not a Canadian citizen and will need to be sponsored. If your daughter was born before April 17, or you were born or naturalized in Canada, don't worry about it—she is a citizen.

 

[dony h]

I don't know where is Leon coming from when he advised you to get a Canadian passport for your child. Although your child do have a claim to citizenship, it is too tedious for it to apply for a passport on its own account. A child's entry permit was usually enbeded in a parent's passport. Take heed to your immigration consultant to apply for your wife and child's permanent residence from without Canada (meaning that you will have no choice but to ask them to stayin home untill your sponsorship was successful in due course.

 

[Leon]

Thanks Leon for your speedy reply!

Do you happen to know if I do attempt to apply for a temporary visa for my wife that it will have a negative effect on the sponsorship application? I mean I would like to give the temporary visa a shot if so...

Also just to clarify... I can apply for a temporary passport right now for my child? even without the citizenship card? I only bring this up because I read somewhere that it takes 11 months to get the citizenship card for my kid. I also asked this from the immigration consultant and she said just bring my daughter under the sponsorship route as well.

Again Leon thanks for your insight on my predicament!

Yes, try for the temporary visa. It will not affect you being able to sponsor her if you are not granted the visa. Talk to the embassy about your daughter. YorkFactory is right that there is a new citizenship law so if you were born outside Canada and inherited citizenship through one or both of your Canadian parents, then you don't pass it on to your daughter. If you were either born in Canada or you are a naturalized citizen, then your children get your citizenship but again, will not be able to pass it on to their children at a later date. You don't have to wait for the citizenship certificate to get a temporary passport but you have to apply for it. Talk to the embassy about this.

 

[magnum_pi]

Thanks YorkFactory and donyh for you replies.

My daughter was born in october this year so I think york is right. I did also read that somewhere but didn't really pay attention to it because bringing them under the family class was not a problem for me except for the time factor. I would really rather not leave them here but that's life I guess. Thank you all for your 2cents!

 

[magnum_pi]

Hi Leon,

Another question if you know the answer...

Does it matter if I apply for sponsorship here in the Philippines or Canada. I guess more specifically should I make it look like on my application that I am applying from outside Canada, or should I wait till I get back, or doesn't really matter as long as I can somehow communicate with the CIC? I hope my question is not confusing.

Thanks!

 

[dony h]

You have two options in applying for permanent residency from within or without Canada. Make sure to got the appropriate form to start with.

 

[Leon]

Hi Leon,

Another question if you know the answer...

Does it matter if I apply for sponsorship here in the Philippines or Canada. I guess more specifically should I make it look like on my application that I am applying from outside Canada, or should I wait till I get back, or doesn't really matter as long as I can somehow communicate with the CIC? I hope my question is not confusing.

Thanks!

If you start your application before you go back to Canada, you have to add proof that you are planning on living in Canada when your wife gets her PR. Since your employer really wants you back in Canada, I am sure they would not have a problem giving you a letter stating that you will be employed as soon as you arrive. Apart from that proof, it does not really matter if you are in Canada or in the Philippines when you apply. In both cases, you send your application to Mississauga and after you have been approved as a sponsor, it will be sent to Manila.

There is another option to sponsor which is refered to as inland in which case you'd send your application to Vegreville and after that would be processed in your local CIC office and never leaves Canada but this is only an option if you can get your wife with you to Canada on a visitor visa. Besides, it takes longer for this application to get processed so you might as well stick with applying through Mississauga and Manila. You can find the forms here to do that: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

 

[magnum_pi]

Thanks Leon on taking the time to reply to my questions. You've been a big help confirming aspects I was not really sure of. Now I feel I'm better informed than before. Take care! Same goes out to donyh and York. This forum is awesome keep up the good work!

 

[dony h]

I don't know where is Leon coming from when he advised you to get a Canadian passport for your child. Although your child do have a claim to citizenship, it is too tedious for it to apply for a passport on its own account. A child's entry permit was usually enbeded in a parent's passport. Take heed to your immigration consultant to apply for your wife and child's permanent residence from without Canada (meaning that you will have no choice but to ask them to stay home untill your sponsorship was successful in due course.

 

[Karlshammar]

If the child is a Canadian citizen you cannot apply for PR for it. This does not make sense. He needs to apply for a Canadian passport for the child.

I don't know where is Leon coming from when he advised you to get a Canadian passport for your child. Although your child do have a claim to citizenship, it is too tedious for it to apply for a passport on its own account. A child's entry permit was usually enbeded in a parent's passport. Take heed to your immigration consultant to apply for your wife and child's permanent residence from without Canada (meaning that you will have no choice but to ask them to stayin home untill your sponsorship was successful in due course.

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Hey magnum_pi (nice mustache, btw!),
if you browse around this forum you'll find at least a couple others in a similar situation to yours, and a lot of the answers there could help you out. Plus there are very detailed, clear explanations about applying outland vs inland. You can apply right away for your wife's PR but it takes a while to get all the papers, translations, medical, police reports etc. and to put the file together with photos and so on.

If you take a look at some of the other recent Manila applicants in the threads on here from summer, Sept, Oct, and Nov, I have a feeling the time for some is less than 6-months. Also trackitt.com is great for seeing what the REAL timelines are, rather than what is on the government websites... (as in Leon's post "35 days in Mississauga" may be the official time but most of us have had about a 2-week turn around there!)

I guess your company won't give you relocation assistance? Because if so, they might help you get a consultant to advise you on the administration and getting you through the process (although don't believe that just because they are professionals they know everything - sometimes they screw things up/give bad advice!)

Good luck!
TLH

 

[dony h]

If the child is a Canadian citizen you cannot apply for PR for it. This does not make sense. He needs to apply for a Canadian passport for the child.

Bottom Line: U.S. and Canadian citizens age 15 and younger with parental consent will be allowed to cross the border at land and sea entry points with certified copies of birth certificates rather than passports.