Family separation
Oct 19th 2018, 9:47 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 7
Family separation
just wondering if anyone has experience of what my wife and I are facing.
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
Oct 19th 2018, 10:01 pm
#2
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Family separation
just wondering if anyone has experience of what my wife and I are facing.
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
Oct 19th 2018, 10:39 pm
#3
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Family separation
just wondering if anyone has experience of what my wife and I are facing.
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
Hi and welcome to our lovely virtual group of ex-pats - welcome to BE!
It's a tough one, to be sure - but could I make one little suggestion? Do consider applying for British Citizenship for your wife, if she is near to qualifying - one day your kids might decide to relocate to the UK.. and you might get the opportunity of a lifetime back there - or just need to return for a lengthy time for some reason.. and much easier for her to obtain it before you leave the UK rather than struggle to qualify to be able to be there for more than a few months.
Otherwise, you could also consider putting the house up for sale now - there is never a right time to do it - and the sooner it's listed, the sooner you are a step closer to relocating to Canada as a family. You could move across sooner rather than later, under dual intent if necessary.
Just adding in here - you mentioned in another thread that it's the intention to fly to Canada and THEN get your children's passports etc., - if they are dual citizens they have to travel on Canadian Passports. Best get the citizenship certificates and get their passports sorted! Without them, any thoughts of moving across early are mute.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...it-canada.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...hip/about.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ren/apply.html
You can apply for their proof of Citizenship and Passports at the London High Commission: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emba...united-kingdom
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca....aspx?lang=eng
Last edited by Siouxie; Oct 20th 2018 at 12:53 am.
Oct 19th 2018, 10:56 pm
#4
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,769
Re: Family separation
....we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
How does the cost of the visa compare to the cost of you visiting two or three times? Is winter a good time for them to move? Is it easier to sell the house with just you occupying?
My wife and I were apart but very different circumstances...and it was a bit illogical in a way.
Ours was a long distance relationship, lots of visits but she was in Canada and I was in the UK. I was coming over every couple of months for 2 weeks at a time. We got married on one of my trips and I returned home to tart up my house so ready to sell, with a view to coming over permanently when that was done. But a month later it became clear she wasn't doing well even though the absence then had been shorter than the others.
So I packed everything in, gave my mother Power of Attorney to sell the house and came over. Could you do something like that with a family member or friend?
Oct 19th 2018, 11:38 pm
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Family separation
My husband and I were apart for a period of several months when he and our daughter went down to NZ from October one year to July the next year. I went down there for a 2 month holiday from early December to end of January. So we were apart for 2½ months, and then for 6 months.
We had probably been married much longer than you, our daughter was 18 and taking a gap year, but it worked out well .......... even though it was before the days of email, FB, Skype, etc etc.
It added to the collection of letters that I have from the 5½ months that we were apart between getting engaged and getting married.
If your relationship is strong, there is no problem, it will just become stronger!
We had probably been married much longer than you, our daughter was 18 and taking a gap year, but it worked out well .......... even though it was before the days of email, FB, Skype, etc etc.
It added to the collection of letters that I have from the 5½ months that we were apart between getting engaged and getting married.
If your relationship is strong, there is no problem, it will just become stronger!
Oct 20th 2018, 1:27 am
#6
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: Family separation
Did it for many years, up to 6 months at a time, with a month home for a fer years, more latterly it was down to a week or so and a few days home. You get used to it.
Oct 20th 2018, 3:19 am
#7
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2012
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 3,263
Re: Family separation
We did it for two years. My husband became a PR about 18 months before me and the kids. We managed with visits. It was tough on the younger girl. Then even after becoming a PR myself I had to go back and finish a work contract.
Oct 21st 2018, 12:12 am
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Ajax, Ont
Posts: 277
Re: Family separation
We did it for about 5 months. The kids were 6 and nearly 5 at the time. It wasn't easy, but my husband managed to visit about once a month, or at least every 6 weeks. It wasn't great, but we survived. Lots of tearful airport goodbyes, but we knew the end was in sight. I agree with Siouxie's suggestion that your wife apply for British citizenship if possible before you move. If you ever change your mind and want to move back to the UK, it will be so much easier if she is a citizen. I did it because I didn't like the idea that my children could legally live somewhere and I couldn't since my Indefinite Leave to Remain would have expired 2 years after I left the UK. We've planned to permanently live in Canada, but anything could happen with my husband's job and we could end up back in the UK at some point.
Oct 22nd 2018, 11:56 am
#10
Seasoned Maritimer
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick CA
Posts: 8,309
Re: Family separation
just wondering if anyone has experience of what my wife and I are facing.
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
my wife (Canadian) has her Uk visa expiring soon and as we are planning to move back to Canada in the new year anyway, we are considering her and the children (dual citizens) heading over there rather than paying for the indefinite leave to remain visa here for essentially a month or two.
it would mean we are apart for 3 months whilst I sell the house and get work out my notice here.
we can do it but the idea of being apart from my wife and kids for three months is killing me. I could probably get out there once a month for a few days but still.
anyone been through similar?
Didn't enjoy it but the time passes.
Probably wouldn't do it again.
