broonn

My Canadian girlfriend moved over to the UK in October 2006 and we married in January 2007. We then bought a house in July 2007....just before the world started ending!

She is having a very hard time settling properly, and due to my employment getting a little rocky, we've started to look at the options for moving. We are unsure of the best course of action.

There is a strong possibility I will lose my job in the next 3 months. It's a small family business in the marketing sector. I earn circa £30k a year. The house in soley in my name. With this in mind, we are about to get the house valued and we are preparing ourselves for a value of about 12k less then what we bought it for 2 years ago :/ This is also dependant on our lender agreeing to this a short sale...something they maybe inclinced to do if I am to lose my job (it's better for them to sell it while I'm in it instead of a foreclosure I believe).

Here is the problem. Should my wife move back to Ontario to her parents (who have offered to support us) and prepare, or should she wait it out here. As I understand it, the only ways I can get into Canada are via a work visa (points based) or by a spouses support. I've taken a look at the work visa application and my field is NOT in the listed jobs currently requested on their paperwork. This brings my only option to the spouse (family) visa.

My In-laws have said they will support the move and give us free lodging and support untill we find our feet. They have a very good income and are fully able to do this. But the spouse visa says you can only sponser someone who is directly related (ie, husband and wife). So, to make this application, will they have to give my wife a pot of money to be in her bank account (say, $15000)? To prove we have the money as a couple to survive for a few months?

Sorry if this is a little scatter brained, but life is very very stressful right now and I don't really have anyone who I can ask these questions. We are doing all we can to avoid bankruptcy right now, and it's a pretty tough fight...

Atlantic Xpat

If your wife sponsors you as family class, spousal sponsor, there is no requirement to show any amount of funds. She does have to agree to provide for you for three years to keep you off social assistance. In practicality it is helpful to show you have definative plans for establishing yourself in Canada. In my case these were my Canadian wife going back to University and me looking for a job when I got here.

broonn

I got the impression that if my wife is currently here (the UK) and obviously doesn't have a job back in Canada yet we had to provide some form of proof? (Similar to the stuff I had to provide for her visa to enter here).

I'm just going through all the forms and printing them off now. One thing that I'm a little confused by. We are both currently in the UK. So do we send ALL the forms to the office in London? Or does she send her sponsor documents to the office in Canada and I send my "sponsored" docs to the office in London?

MR79

Hi,

As long as your wife is a Canadian citizen she can apply to sponsor you from the UK, you do NOT need to prove any funds as this is not a requirement of spousal immigration, IF your in-laws provide a letter saying they will support you finacially and give you accomodation until you settle and sign the letter this is all fine, your wife WILL need to write a letter herself outlining her intentions once you get your visa, like looking for employment, sell the house, find you a job, etc, you can write as much as you want as long as you have good intentions. Your wife does not need to have a job before applying for immigration.Hope this helps, read up on everything on the website and on the wiki in the blue bar above, it is very stressful filling out the forms, but it is worth it in the end and if you submit all the info they require you should get a visa within 6 months.

Thanks,

MR79

MR79

Also you will need to do the following before you send the forms off -

Criminal record check from ACPO

Upfront medical examination from DMP

Send ALL forms off to Missisauga processing centre THEN if you are approved they will automatically send the file to London Visa Office.

Thanks,

MR79

iaink

Nope, she can apply to sponsor you while still in the UK, or once over here, either way there is no financial pre approval. Where you send the forms depends whether you are applying from within canada or outside I think...

Check out the wiki for a quick guide, and refer to the CIC website

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Catego...gration-Canada
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousa...sorship-Canada

http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/immigra...-apply-who.asp

Good luck...and remember, the worst might never happen

dannyg1001

If you are under 30 years old you can get a bunac visa and go to Canada and get a job, if it works out after 6months or so get your wife to sponsor you for permanent residency.

The way I did it was, my Canadian girlfriend (not wife) came to England and sponsored me for residency. It took about 6 months to go through.

Talking to friends and family, the situation back home sounds pretty grim.

dippy

Your wife should sponsor you from outside of Canada.... the process should be relatively painless although the paperwork, from experience, is a complicated process. You can do your medical here in the UK and it is best to pay for the whole application up front online with CIC. Remember that you will need Police certificates from any country you have resided in. That is very straightforward if you have always lived in the UK. My wifes only took a few days as I elected to fast track her request. That used to be any country resided in in the last 10 years but is now since 18 years of age I believe.

Once you have applied and your wifes sponsorship of you has been accepted there is nothing to stop you entering Canada on a visitors visa whilst the application is ongoing. That visa can be extended if necessary as far as I understand whilst the application is in progress. My application to sponsor my wife only took just under three months from start to finish and her receiving her passport request.

One tip when your wife sponsors you be completely honest with any supporting letter and statement of intent to move. Also assuming your wife is a Canadian citizen any time spent in the UK after PR has been granted and you have landed counts towards meeting your residency obligation!

broonn

Thank you all so much for your posts (wonderful info MR79). Although the paperwork is excessive, it's nothing I haven't being through before. My wife came over here on a fiancée visa which was then bumped to a spouse visa once married.

Just a few facts to clear any grey areas here.

I've lived in the UK all my life.
The wife is currently in the UK with me while we get my visa application off the ground. But may move back once everything is sent in - is this a wise idea? Is there a benefit (visa wise) to her staying here? Interviews?
I'm 27.
I've been in constant employment since I was 16.
We currently live in Cheshire.
We plan to move to Cobourg, Ontario initially with my very supportive in-laws.

I'm going to read through all the forms this week, while DIYing the house to try and get a little more value out of it. Life has been very hard these past few years, but the bottom line is I've had a roof over my head, a family that is always there for me, and a beautiful loving wife. Money comes and goes and I'm willing to put up with a financial millstone around my neck for the sake of some happiness and stability.

MR79

Hi,

No worries, if you need anymore info feel free to pm me, you can both go to Canada once you get approved and alot of people DO go to Canada and use the out of Canada route, the only thing with this is that you CANNOT work unless you get an open work permit, all corresspondance will still go to your UK address and the only thing about this is if they call you in for an interview you will have to fly back to the UK, it is probably best to wait in the UK and just save save save and try and get more money for your house, normally as long as no issues with background, medical and criminal check they sometimes grant PR from 2-6 months.

Thanks,

MR79

broonn

Right, things are underway!

I've booked my medical for tomorrow, and I've got everything I need to get the police check. I just need to get the back of a photo signed by my GP (tomorrow hopefully) and I'll get both the prerequisites out of the way before this weekend.

One thing that did throw me. The medical places I called kept saying I needed a Section A form from the embassy until I hammered into them I was a sponsored application. This led (both times) them to put me on hold and then tell me I needed Appendix D.

After some furious searching (since this helpful place was down this morning) I discovered it's not called Appendix C. I'll be sure to point this out to the "holier-than-thou" woman I had on the phone!

What things are they looking for in the medical? I don't have any history of diseases, STDs, or anything. Just an operation when I was about 8 years old. I'm guessing I'll breeze it at my age (27)

christmasoompa

Don't you actually have to wait until you have your medical requests from CIC though? I know with other PR applications you do.

Remember that the medicals are only valid for a year (plus you only have a year from the date of the medicals in which to land in Canada). If your case takes longer than a year from the date of medicals (unlikely but possible) then you'd have to pay to do them again. Even if you're allowed to do them before CIC have asked for them, that might be worth thinking about.

Also, definitely don't get your police checks until you're asked to as they don't last for long at all!

broonn

I'm on a spouse sponsorship FC, you actually have to get both those things done for the initial application.

Check out : http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kit...s/IMM5491E.pdf
Items 26 & 27.

el_richo

Nah you have to provide the medical receipt and police certificate with your initial application through the Spousal Sponsorship route.

christmasoompa

Ah, I see. Did not know that, not a route I've ever paid much attention to before.

So what happens if processing takes longer than a year then? I guess you still have to pay again, doesn't seem terribly fair to me.