SeanHolmes

Hi,

I have been married to a Canadian citizen (my wife) for over 6 years. We married in Canads and we have been living in the UK for the last 5 years but have decided we want to move back to Canada permanently to Nova Scotia to be near her family. My wife has now returned to Canada with our dogs and I am still in the UK beginning the process of moving there myself to join her. I am unsure which pathway is the best to take... From what I have read it can take a long time to be sponsored by a spouse (outland) if I remain in UK. From researching the seemingly best way I have come accross is to try and go to Canada on a 'visitors Visa' and then for her to sponsor me 'inland' to stay in the country once I have arrived. Has anybody had experience with this route before, or does anybody know of a better route to follow that I may have missed ? I am worried about processing times and being separated for a long period etc ... I know there are companies which can help with the process but it is a lot of money for us so really want to try and do it ourselves if we can find a clear way. I am very keen to get to Canada to be with my wife again and really hope to find the quickest way possible if anybody can help.
Many thanks in advance.

glendem4

I applied for spousal visa in May 2017 and was approved in 3 months in July 2017. Priority is to get all your information in order and file electronically. No need for an agent, you can do it yourself.

Former Lancastrian

Read this Wiki link as it will answer most of your questions

https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spous...sorship-Canada

This link is set out in a FAQ format

https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spous...hip-Canada/FAQ

This is the official IRCC website link

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...-children.html

Traveler20

If you’re under 35 you could try the youth mobility visa which would allow you to live and work in Canada for up to 3 years - double check visa processing time. Other than that, you could have a Canadian employer sponsor you for work. If neither is an option you would unfortunately have to wait 1-2 years for your spousal sponsorship to come through. I can’t think of any other visa route.

christmasoompa

As you'll have seen from the links FL gave you, 'inland' is meant for people already there on another status i.e. work permit or study permit, so trying to enter a visitor and then apply is a risky business. Particularly if your wife is already living there, it may look like you're not planning on returning to the UK. What other ties to the UK will you be able to show the border officer to show you'll return?

Far better to apply under 'dual intent' and not risk an exclusion order - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spous...d:_Dual_Intent

Good luck.

SeanHolmes

thanks Glendem4, did you apply from UK or within Canada?

Sunnybrae

I doubt you'd get a outland spousal visa within 3 months these days, there is somewhere you can check current processing times but I would bank on it taking at least 12 months or so. We did my application ourselves, just make sure you read, read again and triple check everything before submitting the forms.

christmasoompa

Glendem4 applied from the UK via an 'outland' app - Timeline For Spousal Sponsorship via London

But as said above, no chance of 3 months now unfortunately, times have changed and Covid has lengthened processing times considerably. But you can visit whilst your application is being processed.

Good luck.

5ean

SeanHolmes I'm away to do this same process you are talking about albeit my wife is still with me in the UK, we are looking to finalise the paperwork this evening, pay for it and push send.

As others have said, the only solid option for you is to apply outland, which the current processing time is 14 months. Applying inland is only really if you are on another visa type that is not an ETA is my understanding.

Someone else might be able to correct me but i believe once your outland application is at a certain point, you can apply for a TRV (temporary residents visa) but you would still need to 'prove' that you are going to return to the UK if your visa is denied for any reason.

Drunkarchaeologist

I must say I went the inland route, it was actually pretty straight forward for me any way (might help that I'm from the UK). My fiance was in Canada for 3 months before I came out, and I didn't really have much trouble with border security, they asked why I was here and I just said visiting friends and family, although after saying that they said how long for, I just said a few weeks, and they asked when I was last in Canada, which I said a year ago and that was it I was through, I also just had a carry on and one bag. Although I imagine if you said you're there to stay with your wife and apply via inland then they may be more wary, although again if you only have a carry on and 1 bit of luggage it shows you're more likely to leave if things don't go to plan as you need to prove intent to leave again.

So it is a bit more risky going the inland route, but you get to be with your wife whilst you wait, so I've been here since the end of February and applied for my inland in March and the only thing I'm waiting on now is my background check, the rest has been completed and I also now have my Ontario Health Card, I could have applied for an Open Work Permit as well, but after some confusion about it I decided against it as by the time I apply and receive it I will probably have my PR by then (hopefully) and I'm in a lucky position where I'm staying for free with my fiance's family so I don't have to worry about rent or food. So again you have to take that into consideration, if you can maintain yourself for that period of time till you get your Open Work Permit of PR.

SeanHolmes

That's brilliant info thanks very much, I wonder if you would be up for chatting more via facebook messenger or something as your situation sounds identical to mine and my wife's...? <snip>. No problem if not though here is great too. Thanks again, appreciate you taking the time to help. Sean.

SeanHolmes

May I ask also, when you arrived in Canada before applying inland were you one a temporary visa? I.e visitors / tourist visa other than the basic ETA? Because from what I've read you need a temporary status in order to apply for the inland sponsorship? Thanks again, Sean

Drunkarchaeologist

No worries, I'll send you a friend request on Facebook, and I'll try and be as much help as I can, as from experience some of the forms etc can be a bit mind boggling, and we got the help of an immigration lawyer to answer some of our questions, and even he said he has no idea what IRCC are doing sometimes. So I arrived the end of February just on an ETA, and then applied 29th March as it also coincided with my fiance finishing and handing in her PHD, so we concentrated on getting that done first. So you get 6 months in the country as a visitor, so if your PR is taking longer, you'll apply for an extension of a visitor visa, which is filling out some forms and documents and paying $100, which I'll be doing in the next few days.

Jerseygirl

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