lko

Hi!

I have read through various posts on this forum as well the FAQ and dual intent info, and info on the CIC website and I am not sure what to whether I should submit a inland or outland application.

I had started to fill in the forms for an inland application - this is what I was directed to do by an immigration advice services officer I met with when I arrived in Canada in August 2014 - but it seems I can apply via an outland application if I wish. Having read the online info available, it sounds like an outland application is actually quicker to process. The only con I can see is the possibility of being called for an interview in London.

Background: I have visitor status in Canada (extended in January 2015, and expires in August 2015) and am currently living with my common-law partner who is a Canadian citizen in Manitoba. I want to apply for Spousal sponsorship/Permanent residence.

I do not wish to return to England to live. I quit my job and sold my house when I came to Canada in August 2014 with my partner (he had been living and working in England for a year) so I have nothing to go back for. I do have a return flight booked though in August 2015 before my current visitor record expires.

I am not concerned about working or applying for a work permit here in Canada. My partner earns enough to support us and I have my own savings.

I think we are a "straightforward" case - no divorce, no kids, no criminal convictions, no health issues, etc.

So what to do? Inland or outland? Is it just personal choice or would one be better than the other for my personal circumstances? Advice would be most appreciated!

christmasoompa

If you've read the Wiki article about spousal sponsorship then you'll have seen the pros and cons for each route. We can't really say what would be better for you personally as it will depend on your circumstances and preference. If your visitor status expires in August then you'll need to hurry up and apply, but outland would certainly be a lot quicker.

The vast majority of people on the forum apply outland if that helps.

Good luck deciding.

SchnookoLoly

+1 for what Oompa said. It really comes down to how you weigh the pros and cons. If you haven't already, you can read a snapshot of inland vs outland here - Spousal Sponsorship-Canada : British Expat Wiki

That really gives you all the info you need... it's up to you to decide which route works better for your personal circumstance.

I will reiterate what Oompa said: the vast majority end up choosing outland.

lko

christmasoompa and SchnookoLoly - Many thanks for the responses. It is much appreciated as I'm finding this process quite stressful!

The thing is I don't understand why I can submit an outland application when I'm actually in Canada - that doesn't make any sense to me. But I guess if I can then I can, and I should just accept that.

Also, why do most people choose outland? Just because it's quicker? Or because they are still in England and haven't moved to Canada yet? Or maybe because of work? You say the majority of people apply outland so I'm just trying to justify why I would go against the majority and do an inland application. I know only I can decide!

My partner's (Canadian) friend has a Korean wife. They applied via the inland route and she got her PR card 6 months after they applied. I know every case is different and processing times are subject to workload and other factors so it's hard to generalise about these things.

OK, so I have another question... regardless of whether I apply inland or outland, I want to remain in Canada whilst I wait for my PR to be approved. Do I still have to keep extending my visitor record every 6 months while that's in progress? Or do I just extend it once more before August and explain that I'm applying for PR?

I read the information on dual intent, I'm just not sure I'm understanding it correctly.

Thanks again.

SchnookoLoly

Most do outland because it's significantly faster. You're looking at under a year for outland vs over 2 years for inland. Inland is also more restrictive in terms of not being able to leave Canada (until you have OWP anyway) and not having any right of appeal in case of a negative decision.

CIC allows people to still apply outland even if they're inside of Canada because it distributes the work load, and generally speaking, offices abroad are able to process apps faster.

There is no way your friend's Korean wife got full PR in 6 months through the inland process. Stage 1 alone takes 17 months and is broadly a linear process - no one gets fast tracked unless CBSA has gotten involved which does occasionally happen. I suspect they applied outland, or had some special CBSA intervention in their case. I don't believe 6 months at all.

You will have to keep extending your visitor status, yes. You can do this online for a fee of I believe $100. You can also ask for 12 months instead of 6, but it's up to the officer's discretion on what they give you. You explain in your app that you have applied for PR and you include stuff like your receipt for paying the fees, the receipt from your medical, the signed tracking slip saying your app was delivered, a screenshot of ECAS if you are able to log in, and any communication you may have received from CIC up to the point you apply, like sponsor approval or extra requests or whatever.