Davey Dan Oli

Hi all

We are moving to Winnipeg this August, due to my OH being from there. We wanting to book our flights on globespan before the Stansted to Hamilton tickets sell out for the date we want them.

I am coming over on Family Class visa but have only just got around to applying for it a fortnight ago (but I did the medical before and sent my police checks - fingers crossed).

We are just wondering if I am able to come in on a tourist visa if my visa hasn't arrived, would they be any problems when we land in Hamilton?

I would then send my passport to London, UK when I get my PPR and then cross the border into the states in North Dakota to enact the visa.

As anyone done this before instead of waiting for the visa to arrive?

All commuincations would be grateful

Davey, Dan & Oli

JAJ

Maybe I'm missing something here, but Hamilton (Ontario) is a long way from Winnipeg.

What's your nationality? Why do you think you need a tourist visa?

What's your plan for dealing with:

- no work on tourist status;
- probably no provincial healthcare on tourist status;
- risk of your application being delayed beyond the 6 month admission period (or even refused)

etc etc.

As an aside, is your OH also a British citizen or just Canadian?

Davey Dan Oli

Hi

We will have to go through immigration in hamilton because that is our first landing port from Stansted on globespan. We will later fly on an internal flight with westjet to Winnipeg

I am British and my gf is Canadian. We have applied for the Family Class route but we are wondering if anyone has ever landed as a tourist whilst waiting for their PR, and have they had any problems from immigration because they are entering as a tourist with all their belongings with the intention of staying and sending their passport to CIC London.

I have heard that some people were allowed in. But because it is a big gamble flying all the way to Canada as a tourist on a oneway ticket, immigration have the right to bar you entry and send you home

Well the work, I can stay at home to look after my daughter whilst the gf works. Regarding health i will take out health insurance. I after the 6 month deadline I will have to come back to England.

We are hoping that we get my PR visa before we leave in August. We sent everything to CIC London before they asked for them, police checks, medical and full PR fee.

Can't really foresee my FC visa being declined, they only decline if my gf is unfit to sponsor me, which she isn't, or if I have a criminal record or infectious disease, which I haven't.

So I guess it is just a waiting game

Any help would be appreciated

Davey

Ben W Bell

What will most likely happen if you turn up like that is the immigration officer will put you on the first flight back to the UK and bar you from entry to Canada.

Don't bet on it only taking six months for it to come through, it could well take a lot longer. Things aren't exactly moving quickly for immigration these days. How did you do and send a medical before you were asked for it? They ask for it and give you forms to take with you to the medical and they are then sent back direct from the doctors (unless I'm very much mistaken).

Davey Dan Oli

Hi

You can now get family class medicals done upfront before you apply. We went to see Dr Jones in Slough. The doc gives you a slip which you insert with your application to CIC London, he fowards you medical to Missisauga.

Also many people on this site recommend that you send you police checks with you application to speed up the process.

Quote:

Also as anyone had experience first hand of landing as a tourist whilst waiting for outside family class

davey

Ben W Bell

Fair enough, wasn't aware of that. Not really read much about the Family Class changes.

dbd33

I am Canadian (and British). In May of 2004 my girlfriend (an American) came to Canada as a tourist to live with me. In February of 2007 she was granted AIP and subsequently a work permit. In the interim she was mostly a tourist although, since she couldn't work, she took a one year college course (cooking, for general interest, not connected with work) during which she had a student permit. During this period she frequently returned to the US and we went twice to England and once to Australia. At the border she said she was a tourist in Canada and would be until we had been together long enough for me to sponsor her as a common law partner. There was no problem with this from an immigration standpoint, each admission got her six months and she came and went more frequently than that without making a deliberate effort.

There were/are some practical problems though:

- a tourist cannot work legally
- a tourist has no health coverage
- her car is on US plates and arranging insurance is a bother.

Deep pockets would help.

Biiiiink

Yes, lots of forum members have done it. Maple Leaf springs to mind, I can't think of other names at the moment. She's been around recently - you could PM her for more info or search the archive.

You'll be picked up in a minute on your use of the word "landing" - you're not landing until you're completing the landing process - you're just arriving as a tourist. I don't know what that means for importing your goods duty-free - maybe Maple Leaf or someone else can help with that.

Edit: check with your airline about 1 way tickets - many of them (particularly charters) won't let Brits board on one-ways without evidence of entitlement to remain in Canada, such as PR card, citizenship card or work permit. It's nothing to do with CIC, it's their own rule.

Lotte Bell

HI!

I'm British and have come to Canada on a tourist Visa to be with my husband while I'm waiting for the PR application to go through.We are doing the outside Canada route. I was completely honest and open about everything when I arrived in Vancouver and there was no problem. The only thing the officer wanted to confirm with me was that I wasn't going to work and that my husband would be able to support me during the time here. I didn't have to provide any evidence though.

I'm not sure what happens as it may be different if you bring all your goods etc as I just came with a couple of large suitcases (I ahd already been living here on a BUNAC visa prior to coming to Canada as a visitor and we had all our things here).

I flew here with Air Canada and there wasn't any problem not having a return to the uk. I would probably check it out just in case as I ahve heard some people have had problems.

I also got health insurance before I left so I am covered should something happen. I am also luckily covered under private health insurance here through my husbands work health insurance.

The only downside is not working as you have a lot of time to fill in the day so I'm doing volunteer work here at hospitals and different charitys so I don't go insane until I get my PR. Its all worth it to be together during this time though instead of being apart

Please let me know if you have any other questions!! Good Luck to you and heres hoping that all goes smoothly!

Davey Dan Oli

Hi

Cheers for all the information

We will be coming over with four large bags for the three of us; two Canadian citizens and me. So immigration should see only one of the bags is mine. We are selling all our belongings here and we sent over half of our personal belongings with the in-laws last month.

We are hoping to fly globespan - would they be classed as charter or scheduled? and as anyone travelled oneway with them and had no problems?

We are hoping (blind faith) that my PR will come before, if not we have enough money for me to return to the UK after my visitor's visa runs out.

Lotte Bell I see that you applied outside in February; did you get everything done beforehand i.e. medicals and police checks? when did you land in BC?

Cheers Davey

Lotte Bell

Hi Davey!

I was in Canada in January and had my medicals here. Then I went back to the uk to sort out some things and I came back to Canada at the end of Feb just after we sent the application off (including Police certificates).

I think you are expected to send medicals and police certificates with your application so I would definately send them with it. It just makes it easier and less chance of them getting misplaced if everything is sent together.

By the way if your applciation doesn't get processed before your tourist visa runs out I was told by the immigration officer when I arrived in canada that it shouldn't be a problem to get an extention if I apply about four weeks before it runs out. So you probably would'nt have to leave unless you want to.

Good luck!

smandrews

Keep us posted on your timelines... see this thread for others:

http://http://britishexpats.com/foru...d.php?t=380536

I am Canadian and we have applied through London to sponsor my husband for PR to Canada. We too are hoping to be there by the summer to take advantage of the great weather!

Here is my timeline:

10 Jan 07 - Application sent to CIC-Mississauga
16 Jan 07 - Application received by CIC- Mississauga
08 Feb 07 - CIC-Mississauga started processing application
08 Feb 07 - Decision Made
24 Feb 07 - DM Letter received... Sponsorship Approved
27 Feb 07 - London started processing application for PR (according to e-cas)

We have heard nothing since. Curious to know how you get on.

Best of luck