NickStix40

Hi guys,

So.. I am marrying my girlfriend and hoping to emigrate to Canada. But am I doing it right?
Really, big thank you in advance for your input! Any advice will be welcomed, I'm happy to go into any further detail if required.

I've tried to be as thorough as possible with the research so far, but I'm nervous before putting my plan into action, in case I have overlooked any essential parts of the process, or that I'm doing something that might delay or jeapordise my chances of permanent residency in Vancouver.

Forgive me if I have gone into too much detail here - or missed anything out. I've tried to structure it so the info is easy to understand, if there's anything else I can clarify please let me know.
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your help!

Nicolas


A BRIEF HISTORY:
I'm a British-born, UK national who recently proposed to my Canadian girlfriend of 5 years, Sarah. (To my delight she accepted).
Sarah has a permanent residency visa for UK, and lived here from 2006-2016.
We plan to start a life together in Vancouver, having lived together in UK for a couple of years, and more recently on trips to visit each other after Sarah returned to live in her home town of Coquitlam BC in 2016. However, during this time her name remained on the lease of our shared, rented property, and we visited each other regularly.

-I am available to visit - and ready to move - to Canada at very short notice.
-I understand that if our application for a Canadian Spousal Sponsorship visa is successful, I will be unable to legally work in Canada for 12 months, and so will need to rely on income from work in UK, and/or support from my gf/her parents.
-I was in ill health and unable to work from 2014-2019, however I am now fully recovered and actively seeking work in UK.


MY PLAN AS IT STANDS:
1. VISIT CANADA on tourist Visa
2. MARRY FIANCE (we could wed in UK, but I assumed Canada would be as good/better)
3. APPLY FOR SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP, allowing for extension to tourist visa if required.
4. LIVE WITH GF'S PARENTS initially (they approve and kindly have agreed to support us in terms of food, shelter, and basic living costs) or in rented accomodation (if gf and I can raise collateral)
5. VISIT UK TO WORK if necessary, while awaiting visa approval (as it will not be legal to work in Canada for 12 months following spousal sponsorship visa approval.
6. START WORKING LIFE IN CANADA
7. APPLY FOR CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP (eventually)


For your info, some more detailed info on each of us:

NICOLAS'S BACKGROUND:
Age: 40
Status: Single, no previous marriages, no children.
Nationality: British
Country of residence: UK, 5 visits to gf in Vancouver since 2015.
Occupation: Unemployed (Sales and Marketing background)
Criminal convictions/arrests/court convictions etc: None
Savings: <£1000
Debt: None (I have 8 months remaining on a Debt Relief Order (DRO) for debts of £7,000, but from what I understand that this is NOT classed as bankruptcy or bad debt in Canada. If I'm wrong, please let me know!).

SARAH'S BACKGROUND:
Age: 31
Status: Divorced 2016, 1 previous marriage to UK citizen, no children.
Country of residence: 2006-2015 in UK, currently lives primarily in Vancouver, 5+ visits to UK.
Nationality: Canadian (and permanent British residency visa from previous marriage)
Occupation: Freelance Marketing Consultant
Criminal convictions/arrests/court convictions etc: None
Savings: <£3000 (Family should be able to offer £10,000+ as security if required)
Debt: None

EVIDENCE/HISTORY OF RELATIONSHIP:
We have been in a committed relationship since meeting in 2013, following separation and subsequent divorce from her now ex-husband.
2015 - 2019: Lived together, named on 3 joint UK tenancy agreements. Names appear on various shared bills for the same property.
2016 - 2018: Each of us can demonstrate 5+ documented trips visiting each other in Vancouver/UK, each lasting 4-12 weeks.


SO AM I DOING IT RIGHT?
If there's more that I can do, other routes I should consider, something I'm doing completely wrong, I'd be really grateful for the advice.

Thanks again guys.

Hurlabrick

So basically you are going to marry your long-time Canadian girlfriend and then apply for spousal sponsorship for Canada - from what you are saying it sounds like inland. All of that is fine and you are on the right track, relax.

Have you spotted wiki articles here:

Inland vs Outland: http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousa...sorship-Canada

Spousal sponsorship: http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousa...lication_Forms

To be inland, you BOTH need to be in and stay in Canada. You would need to be admitted as a visitor, but you could apply for an Open Work Permit at the same time as sending in your inland spousal sponsorship. OWP would take 4 / 5 months, spousal sponsorship plan on 12 months.

For Outland, you can both carry on living in the UK and move across once approved. Your wife would need to 'prove' that she would return to Canada once approved, which is a lot more than just saying 'I will honest'. Again, plan on 12 months. You can move to Canada earlier under 'dual intent', but you would not be allowed to work until approved and you have landed.

NickStix40

Hi Hurlabrick, sorry for the delay - just wanted to say a huge thanks for the thorough response, it's incredibly valuable to see confirmed that I am more or less on the right path.

Not sure how I overlooked the current OWP policy that (if granted) would allow me to work much sooner than I had anticipated. This alone makes a huge positive difference while I plan my move over the next few weeks!

No doubt if I run into issues I'll be posting again, but for the time being I shall crack on as planned.

I woe you one - Thanks again, have a great weekend