Canadian living abroad wanting to return to Canada (home, living in)

[Jennifer Homen]

Hi!

I'm a canadian living in Portugal for the last 13 years. I intend to return to Canada in about 6 months with my partener and daughter. The question is he is not a canadian citizen. If we get married there can he obtain citizenship? And we both have a degree but don't know what the equivalencies are. Can anyone help?
Thanks!

[~NeonFire~]

I don't know much about citizenship/immigration myself but there should be information at:

Welcome Page | Page d'accueil

[Cornerguy1]

The question is he is not a canadian citizen. If we get married there can he obtain citizenship?

There is no assurance that your partner will be granted either Permanent Resident's status or Canadian citizenship, regardless of where you are married.

Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not automaticly give a foreign citizen the right to enter Canada, or to be granted Permanent Resident's status.

Your partner (or husband) will be required to apply for PR status. This is a fairly lengthy and expensive process; the requirements can be found at the site listed above.

Your partner will not be permitted to work in Canada until he has been approved as a PR, nor will he be eligible for government health coverage.

I would suggest that your most practical course of action would be to marry in Portugal, and administer his PR application from there. That way, if his application is denied, you won't be forced to make a decision between staying in canada by yourself or returning to Portugal with your partner.

With regard to your degree(s), their value in a Canadian perspective will be largely determined by what they are in.

[yes]

Yes you can get married in Canada and apply within. The process will take about 6 months to obtain the Permanent Resident card.
To become a Canadian citizen he will need to apply 4 years after of being a Permanent Resident.
I've done that with my wife.

[yes]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

There is no assurance that your partner will be granted either Permanent Resident's status or Canadian citizenship, regardless of where you are married. He will be granted Permanent Resident status if you prove that you both married

Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not automaticly give a foreign citizen the right to enter Canada, or to be granted Permanent Resident's status. Yes it does

Your partner (or husband) will be required to apply for PR status. This is a fairly lengthy and expensive process; the requirements can be found at the site listed above. About 6 months and it doesn't cost much

Your partner will not be permitted to work in Canada until he has been approved as a PR, nor will he be eligible for government health coverage. Yes he will

I would suggest that your most practical course of action would be to marry in Portugal, and administer his PR application from there. That way, if his application is denied, you won't be forced to make a decision between staying in canada by yourself or returning to Portugal with your partner. it doesn't matter where you get married

With regard to your degree(s), their value in a Canadian perspective will be largely determined by what they are in.Agree

Laws have changed in Canada regarding husband and wife and their kids

[vanee]

Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not automaticly give a foreign citizen the right to enter Canada, or to be granted Permanent Resident's status. Yes it does

Well, not quite automatic. They have to provide proof of a genuine relationship, and the non-Canadian spouse has to pass medical and criminal checks.

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by yes

Yes you can get married in Canada and apply within. The process will take about 6 months to obtain the Permanent Resident card.
To become a Canadian citizen he will need to apply 4 years after of being a Permanent Resident.
I've done that with my wife.

actually its 3 years...

[yes]

Originally Posted by vanee

Well, not quite automatic. They have to provide proof of a genuine relationship, and the non-Canadian spouse has to pass medical and criminal checks.

Not automatic is correct but there's no need for criminal check. To prove you are married you just need a copy of your marriage certificate. The medical check up can be done in Canada but I don't think that will affect the process. Any Canadian citizen has the right to live with their spouse in the same household sick or not sick.

[yes]

Originally Posted by minibrings

actually its 3 years...

Currently, the total processing time for an application for citizenship is approximately 12–15 months. This is after you submit your application.
What is the residence requirement?
To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, you must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) out of the four years (1,460 days) preceding your application. Please note that you cannot meet the residence requirements for citizenship without a minimum of two (2) years as a permanent resident.

More information here: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/rescalc/...ew.do?&lang=en

[Cornerguy1]

Moderator's note:


Many people use this forum as a source of information; there is a responsibility on the part of members to supply accurate information to those users.

While good intentions are admirable, please ensure your information is accurate. It is often best to supply links to official web sites rather than just giving a personal synopsis of your impression of their contents.


That being said, it is important the information about criminal records affecting admissability into Canada needs to be clarified:

Originally Posted by yes

Not automatic is correct but there's no need for criminal check. To prove you are married you just need a copy of your marriage certificate. The medical check up can be done in Canada but I don't think that will affect the process. Any Canadian citizen has the right to live with their spouse in the same household sick or not sick.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada's web site says otherwise:

From: Sponsoring your family: Spouses and dependent children

Applicants for permanent residence must go through medical, criminal and background screening. Applicants with a criminal record may not be allowed to enter Canada. People who pose a risk to Canada’s security are also not allowed to enter Canada. Applicants may have to provide a certificate from police authorities in their home country.

Regarding

To become a Canadian citizen he will need to apply 4 years after of being a Permanent Resident.

There is a minimum period of time of residence in Canada which must be met before one can apply for citizenship:

Time lived in Canada
To become Canadian citizens, adults must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before applying. Children do not need to meet this requirement.

You may be able to count time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if that time falls within the four-year period.

from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizen...ligibility.asp

As referenced above, if a person legally lives in Canada before their PR application is approved, that time in residence can partially count toward the target 1095 days. In other words, a PR may be allowed to apply for citizenship at a date before the third anniversary of their PR status being granted.

There is no maximum time limit. In other words, you live in Canada as a PR for 20 years and still be eligible to apply for citizenship.