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I am a Canadian citizen and my boyfriend is not - he is American. We are planning to get married (we are both of age) and I was just on the Canadian Immigration website, and I read something that kind of confused me. It said that if you and your spouse have not been living together for at least a year, then your spouse can't apply for permanent residency. Is that true? So what would he do in that one year? This whole procedure is so confusing, I'd really appreciate it if someone explains this stuff to me... Thanks.
One assumes from your post that the pair of you plan on living in Canada.
First of all, you may submit your PR application anytime after your marriage assuming you have collected all the correct documentation, forms, etc. The actual processing of the application may take anywhere upwards of 12 months. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has processing times on their web site.
There are 2 ways of applying for Permanent Resident status for spouses: you may do so from outside Canada, or you may choose to do so from within Canada.
To apply from outside Canada, you and your spouse would fill out the appropriate forms and then file them with the Buffalo processing center. He would remain in the US until a decision is made regarding his application.
The downside to this format is that the 2 of you would likely live seperate lives until he was granted PR status.
To apply from within Canada, you and your spouse would fill in the appropriate forms and file them with the processing center in Vegreville, Alberta. So long as your spouse maintains the visa on which he entered the country, he would be permitted to stay in Canada until a decision is made.
While this method has greater appeal, you need to know that if your spouse's application is rejected, he will be required to leave the country.
For both methods, you need to know that it can take some time to gather the spporting documentation you'll need. Things like FBI and state police security clearences take time, especially if you're located in Canada. Medicals also take time to be arranged. If you are married in Ontario, there can be a considerable wait to receive an official copy of your marriage certificate unless you rattle some cages.
You need to be prepared to pay the application fees as well as fees for obtaining supporting documents. You also need to be able to pay for private health insurance for your spouse as, in Ontario, he won't be eligible for government health insurance until 90 days after his PR status is approved. Keep in mind that your spouse would likely enter the country on a visitor visa; he will not allowed to legally work on this visa. Visitor visas are valid for a maximum of 6 months, so you would need to apply for an extension well in advance of the expiration date. And yes, there is a fee.
While the process does not require an immigration lawyer, it does require close attention to detail when filing the application, a certain amount of financial resource, and a lot of patience when dealing with various government bureaucracies.
The folks at Citizenship and Immigration Canada are very helpful when asked specific questions. You can find a toll-free contact number on their web site: Welcome Page | Page d'accueil
Hi, I'am a venezuelan citizen, and my boyfriend is canadian, we are planning to get married but we recently knew that i'am 5 weeks pregnant, now we don't know what would be best for the baby and me. We want to have the baby born in canada but i'll need the permanent resident visa for that, wich could take a lot of time , and going on a tourist visa does not garantee health care for the baby also, and if we have the baby born here in venezuela, then we will have to apply not only for the baby paperwork, also for mine, does someone knows and easier way to get to canada and have health care for the baby? what is the best thing to do??
Hi, I'am a venezuelan citizen, and my boyfriend is canadian, we are planning to get married but we recently knew that i'am 5 weeks pregnant, now we don't know what would be best for the baby and me. We want to have the baby born in canada but i'll need the permanent resident visa for that, wich could take a lot of time , and going on a tourist visa does not garantee health care for the baby also, and if we have the baby born here in venezuela, then we will have to apply not only for the baby paperwork, also for mine, does someone knows and easier way to get to canada and have health care for the baby? what is the best thing to do??
Your son qualifies for Canadian citizenship, even if born outside Canada, so you will only need to apply for PR.
Any person born outside Canada after 15 February 1977, who has a Canadian parent at the time of birth, is automatically a Canadian citizen by descent.
hello,
i am getting married and my husband has canadian citizenship. He has return from Canada to Bosnia 5 years ago and now he is working and living here.
I have planned to get canadian citizeship and go study medicine in Toronto where i will be living with some family friends. My husband will visit me often as i will visit him often. Once i am finished with college and have my citizenship i plan to return too back home...i mean ...we dont know for certain but the plans are this way at this very moment.
My question: Can my husband file for me from bosnia after we get the marriage certificate and fullfill all the doc. requirements ?
If , yes...please give me in details what needs to get done and how are the steps followed. I am having hard hard time to get this information correctly as we are trying to save money from hiring a lawyer in Canada.
My hasband works for a company on the sales department and his payments are considerably high for my ****ry but as of Canada i would say he makes minimum wage income at about 1,300 per month.
If this may help, the family friends i have in Toronto they are willing to support me in any way to make this marriage happen as quickly as possible so i can start my college...
please help and thank you very much from the heart for all your kind information.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has an excellent web site, Welcome Page | Page d'accueil , which explains all the immigration options and procedures.
If your goal is just to come to Canada just to study, then why not apply for a student visa. These are much easier to acquire than Permanent Resident's visas.
thank you very much for your response..., but the page you sent me it has all but the information i need since my case its not as usual.
Since my husband has been back from canada 5 years it must be difficult for me to get citizeship...or so i feel. If someone can give me some information about that i would greatly appreciated..
I preferre to get canadian citizeship as my husband since i could travel the world with it much easier than my country's passport where i need visa for most places. Besides, if i am citizen i can pay very little for the school since i would not be considered as international student...
You might look into the option of marrying in the USA, and then returning to Canada, where he can remain with you as a visitor until formalities are completed.
thank you very much for your response..., but the page you sent me it has all but the information i need since my case its not as usual.
Since my husband has been back from canada 5 years it must be difficult for me to get citizeship...or so i feel. If someone can give me some information about that i would greatly appreciated..
I preferre to get canadian citizeship as my husband since i could travel the world with it much easier than my country's passport where i need visa for most places. Besides, if i am citizen i can pay very little for the school since i would not be considered as international student...
any ideas anyone ??!!
best rgds Alsia
The page I gave you is the official Canadian government department which makes the rules for immigration. There is no better source of immigration information.
In order for you to receive Canadian citizenship, you must first apply for and be accepted as a Permanent Resident.
There are various options for applying for PR status and all are explained on the site.
After you received PR status, you must be a physical resident in Canada for a certain number of days before you are eligible to apply for actual citizenship. Again, this information is available on the government web site.
The Canadian government hasn't designed their immigration policies to make it easy for folks who have no interest in living in Canada or being an active citizen to gain that citizenship; you will need to decide if the inconveniences are worth the end result.
i have a question ...and thank you if you will respond to me !!!
If someone received the permanent residency in Canada and is getting welfare every month ...can they go to medical college helped by the government on fully paying for tuition and fees?
Or please , can you tell me what you might know about that. I try to find this info on the Welcome Page | Page d'accueil but i found no response and i google but no resoults either.
I hear if you are on welfare the government pays for the tuition and fees.
If i have the wrong information please let me know otherwise with some details on how can a permanent resident get pay for college if he cant afford it..
thankx for your kind response in advance...
bless you
Alisia
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marriage abroad with canadian citizen
