Spouse Outside Canada - Processing

I was just poking around on the forums at immigration.ca , and found a thread (discussion) where people were posting their timelines for Outside Canada applications from the USA: http://www.immigration.ca/discussion/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19254
and found some very interesting things. According to many of the people there, the Sponsorship part of their applications is being processed in a month or sometimes even less, which is a week or two less than the timeline posted on CIC's website. But much more amazing, the Immigrant part that goes to Buffalo, New York is often getting processed in a month or so as well! CIC's website timeline says 30% are processed in 3 months, 50% in 6 months, 70% in 9 months, and 80% in 13 months. Based on that, one might figure on waiting 6 months for the Immigrant part to be approved. It would be so lovely if that's not the case! Another interesting thing is that the Buffalo office has apparently been offloading some applications for processing at other offices throughout the country, apparently for the purpose of keeping processing times down. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Spouse Outside Canada - Updated Timeline

09/29/06 - Got fingerprints done
09/30/06 - Mailed paperwork to FBI and California DOJ
10/03/06 - FBI received fingerprints
10/04/06 - Received DOJ police clearance letter
01/25/07 - Received FBI clearance
02/19/07 - Got fingerprints re-done for DOJ
(they're nearly 5 months old)
02/22/07 - Nickie's medical exam
02/22/07 - Received 2nd DOJ police clearance letter
02/23/07 - Mailed application to CPC-Mississauga

Status of application can be checked online at e-Client Application Status (eCAS).

Spouse Outside Canada - Application

That's it! We've done it!!!

About 250 (double-sided) pages, 9-10 months, CAD $1040 (which at current exchange rates turns out to be USD $896), another USD $496 and untold hours later, all of our forms, info, and a heap of supporting documents have all been shipped off to Mississauga, Ontario. It cost about $18 to send it off in a big padded post office envelope (forget a regular manila envelope; trust me, it'll never fit in one of those anyway) by air mail, certified mail with receipt (so we know exactly when they receive it), and insured for $300 ($115 for 4 notarized letters from friends and family certifying that our relationship is genuine, and $215 for the medical exam).

We did a little happy dance after we mailed everything off. Now we wait, hope and pray. We're terrified that we might have forgotten something and exhilarated that we've finally done it!

Spouse Outside Canada - Forms

gray - Not applicable
red - Completed items

(Numbering is a little off because that's the way it is on the Document Checklists.)

Case Processing Centre - Mississauga
P.O. Box 3000, Station A
Mississauga, ON L5A 4N6

Sponsor forms

• IMM 5491 - Document Checklist - original

1. IMM 1344A - Application to sponsor and Undertaking - original


2. IMM 1344B - Sponsorship Agreement - photocopy


3. IMM 5481 - Sponsorship Evaluation or IMM 1283 - Financial Evaluation - original


4. Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) - original


5. IMM 5401 - Receipt for fee payment - Copy 2


6. IMM 5409 - Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union - original


7. IMM 5540 - Sponsor Questionnaire - original

Supporting Documents - Sponsor

13. Canadian birth certificate - photocopy


14. If spouse is a co-sponsor, marriage certificate - photocopy


15. Proof of spouse's PR status or Canadian citizenship, if s/he is co-sponsoring - photocopy


16. Proof of severance of any previous marriages or common-law relationships - photocopy


17. "Option C Printout" from last year's Canadian taxes, or explanation why missing - original


18. Evidence of last 12 months' income (Letter from employer or self-employed statement) - original


19. If you must meet the minimum income requirement, more evidence of income (i.e. paystubs)


20. If you are a Canadian citizen exclusively living outside Canada, proof of intent to accompany spouse in Canada


21. Medical Condition Statement for adopted children

Applicant forms

8. IMM 0008 Generic - Application for Permanent Residence - original, 3 copies
   


9. IMM 0008 Schedule 1 - Schedule 1 - Background / Declaration - original, 3 copies
   


10. IMM 5490 - Spouse / Partner Questionnaire - original


11. IMM 5406 - Additional Family Information - original


12. IMM 5476 - Use of a Representative - original
    

Supporting Documents - Applicant
(Details are in Appendix A, in Country-Specific Instructions)

22. Identity and civil status documents - birth certificates, baptismal certificates, domestic partnership certificate, etc.
    
23. Children's information
24. Travel Documents and passports - photocopy
    
25. Proof of relationship to sponsor - photos, letters, phone bills, airline ticket coupons, boarding passes, etc. For common-law partner:
    
    • evidence that your relationship is genuine and continuing and has existed for at least 12 months prior to your application
    • details of the history of your relationship
    • at least two (2) statutory declarations from individuals with personal knowledge of your relationship supporting your claim that relationship is genuine and continuing
      
26. Police certificates / clearances - original {1 year}
27. Proof of medical exam - Copy 2
    
    • Photos - five (5) recent *identical* photos {6 months}
28. Photos - four (4) recent *identical* photos {6 months}

Country Specific Instructions - USA

• Appendix A - Document Checklist - Applicant - original


• Appendix B - Police Certificates/Clearances - original


• Appendix C - Photo Specifications


• Appendix D - Medical Instructions - original
  

Spouse Outside Canada - Updated Timeline

09/29/06 - Got fingerprints done
09/30/06 - Mailed paperwork to FBI and California DOJ
10/03/06 - FBI received fingerprints
10/04/06 - Received DOJ police clearance letter
01/25/07 - Received FBI clearance
02/19/07 - Got fingerprints re-done for DOJ
                 (they're nearly 5 months old)
02/22/07 - Nickie's medical exam

Spouse Outside Canada - Updated To-Do

To do:

• Go with at least 2 friends/relatives to a notary public, to make a notarized statement that our relationship is genuine and continuing
• Hit up other friends/relatives with an unnotarized statement to fill out and send back

Do the following while waiting for letters:

• Call photographers
• Get photos done*
  
• Re-do California Live Scan
• Make doctor appointment and bring:
  
  • Passport and photocopy of passport bio-data page
    
  • Eyeglasses
  • Previous medical reports - any documentation including physician's reports, treatment, prescriptions
  • Five recent photos taken within 6 months of exam
    
  • Completed Appendix D
    
  
  
• Make final copies of all forms and supporting documents
• Mail everything by certified mail with receipt

* Note: The only photographer I found that really seems to know what I'm talking about and can do the right size is Passport Photos Photo Center, 7961 Beverly Bl., Los Angeles (323) 653-6689, M-F 9:30-6:00p, Sat 9:30-12:30p, for $28.95. Just bring in the specifications, he said. I found them in the yellow pages under "passport & visa services." Update: We went and he did a great job. We were done and had our pictures in less than 10 minutes.

Relocating and importing

Our research has led us to some solid conclusions.

Since moving to Canada directly would involve Nickie going without health insurance or employment for around 10-18 months, by my current guesstimate, we decided it would make more sense to stay in the U.S. for now and continue saving up while the paperwork is processing.

I looked into what it would take to import our vehicle(s) into Canada. I also looked into importing an RV to Canada. There are things you have to do with U.S. Customs as well as Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). When all is said and done, it doesn't seem like it's worth the pain in the rear. We even asked about buying a Canadian-made RV and bringing it to the U.S. - that would be considered importing to the U.S. even though it would be temporary, and re-importing to Canada including all associated fees even though it's already made to Canadian specs. Our decision -- forget it. Wait until we land in Canada and buy one then. And part with one or both of our cars before landing, to minimize the headaches.

Thirdly, our current neighborhood is most excellent for driving one absolutely mad, what with helicopter chases, gang members hiding out on the property, and all sorts of other insanity I don't care to get into. So we have been looking for another place to live while the paperwork is in process and such, as mentioned before. We looked into a number of places here in Southern California that, last we knew, were still decent places to live. Very few of them have remained decent - most of them are now gangland, plagued with crime, and falling into disrepair and neglect. We even saw some of this as far north as Santa Barbara! Southern CA is a dump, overall, and getting worse... Northern CA rents are, incredibly, even more expensive than Southern CA. We found all this rather discouraging, and weighed more heavily toward leaving CA altogether; of the out-of-state areas we were considering, that mainly left MN and OR. It seems that Minneapolis, MN rents are expensive like L.A., and I know from my research that it's actually colder in MN than in Ontario, Canada, and I've been buying warm clothes but I really don't think we're prepared to drive into the ice and snow to try and acclimate in the dead of winter. Ditto on the winter thing in upstate NY, which right now is measuring snow in feet, not inches. That leaves Portland, OR, which is a relatively short drive away (about 14-15 hours), has a milder winter, and we've been there and liked many things about it.

So in a nutshell:

• Complete and submit Outside Canada application
• Move to Portland OR vicinity, save up and wait
• On approval of application, sell car(s)
• Land in Canada and purchase RV
  

RVing - Importing & Exporting

Called Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV), and asked them the following question:

I'm a Canadian living in the U.S. I'm considering buying a Canadian RV and bringing it here while my partner's immigration goes through, then moving back to Canada with it. How long could I have it abroad before I'd have to register it as an export, and what would be involved?

I was told that I would have to export it as soon as I took it out of the country, and then still have to pay to enroll it in the import program and do the associated inspections when I return, even though it's Canadian-made. They recommended I just wait until I move back to Canada and purchase the RV then.

I suspected this might be the case, for the trouble involved, not to mention the money. Other temporary living arrangements are obviously in order.

Their recorded message gives the following numbers for more information when calling from outside Canada:

(204) 983-3500 CBSA
(613) 998-8616 Transportation Canada

Next question: are there camper shell requirements? I called twice because the first gentleman seemed unsure about what a camper shell is. (There is probably another term for it in Canada, but I don't know what that would be.)

None according to Pierre at RIV, 2/9/07 1:42 p.m. PST.
No restrictions according to Mu at RIV, 2/9/07, 2:00 p.m. - just need bill of sale and title.