Sponsorship Thai Spouse For Canada Prv, Processing Times Singapore Vs Inland

[maikan]

Hi,

I am a (French) Canadian citizen living presently in Thailand. I'm engaged to a Thai women. Our relationship is only six months old, but we're beginning to talk about moving to Canada together already, because we know that if we do so, it's going to be a long process. We would start the process in a few months, giving us some more time to test and consolidate our relationship before making a move.

I read a lot of posts on forums already, I'm familiar with the difficulties of an inland demand... It means my fiancée should ask for a TRV first, although a TRV normally means that the Thai Citizen plans to go back to Thailand at the end of visa validity... (Canada abolished fiancé visa many years ago.)

Problem is : the processing time for sponsorship of spouse application at the Canadian visa office in Singapour is now said to be... 24 months!!! Source : the CIC official site (can't put the link since I'm new here, but you'll find it easily).

24 months is a long time. I plan to move back to Canada next summer, can't think of living a long-distance relationship for two years.

On most forums (from past years), people were talking about a processing time of 9 to 12 months. What a change! Can anyone confirm that the processing time posted on CIC site reflects reality?

For an inland demand, processing times are said to be 6 months for step 1 and 8 months for step 2 (so 14 months total), but on very recent forums some people said it took them only 6 month for the whole process.

Thanks a lot if you can help confirm these informations.

[sunspun]

my husband applied through singapore and it took 3 months. the wait time said 6-8 months. this was 4 years ago mind you, before harper screwed up the country, so it may be longer now. it is much faster through singapore than inside canada, and she won't need a TRV which may be very difficult to get, depending on her financial situation.

[maikan]

my husband applied through singapore and it took 3 months. the wait time said 6-8 months. this was 4 years ago mind you, before harper screwed up the country, so it may be longer now. it is much faster through singapore than inside canada, and she won't need a TRV which may be very difficult to get, depending on her financial situation.

Thanks for your quick answer.

If what you're saying is true, the actual processing time is totally different from what is presently announced on the CIC Internet site :

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-fc.asp

Can anyone else valid that?

[reflectionx]

I've recently sponsored my Thai wife. 24 months seemed ridiculous to me, and since I did not want to take any chances, I'd enrolled her into a 1 year study program in another country. So we used the loophole that allows you to apply from another country if you are legally accepted in this country for a period of at least one year. I've recommended this to a colleague of mine, and he is doing the same for his spouse (coming from Africa).

I spent about $5k in total (tuition fees, plane tickets, dorm, food), but it took ONLY 5 months in total - from app filing with CIC to her having her passport with the visa in her hands (which, as one of my colleagues said is "unheard of" ). PM me if you need more detailed info

[Shadowfyr]

Maikan

Keep me posted on how you make out. I'm in the same position as you. Currently in Thailand getting ready to marry Laos girlfriend in Thai. I'm from Manitoba. Send me a PM.

[serendipityee]

Hi,

I am not sure if marriage is in your plans. I managed to get approval with info from a canadian immigration lawyer when I brought my Thai wife into Canada from Hong Kong. You may have to check this out since it is not readily available to people outside Canada.

About 20 some odd years ago, I applied for fiance visa to Canada and was denied. I loved my fiance at the time and

got married in Hong Kong. I also had a young baby as well after we married. I applied for a visitor visa for my wife, as well as having a sponsorship papers from my mother at the time to provide financial proof of stay in Canada.

I got approved for a visitor visa for my family. After arrival in Vancouver, BC. The lawyer suggested I apply for

what's called an inbound application for permanent residency, eventually leading to citizenship.

Not saying you have to get married or produce a child, but that is what I did to share with everyone on the

forum.

Hope this offers another option for you.

[sunnyday09]

Hi Maikan,

we've just finished a spouse sponsor process through Singapor and yes it's 24 months, actually 22 but keep it mind it might change during the process. If you apply from the province of Quebec you gonna have to go through Immigration Quebec first, so you can add a few months over that. After you've done your part in Quebec they will issue you certificat de sélection Québec wich you gonna use in the Canadian portion of the process.

The 24 months waiting time gonna start when Singapor embassy will receive the COMPLETE package.

Bonne chance!

[GOLDBUGGY]

Hi,

I am not sure if marriage is in your plans. I managed to get approval with info from a canadian immigration lawyer when I brought my Thai wife into Canada from Hong Kong. You may have to check this out since it is not readily available to people outside Canada.

About 20 some odd years ago, I applied for fiance visa to Canada and was denied. I loved my fiance at the time and

got married in Hong Kong. I also had a young baby as well after we married. I applied for a visitor visa for my wife, as well as having a sponsorship papers from my mother at the time to provide financial proof of stay in Canada.

I got approved for a visitor visa for my family. After arrival in Vancouver, BC. The lawyer suggested I apply for

what's called an inbound application for permanent residency, eventually leading to citizenship.

Not saying you have to get married or produce a child, but that is what I did to share with everyone on the

forum.

Hope this offers another option for you.

I was advised by a Canadian Immirgration Offical in Canada about 5 years ago, on a "By-the-way" basis, to do this exact same thing, less the lawyer. I am not sure of the processing times in Canada to do this now, but you can be sure it is faster than doing it Overseas. But this is not the most important thing, when you do it this way!

The important thing is that if you bring your wife on a Tourist Visa, and apply within Canada, she will not be deported while the processing in going on, no matter the length of her current Visa. There is also a much smaller chance she will be rejected this way as well. Possession is nine tenths of the law and being in Canada already means 90% is already approved.

They have done away with the "Fiance" & Fiancee Immirgration Law in Canada, where you had to get married within 6 months or risk losing your rights anyway. But they have added another one, called "Common Law Spouse" which you could apply for. If you can prove you and your Thai Partenr have lived together for at least a year, through both signatures on a lease agreement, or property, or some other way, she would be consider your wife already. Thus she would have equal rights as a wife who is applying for an Immigration Visa to Canada. But in Canada, it also means you are married already, were in Thailand you are not. Something to think about if you are unsure of your relationship, and a divorce follows in Canada..

[bp832]

My wife and I went through this last year. Applied on January 20, 2012, sponsorship approved may 7,2012, her PR approved Oct 30,2012, flagpoled at a USA/Canada border on Dec 13, 2012. The average time for PR was 22months, but the general consensus is that if you don't require an interview, you will get it in 6 months. Do your application properly and it should be a fairly smooth process. I should mention that my wife had applied for and received her Canadian TRV in April, 2012 before my sponsorship was even approved. When we submitted her PR application, we had only been married 2 months.

[mmushr00m]

Where will you be residing? If its Quebec the rules may differ slightly from the rest of Canada.

The waiting time depends on several factors. One of them is you, are you eligible to sponsor her? This 1st part if the process gets sent to Mississauga. If approved then her application gets sent to Singapore.

The wife's application took 6-8months and that's with mistakes too. Granted we had been married 3 years before we applied and she had several tourist visas to Canafa already. It was quick and painless, no interview required.

It depends on each case, I know people who have waited 2yrs, some even more.

It's the same with doing it in Canada, some get it in a year but I know others who are still waiting after 3years.

You should also note: you've only known her for 6months and not sure if your relationship can withstand the distance if you are seperated. I'm not trying to be negative but think carefully. You will be on the hook and responsible for her for 3years if she gets her PRV. Even if you breakup in Canada you will still be responsible. So if she goes on welfare etc, the govt will seek to get the money back from you.

[reflectionx]

If you apply from the province of Quebec you gonna have to go through Immigration Quebec first, so you can add a few months over that. After you've done your part in Quebec they will issue you certificat de sélection Québec wich you gonna use in the Canadian portion of the process.

Where will you be residing? If its Quebec the rules may differ slightly from the rest of Canada.

Residing in QC does not introduce any additional delays! It simply cost $300 more - the cost of applying for CSQ (Certificat de selection du Qeubec). Once you receive your stage 1 (sponsor) approval letter (from CIC Mississauga), you apply for CSQ. It takes about 1 month to get it, and it goes it parallel with your main application, which is forwarded by CIC Mississauga to the visa office in charge of your application.

Once the CSQ is issued, immigration QC will forward it to the embassy in charge of your file. It happens even before the embassy starts looking at your file, hence no additional delays.

[reflectionx]

You will be on the hook and responsible for her for 3years if she gets her PRV. Even if you breakup in Canada you will still be responsible. So if she goes on welfare etc, the govt will seek to get the money back from you.

I wouldn't worry much about this. Since a lot of people complained that they got scammed and their spouses left them shortly after arrival, the govt introduced is a new rule that she must stay with you for 2 years, or she will lose her PR. So worst case, you will be on the hook for 1 year.

[maikan]

If you apply from the province of Quebec you gonna have to go through Immigration Quebec first, so you can add a few months over that. After you've done your part in Quebec they will issue you certificat de sélection Québec wich you gonna use in the Canadian portion of the process.

Where will you be residing? If its Quebec the rules may differ slightly from the rest of Canada.

Residing in QC does not introduce any additional delays! It simply cost $300 more - the cost of applying for CSQ (Certificat de selection du Qeubec). Once you receive your stage 1 (sponsor) approval letter (from CIC Mississauga), you apply for CSQ. It takes about 1 month to get it, and it goes it parallel with your main application, which is forwarded by CIC Mississauga to the visa office in charge of your application.

Once the CSQ is issued, immigration QC will forward it to the embassy in charge of your file. It happens even before the embassy starts looking at your file, hence no additional delays.

That's right. That's what I found doing researches. No additional delay for immigrating to Qc. Yes, this is where we're going to reside.

We ear a lot of things on things on forums, so I double check any info.

As for the "24 months", I made a lot of researches and asked a lot of people, and it's not always the case at all. Some people wait 9-12 months, some 15 months, some 24 months or even longer. Mainly, it depends if the applicant is called for an interview or not.

[maikan]

Thanks to people who answer this topic.

I got the information I was looking for now. The answer to the question is... there's no answer! It can take 7 months and it can take 24 months. It depends on the VO, but of course, it also depends on the situation, the relationship between spouse and sponsor, and the quality of the application (proofs etc.) sent to Singapour.

For those who are in a situation similar to mine and want more infos, I suggest you go check on this forum (for Canada immigration specifically) :

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/family-class-sponsorship-b5.0/

[reflectionx]

Hi,

I am not sure if marriage is in your plans. I managed to get approval with info from a canadian immigration lawyer when I brought my Thai wife into Canada from Hong Kong. You may have to check this out since it is not readily available to people outside Canada.

About 20 some odd years ago, I applied for fiance visa to Canada and was denied. I loved my fiance at the time and

got married in Hong Kong. I also had a young baby as well after we married. I applied for a visitor visa for my wife, as well as having a sponsorship papers from my mother at the time to provide financial proof of stay in Canada.

I got approved for a visitor visa for my family. After arrival in Vancouver, BC. The lawyer suggested I apply for

what's called an inbound application for permanent residency, eventually leading to citizenship.

Not saying you have to get married or produce a child, but that is what I did to share with everyone on the

forum.

Hope this offers another option for you.

I was advised by a Canadian Immirgration Offical in Canada about 5 years ago, on a "By-the-way" basis, to do this exact same thing, less the lawyer. I am not sure of the processing times in Canada to do this now, but you can be sure it is faster than doing it Overseas. But this is not the most important thing, when you do it this way!

The important thing is that if you bring your wife on a Tourist Visa, and apply within Canada, she will not be deported while the processing in going on, no matter the length of her current Visa. There is also a much smaller chance she will be rejected this way as well. Possession is nine tenths of the law and being in Canada already means 90% is already approved.

They have done away with the "Fiance" & Fiancee Immirgration Law in Canada, where you had to get married within 6 months or risk losing your rights anyway. But they have added another one, called "Common Law Spouse" which you could apply for. If you can prove you and your Thai Partenr have lived together for at least a year, through both signatures on a lease agreement, or property, or some other way, she would be consider your wife already. Thus she would have equal rights as a wife who is applying for an Immigration Visa to Canada. But in Canada, it also means you are married already, were in Thailand you are not. Something to think about if you are unsure of your relationship, and a divorce follows in Canada..

Keep in mind that if you apply from within Canada, she won't have the right to work or study at resident tuition rates. Also, you will have to pay every time you go see a doctor. Even if you buy insurance, she won't be covered if she becomes pregnant. Normal pregnancy without complications will cost you over 30k (including delivery).

[sunnyday09]

Maikan for sure it's not only about the interview, my package was complete and no interview required. It's hard to know why for some there is an longer delay. That being said, delay expected was 22 months and surprisingly it took 22 months if you go along this route, plan for it at least you won't be disapointed.

[maikan]

Maikan for sure it's not only about the interview, my package was complete and no interview required. It's hard to know why for some there is an longer delay. That being said, delay expected was 22 months and surprisingly it took 22 months if you go along this route, plan for it at least you won't be disapointed.

Hi sunnyday09,

Good to know, thx for the report. First time I ear of such a delay without any interview... I know there's a part of it which is arbitrary and unpredictable...

[Rusty53]

Maikan, I recieved your PM through Canada Visa Forum and will try to respond this evening.

[bp832]

Hi,

I am not sure if marriage is in your plans. I managed to get approval with info from a canadian immigration lawyer when I brought my Thai wife into Canada from Hong Kong. You may have to check this out since it is not readily available to people outside Canada.

About 20 some odd years ago, I applied for fiance visa to Canada and was denied. I loved my fiance at the time and

got married in Hong Kong. I also had a young baby as well after we married. I applied for a visitor visa for my wife, as well as having a sponsorship papers from my mother at the time to provide financial proof of stay in Canada.

I got approved for a visitor visa for my family. After arrival in Vancouver, BC. The lawyer suggested I apply for

what's called an inbound application for permanent residency, eventually leading to citizenship.

Not saying you have to get married or produce a child, but that is what I did to share with everyone on the

forum.

Hope this offers another option for you.

I was advised by a Canadian Immirgration Offical in Canada about 5 years ago, on a "By-the-way" basis, to do this exact same thing, less the lawyer. I am not sure of the processing times in Canada to do this now, but you can be sure it is faster than doing it Overseas. But this is not the most important thing, when you do it this way!

The important thing is that if you bring your wife on a Tourist Visa, and apply within Canada, she will not be deported while the processing in going on, no matter the length of her current Visa. There is also a much smaller chance she will be rejected this way as well. Possession is nine tenths of the law and being in Canada already means 90% is already approved.

They have done away with the "Fiance" & Fiancee Immirgration Law in Canada, where you had to get married within 6 months or risk losing your rights anyway. But they have added another one, called "Common Law Spouse" which you could apply for. If you can prove you and your Thai Partenr have lived together for at least a year, through both signatures on a lease agreement, or property, or some other way, she would be consider your wife already. Thus she would have equal rights as a wife who is applying for an Immigration Visa to Canada. But in Canada, it also means you are married already, were in Thailand you are not. Something to think about if you are unsure of your relationship, and a divorce follows in Canada..

Keep in mind that if you apply from within Canada, she won't have the right to work or study at resident tuition rates. Also, you will have to pay every time you go see a doctor. Even if you buy insurance, she won't be covered if she becomes pregnant. Normal pregnancy without complications will cost you over 30k (including delivery).

Actually that depends on the province. In Saskatchewan my wife was covered for health, which I didn't know and no one told me until I had to renew my health card. We didn't apply from within but she had a TRV. They don't publicize this -for a reason.

[bp832]

Not only was she eligible for provincial coverage, my work benefits (life, health, drug and dental) extended to her bc she had a health card. Again, only a TRV. I suggest inquiring first.

Also, Canadavisa.com rocks for immigration issues!!

Edited February 4, 2013 by bp832

[Ulic]

My sister married a Cambodian guy 20 months ago and is still waiting. She was told

24-36 months in BC. Best of luck.

[reflectionx]

Actually that depends on the province. In Saskatchewan my wife was covered for health, which I didn't know and no one told me until I had to renew my health card. We didn't apply from within but she had a TRV. They don't publicize this -for a reason.

In Quebec, you are not covered if on tourist visa. You are not even covered for the first 3 months after you become a resident (with certain exception such as pregnancy, violence). In Ontario, even pregnancy is not covered for the first 3 months.

[AngryParent]

Some surprising news for most Canadians:

A friend of mine who is Canadian said that once you have approval for sponsorship class from missasugua (takes about 2 months) you can then apply for a dual intent tourist visa for the wife. This way you can move to Canada in about 2 months - no need for studies etc. Then live in Canada and wait for processing of PR.

Contact your embassy to confirm.

[Viruta57]

I am from Québec... I met my wife in Thailand in 2009.. got married in 2011, has been approved for sponsorship December 2011... We had a TRV in nov. 2012... good for 1 year... My wife is with me in Canada and we still waiting news from Singapore... So far... we have been in the process for 14 months and hoping to have news before the end of the year.

[slcimm]

Yes. It is true. The moment you obtain approval from CPC Mississauga office, Sponser can file TRV application for his/her Spouse to bring to Canada until PR process is Completed. Dual Intent does not apply in that case as per IRPA Regulation of Canada.

[AngryParent]

Yes. It is true. The moment you obtain approval from CPC Mississauga office, Sponser can file TRV application for his/her Spouse to bring to Canada until PR process is Completed. Dual Intent does not apply in that case as per IRPA Regulation of Canada.

I am sure the answer to this question might help others: are there any minimum income &/or savings requirments etc. to get a TRV after approval from CPC Mississauga?