Outland spousal sponsoring after getting married in Canada

[snowdown]

Hi,

I'm a Canadian citizen and I got engaged to a girl from India last year (I live in Canada and she is still in India). We're planning to have our wedding next January, but she's coming to visit me in Canada in the summer (on a tourist visa). I was wondering if we could still apply for an outland spousal sponsorship, if we got married in Canada when she visits, so that she can still leave the country?

Also, if we apply for a inland spousal sponsorship, how quickly can she get an open work permit and how long does the work permit last? My primary concern with inland sponsorship is that she won't be able to find a good job in her field, if her work permit is short term.

Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[k.h.p.]

1. You can apply outland if you get married in Canada. However, applicants from India face intense scrutiny if they do not hold full cultural weddings, so a city hall or civil wedding ceremony with just a witness or two may face challenges.

2. You can apply for inland as well if she comes on a tourist visa and you get married here. Same caveat with regards to the cultural wedding concern. An open work permit comes about 3-5 months into the process and is typically issued for two years, and the PR application should take only a year.

 

[snowdown]

Thanks for the response. Do you know if there is an issue if we have a civil wedding ceremony in Canada, then apply for a PR, but have made arrangements (bookings, invitations etc.) for a full cultural wedding in January?

 

[k.h.p.]

It may or may not be. I can't say.

 

[snowdown]

Appreciate the info. Thank you.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks for the response. Do you know if there is an issue if we have a civil wedding ceremony in Canada, then apply for a PR, but have made arrangements (bookings, invitations etc.) for a full cultural wedding in January?

Yes, it could still be an issue, especially if this is an arranged marriage. You would be getting married civilly just for immigration purposes; it is always possible to cancel any future bookings, so no guarantee that the cultural wedding would happen.

If this is not an arranged marriage and you have had an ongoing public and provable romantic relationship for several years, then it would likely be OK to have a civil ceremony and show proof of the future cultural wedding.