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My Out of Status PR / Landing Experience

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CoffeeMate View Drop Down
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    Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 5:58am

I recently completed the Inland Application process. My husband sponsored me.   I was out of status for a 1-year and ½ before I submitted my application.  I remained without status up to my landing. (Will always regret this).  Even though I had gotten AIP, I was still out of status.

If I could go back, I would have applied for a work permit after getting AIP or submitted the application with the initial PR application, since this would have given me an extension of status. (The work permit form is not included with the In-land Permanent Resident application forms; you have to look elsewhere for it).

I agonized about my being out of status right up to my landing date, lots of sleepless nights (if you are in the same position, please spare yourself the stress and apply for a work permit when given the opportunity).

Throughout this time, my husband supported me.  I DID NOT WORK ILLEGALLY. My husband, (then boyfriend) and I dated for 6 ½ years before we got married. We have lived together for 3yrs, married 2. When we submitted our application, we gave them everything. We did not use a lawyer.  It was a huge file.

We did not give CIC any reason to doubt our relationship. Included in our application were copies of telephone bills, emails, airline tickets, concert tickets, at least 80 photos of us on different occasions, gifts receipts, trips info, letters from friends and family, letters from our landlord, letters from both of us describing our lives, how we met and what we meant to each other, joint a/cs, insurance and pension info, cards and letters mailed to us and to each other, lots of information from our wedding such as gift registry, wedding receipts, invitation etc. Give them as much info as you can.  It is better to give too much information than not enough.

Thank you all for the invaluable information you have provided on this site.  When I was unsure about something, this site provided the answer, even though I never asked.  All I had to do was read through the archives.  I made numerous visits, ached and sympathize with those wondering about their applications and rejoiced when there was happy news reported.  I had to share my experience with you because someday it may help someone looking for help.  Good luck to those still waiting.

My Timeline:

Sent in application on January 28th, 2009 

We received your application for permanent residence on January 30, 2009

We started processing your application on Feb. 17, 2009 (was not able to access E-Case until March 30, 2009)

Medical results have been received

A decision has been made and you will be contacted (AIP) - July 16, 2009 (E-Case status still reads In Process)

Received AIP and Sponsorship Approval Letters on July 23, 2009

Decision Made on January 26, 2010 (E-Case status now reads Decision Made)

(We sent you a letter on January 26, 2010 to ____________about the decision on your application. Please consider delays in mail delivery before contacting us. If we have sent the letter to the wrong address, please contact us)

Received DM Letter from Vegreville on February 3, 2010

Landing Letter from local office (Vancouver) received on February 18, 2010

Landed on March 3, 2010

(Landing and interview process was less than 30mins: checking Confirmation of Permanent Resident Document (COPR doc), photo & brief overview about being a PR lasted around 15mins, interview around 5mins)

Three questions were asked of me the applicant:

1. Do you have any children in or out of Canada?

2. Have you ever been asked to leave the country?

3. Have you committed any crime?

One question was asked of my spouse, (my letter stated he was to attend the interview) –was he the listed sponsor?

PR card to arrive within 6 weeks

March 4, 2010 – E-Case status now reads: Complete

You entered Canada at the Vancouver Admissions office on March 3, 2010 and became a Permanent Resident.
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BlueDragon17846 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BlueDragon17846 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 8:11am
Congratulations!  While being out of status, your app was completed in only a little over a year.  That is pretty good, despite your circumstance.  Thanks for sharing your timeline. Smile
****INLAND****
App sent: 11 Dec 2009
App recv'd: 14 Dec 2009
App started processing: 1 Mar 2010
AIP: 13 Sept 2010
Fingerprints Requested for RCMP: 4 March 2011
LANDED!!: 12 May 2011
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RobsLuv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 10:33am
You illustrate several good points: mainly how difficult it is to understand this whole process.  You could have saved yourself a lot of sleepless nights by 1) understanding what temporary status is and making sure you had it, and 2) understanding the process and what you were getting into when you applied inland.  You were very lucky - you got AIP within a normal timeframe in spite of the fact that, apparently, you were out of status when you applied.  But, after July 2009, you didn't have to lose sleep over your temporary status anymore - Approval in Principle is, essentially, valid temporary status - that's why it makes you eligible to apply for a work permit.  Had you applied for a WP, you would have had a temporary status document, and that might have made you feel a little more secure, but you didn't need the work permit to give you status.  AIP gave you status - so, no, from the time you received AIP until you landed, you were not in Canada illegally.

At any rate - congratulations.  Glad things worked out so well for you.   

Edited by RobsLuv - 05 Mar 2010 at 10:34am
3/2007-applied
1/2008-Refused
12/2008-ADR failed
1/2010-Appeal allowed
4/2010-In Process(Again)
5/2010-request FBI/meds
8/2010-FBI recd
11/30/10-APPROVED!
1/31/11-LANDED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoffeeMate Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 11:09am
Originally posted by RobsLuv RobsLuv wrote:

You illustrate several good points: mainly how difficult it is to understand this whole process.  You could have saved yourself a lot of sleepless nights by 1) understanding what temporary status is and making sure you had it, and 2) understanding the process and what you were getting into when you applied inland.  You were very lucky - you got AIP within a normal timeframe in spite of the fact that, apparently, you were out of status when you applied.  But, after July 2009, you didn't have to lose sleep over your temporary status anymore - Approval in Principle is, essentially, valid temporary status - that's why it makes you eligible to apply for a work permit.  Had you applied for a WP, you would have had a temporary status document, and that might have made you feel a little more secure, but you didn't need the work permit to give you status.  AIP gave you status - so, no, from the time you received AIP until you landed, you were not in Canada illegally.

At any rate - congratulations.  Glad things worked out so well for you.   


Thanks, for your response RobLuv.  Read a lot of your answers here.  Keep up the good work.  After AIP, I thought I had valid status, however twice at different times, when I called CIC, and specifically asked them if AIP gave me temp status, the agents told me that I was still out of status.  The last time, which was shortly before I received DM, the agent, while confirming my info stated "you are out of status" That was what caused me to worry.  They give conflicting and confusing answers at times.
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redeagle View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redeagle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 11:28am
It apears somewhat that the CIC call center does this. Half the agents must be on some sort of back to work government scheme, or scam not sure which, as one doesnt know what the answer is and neither does the guy at the side of him.
"Will this matter a year from now?"
Probably, this is gonna be a one hell of a long journey.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote job_seeker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 5:34pm
Congratulations CoffeeMate!!!

To RedEagle and CoffeeMate,

It seems CIC call center agents don't have the same set of operating guidelines they look into when making responses to our queries. During my early days in Canada and I did not know of the existence of these "help" forums, I called CIC twice on different days and got two conflicting answers to the same question.
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matthewc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote matthewc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 5:52pm
It's a little confusing, but if you become out of status, you do then remain out of status until you land as a PR, even if you get the OWP later. Neither AIP nor the OWP actually put you back in status. The only reason you can stay in Canada (not be removed) and get the OWP is because of the spousal public policy, which makes an exception, allowing your application for PR, and your OWP to be put through even though you are out of status.

If you apply for the OWP before your status expires, either by submitting the PR + OWP applications together, or by submitting the OWP separately but while you are still in status, then you remain in status throughout. As long as you get the OWP application to them before your status expires, if your status expires before they issue AIP and the OWP, then you have what's called "implied status" - this means that because you've asked them to extend your status, your status remains valid until they make a decision on the extension (i.e. you don't get penalised just because it takes them a long time to process the application).

Submitting the OWP together with the PR application in the same envelope, before your status expires is definitely the recommended option for inland applications.

As for the call centre agents, some of them are knowledgeable and helpful, others simply don't know what they're talking about and give out bad info. I always suggest calling back and getting a second opinion from a different agent if you doubt what they've told you.


Edited by matthewc - 05 Mar 2010 at 5:54pm
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