PR application and visitor visa

Hello All!

I’m planning on attending a conference in Canada this coming summer and will need a visa to enter Canada. While I’m about to start the PR application, I was wondering if I haven’t received the final PR visa around late spring, will it interfere with applying for a visitor visa? In other words, will a PR application that’s in process have a conflict with a temporary visa application?

Thanks so much!

It is a tricky situation. When you apply for Temporary Resident visa (Visit Visa) you should prove that you will return to your home country after your visit. The applications are treated independently. However, the fact that you have a PR visa application in process, it may give them an indication that you may not leave Canada after your visa. So it all depends on how you strongly support you visit visa application and the judgment of the VO.

I don’t know much about how the CIC regards two conflicting applications in process at the same time (PR application and non-immigrant visitor visa application.) In the US though, there’s a huge chance of the visitor visa getting rejected if your immigrant petition is approved/pending. If CIC has scrutinizing standards anywhere near what the US has, your visitor visa might get rejected. Atleast, they might ask you questions at the border in summer when your PR application might have progressed. I don’t know what all data they have access to on their system during the entry process.

What stage have you reach in starting your PR application. Even if you submit your profile today, it’s going to take atleast a month to submit the final documents and the possibly another 4-6 months to get the PR visa. That’s cutting it too close. If the conference is very important I would wait till after that, before submitting my profile. But then there’s the uncertainty of not clearing the cutoff and delaying the application. I think at this point you’ve to decide your chances of getting the ITA vs the importance of the conference.

Tricky situation indeed! :thinking:

Hello!

Thank you both for sharing your insight - it turns out more complicated than I thought. Good info to know about and to consider.

Would it be a prudent approach if I go ahead and secure a temporary visitor visa first, given that the visitor visa will be valid at least throughout the summer, and as soon as I’ve obtained a visitor visa, I can proceed with the PR application?

Also, thanks for asking about where I’m at in terms of the PR application. I’m taking the IELTS this weekend; I have started working on the police certificate and education evals, so both of these two requirements are underway.

Thanks again!

If you have not yet started a PR application then you should have no issue filing for the visitor visa. Keep in mind they will evaluate your application on the facts provided and it’s on you to convince them that you will not over stay the visa and have the funds for the visit.

The visitor visa is an online process. If you are eligible for CRA+ then you’ll get a confirmation in 2 to 5 days else 21 days. At which point you have to submit your passport to the nearest authorized handler (VAS)

Thanks for the info!

I guess I will try this route: secure a visitor first followed by apply for PR.

Two follow-up questions:

  1. It’s likely that my PR application will be in process when I enter Canada in the summer. With a visitor visa in hand and a PR app in process (probably retrievable in the system), will it affect my chance of entering Canada?
  2. I don’t this would be a concern, but just to be on the safe side, I hope a visitor visa won’t impact the PR process negatively?

Thank you!

That is quite a specific question and would require internal knowledge of how Canadian immigration officers work :grinning: What I can say is its Canada not the US so you will probably have zero issues if you have a visa. Also the PR process is based on your CRS points and having a visa or traveling to Canada does not affect it in any way. If your application makes the cut off you will get your ITA.

1 Like

So the conflict approach is way different than from USA immigrant vs non-immigrant?

Hello! Thank you all for your insight and comments.

I did a bit research and found “dual intent”: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/bulletins-2009/131-july-6-2009.html. From this alone, Canada does seem to be a much more immigrant/visitor-friendly country. I believe below is the most pertinent information from this website.

“A22(2) states: “An intention by a foreign national to become a permanent resident does not preclude them from becoming a temporary resident if the officer is satisfied that they will leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay.” Dual intent is present when a foreign national, who has applied for permanent residence in Canada also applies to enter Canada for a temporary period as a visitor, worker or student. Dual intent on the part of the applicant is therefore not prima facie grounds for refusal of temporary resident status.”

Any further comments or thoughts would still be appreciated.

4 Likes

This is SO much better than US policy!

@Fan that is some impressive level of research. Great find. :grinning:

1 Like

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Now I have one lingering concern: after having received ITA, when (at what stage) will you need to submit your passport for a PR visa stamp, and how long will your passport be away from you during this process?

This may be very helpful when I plan my travels. Thanks!

I got my ITA April first week 2017, submitted my final application the same week (I had all the documents ready). I got my passport request in July third week. I got my passport back in August last week so took roughly a month. It can vary though so keep a buffer period.

1 Like

Thanks so much for sharing.

May I ask one more detail: once you’ve received the passport request, how much time do they allow you to submit your passport?

You have 30 days after you get the passport request email.

1 Like

Good news: I was able to cancel my conference registration, and now I don’t need to suffer the distress any more in terms of international traveling / not having my passport ready / applying for both temporary and permanent visas at the same time, etc. I really appreciate the support that I have received from this community!

3 Likes

Hello, Dear

I am Ali, from Pakistan have got Postdoc offer from University of Ottawa Canada, already applied for the TRV+work visa from Sweden on 19th July,2018 and put fingerprints on Aug.02,2018. Still application is in process, can I know if someone has same experience before? Kindly share your experience

Thanks