Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sistersarah]

my korean boyfriend and i will definitely be tying the knot within the next 1-2 years and then moving to canada. i heard that it can take a long time to process everything. should we start looking into it soon?

has anyone gone through the process and have any advice?

thanks

-sister

[Bulsajo]

Someone married to a Canadian and applying for Landed Immigrant status should plan on the process taking a minimum of 6 months. Make sure that you give yourself enough time- if you have to head to Canada before securing this status it is not impossible to do so but it is a pain in the ass.

[anae]

I second that.

They will tell you 3-4 months, but don't buy it. You need to be approved as a sponsor and that takes 3-4 months. Then he can apply as a family class immigrant that that can take 6 months or more depending on how backed up they are. Once he gets his papers, he will have six months (perhaps a year, I don't remember anymore) before he must land as an immigrant.

[Mr. Pink]

They changed the laws concerning sponsering your spouse.

I'd start sooner rather than later.

Now you have to have criminal background checks done on YOU: both Korean and Canadian AND your spouse: Korean and if he/she lived abroad more than 6mths in a country, from that country too.

That is a major pain in the arse.

My friend is going through this right now and says the paperwork that has to be done is unbelievable.

Also NOW you have to show intent that you will be living in Canada for awhile...which means getting a job there, or going to university or buying a house there. Something serious like that. Just having bank accounts isn't enough.

If I was you I'd contact the embassy ASAP. Since 9/11 it is a lot more complicated than it used to be.

[phaedrus]

I assume that the paper work will take a while, but what I heard from the embassy is that you don't have to go to Canada once your spouse gets the status.

As long as you have good reason for being away from Canada, for example work, your spouse doesn't have to fulfill any sort of time spent in Canada requirement.

This is what the embassy told me.

[anae]

Lots of things have changed since 2000- 2001 when we landed including the new joint sponsor-spouse application. However, the need to land before the visa expires has not changed. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3999E.pdf

Of course, you and your spouse may leave again for very significant periods of time.

You can get all the forms etc. on line. My advice is to take everything they tell you at the Seoul office with a grain of salt.

[sistersarah]

thanks for the advice all. i guess the answer is, the sooner i start looking into it the better.

is it easier if we're married before all of this takes place? is it a lot more paper work if you go the common-law route?

curious.

[anae]

I don't know anyone who has gone the common-law route, but it may be more difficult in Korea. You have to show evidence of your relationship like providing evidence of joint bank accounts, shared utility bills, apartment leases all of which are hard to do in Korea. It is much easier to show marriage certificates and wedding photos.

[Mr. Pink]