Dominicans marrying Canadians

[debs]

Nope, I'm not planning on marrying one...just curious about the process involved.

So I know that the Canadian is financially responsible for their Dominican spouse for up to 10 years depending on their province of residence. But what I'm curious about is if there a length of time that one has to stay married before they can leave their spouse without fear of being deported, etc...

I've been hearing several stories lately of people being "stuck" in a marriage and wondered if there would be consequences if the marriage ended too quickly.

Thanks guys!!

 

[Nelly]

Hi Debs,
I'm not an expert on this but I believe that, under normal circumstances, the sponsor, who is also the spouse, is financially obligated to support the other, whether they are together or not, for 3 years (used to be 10 years). Once a person is accepted for residence, they are permitted to live in Canada. It is not conditional on their marital status but the sponsor still has to support them.
Nelly

 

[ricktoronto]

To Clarify

Hi Debs,
I'm not an expert on this but I believe that, under normal circumstances, the sponsor, who is also the spouse, is financially obligated to support the other, whether they are together or not, for 3 years (used to be 10 years). Once a person is accepted for residence, they are permitted to live in Canada. It is not conditional on their marital status but the sponsor still has to support them.
Nelly

Since sponsoring fiance/ee(s) is easier and more common in a lot of cases than spouses, it is conditional on them getting married to the sponsor (to establish legal immigrant status) but if you mean they get divorced after that then they can stay unless they have lied on their bona fides or get convicted of an indictable offense.

It was 10 years in 1998, if it is 3 years that you are financially responsible so much the better if it doesn't work out.

 

[bob saunders]

nelly is correct, and the rules are federal.

 

[Hlywud]

ask

Ask Trina she knows the rules, Angel is Dominican, Trina is Canadian

 

[islandbreeze]

Debs ... the answer is

get married .... board the plane .... pass the high-tech-screening device (read little black dog sniffing passengers and luggage while waiting in line to see immigration officer) get that seal of approval (read Permanent residence stamp in DR passport) exit the airport and VIOLA you're IN -- "SPOUSE" what Spouse? ...you don't need to see him/her you don't need to live with him/her etc ...

On a more serious note the above is true ... but to understand it better you need to understand 2 points. First, "fraud"/deception will not undue a marriage. So if a spouse dups you into marriage for immigration reasons ... your stuck with the marriage ... come and see me I will do your divorce.

Second, many immigrant women were trapped in violent and abusive relationships and couldn't escape because of their "vulnerable" immigration staus in the country(Canada) ... ie husband held wife's immigration papers or thretened to have her deported ... This gave a lot of power to the sponsoring spouse ...So the law was revised to give them secure status right from the get-go ... so if the partner becomes abusive they are NOW free to leave.

IB

 

[debs]

Thanks for the answers everyone!

I was just looking for a little more insight as to why many of the Dominicans who come here through marriage end up "stuck" in the marriage for so many years. I didn't know if it had to do with personal reasons (ie. guilt, gratitude, etc) or if they had to stay married for x number of years before they are safe.

 

[ricktoronto]

Except in Quebec

nelly is correct, and the rules are federal.

Remember they are allowed to set some rules themselves in good old PQ.

 

[GypsyGRL]

Rules may be changing.....

Just read an article in the Winnipeg Free Press (August 9/03) about a 53 year old women from Manitoba who married a 32 year old man from Cuba. They won't let him into the country, hmmmmm I wonder what the story could be!
Maybe the CDN gov't is changing rules to protect it's women from marrying their holiday romances.

My friend's husband is from Germany, she is responsible for him for 10 years, that's a long time if you're not in a happy relationship.

Do you think if the 53 year old was a man and the other was a 23 year old exotic beauty the CDN gov't would still step in and not allow him to bring her into the country?? Or is it just because he's from Cuba?