# Any thoughts, suggestions advice .....please



## flimmery (Jan 4, 2010)

I have been living in Vancouver for 22 months on a Visitor’s Visa with my (Canadian) partner. 

In November, I went back to South Africa for a brief holiday and upon my return to Vancouver in December, Border Services referred me to CIC. 

The CIC agent spent some time chatting with me about my situation and granted me leave to remain in the country until June 2013 even though my visa expires in May. 

My partner and I had planned on him applying to sponsor me as a common-law spouse on the first anniversary of me being here, however his divorce is not yet finalised and we’re not sure how much longer it will take.

CIC asked about our marriage plans (we had submitted documentation to them in support of a previous visa extension) and asked why he was not yet divorced. The CIC agent said that they could not keep allowing me to enter nor stay in the country on my visitor's visa and suggested that we see an immigration attorney. However, in the very next breath, the agent then also said that I could probably go to Seattle to apply for another visitor's visa. Upon reviewing the documents we'd submitted, she was also satisfied that my partner earned an income sufficient to keep the both of us (with me not working obviously).

Any thoughts or suggestions (and obviously if anyone can recommend a good immigration attorney in Vancouver)?


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