i'm canadian-born, recently married to a jamaican and we're expecting... i'll be going on my year's mat leave in october, was looking to move my family down with my husband in december for about 6 months (can legally do this on my mat leave and receive canadian benefits from out of country, so i'll have income)... we'd be staying with his family, so expenses would be minimal (and we're both working to save for baby (he's overseas currently))... we basically want to stay there until his canadian paperwork is approve (and if that's quicker than expected, we'll wait out winter )... i think it's a great way we can all be together as a family and i don't have to deal with winter (two birds, one stone )

now, when i enter the country, what will i encounter? i'll have a baby with me and really don't want to be going thru a long interrigation process... should i tell them i'm going for about 6 months maybe less and hope for the best? (i've bought one way ticket already, deal was too good to pass up)...

to avoid having to show proof of return, should i have him apply for citizenship for me? (seems like a simple process, but mildly worried about income verification, how closely do they look into that? he likely won't be working when he gets back to jamaica... we will have a good bit saved... can the income be combined income for the two of us? as my mat pay would represent reasonable income in jamaica)... as a canadian i can hold dual citizenship with jamaica, so i'm not opposed to this option at all...

or should i just print out an itinerary showing a return flight about 6 months from my arrival (don't nec need to purchase) and show them that? don't necessarily want to be dishonest, but i'm waiting for seat sales to get the return flights and i'd like to not have to move flights based on the paperwork...

any other suggestions?

just trying to figure things out in the looong few months i have to wait!
thanks!

sorry for the double post... just registered, and it made me log in again... didn't know it posted the first time!

Welcome to ETJ Chelby, good luck with u and urs! I can't help u but there are many peeps on here who im sure can!

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When you enter JA, Its hard to tell if you will have a hard time with the officer.
Ive gone twice. The first time when I stated I was staying with ffamily took a longer time cause the questions came. If your bringning lots of stuff that will cause lots of questions.

Umm other than that I think its best you talk to the government about the Idea. They can respond better than most people here.
When I searched I got the links and stuff. But to truly get your questions answered call the same place u get ur paper work done for him to come in the country

To sponsor him into our country you need money in your bank account, stable job, and have to be able to show them can support him for 3 years. If he cant find a job ect ect. They wont give him EI or Welfare.
If he has land in JA it will make it harder, They wanna make sure he is there to stay. No run back to JA
or if he has a criminal record he cant get in.

First welcome to ETJ. Next, you're probably gonna have a problem with that one-way ticket and a new baby at immigration. You should change that ticket to an open return one. It shows your intent to leave Jamaica.

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Ditto Jam's words, they will not allow you in the country without a return ticket

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thanks for the welcome,

regarding the open ended ticket... maybe i'm just being frugal here, but if i can get jamaican citizenship via marriage for 7000J why would i pay 1000+CAD to switch my ticket to prove something i dont' necessarily need to prove?

the more i think about it the more i dont' know if i leave after 6 months or wait out the rest of my year so i'm thinking i'd like to not have to worry...

has anyone moved on marriage? my other half says the process is very easy and i have seen the paperwork and it appears to be so.... the only thing i am concerned about is the proof of employment deal.... he is from a good family in good economical and political standings in kingston, i'm sure he could get a job and be on a payroll, but it'd all be on paper, neither one of us want him to work in jamaica and there would be no need to... i'm hoping the process should be easy with a pay stub/employment letter and about 4-5M J in his bank acct? or am i oversimplifying this?

no matter what a job is very important and in the cic.gc.ca website it states that as well on the canadian embassy jamaica site. regardless if your married to a jamaican or not telling them you have no return ticket is going to be a problem.
i used to live in jamaica and married to a jamaican, made the mistake once of telling them i would be there 6 months........hassle and 2 hours later.
Easiest way is to have a return date, then go to the office in Spanish Town road in kingston and extend your stay....much simpler process think it took 10 minutes to get the stamp!!

Canada needs proof that the people they allow into the country will be self sufficient, filing while in jamaica a little quicker about 6-9 months, however that being said can vary. but yes they require bank statements, proof of employment, police records, etc. And income is his income not combined. As you must know many times it depends on who you get at the embassy. Why dont you file for a visitor visa and then apply for his landed once your here?

Good Luck

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Thanks, I'm not interested in the Canada aspects of things, that process has already been started, we want to apply out of country to expedite... I'm just curious if anyone has experience with the whole applying for jamaican citizenship via marriage deal.. I'm going to call the embassy in Ottawa later today... Was just wondering to hear from anyone whose been there done that... Just out of curiosity, to the last poster who lived there and was married to a Jamaican, did you go for Jamaican citizenship?

A few of the hubbys relatives have brought over foreign spouses and he said it was 7000j and two forms, two photos and about 2 weeks and they were able to get Jamaican passports... Just wondered if anyone else had a different experience...

No i never did go for citizenship....i already have dual with canada and Finland, never saw a need to get it, i can work there without citizenship if i wanted to....if your married to a jamaican you can get a job and the work visa after getting a job. The citizenship seemed pointless to me anyway

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i have a girlfreind that moved to JA and became a citizen! it wasnt as easy as it seemed. even though she lived there, she has to come to the staes every 6 months until her papers came thru..she is married to a JA that lives in the states! it took about a year and half before it was all said and done.

but i would deff have a return date for them. the open ticket opens u for problems!

I will tell you first hand that you don't want to do that.I'm a US citizen and I came to Jamaica as a vistor with a round trip ticket.I got married about a week after getting here and I didn't return on my tickect.( that was my plan) Sometime it is the same price to do round trip as well as one-way, a one-way only put's up red flags.Because I'm married we went to the INS to get athe passports stamped so that my 14 year old daughter can travel to see her father but instead The INS officer took all of our passports and said that we must show returning tickects within 2 weeks that we are leaving Jamaica, and at that time the will send the passports to the airport and the INS will take it from there.I order for me to come back I have to leave the Island with me & my children and go to the jamaican Consulate in FL,NY or DC and get a visa.Although US citizen's don't need one to visit to join your spouse and live here you have too the fees are 131 per person.Jobs are very hard to get and everything here is sky high even though the exchange rate is good with the US.or Canada $ it's all the same because you will spend twice the amount on food,etc.I had to go through this because i listened to the wrong people who lead me the wrong way now I have to pay the price.No matter what you want to do or you are told check your facts.Good Luck

thanks... i've come to accept that we'll need to get the return tickets, so i'm going to purchase the other leg when i see them come down a bit, i have a few months to look... but i couldn't pass on the rates i found for exactly the date i wanted... i'm just being frugal here because i hate buying something i know i'll have to change... it's annoying lol... but ah well...

once we land, we just go to the constant springs road and file for unconditional landing on the grounds of spousal and descendant (if my children's jamaican passports haven't come thru yet... i have all paperwork in order)... this removes all conditions from our stay, is a right we are entitled to, and is free... this info is from the PICA website, UK and Canadian Jamaican embassy/consulates and a connection who works with PICA as well... if you're dealing with INS, you're confused

neither one of us has to worry about jobs, i have one here in canada that i'll be on a year's paid leave from... he'll have savings... and within our budget we can live comfortably... i've gotten blessings on my budget from expats and locals on the island who know me and my expectations, so i'm not worried at all there...

not sure what other facts i'm supposed to check, but thanks again, sorry your situation didn't work out as planned.... that sucks and must have been a pain in the a$$

and welcome to the forum

Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency - JAM

near the bottom explains unconditional landing and what's involved for anyone who is reading and needs the info...

read carefully....unconditional stay would be for you kids, you will need to just file for extension

Q: What is Unconditional Landing and who qualifies?
A: Is an endorsement given to persons who can substantiate a claim to Jamaican Citizenship by virtue of four categories: Birth; Descent; Naturalization/Citizenship & Caricom.

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