On the threshold of any wholly new and momentous devoted enterprise, the thousand ulterior intricacies and emperilings to which it must conduct; these, at the outset, are mostly withheld from sight.

Herman Melville

It is a little over two years now since I first started the process of applying for Permanent Residence status for Canada, with a view to retiring to British Columbia just as soon as could feasibly be arranged. Those who have alighted on this blog in even the most transitory of fashions will doubtless be only too aware that – as a result of a series of unfortunate circumstances – the entire operation ground to a halt in the autumn of 2012 and remained in a state of hiatus until earlier this year – when the process was finally booted back into life.

I re-applied for my Police Certificate – I underwent another medical – the Kickass Canada Girl and I re-filled many, many forms – we researched and compiled yet more supporting documentation – and we paid our application processing fees online.

Well – here we are – six weeks later – and the event that I began to doubt would ever happen has finally taken place.

Today I posted my application for Canadian Permanent Residence!!

Hoorah!

I will – naturally – keep you updated regarding progress as it happens. For now though – here is a breakdown of what we had to submit:

For the Sponsor (the Girl):

• 1 x completed form – IMM 1344 – Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5481 – Sponsorship Evaluation
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5540 – Sponsor Questionnaire
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5491 – Document Checklist – Sponsor

Supporting Documentation for form IMM 5540

• Additional information on previous spouses
• Details of current relationship

Receipts for fees

• 1 x copy of the receipt for the Sponsor’s fee
• 1 x copy of the receipt for the Principal Applicant’s processing fee

Travel Documents and Passports

• 1 x copy of Canadian Passport.

Identity and Civil Status Documents

• 2 x copy of previous divorce certificates
• 1 x copy of P60 End of Year Tax Certificate
• 1 x copy of a letter from the Girl’s employer stating salary

Intention to Re-establish in Canada Documents

• 1 x statement of Intention to Re-establish in Canada
• 1 x statement detailing Canadian RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans)
• 1 x pension projection for my defined benefit pension plans
• 1 x letter detailing mortgage on the Girl’s son’s condo in Victoria
• 2 x copies of Property Tax Notices on Canadian properties
• 1 x copy of estate agent’s (realtor’s) details regarding the sale of our UK property
• 1 x copy of statement of Canadian savings accounts

For the Principal Applicant (me!):

• 1 x completed form – IMM 008 – General Application Form for Canada
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5669 – Schedule A – Background/Declaration
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5406 – Additional Family Information
• 1 x completed form – IMM 5490 – Sponsored Spouse/Partner Questionnaire

Identity and Civil Status Documents

• 1 x copy of birth certificate
• 1 x copy of driving license
• 1 x copy of marriage certificate
• 1 x copy of previous divorce certificate

Travel Documents and Passports

• 1 x copy of passport

Proof of Relationship to Sponsor

• 19 x copies of photographs of the two of us taken on holidays and at other events over the past 9 years
• 6 x copies of photographs of our wedding and reception in Victoria
• 2 x copies of photographs taken on our honeymoon
• 6 x copies of photographs taken at our wedding blessing ceremony in the UK
• 1 x copy of our wedding invitation
• 1 x copy of our wedding blessing ceremony invitation
• 1 x copy of our wedding ‘thank you’ card
• 1 x copy of a screen-capture showing a small number of the 4000+ emails we have exchanged over the last 9 years

Police Certificates and Clearances

• 1 x Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) – Police Certificate

Proof of Medical Examination

• 1 x E-Medical Information Sheet completed by the clinic

Photos

• 8 x photographs to the specification in IMM 3901 Sponsorship of a Spouse, Common-law Partner,Conjugal Partner or Dependant Child Living Outside Canada – Part 3 – Country Specific Instruction (Western Europe) – Appendix B: Photo Specifications

Amen to that – and ‘bon voyage’!