Visa for Marriage/Engagement for Canadians

[Canadian Lover 0]

I am willing to ask if I am a Canadian citizen visiting US to meet my friend/girl friend and she and I decide to get engaged there; is it okay or there is some special visa I would need? Another question is if we get engaged and want to get married, would I need K-1 visa or something like that? If so, who will apply for me; my fiancee or I? I live just right close to the border and need know this for my knowledge. Please tell me !! Thanks !!

[Rhiannercakes 14]

If you're engaged, you should apply for the K-1. The US citizen is the one that files the petition.

Don't forget to read the guides, they're full of amazingly helpful information:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=guides

[Canadian Lover 0]

If you're engaged, you should apply for the K-1. The US citizen is the one that files the petition.

Thanks for your reply Rhiann. For the engagement part; Does a Canadian need any visa to go and get engaged in US? Will it be illegeal to get married while visiting a girl friend in US for few days !?

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Well, you can just go and visit. They don't really need to know you're getting engaged.

Though, if you're planning to get married, you should use the CR-1 route. It's cheaper but takes a bit longer from what I hear.

K-1 is more expensive and is shorter.

Or that's what data's shown.

But if you do plan to get married and go the CR-1 route instead, the Canadian has to bring proof that they have ties to the country, such as a letter from your employer, lease agreement, etc. Because if you don't, you could get in trouble for potentially committing visa fraud.

Edited August 14, 2009 by Rhiann

[TimandJoyce 1]

Thanks for your reply Rhiann. For the engagement part; Does a Canadian need any visa to go and get engaged in US? Will it be illegeal to get married while visiting a girl friend in US for few days !?

Nope! No visa needed for engagement. Only to immigrate TO get married. Tim asked me to marry him while we were in Orlando.

Don't forget to read the guides. It's important to know that you need to be living in Canada at the during the process, although you can still visit each other. We can help you during that time too..

[Canadian Lover 0]

My Dear Canadian Friends ! Thanks for sharing the information with me. So, you mean if I am visiting the girl I love for 4-5 days and she or her parents insist us to get married, may be relegiously. I do get married at some temple and come back to Canada. Will this be illegeal thing to do!?

[Danu 19]

My Dear Canadian Friends ! Thanks for sharing the information with me. So, you mean if I am visiting the girl I love for 4-5 days and she or her parents insist us to get married, may be relegiously. I do get married at some temple and come back to Canada. Will this be illegeal thing to do!?

as long as you come back to file all the paperwork you are good to go Its only if you were to try to stay in the states while doing all the paperwork that you would run into problems of visa fraud.

[Canadian Lover 0]

My Dear Canadian Friends ! Thanks for sharing the information with me. So, you mean if I am visiting the girl I love for 4-5 days and she or her parents insist us to get married, may be relegiously. I do get married at some temple and come back to Canada. Will this be illegeal thing to do!?

as long as you come back to file all the paperwork you are good to go Its only if you were to try to stay in the states while doing all the paperwork that you would run into problems of visa fraud.

Thanks for your replies. Could some one tell me how to get engaged ? I am thinking that going togther with her and her family to some temple and swear/pray in front of God that we will accept each other as life parteners and then put her engagement rings and such. Will this be called engagement!? Also, could someone tell how long it takes to get a fiance visa to go and get married in US!?

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I don't really think there is a whole ceremony for engagement.

It's just when you decide that you two want to get married.

My fiance and I didn't do anything, just got a ring. He didn't propose either, I didn't want him to

You can do the temple thing if you wish to, if it means something to you. We all get engaged in our own special ways.

And fiance visa times vary. I think they take at least 5 - 6 months, usually more depending on your case and how fast you get paperwork done. Once you obtain the visa, the Canadian crosses over to the US and you must marry within 90 days, then keep going with the process.

Edited August 15, 2009 by Rhiann

[Canadian Lover 0]

Thank you Rhiann !! I appreciate you sharing the knowledge. During the processing of our application for fiance visa for marriage; can I visit to meet her? I have heard that after getting fiancee visa for marriage, one can enter just once for that purpose and have to get married there. What if I have to enter US for any other purpose after I get fiancee visa for marriage? e.g. to go for a job interview or to visit for just places or friends. Also could someone tell me what will be called a marriage in American law? I mean is it legal marriage/marriage certificate or a relegious marriage, I mean at the temple/church ??

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Yes, during the process before the visa is given you may visit the person or the person may visit you.

Just make sure whoever's visiting brings documents such as a letter from work stating you have a job or a lease agreement or even the NOA1 (Which shows you are not trying to stay in the country and get married, because it would void your petition) to prove that you are only visiting and you are leaving again afterward.

And don't lie to the POE officers. You can tell them you're visiting your fiance and have the proof that you are coming back to your country. I think the NOA1 is best since you have to go back for the interview and medical (if it's the canadian visiting the US) and you can not marry since it voids the petition.

And once you get your visa approved, you have 6 months to activate it. I believe you can still cross the border back and forth before you decide to activate the visa, but I'm not 100% sure about that. You may have to get another answer for that.

But once it is activated, the one who immigrated MUST NOT leave the US until they have gotten their green card or you must start all over again.

And to be legally married in the United States, you just need both the fiances to sign the marriage certificate. This usually takes place in a courtroom if you're just signing the certificate. It's up to you if you wish to do the wedding ceremony at the same time. Because you must get married within 90 days of the visa activation and send of Adjustment of Status papers (usually best to do so before the last month), most people just sign the certificate and have a non legal ceremony later.

Of course, if you're comfortable planning a wedding once you get an interview date, you can have the legal part and the ceremony part at the same time.

Edited August 15, 2009 by Rhiann

[meauxna 15]

Thank you Rhiann !! I appreciate you sharing the knowledge. During the processing of our application for fiance visa for marriage; can I visit to meet her? I have heard that after getting fiancee visa for marriage, one can enter just once for that purpose and have to get married there. What if I have to enter US for any other purpose after I get fiancee visa for marriage? e.g. to go for a job interview or to visit for just places or friends. Also could someone tell me what will be called a marriage in American law? I mean is it legal marriage/marriage certificate or a relegious marriage, I mean at the temple/church ??

You should be very careful about ceremonial 'weddings' and immigration. To marry legally in the US is a civil matter; you need a license in advance of the event, hold the event complying with your state's laws, and register the event to make it official. What you do religiously is your own business.

I encourage you to do much futher study on your plans; there are a lot of rules about crossing the border and the right immigration steps. You'll want to be sure you really understand before you start. If language is a barrier for you, please ask for some help.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Holy #######! Meauxna? Where have you been?

[Canadian Lover 0]

Thank you Rhiann !! I appreciate you sharing the knowledge. During the processing of our application for fiance visa for marriage; can I visit to meet her? I have heard that after getting fiancee visa for marriage, one can enter just once for that purpose and have to get married there. What if I have to enter US for any other purpose after I get fiancee visa for marriage? e.g. to go for a job interview or to visit for just places or friends. Also could someone tell me what will be called a marriage in American law? I mean is it legal marriage/marriage certificate or a relegious marriage, I mean at the temple/church ??

You should be very careful about ceremonial 'weddings' and immigration. To marry legally in the US is a civil matter; you need a license in advance of the event, hold the event complying with your state's laws, and register the event to make it official. What you do religiously is your own business.

I encourage you to do much futher study on your plans; there are a lot of rules about crossing the border and the right immigration steps. You'll want to be sure you really understand before you start. If language is a barrier for you, please ask for some help.

So, you mean if she or her parents insist to do a relegious ceramony of a marriage done while a Canadian visiting his US girl friend, Should he first get legal marriage done after having K-1 or similar status !? Please tell me. Also, what is differance between girl friend and a fiancee!?

[Jauque 1]

Also, what is differance between girl friend and a fiancee!?

Fiancee has the intention of getting married to her significant other. A girlfriend either hasn't decided yet or hasn't been asked.

There are no girlfriend visa's, if you've asked your "girlfriend" to marry you get used to calling her your fiancee as this is the correct term and the only term (aside from wife) which allows you to petition for a visa on her behalf.