how DO people get by doing the A.O.S

[Sprailenes 47]

Right. And I think people, in general, need to make a bigger distinction between doing what someone like I did, and simply overstaying. I was only there for 3 months before we got married so I wasn't even close to an overstay.

And what you were doing wasn't illegal.

I think people need to step back and really look at each situation differently and not be so quick to call it illegal. It isn't always illegal.

The word 'illegal' looks funny after you spell it out a few times.

[lgg 2]

Sounds funny too! Illegal, illegal, illegal!

I need more coffee!

[The_Dude 1,142]

Right. And I think people, in general, need to make a bigger distinction between doing what someone like I did, and simply overstaying. I was only there for 3 months before we got married so I wasn't even close to an overstay.

I think the biggest distinction in your situation was intent. You didn't lie to the customs agent, you went down on a visit and through the course of that decided to get married. You adjusted your status and proceeded in the legal manner in which you were supposed to. I think lgg and others were referring to those who lie, and say they are on a visit with the intention to marry with the intent to circumvent the waiting part of the process.

[Sprailenes 47]

And those who overstay and live here illegally for 2.5 years.

[The_Dude 1,142]

And those who overstay and live here illegally for 2.5 years.

And keep making newly titled and worded threads asking the same question in the upper forums seeking some sort of validation

[lgg 2]

And have horrible spelling and a new signature that is almost as infuriating as the first.

And those who overstay and live here illegally for 2.5 years.

And keep making newly titled and worded threads asking the same question in the upper forums seeking some sort of validation

[bowflex 0]

Right. And I think people, in general, need to make a bigger distinction between doing what someone like I did, and simply overstaying. I was only there for 3 months before we got married so I wasn't even close to an overstay.

Completely agree that a distinction should be made. If someone is visiting for a few months and actually does get married on a whim or spur of the moment, by all means that should be allowed and I've got no problem with that. If someone, however, has the intent to marry when they cross the border and just plans on filing for AOS, I think they should be permanently banned and if the significant other knew and participated in that plan, they should also face heavy fines and a loss of their sponsorship rights.

I'm not really jealous of those who go through AOS about anything other than the fact that they get to spend time with their significant other while the process is going on. Now I was EXTREMELY lucky and only lived about 45 minutes to an hour away from my wife during our process, but it is in no way, shape, or form fair for someone to get around the process by lying and committing fraud.

In the end, if it was done in the way that the law states is legal, good for those folks and I wish them nothing but the best

And those who overstay and live here illegally for 2.5 years.

And keep making newly titled and worded threads asking the same question in the upper forums seeking some sort of validation

Lol I need to spend more time here to get to know the inside information

[lgg 2]

Totally agree with you all. With the distinction, that is between legal/and legal.

Don't get me wrong -- I had the chance to do it and it too would have been totally legit. Totally. Missed my chance and now... it is what it is.

[domegirl1978 1]

I personally know quite a few people that have just gone to the U.S. and gotten married and done AOS.

My cousin was living in the U.S. on a work visa and he fell in love with his now wife. His work papers ended up expiring before they got married but he just never left. Stayed, got married and it ended up being that he did not get another set of work papers for 9 months. The interview was also really long and they busted his chops for him to prove it was the real deal. (HAHA! What they should have done was called all his family and friends....long time bachelor finally settles down, believe me, its the real deal...haha!)

My fiance also works with 3 people who just got married and did AOS and our neighbor in Florida is the same story. All of their stories ended up ok though. Seems like the neighbor and all the co-workers received their work papers and green card within 2 months of being married and adjusting status.

My fiance asked me to just go over and stay. I refused. I was not about to sit on my #### for months and months without working and also leaving behind everything I have here in Canada. Yes, eventually everything would have been fixed and things shipped to me but I was not willing to do that. Also, I had all my debts to pay and I wasn't leaving that behind to deal with.

Honestly, I think it all has to do with what immigration officer you get when you do AOS the "illegal" way. When speaking to my cousin's brother in law (he's an immigration lawyer), he said to me that LOADS of people just enter and adjust and MOST people get away with it no problem.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

And those who overstay and live here illegally for 2.5 years.

And keep making newly titled and worded threads asking the same question in the upper forums seeking some sort of validation

sister treble knows we puffy heart her illegal pretty self. Oooopsies....

[bowflex 0]

Honestly, I think it all has to do with what immigration officer you get when you do AOS the "illegal" way. When speaking to my cousin's brother in law (he's an immigration lawyer), he said to me that LOADS of people just enter and adjust and MOST people get away with it no problem.

Lol That's just it though, you can't put illegal in quotes here. Just the fact that you have to get advice that you could get caught for it implies that it's illegal For every 10 or 100 people that get away with it, there's always going to be that 1 person that gets caught and is banned for life from visiting or immigrating to the USA. Now I was "lucky" and the illegal way wouldn't have been doable for my wife and I anyway, but I really wish every person that tried it would get caught.

[Sam and Ben 2]

By the fact that they allow someone to file AOS after crossing and marrying shows that it isn't illegal... Life happens, and they allow accommodations for that.

Lying to a border patrol about your intention (and plans, and the dress hanging in the back, and the boxes waiting to be shipped across at some undetermined time later ) when crossing is another story. A gal I went to school with a few years ago met an American on some vacation recently, came home, gabbed about it and did all of the same research I did prior to Ben and I filing. She chose to plan her wedding from here, back up her things, arrange for her parents to ship them a couple of months later, and then headed over for a "visit" to marry. It's hard to express sympathy when her parents come into my workplace and discuss the tough time she's having... and then follow up with a "Soooo, when are you getting married?"

With the VWP allowing frequent visits between Canada and the U.S., I'm sure there are many, many people who have crossed and legitimately stayed. It's when people boast about abusing that program for their own end that's hard to hear about, time and time again.

[Sprailenes 47]

If we were like all sitting around a table in a coffee shop talking about this, I bet you there would be a lot of air quotes being used.

[Sam and Ben 2]

If we were like all sitting around a table in a coffee shop Timmies talking about this, I bet you there would be a lot of air quotes being used.

Fixed?

[Sprailenes 47]

YES!