Canadian Spousal Visas

[ZansGirl 0]

just got married october 11th and need to file 130 any canadians currently filing spousal visas?? Really could use all the help we can get as we sure do not want to mess this up..I returned to Canada and plan on visiting him as often as possible........

again...any help or adive would be appreciated

[MrsCat 6]

The VJ website has excellent guides to help with filing your petition. Firstly, as you are married, you have a choice between a K-3 application or a CR-1 application. Read through the guides and it will give you a good idea which one is best for your situation.

Personally, we chose the CR-1 route as I did not want to adjust status once in the US and wanted to be able to work as soon as I arrived (which is not possible with the K-3 route). A while ago, I believe the K-3 visa used to be much faster however things have changed and they are nearly the same amount of time to process. Unless of course things have changed again.

Here is a link to the two guides - I am sure they'll answer most of your questions about what paperwork do you need, how much money do I send, where do I send it . . . . .

K-3

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k3guide

IR-1/CR-1

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide1

[canadian_wife 1,808]

You've certainly come to the right place. My husband and I chose the CR-1 route as it was the cheaper route and allowed me to work once approved.

When you do go and visit him, just make sure you bring strong ties to Canada as customs officers like to know you will return to Canada.

Good luck, where are you and your husband from?

[Flames9_RN 358]

my advice when traveling tot he USA (I flew to DC monthly with no probs)

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3)keep ur response short and to the point, dont tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5)pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isnt going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didnt lie! Refer to #1

Best of luck

[ZansGirl 0]

/that is one of my main worries , is i am not sure i totally understand the difference between those two spousal routes.......umm...maybe a bit more info on me and my situation would be helpful..

i do not plan on becoming a us citizen as I would like to keep my Canaidian Citizenship...

and I do not have a job in a technical career, in fact, i work at Michaels right now.... so when I do get a job it will most likely be a retail position.

i currently share accomodations with two other people,,...so, i really do not have a super expensive lease or anything...

i have been traveling back and forth for 18 months thriugh the same boarder crossing.....

i am 43.....

..so based on that.....can someone point me in the direction that is the best.....I really really do not want to take the wrong route and mess this up....funny how I was fine with the distance while we were dating and even when we were engaged, but get married,,BAM!! everything changes!! lol

You've certainly come to the right place. My husband and I chose the CR-1 route as it was the cheaper route and allowed me to work once approved.

When you do go and visit him, just make sure you bring strong ties to Canada as customs officers like to know you will return to Canada.

Good luck, where are you and your husband from?

I am in Victoria, BC and Zan is in Graham Washington...so with the ferry, only about 6 hours distance......better than most i have heard.....

[SapphireDreams 71]

You can stay a Canadian citizen when you become an American citizen. You never actually have to give up Canadian citizenship...either way, with a K3 or CR1, you'll get a green card and then will need to either keep reneweing your greencard or apply for citizenship. I never thought I'd want to be a citizen either, but I really would like the opportunity to vote where I am living so that's why I changed my mind.

You also don't need technical skills for any of the marriage-based visas. At least I don't think you do, someone else may be able to confirm that.

[Flames9_RN 358]

You DON'T loose ur Canadian citizenship if u become an amerikun!!!!! Simple as that!! To give up ur cdn citizenship, that requires MORE paperwork! Your stil a Cdn citizen, you just won't be a Cdn resident, which is no biggy!

Since ur in Victoria ( I lived there for 9 yrs while in the navy) if you went the K3 route, you would have ur interview in vancouver. Vancouver tends to be faster than Mtl!! BUT if you go the CR-1 route, ALL cr-1 in canada goto Montreal!!

There are + and - of each visa! CR-1 tends to take a bit longer, but in the long run, it costs less, and sort of less of a hassle. The biggest + with the cr-1 is that u can work right away, you don't require Employment authorization document (EAD). AND there seems to be a hassle if you try to collect EI (yes u can collect EI if u move to the USA) if ur on a K3, but no probs if ur on a cr-1!!! If it was I, i would go for the cr-1 (liek I did,lol) especially if your close to each other and can visit. But thats only my 2 cents, i have no clue what ur situation is. Here is a comparison of the visas: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=compare

Nope, u dont any technical skills for the marriage based visas. u NEVER have to work if you dont have to!!

Edited October 20, 2008 by flames9

[canadian_wife 1,808]

So are you married? If you are married you can file for a K3 visa (which is a non-immigrant visa) and you'll adjust status when you go to the US

OR you can get a CR-1/IR-1 which means you will become a perminant resident when you arrive in the US

If you aren't married, you can apply for a K-1 Fiance visa, get married in the US and adjust status once there.

Make any sense?

[ZansGirl 0]

We got married October 11, 2008.....

if i am reading this correctly...regardless of where in the country i live..a CR-1 HAS to travel to Montreal even though vancouver is tight there????

so based on that info...I would tend to apply for the k-3...the air fare alone would cost as much as the whole visa process!!!!!!

another question...does either option allow me to 'visit' my husband for a few months at a time while waiting for the visa's to be approved???

so many dumb sounding questions I know!!

[canadian_wife 1,808]

nothing dumb about your questions.

K-3 is actually almost twice as much as the CR-1 after all the work permits and adjustments of status are done. CR-1 takes longer but it is cheaper.

Yes, all immigrant visas go through montreal.

You can visit, but you have to bring substantial ties to Canada to show that you intend to go back there. Traveling to the US as a visitor and then filing immigration paperwork is illegal.

[Flames9_RN 358]

One can visit, and many of us do/had with no problems. See my advice posted above a few posts back. Just be aware its up to the POE (port of entry) officer.

One can enter the USA and stay! its all in the INTENT!!!!! if one goes to the USa and had NO intentions of staying, but then did, thats fine. But if you had the intentions all along to do that, thats illegal! How does one prove/disprove that, hard to say!! We had a free consult with an attorney here in DC, and thats exactly what she told us to do. Sounded fishy, so didnt follow her advice. Ensure u check out the chart that explains the + and - of the k3 and cr-1 visa! make an informed decision

and yes 1 other thing. NOTHING is stright forward at time with visas,lol We did the k3 and cr-1 at the same time (not sure if thats still an option) in a perfect world, the k3 should have been apprioved first--NOT!! my cr-1 was done with, i was already in the USA, and about 4 months later, my k3 was approved,lol So things dont always go as planned.

Edited October 20, 2008 by flames9

[ZansGirl 0]

nothing dumb about your questions.

K-3 is actually almost twice as much as the CR-1 after all the work permits and adjustments of status are done. CR-1 takes longer but it is cheaper.

Yes, all immigrant visas go through montreal.

You can visit, but you have to bring substantial ties to Canada to show that you intend to go back there. Traveling to the US as a visitor and then filing immigration paperwork is illegal.

again......twice as much, but the flight from Vancouver return to montreal and hotel, plus his flight from seattle return could very well equal that difference correct???

[ZansGirl 0]

and what do you say at the border 'the first time' since the wedding??? My god I am a freak!!! lol

[Flames9_RN 358]

my advice when traveling tot he USA (I flew to DC monthly with no probs)

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3)keep ur response short and to the point, dont tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5)pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isnt going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didnt lie! Refer to #1

Best of luck

[ZansGirl 0]

what are the requirements for having interviews in Montreal versus Vancouver...I am still confused....