Pregnant and in Need of Help

[rain.myst 0]

A little quickie before I go into my dilemma, I'm new to this forum and there seems to be hundreds of topics to look into and I find it really hard to go through them all and try to piece together my situation. And I didn't know where to post this cause I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for yet. If there is a topic that addressed my questions here, I'd be really grateful if you could direct me to it . I'm also inexperienced when it comes to legal matters, so I'd appreciate the patience you show me.

Ok, my bf is an American citizen and I have dual citizenship: Mexican-Canadian. I've been living on and off in both Canada and Mexico cause I have family members in both countries. I met my bf two years ago in Mexico when he came down to his brother's wedding. We've been in touch ever since and are now planning on having a family together. I'm going to have our baby in Canada because of personal preference, but we're counting on going to live in the States after we receive the baby's birth certificate. I'm aware that Canadians can visit the US for up to 6 months at a time, or per calendar year, whichever comes first. But then I really don't know what I need to be working on and how I can be staying in the States while I wait to get whatever I need to get cause that's where his family is located, where he'd be working, and where we'd like to raise our child. Separation isn't really an option for us. We haven't gotten legally married yet, but I'd also like to know if it'd make things easier for us if we did it ASAP.

Guess this is all I have for now. I'd really appreciate any counsel/advice/help in figuring this our. Cheers.

[Dakine 26]

A little quickie before I go into my dilemma, I'm new to this forum and there seems to be hundreds of topics to look into and I find it really hard to go through them all and try to piece together my situation. And I didn't know where to post this cause I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for yet. If there is a topic that addressed my questions here, I'd be really grateful if you could direct me to it . I'm also inexperienced when it comes to legal matters, so I'd appreciate the patience you show me.

Ok, my bf is an American citizen and I have dual citizenship: Mexican-Canadian. I've been living on and off in both Canada and Mexico cause I have family members in both countries. I met my bf two years ago in Mexico when he came down to his brother's wedding. We've been in touch ever since and are now planning on having a family together. I'm going to have our baby in Canada because of personal preference, but we're counting on going to live in the States after we receive the baby's birth certificate. I'm aware that Canadians can visit the US for up to 6 months at a time, or per calendar year, whichever comes first. But then I really don't know what I need to be working on and how I can be staying in the States while I wait to get whatever I need to get cause that's where his family is located, where he'd be working, and where we'd like to raise our child. Separation isn't really an option for us. We haven't gotten legally married yet, but I'd also like to know if it'd make things easier for us if we did it ASAP.

Guess this is all I have for now. I'd really appreciate any counsel/advice/help in figuring this our. Cheers.

Exactly what are you asking?

[rain.myst 0]

Exactly what are you asking?

Basically what I'm asking is how can I live in the states or be there for more then 6 mo. without having to leave when the time is up. My baby is due in early September so I want to be able to work that out as soon as possible.

[rain.myst 0]

Also what I should be applying for in order to live and work there in the future.

[MaxOnline 0]

Listen, you can go visit him in the US, and get married there... but you have to show that you did not get into the US with the intention of getting married (a good lawyer can work that out for you)

He can apply for a K1 visa for you which will allow you to go and get married to him in the US and then adjust your status, and get the green card and subsequently the US citizenship... you'll be able to live permanently in the US and work also.

the last option is you get married whether in Canada or Mexico and then he can apply for K3 visa or CR1 visa for you and this will take at least 6 months till you get your visa and move permanently to the US.

Check out the Guides and get more info. about Types of Visas! K1 if you wanna file as his fiancee and K3/CR1 (Spousal visas, you have to get married and have authenticated Marriage certificate)

Wish you great Luck...

If you need any further help, just PM me...

[Minya's wife 25]

Listen, you can go visit him in the US, and get married there... but you have to show that you did not get into the US with the intention of getting married (a good lawyer can work that out for you)

He can apply for a K1 visa for you which will allow you to go and get married to him in the US and then adjust your status, and get the green card and subsequently the US citizenship... you'll be able to live permanently in the US and work also.

the last option is you get married whether in Canada or Mexico and then he can apply for K3 visa or CR1 visa for you and this will take at least 6 months till you get your visa and move permanently to the US.

Check out the Guides and get more info. about Types of Visas! K1 if you wanna file as his fiancee and K3/CR1 (Spousal visas, you have to get married and have authenticated Marriage certificate)

Wish you great Luck...

If you need any further help, just PM me...

NO, you have to prove that your intent at the time you came into the US as a visitor, was not to emigrate....

[canadian_wife 1,829]

We all do not want to be separated from our family during immigration processes. Sadly, it seems to be a fact of life. You may file the K-1 (fiance) visa now and that will be your quickest route to living and working there legally. You cannot go to the US as a visitor and simply stay and adjust status since your intention upon entering is not as a tourist/visitor but to stay and adjust status. That is immigration fraud and can have devestation consequences for you and your family. Your other alternative is to apply for the CR-1 spousal visa and visit while it's processing, being careful not to overstay, and then interview in Canada.

Good luck. I wish you the best for your new family.

[rain.myst 0]

Thank you so much for all your guys' help. It seems a lot clearer now and I'll be looking into those things as soon as possible, but I still have a few questions like, what if I'd go into the States for a day, get married and then leave the country that same day? And how would I prove that I stayed in a country for a period of time? Could a Direct Consular Filing work out for me?

[canadian_wife 1,829]

Of course you can go there and get married. You don't even have to leave the same day. What you can't do is stay and adjust status or overstay. Clealry your intention is to immigrate, so that makes staying and adjusting status visa fraud.

For proving when stayed in a country, the US knows you entered when you get your passport scanned. What you can also do is when you leave the country, have the new country (assuming either Canada or Mexico) stamp your passport as well. I did that in July when I visited the U.S..

Direct Consular Filing is for US citizens who are legal perminant residents of another county and have been living there as residents for a minimum of 6 months. From your posts, I'm not getting that your boyfriend is anything but American.

Good luck!

Edited March 22, 2009 by canadian_wife

[rain.myst 0]

Ok, from what I get about this is that I need to apply for either a K1, K3, or CR1 in order to be able to live and work in the US. I guess my last set of questions are, from your knowledge of different cases, how long does it roughly take to get those visas and what are the estimated costs? Can I visit the States while I'm waiting to see if I got approved or not? When I have an adjustment of status do I unavoidably have to be out of the States?

A little off topic.....

I do want to immigrate into the States, but is this reason wrong? Because really, if it were up to me I'd just stay in Canada cause I think it's almost the same but a little better (no offense ). But my bf has lived all his life in the States and since we're a family now, I'd really be depending on him for most of the income, at least in the first couple of years, and he gets that in the States. I wouldn't consider myself being a burden to the US either cause I got my education ready for studying wherever I wanted (got my high school diploma from the States ), my Canadian and Mexican papers in order, a place to stay in the country, and places to go to if I'd choose to leave. I can understand why its a bit complicated to immigrate to the States cause most everyone wants to, but I guess I won't complain just yet cause they haven't done anything to get me aggravated .

[WROCLAW 0]

good luck