Need some advice: Canada to U.S. or vice versa

[Kahlan 0]

I am a Canadian citizen and my boyfriend of 1 1/2 years is an American. We met through some mutual friends online, and since then have spent as much time as possible together. When we met I was in the Canadian Forces, but was very unhappy, and me leaving the military a year ago opened up my ability to travel to see him more often. We had thought, after hours of grueling online research, that i was going to go see him for the maximum of 6 months so we could get to know each other better. The border had other ideas. So we settled on me visiting him for a month at a time, and then returning home for roughly a month, then repeating. We have had no issues doing it this way, except it has precluded me from getting a stable job, moving out of my mother's (who has been very graciously letting her daughter stay at her place). Thankfully, my pension return has allowed me to do this, but it has run out, and it's now-or-never decision time.

He has a house and a very well-paying, albeit demanding job in the states. He also has a degree from UofI in some many-worded computer science (and I don't know what it is, not because we don't know each other well enough, but because I can never remember the mumbo jumbo that is his degree). Me on the other hand, I don't have any of these, but I do have a very large and close family that is hard for me to leave again - having been far away from them for the 8 years I was in the military.

If I were to move to the U.S. and not able to work for a while, it would not be that big of a deal, since his salary allows him to easily support both of us until I'm legally allowed to work - and he's not adverse to the idea of coming home to a clean house and a home-cooked meal instead of the canned junk he eats now!

If he were to move to Canada, however, he has a degree which, I imagine, would make it fairly easy to find a job. I also have an opportunity to help my mother expand her bakery business and open up another location - she had begun looking at cities for locations and has offered me the chance to run the new location, so, once this is set up, I will have a very good and fairly paying job that could support us on this end until he is legally able to work here.

So, now for the questions: When all is said and done, who has the higher chance of being approved? Which way offers the least amount of headache? Is either way really faster?

We are not engaged yet, but we are willing to do what is necessary to be together. We both love each other and we know that we want to spend the rest of our lives together - if we didn't we wouldn't be starting in on the apparent nightmare that is immigration. If we must be engaged, then we'll get engaged. If we must get married, then we'll get married.

Also, what are the thoughts on immigration lawyers? Some people say do, some say don't, although I haven't met anyone who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada without one.

Thank you all ahead of time for your thoughts/advice.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Welcome to VJ!

This is a big decision that will obviously require a lot of thought and contemplation. I really wouldn't worry about not getting approved in either country, as long as you are honest in your intent, and you have no ghosts in your past that may cause serious problems (ie. drug use, criminal convictions) the chances of being denied a family based visa is really quite slim, especially between a Canadian and an American where fraud isn't much of an issue. I have no experience with immigration to Canada, but I am fairly certain that the time lines are generally quicker, but not by a lot. I may suggest posting in the Canada regional forum, as there are many individuals who have recently made the same decisions that you are now faced!

As for lawyers, you won't find a lot of love for them around here! Most of us on this site have completed immigration processes on our own, with the help of the guides on here as well as the advice and expertise of other members. It is definitely something you can do on your own! But it also requires a lot of research and patience. Good luck in whatever you choose!!

Edited May 12, 2009 by Hugglebuggles

[Wis-Can 0]

I agree with Huggles...as long as you honest about your intentions and nothing in your past that would cause problems then hopefully you won't have any problems in whichever country you decide on. Why not check into the job prospects for him in the area where you would be living in Canada. See what the wages compare like, and if its a career that he won't have too much difficulty finding employment in I think it would help you both to make the decision. I know I am not crazy about leaving Canada, but I am fortunate enough to have a honey who has agreed that we can move back to Canada if after a few years I can't find employment that I am happy with and/or just am not happy overall. The healthcare in Canada alone is enough reason to stay as far as I am concerned. An illness in the states can cripple you financially if your not covered. We are both close to our families so it would be difficult no matter which way we went. But for now, he makes more money then I do, he's more fiancially secure where he's at, I literally hate my job, really don't know a whole lot of people where I am, so we decided I would make the move.

And yes Huggles, I agree, you won't find too many people on here that have a whole lotta praise for immigration lawyers!

Good luck in whatever decision you make.

[Carlawarla 1]

I am a Canadian citizen and my boyfriend of 1 1/2 years is an American. We met through some mutual friends online, and since then have spent as much time as possible together. When we met I was in the Canadian Forces, but was very unhappy, and me leaving the military a year ago opened up my ability to travel to see him more often. We had thought, after hours of grueling online research, that i was going to go see him for the maximum of 6 months so we could get to know each other better. The border had other ideas. So we settled on me visiting him for a month at a time, and then returning home for roughly a month, then repeating. We have had no issues doing it this way, except it has precluded me from getting a stable job, moving out of my mother's (who has been very graciously letting her daughter stay at her place). Thankfully, my pension return has allowed me to do this, but it has run out, and it's now-or-never decision time.

He has a house and a very well-paying, albeit demanding job in the states. He also has a degree from UofI in some many-worded computer science (and I don't know what it is, not because we don't know each other well enough, but because I can never remember the mumbo jumbo that is his degree). Me on the other hand, I don't have any of these, but I do have a very large and close family that is hard for me to leave again - having been far away from them for the 8 years I was in the military.

If I were to move to the U.S. and not able to work for a while, it would not be that big of a deal, since his salary allows him to easily support both of us until I'm legally allowed to work - and he's not adverse to the idea of coming home to a clean house and a home-cooked meal instead of the canned junk he eats now!

If he were to move to Canada, however, he has a degree which, I imagine, would make it fairly easy to find a job. I also have an opportunity to help my mother expand her bakery business and open up another location - she had begun looking at cities for locations and has offered me the chance to run the new location, so, once this is set up, I will have a very good and fairly paying job that could support us on this end until he is legally able to work here.

So, now for the questions: When all is said and done, who has the higher chance of being approved? Which way offers the least amount of headache? Is either way really faster?

We are not engaged yet, but we are willing to do what is necessary to be together. We both love each other and we know that we want to spend the rest of our lives together - if we didn't we wouldn't be starting in on the apparent nightmare that is immigration. If we must be engaged, then we'll get engaged. If we must get married, then we'll get married.

Also, what are the thoughts on immigration lawyers? Some people say do, some say don't, although I haven't met anyone who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada without one.

Thank you all ahead of time for your thoughts/advice.

Hi,

I don't know about immigrating from the US to Canada. Here is a site however that should have answers for you. There have been a few people here on VJ that have immigrated to their Canadian fiance's country and I think the process took him about 6 months, a month or two shorter than it was for me to immigrate here to the US. However, it does depend on what Consulate you interview in, in Canada to come to the US, how soon you'll be interviewed.

Anyway, both of you have to make that decision about where you want to live. If you're young enough, and adventourous enough, you might want to immigrate to one country, and if that doesn't work out quite as planned, move to the other. Perhaps you'll both be able to enjoy dual citizenships.

Some things missing from you story might make a difference in terms of his job possibilities in Canada, like where you live. What ARE the job prospects in Canada for Computer people? I would suggest that the Canadian job market has a "glut" of qualified people there already, but I could be mistaken. Are you from a large city or small town? You say he has a good job there...could he make the equivalent there? What about benefits? Are you able to financially support him if he immigrated? For how long?

There are many questions I'm sure you'll have the more you read up on the processes, and again, you both have to communicate about this. It is hard to leave Canada for all the reasons you stated, and more, but it's a decision only the two of you can make.

Here's the links to check out:

Road to Canada (for immigrating to Canada): http://www.roadtocanada.com/

Canada forum here on VJ: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=93

VJ Wiki Canada: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Canada

All the best!