waiting for NOA 2

[peteranna 0]

I met my husband in Houston in August of 2010 after chatting online for a a few months. I've been to Houston 7 times since and the last time he proposed and we got married at a Houston courthouse. This was during the Christmas holidays 2011-2012. We decided to elope because we didn't want a big event as we are both very low-key people and I have been married twice before. I am back in Canada and applied for a CR1. I have been reading a few things that are worrying me though. I have decided to leave my 11 year old son in Canada with his father to finish his primary school. Once settled in, we thought of sponsoring him at a later date. Will this cause a red flag with adjuticators? I was reading that not bringing children causes a red flag...I really don't see how so but still. We are using an attorney for the process. I included the following in our application:

1- marriage certificate

2- 6 pics of him and I the times I've been to Houston, including 2 pics of us at the courthouse getting married

3- print-outs from hotwire, travelocity, priceline to show I've been there 7 times (hotel and airline confirmations)

4- letter from my cousin who was with me on vacation who hung out with my husband and I and wrote about our relationship (not a sworn affidavit)

5-joint bank account in the US

6-wedding card from coworker

7-printout from the marriot showing us as guests (honeymoon)

8- 2 emails from before we were married (poem he sent me and my response)

Any thoughts about our chances of getting approved or denied?

Thanks,

Anna

Edited June 12, 2012 by peteranna

[Oksana & Max 94]

Based on the story you told, I don't see any reason for you being denied. Living children behind not a problem either.

You should be just fine.

[peteranna 0]

Based on the story you told, I don't see any reason for you being denied. Living children behind not a problem either.

You should be just fine.

[peteranna 0]

I guess I am worried because we have not co-mingled our families yet. We basically eloped (after a year and a half of trying a long-distance relationship) and only a few people know...my mom, my cousin and my coworkers. He is not close to his family. He is also worried about introducing me to his mom because she is a heavy catholic and he does not believe she will accept a twice divorced (with child) wife for her son, who has never been married. So it's more or less under wraps until I am there and he can slowly introduce me to his mom. Little steps at a time is what we are going to do... I am just hoping all this is not a red flag...

[Ryan H 3,812]

Will this cause a red flag with adjuticators? I was reading that not bringing children causes a red flag...I really don't see how so but still.

This will not cause a red flag. If a CO at the Consulate where to ask about it (unlikely in Montreal), you would simply explain why.

I guess I am worried because we have not co-mingled our families yet.

USCIS understands that people who have been living in separate countries will have not had the opportunity to co-mingle anything. There is no requirement to do this.

Little steps at a time is what we are going to do... I am just hoping all this is not a red flag...

While the very nature of this process lends itself to paranoia, overthinking, and second guessing (I experienced all 3), there have been low instances of visa fraud occurring from Canada, so the items you are worrying about are not that much, if at all, an issue.

[peteranna 0]

This will not cause a red flag. If a CO at the Consulate where to ask about it (unlikely in Montreal), you would simply explain why.

USCIS understands that people who have been living in separate countries will have not had the opportunity to co-mingle anything. There is no requirement to do this.

While the very nature of this process lends itself to paranoia, overthinking, and second guessing (I experienced all 3), there have been low instances of visa fraud occurring from Canada, so the items you are worrying about are not that much, if at all, an issue.

Thanks for all your opinions and advice

Anna

[bsd058 296]

Thanks for all your opinions and advice

Anna

In reality, these might be considered red flags if you were from a different country. American and Canadian cultures are not that different. Both sides of the border have high divorce rates and a Canadian is not likely to become a charge of the state or to commit marriage fraud just to move to a similar culture. In fact, at the present time, Canada is probably a better place to live (economically). Why would a Canadian give up free health care and a good economy just to move somewhere that offers high healthcare costs and a relatively poor economy in comparison? I think USCIS knows that things happen in marriages. You just have to send them a record of your previous marriages with proof that you've legally divorced your previous husbands.

By the way, I'm not bashing America. I love it and its people. My heart is there and my wife is American. We are essentially moving to be closer to family and friends though and to get out of these northern winters. If we had those things already (family, friends, and better weather), we would probably stay where we're at since we're making a lot more money here than we would there, and we're able to save our money. We just can't take it living out here (northern Alberta) anymore. The sun goes down at like midnight so we have to put tinfoil on our windows to prevent the sunlight from coming into our room at like 3:30am waking us up. lol.

But I digress.

Good luck with your case! Don't worry too much!

Edited June 12, 2012 by bsd058

[peteranna 0]

In reality, these might be considered red flags if you were from a different country. American and Canadian cultures are not that different. Both sides of the border have high divorce rates and a Canadian is not likely to become a charge of the state or to commit marriage fraud just to move to a similar culture. In fact, at the present time, Canada is probably a better place to live (economically). Why would a Canadian give up free health care and a good economy just to move somewhere that offers high healthcare costs and a relatively poor economy in comparison? I think USCIS knows that things happen in marriages. You just have to send them a record of your previous marriages with proof that you've legally divorced your previous husbands.

By the way, I'm not bashing America. I love it and its people. My heart is there and my wife is American. We are essentially moving to be closer to family and friends though and to get out of these northern winters. If we had those things already (family, friends, and better weather), we would probably stay where we're at since we're making a lot more money here than we would there, and we're able to save our money. We just can't take it living out here (northern Alberta) anymore. The sun goes down at like midnight so we have to put tinfoil on our windows to prevent the sunlight from coming into our room at like 3:30am waking us up. lol.

But I digress.

Good luck with your case! Don't worry too much!

I hear you...I'm not able to take the Montreal weather also and I don't think Peter, my USC husband,a Texan, will learn French anytime soon. I do think though that the American economy will turn around and is turning. I also don't believe that our healthcare system is free. It's taken off at source. I'm not bashing Canada but I never felt Canadian (living in Quebec with all its nonsense) and I've never considered myself Quebecoise, because I am not French, even though I speak it fluently. So it was but the grace of God that I met my husband and that I will be able to live in Houston with him.

[bsd058 296]

Of course when I say free, I don't mean free. I meant no matter what your socio-economic status or pre-exisiting conditions you qualify for it.

Perhaps one day universal healthcare might not be seen as a national threat in the eyes of Americans. One can only hope.