Move Girlfriend from Canada to US

[killersfan7570 0]

Hello! I'm new on this forum, so I apologize if I'm in the wrong place. I'm 18 and I live in Boston, my girlfriend in Canada.

We've been together for almost two years (she's turning 20 in January). She's still in college and has two years left and I

am going next year (hopefully)... We're growing tired of the long distance thing and definitely prefer it when we're together.

I'm hoping to propose to her on New Years in Times Square while the clock ticks down to 2013. I know we're young, but we're in love.

We have this dream of moving to Los Angeles together someday and I finally want to start making it happen. We don't have much money,

but I have no idea where to start. Everything is so confusing... Where do we start, what do I do and how long would the entire process of

getting married and her moving out to the US with me take (estimates, if everything goes well)?

Best,

Seth

[killersfan7570 0]

Please, help!

[Darkmoonfaerie 19]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare is a good place to start. There's a lot of good information on here and the people are really helpful but you've got to read the guides and figure out what visa is best for you. Do you want to be engaged and have her move here then marry (but not be able to work/go to school for a while) or do you want to get married then file and when she moves she'll have her green card and can travel and work or go to school? A spouse visa is cheaper but takes longer and you have to be separated while married. Ignore the K-3, it's obsolete now. Also...If you don't have much money, keep in mind that you'll need a co sponsor who makes enough to support your fiance/spouse.

[Que Saudade 284]

Check out the Comparison guide to compare K1 (fiancé visa) and CR1 (spousal visa)

Then go through K1 Guide

Followed up with CR1 Guide

Then you just make up your mind which you want to do.

I would advise you to figure out your career path and get started as the immigration process can be financially strapping as well as you have to prove to the US Government that your immigrant spouse will not become a public charge. This is called the affidavit of support. You basically have to make 125%of the current poverty level set forth by the government. I-864P You will need to make $18,912/yr to meet the requirements for 2. (assuming there are no others in your household dependent on you)

This is a lengthy and time consuming process that will wear you out emotionally. Typically, from the time you file until the final approval that allows your fiancé/spouse to be with you can take from about 8 months to a year. It all depends on many factors, just a timeframe.

Good luck...

[killersfan7570 0]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare is a good place to start. There's a lot of good information on here and the people are really helpful but you've got to read the guides and figure out what visa is best for you. Do you want to be engaged and have her move here then marry (but not be able to work/go to school for a while) or do you want to get married then file and when she moves she'll have her green card and can travel and work or go to school? A spouse visa is cheaper but takes longer and you have to be separated while married. Ignore the K-3, it's obsolete now. Also...If you don't have much money, keep in mind that you'll need a co sponsor who makes enough to support your fiance/spouse.

Thanks for the response! I definitely want whichever route we could spend time together... I'd be more than happy to support her with what I have as of right now. I'm only making $12,000 a year (excluding my work in film)... I'd rather have her here and she's OK with not working or going to school for a bit. I'm not 100% sure which is better for us just yet... Though, out of my $12,000, I really only would be using around $3,000 for my needs, as I live with my mother and have no real expenses nor do I even own a car.

Edited September 15, 2012 by killersfan7570

[killersfan7570 0]

Check out the Comparison guide to compare K1 (fiancé visa) and CR1 (spousal visa)

Then go through K1 Guide

Followed up with CR1 Guide

Then you just make up your mind which you want to do.

I would advise you to figure out your career path and get started as the immigration process can be financially strapping as well as you have to prove to the US Government that your immigrant spouse will not become a public charge. This is called the affidavit of support. You basically have to make 125%of the current poverty level set forth by the government. I-864P You will need to make $18,912/yr to meet the requirements for 2. (assuming there are no others in your household dependent on you)

This is a lengthy and time consuming process that will wear you out emotionally. Typically, from the time you file until the final approval that allows your fiancé/spouse to be with you can take from about 8 months to a year. It all depends on many factors, just a timeframe.

Good luck...

For the CR-1, would she come to the US, marry me, then go back? Sorry for all the questions, it's all just so confusing!

[canadian_wife 1,808]

For the Cr-1 you may marry in Canada or the US, however she must wait it out in Canada

Where in Canada is she? Spousal visas only go through Montreal so people from the west coast prefer to do the fiance visa which can be processed in Vancouver

Good luck

PS - remember, she'll lose her free medical insurance in Canada, make sure she has some policy in the US

[NikLR 13,227]

Do you plan on going to school where she is? I assume she's attending school in Canada? Is she going to finish school? Remember the rules up here are similar to the ones for the USA, you need a work or student visa or else you can only visit for 6 months. When you both plan on being in the USA might help determine what visa you want to petition for. Who knows, you might decide to end up staying in Canada as well.

In my situation we decided to go the CR1 route because it's cheaper, you're already granted the green card when you move down, and we could get married in Canada vs the USA. His family is all down there, but my mother is reverend and I wanted her to marry us. Those factors helped us choose. You will have other factors and considerations that help both of you choose.

The best of luck to you!

[bigdog 376]

Both of you review the options, look at the income requirements. You seem level headed and will figure it out. Good Luck.After doing K1 wished we would have gotten married then immigrated.

Edited September 15, 2012 by bigdog

[C-ma'am 684]

**Moved from K1 to the Canada regional forum as this scenario can be better addressed there.

[alizon 77]

Though, out of my $12,000, I really only would be using around $3,000 for my needs, as I live with my mother and have no real expenses nor do I even own a car.

They won't take your expenses (or lack thereof) into consideration with your sponsorship. You have to make 125% of the poverty line for you + your spouse, have enough in savings (which I think is something like 5x the annual requirement), or have a cosponsor who makes 125% of the poverty line for their household + the sponsored person.

Required income for sponsorship

[killersfan7570 0]

For the Cr-1 you may marry in Canada or the US, however she must wait it out in Canada

Where in Canada is she? Spousal visas only go through Montreal so people from the west coast prefer to do the fiance visa which can be processed in Vancouver

Good luck

PS - remember, she'll lose her free medical insurance in Canada, make sure she has some policy in the US

She lives in Vancouver. Seems like such the process.

[killersfan7570 0]

They won't take your expenses (or lack thereof) into consideration with your sponsorship. You have to make 125% of the poverty line for you + your spouse, have enough in savings (which I think is something like 5x the annual requirement), or have a cosponsor who makes 125% of the poverty line for their household + the sponsored person.

Required income for sponsorship

I'm only 18! This is absolutely ridiculous. I haven't even gone to school. How am I supposed to make that much!?

[killersfan7570 0]

Do you plan on going to school where she is? I assume she's attending school in Canada? Is she going to finish school? Remember the rules up here are similar to the ones for the USA, you need a work or student visa or else you can only visit for 6 months. When you both plan on being in the USA might help determine what visa you want to petition for. Who knows, you might decide to end up staying in Canada as well.

In my situation we decided to go the CR1 route because it's cheaper, you're already granted the green card when you move down, and we could get married in Canada vs the USA. His family is all down there, but my mother is reverend and I wanted her to marry us. Those factors helped us choose. You will have other factors and considerations that help both of you choose.

The best of luck to you!

I'd definitely probably have the money to get married and even support the fees associated with filling out the paperwork, but I don't make 125% the poverty level. This seems completely useless for me and the odds of her coming here seem so much smaller.

Do you plan on going to school where she is? I assume she's attending school in Canada? Is she going to finish school? Remember the rules up here are similar to the ones for the USA, you need a work or student visa or else you can only visit for 6 months. When you both plan on being in the USA might help determine what visa you want to petition for. Who knows, you might decide to end up staying in Canada as well.

In my situation we decided to go the CR1 route because it's cheaper, you're already granted the green card when you move down, and we could get married in Canada vs the USA. His family is all down there, but my mother is reverend and I wanted her to marry us. Those factors helped us choose. You will have other factors and considerations that help both of you choose.

The best of luck to you!

I'd definitely probably have the money to get married and even support the fees associated with filling out the paperwork, but I don't make 125% the poverty level. This seems completely useless for me and the odds of her coming here seem so much smaller.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I'm only 18! This is absolutely ridiculous. I haven't even gone to school. How am I supposed to make that much!?

To be blunt (and I am not trying to be mean...I am a mum of 3 - 19, 20 and 21), they are not interested in your particular situation - realistically you cannot support someone else let alone yourself on the salary you make. That's just a fact of life at 18 with no training or education past highschool you simply are not going to make enough. 125% is only $18912/yr according to that form and honestly you two couldn't possibly hope to survive here in the US on 18K a year either.

A few things to consider then:

- neither of you make enough money to live unless you're living with your parents. Are you parents willing to help sponsor her if you get married? Would you want to be living in your parents home then? How would she feel about it? How would both of you feel about less privacy? How would your parents feel about less privacy and more $$$ responsibility (not to joke but maybe they had plans to make your room into an exercise room when you went off to college next year? )

- you haven't started college and your GF has - assuming you now both need to finish college that is a chunk of debt for you two to start out with, tuition is a lot cheaper in Canada for her.....have you considered waiting a couple years so she can finished her degree in Canada and you'll them be halfway through at least? Neither of you will have money but at least you'll have less debt

- if she moves to the US and you marry, what's the plan to visit family back home in Canada? Everyone here can tell you that homesickness is brutal so there WILL NEED TO BE TRIPS BACK HOME for her periodically. You will be her husband but you won;t be able to avoid homesickness.

- she may be ok with not working but you can't live on nothing - it could be up to 6 months after she moves that she is legally allowed to work. What will she do during that time? You'll be working yout tail off or going to school by then.

A few things to think about, I'm sorry to sound ike a parent but you two are probably a bit young to be getting married. Although you may be mature enough to handle the relationship, your circumstances don't bode well for a healthy, happy start to a marriage - it would add a lot of extra stress. Being in Love canbe a little blinding when it comes ot the facts.

I hope you make a smart decision for you.