Fastest Way For A U.S. Citizen to Marry a Canadian

[Goozfraba 0]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the community and am thrilled to have found you. The legal process can be incredibly confusing and difficult to navigate. I appreciate any help you can provide.

I am a U.S. citizen and would like to marry a Canadian citizen in June of 2013. She previously worked in the U.S. and was issued a social security number. Would you recommend I fly to Canada and we have a legal/court marriage and then I try to bring her to the U.S.? Or would it be better to apply for a fiance visa and get married in the U.S.? What would be the smoothest and quickest route to get married and have her join me in the U.S.? Also, she is a graduate student, so she would need to return to Canada until June of 2013, when she graduates.

Thanks again for your advice!!!

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the community and am thrilled to have found you. The legal process can be incredibly confusing and difficult to navigate. I appreciate any help you can provide.

I am a U.S. citizen and would like to marry a Canadian citizen in June of 2013. She previously worked in the U.S. and was issued a social security number. Would you recommend I fly to Canada and we have a legal/court marriage and then I try to bring her to the U.S.? Or would it be better to apply for a fiance visa and get married in the U.S.? What would be the smoothest and quickest route to get married and have her join me in the U.S.? Also, she is a graduate student, so she would need to return to Canada until June of 2013, when she graduates.

Thanks again for your advice!!!

The fiancee visa route involves two processes - K-1 visa and Adjustment of Status (AOS), cost more than a spousal visa, and there will be a period of 2-3 months after you get marry in the US where she can't work, go to school, or leave the US without abandoning the entire process.

The spousal visa route is a single process, cost less than a K-1 visa and AOS, and she immediately gets a green card upon entering the US with the spousal visa.

Go get a quickie marriage in Canada. Come back and apply for her. The process can take 6-12 months. She may be here by June 2013 if you start now.

Edited October 14, 2012 by aaron2020

[Tintin and Mike 127]

The fiancee visa route involves two processes - K-1 visa and Adjustment of Status (AOS), cost more than a spousal visa, and there will be a period of 2-3 months after you get marry in the US where she can't work, go to school, or leave the US without abandoning the entire process.

The spousal visa route is a single process, cost less than a K-1 visa and AOS, and she immediately gets a green card upon entering the US with the spousal visa.

Go get a quickie marriage in Canada. Come back and apply for her. The process can take 6-12 months. She may be here by June 2013 if you start now.

:thumbs:

Edited October 14, 2012 by Tintin and Mike

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the community and am thrilled to have found you. The legal process can be incredibly confusing and difficult to navigate. I appreciate any help you can provide.

I am a U.S. citizen and would like to marry a Canadian citizen in June of 2013. She previously worked in the U.S. and was issued a social security number. Would you recommend I fly to Canada and we have a legal/court marriage and then I try to bring her to the U.S.? Or would it be better to apply for a fiance visa and get married in the U.S.? What would be the smoothest and quickest route to get married and have her join me in the U.S.? Also, she is a graduate student, so she would need to return to Canada until June of 2013, when she graduates.

Thanks again for your advice!!!

You have 2 thoughts here - it seems like you want the fastest way to get married and then the 2nd is how to get her to the US (either as your spouse or as a Fiance). The real question is - what will she be when you apply for the VISA - your wife or your fiance? Either route (Fiance visa or spousal visa) takes 6-7 months to 1 yr or so depending on your particular case and details but that is the average these days.

You could technically get married tomorrow if you feel like it and it has nothing to do with immigration. You would subsequently be applying for your Spouse to move to the US. If you'd like to stay engaged during the process then get engaged and apply for that VISA.

Since you mention your fiance needs to stay until June 2013 to finish out school anyway, either VISA type would work for you when you see the average timeline mentioned above. June 2013 would be around the time she might be approved.

She cannot come and permanently live with you until she is granted one of those 2 VISAs(spouse or fiance)so the sooner you get the ball rolling the better. Feel free to ask us lots of questions, we like to helpful!

[pocheros 101]

Couple notes:

If you apply for a spousal visa (CR1) you can get married in either Canada or the US. As Udella noted, getting married doesn't automatically have anything to do with immigration. If you go the CR1 route first you get married, then you apply for a visa. With the K1 route you get married after she enters the US on her visa.

The fiance (K1) route tends to be a bit faster than the CR1 route BUT when she finally joins you in the US she will be unable to work or exit and re-enter the country for a minimum of 2-3 months. The K1 is also more expensive. Conversely, a CR1 will be able to work and travel freely immediately. So it's a trade off: the K1 gets her there faster at the expense of being able to work and travel for a few months.

Where does she live? If she lives in western Canada you might want to go the K1 route. This is because ALL CR1s, regardless of where they live, are interviewed in Montreal. However, Vancouver does interviews for K1s in western Canada. Vancouver is a faster consulate than Montreal, and you might save on travel expenses that way. If she lives in eastern Canada she will be interviewed at Montreal regardless.

Finally, both kinds of visa are valid for 6 months after their issue. I mention this because if your process goes pretty quickly and she needs to stay in Canada until June, you don't have to fret as there is a fairly large gap for her to get ready to move.

Edited October 14, 2012 by pocheros

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

The fastest marriage possible I think is in Las Vegas where they do drive through weddings. Takes about 4 monutes I think, you don't even need to get out of the car. However I do not believe they do drive through divorces.

[K and T 0]

Whatever you do, do not get married in Toronto City Court..

I got married there 12/31/2012..didnt have my marriage certificate for almost 5 months after that.

[Goozfraba 0]

Thanks for all the guidance! I really appreciate it. Thank you!