Canadian fiancé working in the US

[kevines 0]

I am a Canadian mechanical engineer who is expecting to get an offer from Apple to work in California. They will take care of my TN visa status. What I'm trying to figure out is the process involved with my Canadian fiancé moving with me to the US and working down there.

She is a trained Medical Lab Assistant / Medical Office Assistant who works in the hospital. This was a 1 year program and thus is not a Degree of any sort. She has not been applying for work down there but would intend on doing so once we moved.

What will be our options to make this happen? Do we need to get married before going down there (ie. at city hall here)? I've heard that Customs will be suspicious if they see we got married last minute before moving down. Will she have to wait X months before she can start working? Is she even allowed to live down there with me? Any help is appreciated!

[canadian_wife 1,822]

There is no derivative status for a fiancé from a TN visa and thus she cannot 'move 'with you and look for work.

If you marry, She may move with you

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1274.html#spouse

good luck

[Harsh_77 718]

As CW said as fiancé she cannot move with you, there is no visa for fiancé.

If you get married, she can move with you as your spouse but cannot work, she will need her own work visa if she desires to work.

[Teddy B 17,252]

There is the B2 Cohabitating partner status. If she qualifies she can enter the states as a tourist for up to a year (if allowed), and file for extensions for more time after that. The downfall is that she cannot work and she has to maintain her ties to Canada.

You can read more here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_1414.html

[Lisa Anderson 0]

I am a Canadian mechanical engineer who is expecting to get an offer from Apple to work in California. They will take care of my TN visa status. What I'm trying to figure out is the process involved with my Canadian fiancé moving with me to the US and working down there.

She is a trained Medical Lab Assistant / Medical Office Assistant who works in the hospital. This was a 1 year program and thus is not a Degree of any sort. She has not been applying for work down there but would intend on doing so once we moved.

What will be our options to make this happen? Do we need to get married before going down there (ie. at city hall here)? I've heard that Customs will be suspicious if they see we got married last minute before moving down. Will she have to wait X months before she can start working? Is she even allowed to live down there with me? Any help is appreciated!

Her only option to come independently is a TN of her own. The closest profession to hers on the TN list I Medical Laboratory Technologist. She’d need to have a post-secondary cert. or diploma and 3 years of experience to qualify.

If you marry, she can get a TD with you but she won’t be able to work in the U.S. If you do get married right before entering, carry with you proof that it’s a real marriage and that you didn’t marry solely for the purpose of coming to the U.S. together.

Let me share a couple of links where you can learn more about TN Visa:

http://www.visapro.com/Immigration-Articles/?a=968&z=48

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=bac00b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=bac00b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

[kevines 0]

Thanks for all the information everyone. I've decided to abandon the option of working in California because of how difficult it would be on my fiance. Good knowledge to now have for future opportunities in the US!