Please help us.

[Lemonslice 4,936]

Also, the k1 way means she will not be able to leave the USA (to visit her children and family in Canada) and reenter the USA for a couple of months - is she comfortable with that?

[Darnell 8,479]

Actually if he did CR1 visa he could live with wife in Canada and do DCF which will be faster then living in ny and visting

DCF in Canada - no - not possible.

[j&ana 363]

Another question though. How long after the K-1 is submitted will it be before she can come to the US and work. i spoke to a guy on RapidVisa (which is how I found this site) who told me that within 2 months she could live in the US bit it was probationary.

do not let anyone or company try to tell you they can process visa fast for you they canot also do not hire lawyer it is waste of money unless you have a complicated situation

[Darnell 8,479]

Another question though. How long after the K-1 is submitted will it be before she can come to the US and work. i spoke to a guy on RapidVisa (which is how I found this site) who told me that within 2 months she could live in the US bit it was probationary.

you might want to visit VJ on a PC,

then click on 'Guides' at the top blue bar,

and study a bit.

I know you just stepped into the website, and are chock full of questions - but the GUIDES section were written by folk who have gone through the process, and all the steps vetted by the membership here.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Another question though. How long after the K-1 is submitted will it be before she can come to the US and work. i spoke to a guy on RapidVisa (which is how I found this site) who told me that within 2 months she could live in the US bit it was probationary.

2 months!? Tha's a big pile of ####### they are telling you trying to get your business. You can do it just as fast if not faster that any lawyer or Rapid visa... But you NEED to look at the guides as several members have already mentioned. Study the guides.

[Jawaree 718]

You already in Canada so stay with her, she has a job,

you take a job on the US side and go to Canada after work

(border living) There's a little town that has no problem just

a street separate both and a family type neighborhood,then

in the meantime she can file for your landing and you her GC

you will need a co-sponsor , but you need a job too,

its doable ...research the area and cost of living. Manitoba

Canada are looking for young couples to live up there, you

would get the landing fast they are trying to populate the area

Edited December 12, 2014 by Jawaree

[raven52 233]

you have so many options. I would establish stable home address in NY, and file K-1. This is the best option, just in an opinion only. The path of "least resistance" and the quickest way to make a happy home, for you and your family.

Try to stay away from I-130, as it has few advantages, and is a very long road! (12-16 months-approximate)

Your family support is a blessing to you, be thankful for it, not many get it!

[slangofoil 50]

I vote for getting married now and going the CR-1 spousal visa route. Get hitched, then do as others suggested, getting a job right on the border in the US, getting the Nexus card, and going back and forth as needed. CR-1 might take a little longer than K-1 before she can move to the US, but with it she's a permanent resident from the moment she enters so can work and travel freely. Entering as a K-1 there are a lot of forms to be filed after entry and marriage before she can work or leave. If I were her my priority would be proximity and easy access to my kids. Still not sure if you're planning on bringing her other kids to the US, but they'd need visas too (this may be covered in the CR-1 guide...not sure as it's never been relevant to me).

[Teddy B 17,252]

Unless you have something overly important in the states to go back to, why not get married and file for residency in Canada? It would be cheaper in the short term and you can stay with your girlfriend/wife during the process and also through her pregnancy. I believe it takes up to a year to get work authorization in Canada. It sounds like your girlfriend has a decent job as a nurse and she will get maternity leave pay as well. You could start to make plans to come back to the states after the baby is born if you so choose. Something to think about.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Also in Canada one can get a common law spousal visa after one year of living together. It is less expensive to immigrate to Canada. Are you set on living in the USA?

[chiggins82 88]

Tough situation to be in and I think many people can sympathize with you. From what I see you have to make a tough decision. No option will be perfect..

First - Stay in Canada or move to US? Second, what visa?

If you stay in Canada, you can get married and apply for a spouse visa, I believe it takes approx a year, but you can stay here while you wait. Unfortunately I don't believe you can work so she would need to support the family. You could also just look to get a work visa in Canada. As a welder, shouldn't be too tough. My understanding is that is a high-demand field here. I know a number of people that have bee here on work visas and again much easier than it is in US. A friend on a work visa here said to me... it's easy in Canada, find a job you're qualified for and you get a visa (I am sure there is a little more to it than that ).

You could also do the spouse visa in Canada, but go back to the US so you can work while you wait...

If you are certain you want to both live in the US as soon as you can...

As a nurse, your girlfriend might qualify for the TN visa which is a fast track employment visa for professionals in Canada to work in the US. I have no idea how fast it is, but I do know that it is easier to get approved. You are not in the running with the rest of the world wanting to work in the US this way...

If you want to go the spouse or fiance route, I think you have been given lots of info. From my research, K-1 Fiance visa is more expensive, but it is a bit quicker for entry to the US. Drawback will be she cannot work or travel until getting a permit (EAD and AP), but you can usually get those within 2-3 months from applying... however I think plan for at least 4+ months unemployment and no travel outside the US. Your girlfriend may qualify for EI as well... either through Mat leave or regular EI to help here. The CR1 Spouse visa takes longer, but once you get it, I believe you get a greencard with approval.. so she can work and travel right away

As for visiting, most Canadians and Americans can go across the border without a lot of trouble. My fiance and I have been doing it for a few years and never had issues... Nexus was the best money I have ever spent. $50 and even less border hassles and waits.

My advice - Research all these options, weigh the pros and cons and maybe consult with an immigration lawyer (either in Canada, US or both). I consulted with one before making my decision. I found that all the info here was right, but it gave me ease of mind to hear it from a professional too.

No one can tell you what is best. It will depend on your priorities and your particular situation. I did not have a baby in the picture, but had to go through these options. In the end we went K-1. We decided that it was best for me to move instead of him and we were OK with a little added cost to be able to move to US fast. It also gave us peace of mind if for some reason things did not work out, we did not need to marry before starting the process...

[NikLR 13,231]

If you apply inland in Canada it can take up to 2 years but normally after 6 months (or less) you will get a work visa. Many people suggest a lawyer for the Canadian visas but I know some people have had issues with that. I have a few friends up there who would swear by having a lawyer.

If you do decide to stay in Canada get your FBI clearance started ASAP!

[saiWhelan 0]

Right now it looks like we may go canadian citizenship route. We plan to discuss this and make a decision in the next week.

Right now it looks like we may go canadian citizenship route. We plan to discuss this and make a decision in the next week.