Canadian F1 Student w/ questions about transfer of status and timelines

[Mily12 0]

I am looking for recommendations on the best course of my timeline. 

 

I am a Canadian International Student in the US - I am currently an F1 Visa holder. My F1 is set to expire Dec 2020 - I am currently working on my dissertation and plan to graduate with my PhD by 12/2020. My current plan is to apply for OPT w/ a December start date. 

 

My Fiance is American - we were supposed to get married this July (in Canada) but had to postpone due to covid to next July (in Canada) - I am thinking that the best course of action is to apply for OPT w/ a December start date, get married July  2021 and then file for adjustment of status to permanent resident. We had considered getting married earlier - but my fear is that if I apply for adjustment of status from OPT to permanent resident before July 2021 that I wouldn't be able to leave the US to attend our wedding in Canada? Or would I be able to leave the country still because I will be on OPT status?

 

Would you recommend getting married prior to July 2021 and transferring status from OPT to permanent resident? With still needing to leave the country for our Canadian wedding in July 2021

 

Or would you recommend not getting married until July 2021 at that point transferring status from OPT to permanent resident? 

 

Or is there another option that I have missed? I guess my biggest concerns are that I want to be able to work and I want to be able to travel to Canada to see my family - and I need to be able to leave the US in July 2021 for our wedding. 

 

Thank you for your help!! 

[designguy 1,179]

You cant get married in canada and then return to the US with the intention to adjust status. That would be visa fraud.

[aaron2020 11,651]

The fatal flaw in your plan is entering the US on a non-immigrant F-1 student visa after your Canadian wedding with the intent to immigrate by adjusting status.  

Get marry now in the US, file for AOS, get your AP or green card, and then go to Canada to have a celebration ceremony.  

[Duke & Marie 1,389]

Yeah, you can’t get married in July 21 and return on f1 then adjust..

 

better off getting married here (before returning to Canada) and filing AOS... once you leave, you’d need to file CR1 and await the process outside the us 

[Boiler 46,178]

Marry asap an file to adjust so you can get EAD and AP asap.