Domicile Requirement

[Mholland93 1]

How strict are the domicile requirements for the CR1 visa? 
 

I plan to sponsor my Canadian girlfriend once we are married for a cr1 visa but we are still living in Canada and don’t wanna spend a long period apart in order for me to move back alone to establish domicile. 
 

Can we apply and get approved by convincing them that we definitely plan on moving once we get the visa? If so how would we do that? 
 

We plan to move ASAP and have family there and we have a joint US bank account and I plan on going back to Uni once there. 
 

[P0907 127]

In our case, my wife and I lived outside of the US for 7 years. In order to show that she was re-establishing domicile my wife:

• moved back two months earlier than me
• opened a new bank account and ordered a new checkbook with her new address (living with family)
• got her name on her mother's car insurance policy
• got a new US phone number

You also need to prepare that there might be some separation, although maybe not as much as some of the folks on here. It's part of the process. In my case, it was only a couple of months, but for others it can be years (with/without occasional visits).

 

Wishing you the very best of luck

 

 

[Mholland93 1]

1 hour ago, P0907 said:

In our case, my wife and I lived outside of the US for 7 years. In order to show that she was re-establishing domicile my wife:

• moved back two months earlier than me
• opened a new bank account and ordered a new checkbook with her new address (living with family)
• got her name on her mother's car insurance policy
• got a new US phone number

You also need to prepare that there might be some separation, although maybe not as much as some of the folks on here. It's part of the process. In my case, it was only a couple of months, but for others it can be years (with/without occasional visits).

 

Wishing you the very best of luck

 

 

So you were able to file the petition and then at some point after that your wife then moved back to set up the domicile requirements?  At what point in the process did you need to “prove domicile?” 
 

And living with her family met the domicile requirements? 

[Chancy 6,241]

On 7/1/2021 at 7:45 AM, Mholland93 said:

How strict are the domicile requirements for the CR1 visa? 

 

The consulate in Montreal is probably the most strict among all US consulates regarding the domicile requirement.  They normally won't accept anything less than a US rental agreement and/or a US job offer.  What may have worked for people interviewing in other countries will probably not work for your wife-to-be when she interviews in Montreal.  Your best bet is to refer to the experiences of the folks in the Canada sub-forum, like in the thread below --

 

 

[Chancy 6,241]

12 hours ago, Mholland93 said:

At what point in the process did you need to “prove domicile?”

 

No need for proof of domicile when filing the I-130 petition, but it is required at NVC stage which comes after the petition has been approved by USCIS.  Note that even if NVC accepts the domicile evidence, it may not be enough for the consul officer in Montreal.