how hard can it be????

[moneyplays 0]

hi all! i am new here to the forum with a question. this may be the wrong place for it, but....

here goes...

my boyfriend lives in seattle, WA

i live in vancouver, BC

i have been visiting every other month for 3-5 days each time i go. i tell border i am seeing friends.

i want to marry him in the USA. i want to live in the USA. i want to work in the USA.

what is the easiest, fastest way to go about this?

[Inky 1,110]

Sorry there is no fast way.

You will have to either have him file a I-129F petition for fiance or a I-130 petition for spouse.

Spousal petition takes around a year.

Fiance is taking close to the same time frame.

Read up on the guides and decide which you guys will want to do.

[moneyplays 0]

so basically, my fiance in the U.S. files an I-129F. then within 90 days we need to get married in the USA. the problem is, whenever i choose to go back to the USA within the 90 days to get married, if i tell the border that is why i am going into the USA, they are not going to allow me in.

If i lie, i will get in, but once i get married, they will know i lied. i am supposed to go across the border to visit my friends and this just happened to be the weekend we went to the court house to do it? doesnt having filed the I-129F show premeditation to get married, and if so, then i am a liar at the border because of my intent.

and, all this aside, once we do get married, i have no problem going back to canada and continuing to visit every other month or am i allowed to stay and then get a job?

[Sal and Jay 2]

so basically, my fiance in the U.S. files an I-129F. then within 90 days we need to get married in the USA. the problem is, whenever i choose to go back to the USA within the 90 days to get married, if i tell the border that is why i am going into the USA, they are not going to allow me in.

If i lie, i will get in, but once i get married, they will know i lied. i am supposed to go across the border to visit my friends and this just happened to be the weekend we went to the court house to do it? doesnt having filed the I-129F show premeditation to get married, and if so, then i am a liar at the border because of my intent.

and, all this aside, once we do get married, i have no problem going back to canada and continuing to visit every other month or am i allowed to stay and then get a job?

Hi There, you file the I-129f to start the process, once you have the visa which will take on average 6-12 months , you make your permanent move to the usa and then you have 90 days to get married.

Good luck

[Inky 1,110]

so basically, my fiance in the U.S. files an I-129F. then within 90 days we need to get married in the USA. the problem is, whenever i choose to go back to the USA within the 90 days to get married, if i tell the border that is why i am going into the USA, they are not going to allow me in.

If i lie, i will get in, but once i get married, they will know i lied. i am supposed to go across the border to visit my friends and this just happened to be the weekend we went to the court house to do it? doesnt having filed the I-129F show premeditation to get married, and if so, then i am a liar at the border because of my intent.

and, all this aside, once we do get married, i have no problem going back to canada and continuing to visit every other month or am i allowed to stay and then get a job?

What the heck? did you even READ the guides or check the K-1 time line?

once you get the K-1 you have 6 months to enter the USA. After you enter you have 90 days to get married. YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE US AFTER YOU ENTER ON THE K-1 unless you have AP or green card.

Please go read the guides and the timeline again.

[amykathleen2005 441]

so basically, my fiance in the U.S. files an I-129F. then within 90 days we need to get married in the USA. the problem is, whenever i choose to go back to the USA within the 90 days to get married, if i tell the border that is why i am going into the USA, they are not going to allow me in.

If i lie, i will get in, but once i get married, they will know i lied. i am supposed to go across the border to visit my friends and this just happened to be the weekend we went to the court house to do it? doesnt having filed the I-129F show premeditation to get married, and if so, then i am a liar at the border because of my intent.

and, all this aside, once we do get married, i have no problem going back to canada and continuing to visit every other month or am i allowed to stay and then get a job?

You need to read up on the 1-129F, you are misunderstanding the process. You apply, you wait several months and get the K-1 visa. You enter at the border with this visa which is specifically for getting married, so no need to lie. Then you need to adjust your status, remaining in the US until you have permission to leave. During this time you can apply for a work permit. You are welcome to try to visit during this process, doesn't mean you will get in, but you could.

Never lie to immigration.

[moneyplays 0]

OK! i get it! i did read it, but you are right, i totally misunderstood what i was reading!

i apply for the I-129F, if approved, they will issue me a K-1. at that point i go to the US, get married, file to change the status, try to get work, and i must stay in the US and cannot go back to canada until a specified time. check.

once i apply for the I-129F, i understand it will take some time for approval and issuance of the K-1, but i can try to go back to visit my boyfriend and friends but there is no guarantee they will let me in to the US.

if for some reason i am denied the K-1, will i have RED FLAGGED myself to ever get back into the US just to visit?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I've moved this thread to the K-1 forum for the time being since it appears that is what the OP is considering for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moderator hat off now . . .

Welcome to Visa Journey

You may also wish to stop in at the Canada Regional Forums as there are a lot of Canadian/American couples going through both the K-1 and the CR-1 process. The more you can learn about the processes involved before you start and before you act in any way that can jeopardize your eventual life in the US as the wife of a US citizen, the better off you will be. You can take advantage of the valuable experience many of our members have.

As has already been mentioned, there is no quick process to get to the US to be with your loved one now you are contemplating marriage and moving to the US. Both legal processes will take approximately a year. The fastest one is the K-1 because you can start it now rather than waiting until after you get married.

One thing that you cannot do, even though you will be told by many people that you can, is come to the US as a visitor with the intention of getting married and staying in the US without having the proper entrance visa. The K-1 visa is an entrance visa for you to enter the US as a fiancee and get married within 90 days, then apply to become a permanent resident. The CR-1 visa is an entrance visa for the spouse of a US citizen and includes permanent residency when you cross the border. Entering on a tourist visa with the intent to stay in the US through marriage to a US citizen is considered visa fraud and is treated very harshly by US immigration authorities. If you misrepresented your intentions when you crossed the border, not only would your request to become a permanent resident be denied, you could also face up to a life time ban on ever being allowed to enter the US.

So,I don't want to scare you, but I do want to reinforce how important it is to follow the proper immigration processes when you are involved with an American. There are no short cuts and that special Canadian privilege that we enjoy as visitors no longer exists, although we do have an easier time visiting our loved ones while waiting out the process than partners from many other countries, as long as we are able to prove through documentation that we have strong ties to Canada that necessitate our return.

So, take your time, read over the processes involved, ask questions, make sure you are prepared for the demands on your patience and your dedication to each other, and arm yourself with information and knowledge. They will be your best weapons, tools and allies while dealing with US immigration and the US Consulate..

Edited February 19, 2011 by Kathryn41

[pushbrk 12,898]

OK! i get it! i did read it, but you are right, i totally misunderstood what i was reading!

i apply for the I-129F, if approved, they will issue me a K-1. at that point i go to the US, get married, file to change the status, try to get work, and i must stay in the US and cannot go back to canada until a specified time. check.

once i apply for the I-129F, i understand it will take some time for approval and issuance of the K-1, but i can try to go back to visit my boyfriend and friends but there is no guarantee they will let me in to the US.

if for some reason i am denied the K-1, will i have RED FLAGGED myself to ever get back into the US just to visit?

You still don't understand. Your US Citizen "Fiance" files the I-129F. Don't tell your fiance about your boyfriend. There are no girlfriend visas.

Whether a denied K1 visa will impact your ability to visit the USA in the future will depend on the reason for the denial. For a material misrepresentation, there can be a lifetime ban. Just tell the truth. You'll be OK. The K1 through Vancouver will be significantly faster than a spouse visa through Montreal. No spouse visa available through Vancouver.

[VinhBao MyTam 3]

Also want to make sure you understand there is not just 1 approval but 2. Once your fiance (must be after you are engaged) files the I-129f, and that petition is approved, that approves you to basically apply for the K-1 visa. Approval of the petition is not the same as approval of the visa. After the petition is approved there is additional paperwork, medical, and interview, etc... after the K-1 visa is approved & issued, then you can come get married over here :-)

[kutakendra 3]

Please consider the fact that you may not have a green card for 6 months or so after you enter on a K-1. That is why a K-3, spouse visa can be advantageous. K-1 is faster, but you cannot work or go back to Canada to work. Your fiancee must make enough to support you and you cannot work legally until you receive a green card. Marrying and staying apart until the paperwork comes through is an option if work is necessary for you, but either way, he will have to travel TO YOU during this process. Expect 7-9 months for a K-1 and more for a K-3, from start to Visa. I know, you must be trying to figure out how this can be so hard, but it is. That's why we're all here, trying to navigate it more quickly and efficiently.

[Inky 1,110]

Please consider the fact that you may not have a green card for 6 months or so after you enter on a K-1. That is why a K-3, spouse visa can be advantageous. K-1 is faster, but you cannot work or go back to Canada to work. Your fiancee must make enough to support you and you cannot work legally until you receive a green card. Marrying and staying apart until the paperwork comes through is an option if work is necessary for you, but either way, he will have to travel TO YOU during this process. Expect 7-9 months for a K-1 and more for a K-3, from start to Visa. I know, you must be trying to figure out how this can be so hard, but it is. That's why we're all here, trying to navigate it more quickly and efficiently.

Hi, sorry you are giving out-dated information. K-3 is no longer being processed at the NVC, they will CLOSE the petition and continue ONLY with the CR-1.

The options for the OP are CR-1 or K-1.

[JunLei09 2]

hi all! i am new here to the forum with a question. this may be the wrong place for it, but....

here goes...

my boyfriend lives in seattle, WA

i live in vancouver, BC

i have been visiting every other month for 3-5 days each time i go. i tell border i am seeing friends.

i want to marry him in the USA. i want to live in the USA. i want to work in the USA.

what is the easiest, fastest way to go about this?

You might want to ask or look which way is the cheapest because they are about the same except for cost and the issuance of a green card (i think).

[Aztec&Taino 144]

hi all! i am new here to the forum with a question. this may be the wrong place for it, but....

here goes...

my boyfriend lives in seattle, WA

i live in vancouver, BC

i have been visiting every other month for 3-5 days each time i go. i tell border i am seeing friends.

i want to marry him in the USA. i want to live in the USA. i want to work in the USA.

what is the easiest, fastest way to go about this?

As other members have clearly stated there are basically two routes; the K1 visa or the CR1 visa. The K1 visa would allow you to enter the USA with the specific purpose of marrying your fiance within 90 days. After getting married your fiance has to submit the paperwork for AOS (Adjustment Of Status). This route is more expensive and generally "faster" (it still is a 6-12 month process though).

If your fiance goes to Canada to marry you there, then he can file the I-130 to obtain the CR1 visa. The advantage of this route is that it is less expensive than the K1 and it would allow you to look for a job as soon as you enter the US because you would enter as a resident (no need to adjust status). The main disadvantage is that it is generally a longer process (9-12 months). If your interview would be at the Montreal consulate be aware that there is a LONG wait for an interview (around 4 months) after approval. Read the "guides" available at the top of the page and be aware; all these forms and petitions would need to be filed and sent by your fiance (the US citizen), not you.

Best wishes!

[pushbrk 12,898]

As other members have clearly stated there are basically two routes; the K1 visa or the CR1 visa. The K1 visa would allow you to enter the USA with the specific purpose of marrying your fiance within 90 days. After getting married your fiance has to submit the paperwork for AOS (Adjustment Of Status). This route is more expensive and generally "faster" (it still is a 6-12 month process though).

If your fiance goes to Canada to marry you there, then he can file the I-130 to obtain the CR1 visa. The advantage of this route is that it is less expensive than the K1 and it would allow you to look for a job as soon as you enter the US because you would enter as a resident (no need to adjust status). The main disadvantage is that it is generally a longer process (9-12 months). If your interview would be at the Montreal consulate be aware that there is a LONG wait for an interview (around 4 months) after approval. Read the "guides" available at the top of the page and be aware; all these forms and petitions would need to be filed and sent by your fiance (the US citizen), not you.

Best wishes!

When you consider the OP is in the Vancouver BC area where they can interview for K1 but would need to travel to Montreal to interview for the CR1, the cost is going to be about the same.