Niagara Falls Elopement an issue? (Inland Spousal Sponsorship - 2018)

[KarmaChameleonTO]

Hello!

I had a couple of questions. My fiance will be arriving here in Toronto to move in with me on Jan. 15th. We will be going to Niagara Falls NY for a small wedding on Feb 2, and then as soon as we have the marriage certificate back, we'll be submitting everything.

I've been dealing with immigration pretty much constantly the 19 years I've lived here - 5 years for student visas, then 3 separate applications for PR status, and then my citizenship. So I'm familiar with the process, and have gone through everything extensively many times with my fiance.

However, someone pointed me to an article from 2015 where some of the red flags for immigration were exposed. These included small elopement weddings at places such as Niagara Falls, wedding with small or no receptions, no honeymoon taken, and no diamond engagement ring. They also said that pictures of the couple together in Toronto and Niagara Falls were not considered strong evidence.

Now, my fiance and I have been together about 22 months, and we visited each other once per month (yes, I have all the flight receipts, and most of the actual boarding passes). That was an extensive expense, so there really weren't any other places we were other than Toronto, Niagara Falls (we went last Christmas), and his small town in Arkansas that we went together. We did just go to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg TN for this Christmas, and of course have some pictures.

I'm estranged from my family, so I don't have any pics or visits with them. But we did take some shots of us with his grandparents this trip to TN - but there will not be any family at the wedding, and there may or may not be a very small number of my friends.

We also weren't planning on doing an engagement ring, because I'm not into jewelry - but we do have nice wedding bands. However, after reading that article we'll be purchasing one.

I'm just wondering if the small elopement wedding with no reception in Niagara Falls is going to be a huge red flag, and the fact that we're not taking a honeymoon ... I just don't have the money for it, frankly. And also if our pictures together are just not going to be diverse locations enough? I mean, we're not made of money - the monthly flight was $600, and we're lucky we could afford that!

Can anyone let me know if this may be an issue? If so, how we might be able to address it?

 

[scylla]

Given you've been together for almost two years - the elopement shouldn't be an issue.

Be aware that your fiance can't actually live here or move in with you at this time - all he can do is visit. He should ensure he looks like a visitor when he enters Canada - rather than someone who is coming to live here - otherwise he could run into challenges at the border.

 

[KarmaChameleonTO]

Thank you for the tip. So what should he say at the airport when he arrives then? That he's just here for a few weeks?

I mean, if he's coming here to get married, why would that be an issue? How do they expect people to do Inland applications if they're not allowed to be inland? I'm confused

 

[YVR123]

Thank you for the tip. So what should he say at the airport when he arrives then? That he's just here for a few weeks?

I mean, if he's coming here to get married, why would that be an issue? How do they expect people to do Inland applications if they're not allowed to be inland? I'm confused

He can come to canada to get married. And he can visit. But he cannot "live" here.
His status will be visitor until he gets either a OWP or his PR.

 

[KarmaChameleonTO]

Ok - thanks for the clarification. I'll just let him know to say that he's coming to get married.

 

[YVR123]

We also weren't planning on doing an engagement ring, because I'm not into jewelry - but we do have nice wedding bands. However, after reading that article we'll be purchasing one.

I'm just wondering if the small elopement wedding with no reception in Niagara Falls is going to be a huge red flag, and the fact that we're not taking a honeymoon ... I just don't have the money for it, frankly. And also if our pictures together are just not going to be diverse locations enough? I mean, we're not made of money - the monthly flight was $600, and we're lucky we could afford that!

Can anyone let me know if this may be an issue? If so, how we might be able to address it?

We never have an engagement ring. I am against blood diamond and it's too expensive to buy even a tiny ethical stone. We only got very simple wedding rings as well. I think it's OK to have small wedding with only a few friends. It depends on your culture on how large weddings are. (i.e. applicants from Indian usually have very large weddings that last for days vs US/Canada are totally OK with simple elopement.)

 

[YVR123]

Ok - thanks for the clarification. I'll just let him know to say that he's coming to get married.

"and visit"
read up topic about dual intent in this forum. It's commonly done and many people posted their experience.

 

[scylla]

I personally wouldn't put focus on the marriage thing until specifically asked. I assume he's been up here to visit you before - I would just treat this trip like one of those trips.

He should make sure he doesn't pack like he's moving. This means having a reasonable number of suitcases and not bringing items that visitors don't normally bring. It's also a good idea to have a return ticket - and to bring evidence of ties to the US in case he's asked (e.g. property ownership / rental, employment, etc.).

 

[KarmaChameleonTO]

Ok - reading on dual intent a bit. So since he's coming from the US and doesn't need to go through a visitor's visa process as it's just automatically granted for 6 months when you arrive and go through customs - am I still supposed to fill out some dual intent application?

I'm looking at this page here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors/dual-intent-applicants.html

 

[KarmaChameleonTO]

I personally wouldn't put focus on the marriage thing until specifically asked. I assume he's been up here to visit you before - I would just treat this trip like one of those trips.

He should make sure he doesn't pack like he's moving. This means having a reasonable number of suitcases and not bringing items that visitors don't normally bring. It's also a good idea to have a return ticket - and to bring evidence of ties to the US in case he's asked (e.g. property ownership / rental, employment, etc.).

Yes, he has been up here to visit several times before. I don't anticipate him having more than 1-2 suitcases. He owns very little, and will be selling off pretty much everything before he comes. I think he'll have 1-2 big boxes being shipped up that contain a few electronics of his.

He has already purchased the one way ticket, and has resigned from his work, and relinquished his apartment lease. If everything went sideways and he needed to return, he would either live temporarily with his father, or with his friends in Arkansas. Not sure if a letter from his father saying he had a place to live would be good there?

 

[scylla]

Yes, he has been up here to visit several times before. I don't anticipate him having more than 1-2 suitcases. He owns very little, and will be selling off pretty much everything before he comes. I think he'll have 2 big boxes being shipped up that contain a few electronics of his.

He has already purchased the one way ticket, and has resigned from his work, and relinquished his apartment lease. If everything went sideways and he needed to return, he would either live temporarily with his father, or with his friends in Arkansas. Not sure if a letter from his father saying he had a place to live would be good there?

I wouldn't bother with the letter from his father. I don't think that will hold much weight.

I definitely wouldn't go over 2 suitcases.

He shouldn't be shipping anything until after he has become a permanent resident. He should keep these items somewhere in storage in the US until he has PR. If he ships anything now - he can expect to pay duties / tax.