Living in another country, 'illegally' while we wait for papers

[mswestbrooke]

hi guys,

so I'm the canadian in this situation. it's kinda complicated so bare with me.
i met my husband 5 years ago and i would come to visit him in the states for a month or a couple of weeks at a time because he has a DUI and was denied entry into canada, twice. last year I came on a whim and ended up staying longer than anticipated. we didn't want to be apart again so after me being here for 4 months, we got married. we took a month to figure out where we want to live and we decided my home in canada. we started the paperwork and sent our spousal sponsorship application to canada.

3 months later, it came back denied because he did not include his passport (we naively thought his enhanced ID was ok, since that's all they need at the canadian border). we sent for his passport and it also came back denied because he did not send enough ID. in the states, they need like 5 pieces of ID all over 5 years old. he only has 2.

now we're stuck and trying to figure out any loopholes for him to get a US passport. but it's not looking good. i have been here illegally (is that the term? i don't know... i have overstayed my 6 month max so i feel paralyzed and i refuse to go back to canada because i may never see him again. i know im already going to be banned for 3 years from the US, and we can't be apart. we are considering getting me a green card but i really dislike living in the US and even then, we might get denied.

does anyone relate? what would happen if we both get denied in canada and the US? is that possible? we are trying everything we can to be together and this has stressed me out to the point my body isn't functioning normally. any words, stories, anything would help! thanks

 

[zardoz]

hi guys,

so I'm the canadian in this situation. it's kinda complicated so bare with me.
i met my husband 5 years ago and i would come to visit him in the states for a month or a couple of weeks at a time because he has a DUI and was denied entry into canada, twice. last year I came on a whim and ended up staying longer than anticipated. we didn't want to be apart again so after me being here for 4 months, we got married. we took a month to figure out where we want to live and we decided my home in canada. we started the paperwork and sent our spousal sponsorship application to canada.

3 months later, it came back denied because he did not include his passport (we naively thought his enhanced ID was ok, since that's all they need at the canadian border). we sent for his passport and it also came back denied because he did not send enough ID. in the states, they need like 5 pieces of ID all over 5 years old. he only has 2.

now we're stuck and trying to figure out any loopholes for him to get a US passport. but it's not looking good. i have been here illegally (is that the term? i don't know... i have overstayed my 6 month max so i feel paralyzed and i refuse to go back to canada because i may never see him again. i know im already going to be banned for 3 years from the US, and we can't be apart. we are considering getting me a green card but i really dislike living in the US and even then, we might get denied.

does anyone relate? what would happen if we both get denied in canada and the US? is that possible? we are trying everything we can to be together and this has stressed me out to the point my body isn't functioning normally. any words, stories, anything would help! thanks

I think that you are possibly misunderstanding the ID requirements for a US passport. They don't appear to be that draconian.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/apply-in-person.html

 

[mswestbrooke]

I think that you are possibly misunderstanding the ID requirements for a US passport. They don't appear to be that draconian.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/apply-in-person.html

that's what we thought! but we were sent a letter from the US gov through priority mail (we tried getting his passport expedited).
it said he needs 5 pieces of ID with name, date and signature on them and they all must be at least 5 years old. maybe it's because this is his first time applying for a passport? we sent in all original docs and his birth certificate

 

[Alurra71]

that's what we thought! but we were sent a letter from the US gov through priority mail (we tried getting his passport expedited).
it said he needs 5 pieces of ID with name, date and signature on them and they all must be at least 5 years old. maybe it's because this is his first time applying for a passport? we sent in all original docs and his birth certificate

Go to a local post office and have his picture and all his paperwork done there. He does NOT need 5 pieces of ID all over 5 years old. I am unsure what you were reading or how you read it, but I can assure you, first or 15th the requirements remain essentially the same.

All he needs is his long form birth certificate and a current (valid) driver's license with a photo. Take them BOTH to the post office, have his picture taken and then fill out the proper forms. Will take roughly 4 weeks for him to obtain his pasport.

 

[mswestbrooke]

Go to a local post office and have his picture and all his paperwork done there. He does NOT need 5 pieces of ID all over 5 years old. I am unsure what you were reading or how you read it, but I can assure you, first or 15th the requirements remain essentially the same.

All he needs is his long form birth certificate and a current (valid) driver's license with a photo. Take them BOTH to the post office, have his picture taken and then fill out the proper forms. Will take roughly 4 weeks for him to obtain his pasport.

thanks for your input, we'll try that route since the national passport office isnt calling us back

 

[marilamb]

My hubby got his a year ago and didn't have 5 ids, just 3. A SSN, birth cert and state ID (non drivers license) is all he had.