Can I marry my American girlfriend in Canada? Help please!

[DaveHouse]

Hey there everyone. I'm currently about to go through similar circumstances as NoseOfNicko. My American girlfriend is going to be coming here by the end of December and we're planning to marry. Is she allowed to stay here while awaiting permanent residency status or are continued extensions needed on her visitor status after six months? Why this is so complicated is beyond me.

 

[Ceimi]

Hey there everyone. I'm currently about to go through similar circumstances as NoseOfNicko. My American girlfriend is going to be coming here by the end of December and we're planning to marry. Is she allowed to stay here while awaiting permanent residency status or are continued extensions needed on her visitor status after six months? Why this is so complicated is beyond me.

She is allowed to stay as long as you guys can maintain her legal status. If you guys apply with an inland sponsorship, she will maintain implied legal status as long as she submits an open work permit along with the application.

If you guys apply outland (she can still stay with you, but she will not be able to work) she will need to keep extending until she gets approved and "lands." She can ask for a visitor record upon arrival in Canada at the border, which may grant her a longer term stay. For example, she may get one year instead of 6 months. But be aware that if she leaves, the visitor record or previous stamp in her passport does not mean she is guarenteed entry until that time. So if she leaves Canada, she will need to ask for another visitor record, or you will have to apply for another one online before her legal status runs out.

 

[DaveHouse]

She is allowed to stay as long as you guys can maintain her legal status. If you guys apply with an inland sponsorship, she will maintain implied legal status as long as she submits an open work permit along with the application.

If you guys apply outland (she can still stay with you, but she will not be able to work) she will need to keep extending until she gets approved and "lands." She can ask for a visitor record upon arrival in Canada at the border, which may grant her a longer term stay. For example, she may get one year instead of 6 months. But be aware that if she leaves, the visitor record or previous stamp in her passport does not mean she is guarenteed entry until that time. So if she leaves Canada, she will need to ask for another visitor record, or you will have to apply for another one online before her legal status runs out.

She is allowed to stay as long as you guys can maintain her legal status. If you guys apply with an inland sponsorship, she will maintain implied legal status as long as she submits an open work permit along with the application.

If you guys apply outland (she can still stay with you, but she will not be able to work) she will need to keep extending until she gets approved and "lands." She can ask for a visitor record upon arrival in Canada at the border, which may grant her a longer term stay. For example, she may get one year instead of 6 months. But be aware that if she leaves, the visitor record or previous stamp in her passport does not mean she is guarenteed entry until that time. So if she leaves Canada, she will need to ask for another visitor record, or you will have to apply for another one online before her legal status runs out.

 

[DaveHouse]

Thank you!!

 

[DaveHouse]

Ok. Timeline got bumped up a bit. She's coming to visit on December 2nd and will be staying with me. We plan on getting married as soon as possible... but she's concerned about whether she will be permitted to work. How difficult is it to get an open work permit once married? So far we have not applied for anything. She's coming strictly as a visit, but would like very much to stay and apply for residency while living here with me.

 

[crazystar]

My girlfriend visited me for 2 weeks 3 weeks ago and she looked at her passport and there's no return date written, there's just a slash and a sqiggly line that may or may not be a number 3 next to expiration on the stamp and underneath the stamp is a letter v with a long line (v_________________)... What does that mean? Does that mean that she could have stayed for 6 months?

if no date mentioned, by default it means 6 months.

 

[KBH]

Ok. Timeline got bumped up a bit. She's coming to visit on December 2nd and will be staying with me. We plan on getting married as soon as possible... but she's concerned about whether she will be permitted to work. How difficult is it to get an open work permit once married? So far we have not applied for anything. She's coming strictly as a visit, but would like very much to stay and apply for residency while living here with me.

Once you get married you will need to wait for your marriage certificate to come in the mail before you can apply, and I've been told that can take a couple of months. After you get that and send in your application (inland + open work permit), it should take about 4 months for the work permit to be granted. So I would plan on her not working for at least 6 months after the wedding. Good luck!

 

[DaveHouse]

Plans once again change... seems like that's the standard these days. Now we're talking about visiting the US and getting married there. If we take this route, am I going to have trouble bringing her back into Canada with me? What about sponsoring her for citizenship from the US. I haven't looked into this procedure since it wasn't an issue. By the way, she's here with me now and things are going great! Now we're just trying to figure out the best way to proceed.

 

[DaveHouse]

Plans changed again and she came on the 2nd of December as we originally planned. We got married yesterday and now are waiting to get our marriage certificate. After that, sponsorship and work permit. Thank you for the advice.