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Canadian citizen to marry a (1yr) US J1 Visa holder

chris_j11

Full Member
Dec 31, 2014
29
1
Just wondering if there is any major road blocks if I (canadian citizen) marry my GF currently in the US (for only 1yr) as a J1 Visa holder

>Will we have problem getting married in the US?
>>Can we get married in Canada instead?
>Will she have to return back to her home country first!?
>>Can she move to Canada after we get married and after her contract at her current job
>>>while the paper work is in process
>We were thinking of getting married sooner (rather than later) - so this will allow the paper work to process while she finish her 1yr job contract - possible?
>Do we need a lawler?

Can someone please provide additional tips and know how for us to be together better/faster-thanks
Can someone also please provide me a link of documents/forms I need to fill out
Thanks in advance
 

Aquakitty

VIP Member
Mar 21, 2011
3,014
164
BC
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-03-2015
AOR Received.
14-04-2015 - SA Received: 20-04-2015
Med's Done....
28-01-2015 Upfront
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
25-06-2015
LANDED..........
11-07-2015
Is your g/f visa exempt in Canada? If not she'd have to get a visa or work permit in order to live in Canada. There should be no problem getting married in the US. You can apply for PR while she's still working on her J1 visa, you just need to prove that you intend to move and settle in Canada when she receives her PR.
 

chris_j11

Full Member
Dec 31, 2014
29
1
Aquakitty said:
Is your g/f visa exempt in Canada? If not she'd have to get a visa or work permit in order to live in Canada. There should be no problem getting married in the US. You can apply for PR while she's still working on her J1 visa, you just need to prove that you intend to move and settle in Canada when she receives her PR.
Thanks for the reply - just a few more question to help me lead to the efficient direction

While she is under her 1yr J1 Visa:
Is it better to get married here in Canada or US?
Should I start the process here or in LA (US) - after we get married?
>If US is faster - can she stays here in Canada after her J1 Visa and wait for the paper work from the US (or if I start the process here in Canada)?
Does this mean she does not need to go back to her home country (Philippines)?

BTW - We do intend to live here in Canada, I have a house and stable job

Thanks again in advance
 

keesio

VIP Member
May 16, 2012
4,795
396
Toronto, Ontario
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
09-01-2013
Doc's Request.
09-07-2013
AOR Received.
30-01-2013
File Transfer...
11-02-2013
Med's Done....
02-01-2013
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
12-07-2013
VISA ISSUED...
15-08-2013
LANDED..........
14-10-2013
chris_j11 said:
Thanks for the reply - just a few more question to help me lead to the efficient direction

While she is under her 1yr J1 Visa:
Is it better to get married here in Canada or US?
Should I start the process here or in LA (US) - after we get married?
>If US is faster - can she stays here in Canada after her J1 Visa and wait for the paper work from the US (or if I start the process here in Canada)?
Does this mean she does not need to go back to her home country (Philippines)?

BTW - We do intend to live here in Canada, I have a house and stable job

Thanks again in advance
It doesn't matter where you get married. Either is fine

The first question is if you wish to do inland or outland sponsorship. For inland, she would join you in Canada. However, she has to have a visa to enter Canada first. If she does not or cannot get one, outland would be the option to use. As for which outland office is used, it will either be Manilla (if she is processed as a Philippines citizen) or Ottawa (if she is processed as a US resident). You/she does not have a choice in this, CIC will decide based on which country she has stronger ties too.

If she has a valid visa to stay in the US, she can remain there while the application is processed. But if there is an interview, and her application is sent to Manilla, then she will have to go back for the interview.
 

chris_j11

Full Member
Dec 31, 2014
29
1
Thank you again - very much appreciated for all the help:

Overall, ofcourse - what we both want is to be together (sooner than later) while we wait for the papers to finalize
At the same time looking for the best option for her either be here in Canada and 2nd option is to stay in the US- (waiting for paper to finalize)

>After (or before) we get married -most likely in the US:
>> What paper work should we work on first (or same time if possible)- inland or outland spousal sponsor and/or visa to Canada and/or extension to stay in US

Side Note: Divorce paper I need to submit
I'm divorce - do I need a "divoce certificate" or just the "Form 52 Rule 15-1(1)" signed by the Court Judge (which I have)
 

xabibella

Star Member
Apr 15, 2015
146
6
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
25-06-2015
AOR Received.
30-07-2015
File Transfer...
28-08-2015
Med's Done....
15-06-2015
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
29-03-2016
VISA ISSUED...
25-04-2016
LANDED..........
01-07-2016
Hey there, I'm an F1 visa holder in the US (also from the Philippines like your wife) and we submitted our application as outland back in June 2015. We got married here in the US last year and our application was sent to Manila VO. We are lucky that we're only 2 hours away from each other so he comes to visit often. I had to enroll for another semester so I can maintain my visa and I can stay here so it would be easy for us to visit (we originally thought our application would be done by January). The GCMS notes we requested seemed positive and we were not asked for interviews or anything like that. We did not use a lawyer. Right now we are just waiting for the passport request (it seems June applicants from Manila VO are slowly getting them now from the Manila thread here). So yeah, outland application + US visa extension worked for us better in our situation.
 
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chris_j11

Full Member
Dec 31, 2014
29
1
Thank you xabibella :)

i'm trying to learn as much as possible - thru questions and reading

i figured it might come down to her extending her stay until the papers are finalized

Just a question from your experience:
>When you applied for US Visa Extenstion, was it pretty straigh forward, no roadblocks or any headaches
>Did you try Canada Visa - to visit him in the Canada
 

xabibella

Star Member
Apr 15, 2015
146
6
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
25-06-2015
AOR Received.
30-07-2015
File Transfer...
28-08-2015
Med's Done....
15-06-2015
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
29-03-2016
VISA ISSUED...
25-04-2016
LANDED..........
01-07-2016
chris_j11 said:
Thank you xabibella :)

i'm trying to learn as much as possible - thru questions and reading

i figured it might come down to her extending her stay until the papers are finalized

Just a question from your experience:
>When you applied for US Visa Extenstion, was it pretty straigh forward, no roadblocks or any headaches
>Did you try Canada Visa - to visit him in the Canada
I'm not sure how J1 visas are renewed so I can't comment there (for F1 visas, it's just a matter of staying enrolled in a school and my school took care of everything). And no, I didn't try to apply for a visit visa. I was worried that it would affect our application if it was denied since one question on the forms was if I was ever denied visa applications to any countries (although some people here are saying that it shouldn't matter, I just stayed on the safe side). Anyway, he comes to visit for several weeks every 1-2 months before and after we got married so it was no issue for us. :)
 
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dianne21

Newbie
Apr 29, 2016
1
0
[size=10pt][size=10pt][size=10pt]hi I lived in Canada for one year I am permanent resident
my boyfriend is in USA right now holding a J1 visa
he want to visit me here and were planning to get married here in Canada
is that going to work? because we want to be together.
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