I am in a really difficult situation, here... SUCH a difficult situation

[Leon]

Like I told you early on, marriage is an option if you do this as a long term project but for immigration, it must look like she sponsored one partner, the relationship ended and she then enters a relationship with you and sponsors you. In the meantime, you can go and visit them but officially you are just friends at the moment.

Think about getting a Nexus card. They are supposed to ease your border crossings if you are crossing on the land border. You also don't have to worry about lying if they ask you how long you are staying and you say 3 weeks or whatever because they do not have exit controls. When you visit the next time, they will have no idea if you left after 3 weeks or 3 months.

 

[Ryusuta]

A Nexus card DOES seem like a good idea, but out of curiosity, does it do anything for air travel?

 

[Leon]

Some airports might have a special Nexus line according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEXUS_(frequent_traveler_program)#Use_at_airports

 

[Ryusuta]

Thank you... and thank everyone here. I suppose this might be my best course of action.

 

[okwama2002]

Ryusuta,

Dont despair, with your US citizenship you can stay in Canada for six months every year and still receive your disability benefits back in the states. I wish you the best.
For the others, thanks for being so open minded and helping Ryusuta make the right decision.
Sincerely,

 

[patience]

Be off good courage.

 

[Ryusuta]

Thank you again, everyone. Love will triumph, so long as we keep trying. And I love my girlfriend, and am so very happy whenever I see her. It seems like the time I spend with her flies by, and time without her slows to a crawl. I know we'll figure out a way to solve this.

 

[scylla]

A Nexus card DOES seem like a good idea, but out of curiosity, does it do anything for air travel?

The Nexus card allows you to bypass regular customs lines when crossing both by car and air from the US to Canada - and Canada to the US. When traveling by air, you skip the customs line manned by a human and go to a computer instead. That computer scans your irises to identify you and then asks you 2 (or 3?) basic questions. The computer then spits out a printed customs card and you're done (without waiting and without having to speak with a human).

They do randomly select a certain number of Nexus travelers for further inspection (1 out of every 20?). So the Nexus card by no means guarantees that you won't speak with a human.

In order to obtain a Nexus card, you fill out an online application and pay the fee (was $50 for five years when I applied). When your application is approved, you travel to the nearest airport with an interview centre and must pass an interview with both US and Canadian officials. Assuming they give you the green light - your card is then mailed to you a few weeks later.

Another relatively new feature is that if you are flying within Canada, they now have expedited security lines for Nexus holders (I used one last week when flying between Toronto and Vancouver).

Let me know if you have any more questions about Nexus.