moving from USA to Canada

[brandi]

Hi, I am a US citizen and got engaged to a canadian citizen, I am planning on moving up there in a couple of months after we get married, I am clueless to the rules as to what i will need to move my stuff across the border to move in with my fiance. can anyone give me some advice or tips on what I have to do on my part to make this a smooth transition? can i just pack my stuff up in a uhaul move if we have a marriage license? or do i need t do other paperwork? any information will be much appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[spousalsponsee]

You cannot move to Canada until you are approved for residency. Until then, you can visit (so showing up with all your stuff in a uhaul is a bad idea). Once you are married (assuming you haven't already lived together for 12 months or more) your partner can sponsor you for residency.

 

[kailu]

Exactly what has been said. You cannot present yourself as going to be living in Canada. You need to travel as you would like you are visiting. I came to Canada with a duffel bag full of clothes, as well as my laptop.
I am in process of my sponsorship application now. (However we are common law so had to wait 12 months to submit. You won't have to wait for that), All of my other stuff will remain in storage until I receive my PR.

 

[mcroze]

You and your fiance can read this to see what's involved with applying for residency in Canada.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/spouse.asp

Plan on a fair bit of paperwork, medical exam, FBI background check, application fees and a many-month wait before being approved to move to Canada permanently. Until then you can visit for up to 6 months in a year and you should be prepared to prove you still have strong ties to the US and will return (i.e. don't take up more than needed for a visit).

 

[KBH]

I'm in the same situation. I maintained an address in the US and have kept the majority of my belongings in a storage unit until I land as a PR. At that time, we will bring a U-Haul across with all my stuff. You need to be able to show sufficient ties to the US in order for them to feel comfortable letting you in. WHATEVER YOU DO, do not use the words "moving to Canada" at the border. You are not moving to Canada, you are visiting. Call yourself a visitor.

 

[minicamp]

Until then you can visit for up to 6 months in a year and you should be prepared to prove you still have strong ties to the US and will return (i.e. don't take up more than needed for a visit).

To expand on that, you can extend your stay as a visitor. You don't have to actually go back and spend 6 months in the States and then come back. I've extended mine a few times while we were getting the application in order and then waiting and all that.