hayley_hayley said:
Hi. Few questions...
1. Should I change my passport to reflect my new last name? I recently changed my name to take on my husband's last name (social security, driver's license, etc.) but I have not changed my passport b/c it is so recent and I didn't want to pay the money to get a new one. Do I have to change my passport? I notice that the 0008 file says to put my last name as it is listed on my passport. Then question two inquires, "Have you ever used any other name eg nickname, maiden name, alias, etc)" -should I just pay the money and get a new passport?
2. I want to move in with my husband in August. I thought about filing inland b/c it is supposed to be faster? But then I noticed people saying it might be better to file as OUTLAND rather than inland so that I can come back to Texas in December. Thoughts?
3. Moving to Canada - am I going to have trouble trying to drive across with a Uhaul? I wont have a PR. If we show them our marriage certificate would this be enough? Should I have him drive the uhaul by himself and I go across without the uhaul? What problems are we going to have trying to move my stuff to Canada?
4. It says my husband has to prove he can support me. My husband does not make much money because he is going to school. We will be living with his family. I wont be working until after I get the PR. How much is too little? Any thoughts?
Thanks!
This should be posted in the family sponsorship section of the forums, however I will do my best to answer your questions.
1. You don't have to change your passport if you don't want to, but you must use your maiden name (passport name) when filling out the application forms. You can use any other previous marriage names and your current marital name in the 'other section'. If you don't change your passport now, when they issue your COPR (confirmation of permanent residency) it will be in your maiden name, as well as your PR card. You can change them later on after you've changed your passport if you wish with just a minimal effort. I changed my passport before 'landing' and getting my COPR because it was much simpler for me.
2. Inland is NOT a faster process, Outland is currently faster and if you wish to return to Texas at some point, your best bet is to indeed file outland.
3. You can not move your belongings into Canada until you have received your PR. You are going to have to choose a few items that you can't live without, such as clothing and personal pc or somethign to that effect and then put the rest in storage. If you try to enter Canada as a 'visitor' with a uhaul you will be turned around at the border and sent back to whence you came without question. Your husband also will not clear the border if he has not been living in the states for a minimum of 12 months to warrant him 'returning' with his household goods. Do NOT tell CBSA that you are moving in with your husband while you file for PR. If you tell them this, you will be denied entry and returned back to whence you came. Tell them you are 'visiting' with your spouse and will return to the US at the end of your visit. If necessary, provide them proof in the form of lease agreements, bank statements, job letter, return flight ticket. You know you don't intend to return to the US, however CBSA MUST be assured that is what you intend to do.
4. There are no income requirements to sponsor a spouse. The only things you, as a couple, must show CIC is how you will support yourselves once you are granted your PR. You can use letters from his parents that they will support you both until you are able to support yourselves, and you can also write up a well thought out plan of 'attack' for when your husband graduates school. You can say something along the lines of "he is currently enrolled in x program and is expected to graduate on x date. He will then have x degree in x field which currently has a job outlook of x making $x dollars per year. I also have x skills and once I am allowed to enter the work force I can bring these skills and add $x money to our marital accounts which will be satisfactory to have acheive our goals of buying a house, having children, getting dogs/cats a farm" I think you get the idea here.
Good luck
